Wednesday, February 27, 2013
CRUSHWORTHY: Paul James Jordan from ABC Family's "Bunheads"
CRUSHWORTHY: Garrett Coffey from ABC Family's "Bunheads"
Watch him in action:
ONE-TO-WATCH: Mireille Enos from Gangster Squad
Future Projects: The biographical crime drama Devil's Knot with Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle); the Marc Foster horror drama World War Z with Brad Pitt and Matthew Fox; the David Ayer dramatic thriller Ten with Arnold Schwarzenneger, Sam Worthington, and many more; and the thriller Queen of the Night with Ryan Reynolds and Rosario Dawson.
CRUSHWORTHY: Eddie Redmayne from Les Misérables
Past Films: The Good Shepherd as Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie's neglected son; Savage Grace as Julianne Moore's schizophrenic son; Elizabeth: The Golden Age as an assassin hired to kill the queen; The Yellow Handkerchief* as a geeky outcast; The Other Boleyn Girl as Scarlett Johansson's suitor; Powder Blue* as a reluctant mortician with bad asthma; Black Death* as a monk seeking a supernatural cure to the bubonic plague; Hick*; My Week with Marilyn as an aspiring filmmaker who is obsessed with the icon; Les Misérables as a revolutionary.
Future Films: Jupiter Ascending, a Wachowski film, where he'll star alongside Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. It's a dystopian sci-fi action film about a woman who is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe to prevent being overthrown. It's like a futuristic Snow White.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
FILM: The Best Romantic Grand Gestures in Film
Many films, romantic or not, have had perfect couples, interesting meet-cutes, and memorable dates. But there's one component of a romantic plot that clinches it for the viewer: the grand gesture. There are many kinds, from the heroic to the tear-inducing. Below I've comprised a list of some of the best. Obviously, there are major spoilers. Of course, if you haven't seen half of these films already you've either been in a coma for the last twenty years or you don't have a uterus.
APOLOGIES
+Never Been Kissed
To apologize for lying about her identity and almost getting Michael Vartan's character fired, Drew Barrymore's character publishes a heartfelt apology on the front page of the city's newspaper, asking him to meet her on the mound before a high school baseball game to give her her first official kiss.
+Pitch Perfect
Skylar Astin's character is amazed that Anna Kendrick's character doesn't enjoy watching movies, and therefore has missed out on some amazing scores. So he shows her the ending of The Breakfast Club so that she can be as affected by the final monologue and the accompanying track as he is. But she doesn't react the way he expects her to. Later, when she shuts him down so hard he refuses to talk to her, she watches the movie and the final song hits her the way he knew it would. She then creates a mix for their final performance that includes The Breakfast Club song, as her way of apologizing.
>Watch the scene!<
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS
+10 Years
Oscar Isaac's character is a famous musician with a very popular song that everyone at his high school reunion knows. The only person that doesn't seem to know the song is Kate Mara's character. He spends most of the film reminiscing with her and talking about their present lives. She tells him a story about a pair of yellow heels she had in high school and how she always felt invisible, as evidenced by a wall of photos where she only appears in the background of one photo. Later, when she and the rest of the bar ask him to sing his famous song, she's listening to the lyrics for the first time and realizes that it describes her. All this time she thought she was invisible and she had no idea she was immortalized in a famous song.
>Watch the scene!<
+Bridget Jones Diary
After reading her private and embarrassing thoughts about him and their relationship, Colin Firth's character doesn't flip out or run for the hills. He instead goes out in the snow to buy Renee Zellwegger's character a new diary to keep writing.
+Confessions of a Shopaholic
Isla Fisher's character has a signature green scarf throughout the film, her last splurge purchase. When she finally succumbs under the weight of her massive debt, she sells all of her designer clothes in a sample sale and auctions off the scarf, which is now famous because of her finance column. A mysterious bidder on the phone succeeds in placing the highest bid. Later, we discover it's Hugh Dancy's character, who thought she should get to at least keep one piece of her extensive couture collection.
+Five Year Engagement
After waiting so long to plan their wedding and get married, Jason Segel's character plans a shotgun wedding where Emily Blunt's character gets to make quick wedding-planning decisions, choosing a band, a dress, etc. minutes before they say "I Do." It takes the pressure off so they can finally start their lives together.
+From Nada to Prada
When Alexa Vega's rich character first arrives in the barrio, she has to sell all of her stuff and downgrade. A car her aunt purchases for her has a busted side mirror, and even though Vega's character butts heads with Wilmer Valderrama's intimidating neighbor character, he fixes the mirror without telling her. Later, after her car accident and their falling out, he builds a ramp to make it easier for her to enter the house with her wheel chair. Neither time does he seek gratitude.
+The Lorax
In order to impress a tree-lover, the lead character ventures past their town's boundaries to search for any signs of vegetation.
+P.S. I Love You
Gerard Butler's character leaves letters for Hilary Swank's character after he dies to help her cope with her loss of him and move on.
+The Silver Linings Playbook
Bradley Cooper's character figured out that Jennifer Lawrence's character wrote a fake letter from his ex-wife to give him hope and make him do the dance competition, but instead of calling her out, he plays along and goes through with it.
+Sixteen Candles
Everyone forgets Molly Ringwald's character's birthday because of her sister's impending wedding, so after an entire night of trying to connect with her, her crush picks her up from the church, takes her back to his house, and presents her with a birthday cake, so she can finally celebrate.
+What's Your Number?
Anna Faris's character makes dioramas fitted with cartoonish statues. It's a hobby that she's too afraid to be passionate about. Instead of thinking she's a weirdo, Chris Evans' character builds display cases in her apartment so she can feature them proudly.
HEROIC ACT
+Clueless
Alicia Silverstone's character volunteers to help out with her father's legal case so she can flirt with Paul Rudd's character. At some point, she fudges the task, and one of her father's associates flips out on her and calls her stupid. Rudd comes to her defense and rebuilds her self-esteem, leading to their first kiss.
+Ever After
A band of thieves attempt to rob Dougray Scott and Drew Barrymore's characters while they walk through the woods. They're willing to let her go, but instead she makes a deal with their leader to take whatever she can carry. She then lifts Scott's character over her shoulder with the intention of carrying him away. The thieves are so amused by her attempt that they tell her to stop, and invite both of them to their camp.
+Forgetting Sarah Marshall
After Mila Kunis's character tells Jason Segel's character that there's a topless photo of her in a bar that she regrets taking, he steals it and risks a beat down.
+Knight & Day
Throughout the film Tom Cruise's character has repeatedly kidnapped Cameron Diaz's character for her own protection. Also, since the government faked his death, he's not allowed to contact his parents, but checks up on them often. In the end, when it's clear that the agency intends on sending him somewhere secluded to live out the rest of his days, Diaz's character kidnaps him from the hospital and has his parents meet them in the one place he's always wanted to retire.
+Let Me In
Kodi Smit-McPhee's character is constantly bullied by his classmates and one night when they almost drown him, his vampire buddy, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, rips them all apart and saves him.
+Love and Other Drugs
When Jake Gyllenhaal's man-whore character learns Anne Hathaway's character has Parkinson's, he doesn't ditch her. He, instead, goes to great lengths to find treatment and save her life.
+Overboard
In the middle of the film, Kurt Russell's character tells Goldie Hawn's character a story about star-crossed lovers who tried to find each other in the ocean. In the end, when her husband holds her hostage, they both jump out of their boats and swim to each other like in the love story, screaming the character's names.
+True Lies
Arnold Schwarzenneger's character hangs out of a helicopter to retrieve Jamie Lee Curtis's character from a limousine that's about to cross a damaged bridge.
MAKING A FOOL OUT OF THEMSELVES
+10 Things I Hate About You
First, Heath Ledger's character serenades Julia Stiles's character while she's mid-soccer practice to get her attention. Then, because he gets sent to detention, she flashes the teacher monitoring detention so he can escape. Then, at the end, after she realizes he was being paid to date her, she reads a heart-wrenching poem she wrote about him in front of the entire class.
>Watch the scene!<
+500 Days of Summer
Zooey Deschanel's character introduces this weird game where they both say the word "penis" exponentially louder in a park until one of them chickens out. Joseph Gordon Levitt's character screams it as loud as he can to impress her, in spite of his crippling shyness.
>Watch the scene<
+Beastly
Alex Pettyfer's character is an obnoxious snob. He humiliates a wiccan and she curses him to be as hideous on the outside as he is on the inside. In order to break the curse, he has to get someone to fall in love with him for who he is before the year is up. But instead of forcing it with Vanessa Hudgens' character just to save himself, he shows up at school for the first time since he was cursed and professes his love to her in front of everyone, submitting to the stares and whispers that he was trying to avoid all along.
+Drive Me Crazy
Adrian Grenier's character was egregiously opposed to PDA, so in order to win Melissa Joan Hart's character back, he slides down the centennial sculpture with slicked-back hair and a tuxedo, making himself the center of attention, and asks her to dance.
+Hitch
Kevin James's character notices Amber Valletta's character is a a goofy dancer, so instead of using the cool dance moves Will Smith's character taught him, he decides to dance just as goofy as her to make her seem normal.
+Valentine's Day
Eric Dane's character is in a lover's spat with Bradley Cooper's character. He's a famous athlete and being openly gay would be bad for his rep. But in order to prove his love for Cooper's character, he holds a press conference where he comes out of the closet.
SACRIFICE
+13 Going On 30
After spending the entire film being the popular girl she's always wanted to be and realizing that all that mattered was having Mark Ruffalo's character by her side, Jennifer Garner's character regains consciousness as her thirteen-year-old self and bravely rejects the popular girl, giving up any chance of being apart of her clique.
+17 Again
Zac Efron's character gives up a potential basketball career for a second time so that he can be with his wife, Leslie Mann's character, and their kids.
+50 First Dates
Adam Sandler's character forgoes a normal life for one where his wife, played by Drew Barrmore, has to watch a video every morning to remind her of who he is and who their children are.
+The Adjustment Bureau
When Matt Damon's character learns that Emily Blunt's character will never be successful at doing what she loves if she stays with him, he let's her go.
+Anna Karenina
At the start of the film, Alicia Vikander's character is a spoiled brat who is smitten with Aaron Taylor-Johnson's seductive character, so she rejects the sweet character that Domhnall Gleeson plays. Later, when she finally gets over her misguided crush and realizes the mistake she made, she accepts Gleeson's character's proposal. When he brings her back to his estate, they discover that his brother, played by David Wilmot, has fallen ill and his foreign prostitute wife is the only one caring for him. Gleeson's character assumes that Vikander's character will be her usual aristocratic self, but instead she pulls up her sleeves and tends to his needs, which in that time period would be considered taboo.
+Coming to America
Eddie Murphy's African prince character forfeits his throne and his inheritance to be with an American commoner and work minimum wage.
+Country Strong
Leighton Meester's character is hellbent on becoming a huge country star just like her idol, Gwyneth Paltrow's character. But after witnessing her alcoholic downward spiral and learning that her one regret was prioritizing her fame, she forfeits her big break to be with the soulful country singer, played by Garrett Hedlund.
+Dedication
Billy Crudup's character seems rather autistic and one of his hang-ups is that he doesn't drive. After tanking his relationship with Mandy Moore's character, he slowly and timidly drives himself to her book signing to declare his love for her.
+Excess Baggage
Benicio Del Toro's character forfeits a massive payday and risks his life to save Alicia Silverstone's character after trying to get rid of her for a majority of the film.
+The Hunger Games
Josh Hutcherson's character embeds himself with the other hunters so that he can prevent Jennifer Lawrence's character from getting murdered, knowing that if they are the last survivors, she would have to kill him.
+John Carter
The title character, played by Taylor Kitsch, chooses to leave Earth, and everything familiar, to permanently live on Mars to be with the princess.
+Love Actually
Even though Andrew Lincoln's character is in love with his best friend's wife, played by Keira Knightley, he doesn't try to steal her away. Instead, he plays caroling music when she answers her door as a cover so that she can read a funny message written on poster boards where he professes his love for her and promises to never act on it.
>Watch the scene!<
+Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
After getting to know Anne Hathaway's princess character, Chris Pine's character refuses to follow his scheming uncle's orders and forfeits any right to the throne.
+Ruby Sparks
Once Paul Dano's character realizes that controlling Zoe Kazan's character's every move does not constitute a relationship or true love, he sets her free.
+Safety Not Guaranteed
In the end, when Mark Duplass's character finally attempts to go back in time, Aubrey Plaza's character has to decide if she's going to take this leap of faith with him. If it doesn't work, then at least she was supportive of his dream. And if it does work, then she'd be abandoning her dad and venturing off into the unknown.
+Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Ewan McGregor's character resigns from his government position to follow through with the project and stay with Emily Blunt's character, even though there's a chance her boyfriend will return.
+Seeking a Friend at the End of the World
First, knowing that Keira Knightley's character is his last chance at love, Steve Carrell's character makes his father fly her to England to see her family one last time. Then she forces his father to turn the plane around because she'd rather die by his side.
+Slumdog Millionaire
Dev Patel's character goes to great lengths to save Freida Pinto's character from settling for a rich, dangerous man she doesn't love, and loses his brother in the process.
+Wild Target
Bill Nighy's character comes from a long line of assassins. He's hired to kill Emily Blunt's con artist character, but instead falls in love with her. He risks the wrath of his retired mother and his employer by refusing to go through with it and killing anyone who comes near her.
PROVING THEY'RE WORTHY
+Crazy, Stupid, Love
One night when Steve Carrell's character secretly goes over to his ex-wife's house, she calls him while he's in her backyard, claiming that there's something that needs fixing. He begins to walk her through how to fix the problem, and she pretends she's doing what he's saying, and all the while, he's watching her through the window. It's a sweet moment as they both desperately needed to be around each other but had to make up a reason to hear each other's voice or see each other.
+He's Just Not That Into You
Ben Affleck's character doesn't want to get married and Jennifer Aniston's character does, so they break up. When her father has a health scare, he comes over and helps out. All he does is clean up the kitchen and do some laundry, but given that her sisters' husbands have done nothing helpful, she decides right then and there that she doesn't need a ring to prove that he's committed to her.
>Watch the scene!<
+The Tourist
Angelina Jolie's character is an undercover agent who falls in love with her mark. When he disappears, she figures he abandoned her. But he devises a way to get back to her. He hires someone to pretend to be him and to make the government to believe he's someone else, played by Johnny Depp. Because that endangers Depp's character, Jolie's character is forced to protect him, and in the process, she falls for him. In the end, we discover that her mark and Depp are the same man, and he had plastic surgery so they could be together. But at the same time he proves that she loved him no matter what he did for a living or what he looked like.
What's the most romantic grand gesture you've ever seen?
APOLOGIES
To apologize for lying about her identity and almost getting Michael Vartan's character fired, Drew Barrymore's character publishes a heartfelt apology on the front page of the city's newspaper, asking him to meet her on the mound before a high school baseball game to give her her first official kiss.
+Pitch Perfect
Skylar Astin's character is amazed that Anna Kendrick's character doesn't enjoy watching movies, and therefore has missed out on some amazing scores. So he shows her the ending of The Breakfast Club so that she can be as affected by the final monologue and the accompanying track as he is. But she doesn't react the way he expects her to. Later, when she shuts him down so hard he refuses to talk to her, she watches the movie and the final song hits her the way he knew it would. She then creates a mix for their final performance that includes The Breakfast Club song, as her way of apologizing.
>Watch the scene!<
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS
+10 Years
Oscar Isaac's character is a famous musician with a very popular song that everyone at his high school reunion knows. The only person that doesn't seem to know the song is Kate Mara's character. He spends most of the film reminiscing with her and talking about their present lives. She tells him a story about a pair of yellow heels she had in high school and how she always felt invisible, as evidenced by a wall of photos where she only appears in the background of one photo. Later, when she and the rest of the bar ask him to sing his famous song, she's listening to the lyrics for the first time and realizes that it describes her. All this time she thought she was invisible and she had no idea she was immortalized in a famous song.
>Watch the scene!<
After reading her private and embarrassing thoughts about him and their relationship, Colin Firth's character doesn't flip out or run for the hills. He instead goes out in the snow to buy Renee Zellwegger's character a new diary to keep writing.
+Confessions of a Shopaholic
Isla Fisher's character has a signature green scarf throughout the film, her last splurge purchase. When she finally succumbs under the weight of her massive debt, she sells all of her designer clothes in a sample sale and auctions off the scarf, which is now famous because of her finance column. A mysterious bidder on the phone succeeds in placing the highest bid. Later, we discover it's Hugh Dancy's character, who thought she should get to at least keep one piece of her extensive couture collection.
+Five Year Engagement
After waiting so long to plan their wedding and get married, Jason Segel's character plans a shotgun wedding where Emily Blunt's character gets to make quick wedding-planning decisions, choosing a band, a dress, etc. minutes before they say "I Do." It takes the pressure off so they can finally start their lives together.
+From Nada to Prada
When Alexa Vega's rich character first arrives in the barrio, she has to sell all of her stuff and downgrade. A car her aunt purchases for her has a busted side mirror, and even though Vega's character butts heads with Wilmer Valderrama's intimidating neighbor character, he fixes the mirror without telling her. Later, after her car accident and their falling out, he builds a ramp to make it easier for her to enter the house with her wheel chair. Neither time does he seek gratitude.
+The Lorax
In order to impress a tree-lover, the lead character ventures past their town's boundaries to search for any signs of vegetation.
+P.S. I Love You
Gerard Butler's character leaves letters for Hilary Swank's character after he dies to help her cope with her loss of him and move on.
+The Silver Linings Playbook
Bradley Cooper's character figured out that Jennifer Lawrence's character wrote a fake letter from his ex-wife to give him hope and make him do the dance competition, but instead of calling her out, he plays along and goes through with it.
Everyone forgets Molly Ringwald's character's birthday because of her sister's impending wedding, so after an entire night of trying to connect with her, her crush picks her up from the church, takes her back to his house, and presents her with a birthday cake, so she can finally celebrate.
+What's Your Number?
Anna Faris's character makes dioramas fitted with cartoonish statues. It's a hobby that she's too afraid to be passionate about. Instead of thinking she's a weirdo, Chris Evans' character builds display cases in her apartment so she can feature them proudly.
HEROIC ACT
Alicia Silverstone's character volunteers to help out with her father's legal case so she can flirt with Paul Rudd's character. At some point, she fudges the task, and one of her father's associates flips out on her and calls her stupid. Rudd comes to her defense and rebuilds her self-esteem, leading to their first kiss.
+Ever After
A band of thieves attempt to rob Dougray Scott and Drew Barrymore's characters while they walk through the woods. They're willing to let her go, but instead she makes a deal with their leader to take whatever she can carry. She then lifts Scott's character over her shoulder with the intention of carrying him away. The thieves are so amused by her attempt that they tell her to stop, and invite both of them to their camp.
+Forgetting Sarah Marshall
After Mila Kunis's character tells Jason Segel's character that there's a topless photo of her in a bar that she regrets taking, he steals it and risks a beat down.
+Knight & Day
Throughout the film Tom Cruise's character has repeatedly kidnapped Cameron Diaz's character for her own protection. Also, since the government faked his death, he's not allowed to contact his parents, but checks up on them often. In the end, when it's clear that the agency intends on sending him somewhere secluded to live out the rest of his days, Diaz's character kidnaps him from the hospital and has his parents meet them in the one place he's always wanted to retire.
+Let Me In
Kodi Smit-McPhee's character is constantly bullied by his classmates and one night when they almost drown him, his vampire buddy, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, rips them all apart and saves him.
+Love and Other Drugs
When Jake Gyllenhaal's man-whore character learns Anne Hathaway's character has Parkinson's, he doesn't ditch her. He, instead, goes to great lengths to find treatment and save her life.
+Overboard
In the middle of the film, Kurt Russell's character tells Goldie Hawn's character a story about star-crossed lovers who tried to find each other in the ocean. In the end, when her husband holds her hostage, they both jump out of their boats and swim to each other like in the love story, screaming the character's names.
+True Lies
Arnold Schwarzenneger's character hangs out of a helicopter to retrieve Jamie Lee Curtis's character from a limousine that's about to cross a damaged bridge.
MAKING A FOOL OUT OF THEMSELVES
First, Heath Ledger's character serenades Julia Stiles's character while she's mid-soccer practice to get her attention. Then, because he gets sent to detention, she flashes the teacher monitoring detention so he can escape. Then, at the end, after she realizes he was being paid to date her, she reads a heart-wrenching poem she wrote about him in front of the entire class.
>Watch the scene!<
+500 Days of Summer
Zooey Deschanel's character introduces this weird game where they both say the word "penis" exponentially louder in a park until one of them chickens out. Joseph Gordon Levitt's character screams it as loud as he can to impress her, in spite of his crippling shyness.
>Watch the scene<
+Beastly
Alex Pettyfer's character is an obnoxious snob. He humiliates a wiccan and she curses him to be as hideous on the outside as he is on the inside. In order to break the curse, he has to get someone to fall in love with him for who he is before the year is up. But instead of forcing it with Vanessa Hudgens' character just to save himself, he shows up at school for the first time since he was cursed and professes his love to her in front of everyone, submitting to the stares and whispers that he was trying to avoid all along.
+Drive Me Crazy
Adrian Grenier's character was egregiously opposed to PDA, so in order to win Melissa Joan Hart's character back, he slides down the centennial sculpture with slicked-back hair and a tuxedo, making himself the center of attention, and asks her to dance.
+Hitch
Kevin James's character notices Amber Valletta's character is a a goofy dancer, so instead of using the cool dance moves Will Smith's character taught him, he decides to dance just as goofy as her to make her seem normal.
+Valentine's Day
Eric Dane's character is in a lover's spat with Bradley Cooper's character. He's a famous athlete and being openly gay would be bad for his rep. But in order to prove his love for Cooper's character, he holds a press conference where he comes out of the closet.
SACRIFICE
+13 Going On 30
After spending the entire film being the popular girl she's always wanted to be and realizing that all that mattered was having Mark Ruffalo's character by her side, Jennifer Garner's character regains consciousness as her thirteen-year-old self and bravely rejects the popular girl, giving up any chance of being apart of her clique.
+17 Again
Zac Efron's character gives up a potential basketball career for a second time so that he can be with his wife, Leslie Mann's character, and their kids.
+50 First Dates
Adam Sandler's character forgoes a normal life for one where his wife, played by Drew Barrmore, has to watch a video every morning to remind her of who he is and who their children are.
+The Adjustment Bureau
When Matt Damon's character learns that Emily Blunt's character will never be successful at doing what she loves if she stays with him, he let's her go.
At the start of the film, Alicia Vikander's character is a spoiled brat who is smitten with Aaron Taylor-Johnson's seductive character, so she rejects the sweet character that Domhnall Gleeson plays. Later, when she finally gets over her misguided crush and realizes the mistake she made, she accepts Gleeson's character's proposal. When he brings her back to his estate, they discover that his brother, played by David Wilmot, has fallen ill and his foreign prostitute wife is the only one caring for him. Gleeson's character assumes that Vikander's character will be her usual aristocratic self, but instead she pulls up her sleeves and tends to his needs, which in that time period would be considered taboo.
+Coming to America
Eddie Murphy's African prince character forfeits his throne and his inheritance to be with an American commoner and work minimum wage.
Leighton Meester's character is hellbent on becoming a huge country star just like her idol, Gwyneth Paltrow's character. But after witnessing her alcoholic downward spiral and learning that her one regret was prioritizing her fame, she forfeits her big break to be with the soulful country singer, played by Garrett Hedlund.
+Dedication
Billy Crudup's character seems rather autistic and one of his hang-ups is that he doesn't drive. After tanking his relationship with Mandy Moore's character, he slowly and timidly drives himself to her book signing to declare his love for her.
+Excess Baggage
Benicio Del Toro's character forfeits a massive payday and risks his life to save Alicia Silverstone's character after trying to get rid of her for a majority of the film.
+The Hunger Games
Josh Hutcherson's character embeds himself with the other hunters so that he can prevent Jennifer Lawrence's character from getting murdered, knowing that if they are the last survivors, she would have to kill him.
+John Carter
The title character, played by Taylor Kitsch, chooses to leave Earth, and everything familiar, to permanently live on Mars to be with the princess.
Even though Andrew Lincoln's character is in love with his best friend's wife, played by Keira Knightley, he doesn't try to steal her away. Instead, he plays caroling music when she answers her door as a cover so that she can read a funny message written on poster boards where he professes his love for her and promises to never act on it.
>Watch the scene!<
+Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
After getting to know Anne Hathaway's princess character, Chris Pine's character refuses to follow his scheming uncle's orders and forfeits any right to the throne.
+Ruby Sparks
Once Paul Dano's character realizes that controlling Zoe Kazan's character's every move does not constitute a relationship or true love, he sets her free.
+Safety Not Guaranteed
In the end, when Mark Duplass's character finally attempts to go back in time, Aubrey Plaza's character has to decide if she's going to take this leap of faith with him. If it doesn't work, then at least she was supportive of his dream. And if it does work, then she'd be abandoning her dad and venturing off into the unknown.
+Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Ewan McGregor's character resigns from his government position to follow through with the project and stay with Emily Blunt's character, even though there's a chance her boyfriend will return.
+Seeking a Friend at the End of the World
First, knowing that Keira Knightley's character is his last chance at love, Steve Carrell's character makes his father fly her to England to see her family one last time. Then she forces his father to turn the plane around because she'd rather die by his side.
+Slumdog Millionaire
Dev Patel's character goes to great lengths to save Freida Pinto's character from settling for a rich, dangerous man she doesn't love, and loses his brother in the process.
+Wild Target
Bill Nighy's character comes from a long line of assassins. He's hired to kill Emily Blunt's con artist character, but instead falls in love with her. He risks the wrath of his retired mother and his employer by refusing to go through with it and killing anyone who comes near her.
PROVING THEY'RE WORTHY
+Crazy, Stupid, Love
One night when Steve Carrell's character secretly goes over to his ex-wife's house, she calls him while he's in her backyard, claiming that there's something that needs fixing. He begins to walk her through how to fix the problem, and she pretends she's doing what he's saying, and all the while, he's watching her through the window. It's a sweet moment as they both desperately needed to be around each other but had to make up a reason to hear each other's voice or see each other.
+He's Just Not That Into You
Ben Affleck's character doesn't want to get married and Jennifer Aniston's character does, so they break up. When her father has a health scare, he comes over and helps out. All he does is clean up the kitchen and do some laundry, but given that her sisters' husbands have done nothing helpful, she decides right then and there that she doesn't need a ring to prove that he's committed to her.
>Watch the scene!<
+The Tourist
Angelina Jolie's character is an undercover agent who falls in love with her mark. When he disappears, she figures he abandoned her. But he devises a way to get back to her. He hires someone to pretend to be him and to make the government to believe he's someone else, played by Johnny Depp. Because that endangers Depp's character, Jolie's character is forced to protect him, and in the process, she falls for him. In the end, we discover that her mark and Depp are the same man, and he had plastic surgery so they could be together. But at the same time he proves that she loved him no matter what he did for a living or what he looked like.
What's the most romantic grand gesture you've ever seen?
Saturday, February 09, 2013
FILM REVIEW: Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman's "Identity Thief"
The first factor is her age. At the moment Hollywood is dominated by the fresh young faces of Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, and Olivia Wilde. And the second factor was crassly addressed in 2010 by Marie Claire TV blogger Maura Lynch, who ignorantly expressed her disgust of having to watch what she considered morbidly obese actors on TV, and just yesterday by New York Observer critic Rex Reed, who made unnecessarily crude comments in his review of this film. While her fans—fat and thin—may be supportive, at the end of the day, there are more skinny (and getting skinnier by the minute) actresses in Hollywood than there are overweight ones. And the ones that are overweight are often secretly plotting ways to get skinnier (see Sarah Rue, comedian Monique, and Jennifer Hudson for reference). McCarthy herself has actually dropped a lot of weight since her "Gilmore Girls" days. And one imagines up-and-comer Rebel Wilson, a self-proclaimed fatty, isn't far behind. However, in spite of these factors, after seeing this film, I am confident that McCarthy could in fact do what's perceived in current pop culture as the impossible: make it big while being big.
The world first took notice of McCarthy ten years after the fans of "Gilmore Girls" did. It wasn't until 2010 when her series debuted and she stole scenes in The Back-Up Plan, Life as We Know It, and Bridesmaids that she became a household name. Critics branded her as the female Zach Galifianakis....which worried me. Galifianakis was in the aforementioned Due Date with the notoriously funny Robert Downey, Jr. All the ingredients for hilarity were in the mix, but the results were abysmal. He hasn't actually been able to successfully carry a film or costar in one since he stole every scene in The Hangover—four years ago. The sequel wasn't even that funny. If it wasn't for the dorky genius of HBO's recently cancelled sleuth comedy "Bored to Death," he'd be all but forgotten. So naturally, I worried that McCarthy could suffer the same fate if she signed up for a slew of roles where she'd run her chubby-awkward-loon routine into the ground.
If you need proof that McCarthy deserves to go further in her career and to not be stunted by her appearance, then you have to watch Identity Thief. She plays a con artist with many personalities in her back pocket for duping people. Watch her go in and out of character during a con. You'll see more than just her pudgy face. You'll see that she's three times the actress's of today in more ways than one.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
FILM TOPIC: JJ Abrams's Tendency to Reuse Actors Could Affect Star Wars Sequel Casting
By now you've heard the news of JJ Abrams accomplishing the impossible, unequivocally solidifying his place in geek history by becoming the only person ever to direct both Star Trek AND Star Wars. Fellow geek directors most definitely hate him now. They're probably Mean Girl-ing his ass behind his back, and clocking every accomplishment they've ever had as complete failures. This is epic. This is so epic that JJ Abrams is probably still jumping around and screaming like a little girl. This is so epic that I wouldn't be surprised if they re-shot the next "Big Bang Theory" episode just to include a mention of this announcement so that we as a geek community can properly assess how epic this is.
Now that I've written the word "epic"four five times, I can share a concern of mine. I don't really know if this trilogy continuation of Star Wars is going to be awesome. I had never seen a Star Trek movie or episode, so the reboot was awesome to me. I have, however, seen the entire Star Wars saga. When the last slash third film came out, I saw Episode I and II in the morning, went to the movies, saw III, and came home to see IV through VI. My alarm clock is a Lego Darth Vader. And I already plan to have a Darth Vader piñata at my wedding. (Don't judge.) That said, Abrams has a really good track record (Super 8, "Fringe," "Lost," "Alias," etc.), and I'm sure, at the very least, it won't be Jar Jar Binks-horrible. My concern though is with Abrams' tendency to hire actors he's already worked with, because not all of them deserve this particular phone call.
Exhibit A. A list of actors he's reused in the past:
Keri Russell ("Felicity" and Mission: Impossible III), Greg Grunberg (Super 8, "Lost," a voice in Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III, "Alias," "Felicity"), Jennifer Garner ("Alias" and "Felicity"), Bruce Greenwood (Super 8 and Star Trek), Zoe Saldana ("Six Degrees" and Star Trek), Simon Pegg (Star Trek and Mission: Impossible III & IV), John Cho (Star Trek and "Felicity"), Jorge Garcia ("Alcatraz," "Fringe," and "Lost"), Josh Holloway (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and "Lost"), Terry O'Quinn ("Lost" and "Alias"), Michael Emerson ("Person of Interest" and "Lost"), Henry Ian Cusick ("Fringe" and "Lost"), Elizabeth Mitchell ("Revolution" and "Lost"), Ken Leung ("Person of Interest" and "Lost"), Lance Reddick ("Fringe" and "Lost"), Kevin Chapman ("Person of Interest" and "Lost"), Billy Burke ("Revolution" and "Fringe"), and Zak Orth ("Revolution" and "Fringe")
Now, I'm not saying that none of the actors he's used before should be allowed to participate in this new trilogy, but there should definitely be rules. First thing's first, no Star Trek actor should be allowed to be in the new Star Wars trilogy. It's the principle of the matter. Not only is it not fair to nerdy actors everywhere who would kill to be in this new saga, but you cannot mix the fan base. It would be an injustice to Trekkies everywhere. They're very sensitive. (See the film Fanboys for an in-depth explanation.) Secondly, let's not pretend like everyone can be in a Star Wars movie. It's going to take a lot more than makeup and costumes to make Scott Foley ("Felicity") or Bradley Cooper ("Alias") seem like they belong in that universe.
As for the actors he's worked with that could pass the grade, I would say...
Keri Russell could be a mother figure. Jorge Garcia could be a father-figure to the Ewoks. Kidding. Giancarlo Esposito (Captain Neville on "Revolution") and Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Undercovers") could be descendants of Billy Dee Williams's Lando Calrissian, and JD Pardo (Nate/Jason on "Revolution") and Daniella Alonso (Nora on "Revolution") of Boba Fett. Greg Grunberg and Eddie Marsan (Mission Impossible III) would make great creatures (sorry guys). Kevin Weisman (Marshall on "Alias") could be a spazzy mechanic. Naveen Andrews (Sayid on "Lost") and Daniel Dae Kim would make awesome Jedis, as would Maggie Q (Mission Impossible III). Joel Courtney (Super 8) could be a young Jedi born to Leia and Han Solo. Call him...Lee Solo? Jeremy Renner (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol) could be a bounty hunter. Billy Crudup (Mission Impossible III) would make an interesting villain. John Noble (Walter on "Fringe") would crush it as a Sith Lord, and if there happen to be Sith...Ladies, then Blair Brown (Nina on "Fringe") could totally strike fear into anyone's heart.
Regardless of who Abrams casts, it's clear some actors will be more eager than others:
Now that I've written the word "epic"
Exhibit A. A list of actors he's reused in the past:
Now, I'm not saying that none of the actors he's used before should be allowed to participate in this new trilogy, but there should definitely be rules. First thing's first, no Star Trek actor should be allowed to be in the new Star Wars trilogy. It's the principle of the matter. Not only is it not fair to nerdy actors everywhere who would kill to be in this new saga, but you cannot mix the fan base. It would be an injustice to Trekkies everywhere. They're very sensitive. (See the film Fanboys for an in-depth explanation.) Secondly, let's not pretend like everyone can be in a Star Wars movie. It's going to take a lot more than makeup and costumes to make Scott Foley ("Felicity") or Bradley Cooper ("Alias") seem like they belong in that universe.
As for the actors he's worked with that could pass the grade, I would say...
Regardless of who Abrams casts, it's clear some actors will be more eager than others:
This is Grunberg's Geek magazine cover from 2007.
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