You are here: Home / Archives for Fun Stuff

Tweets from the Last #TCMParty (Sleuth, 1972)

April 10, 2013 By 2 Comments

Granted I was only able to join the festivities as the film reached its climax, I had a blast!
sleuth-1972

Warning: you will have had to watched the film to ‘get’ some of these :)

Some other cool factoids …

Thanks to Paula @ TCM Party for another fun-filled evening at the movies!

Filed Under: Fun Stuff Tagged With: ,

My Favorite Moments in Fashion, Hollywood Style

March 29, 2013 By 21 Comments

It is my honor to participate in this lovely blogging event (“Fashion in Film Blogathon”), hosted by Angela at The Hollywood Revue. Be sure to check out her blog to read more contributions!

FIFBlogathon

These are moments when I saw what was on the screen and totally wished that were me looking all elegant, sophisticated or just downright put together in a fashion ensemble. What I have assembled is a bit of a hodgey-podgey collection of clothing that I find either absolutely fabulous but in all likelihood would not wear, for a variety of reasons to fashions I can easily see myself slipping into.

 

AUDREY HEPBURN  Funny Face

So many fashion moments from her but alas I will just pick one. But I love the lithe, youthful vibe I get from her attire in this film.

FunnyFace copy

 

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY  Atonement

Definitely not meant for fuller figures but this dress is stunning.

atonement

 

GRACE KELLY Rear Window

I love her style – classic, sophisticated personified. That is all …

Rearwindow

 

DREW BARRYMORE  Music & Lyrics

Granted the film is not up there with other screen gems (I did like it though), but I love Drew’s style in this film (and in life).

MusicLyrics

 

AMANDA BYNES What a Girl Wants

To add this one to the list is to admit I have seen the film – more than once :) In spite of the cheesiness of the film, I must give all dap to the costume designer. From the elegant frocks to the lovely relaxed, vintage (I SO still want that sarong), there is no denying that these are some well put together ensembles.

whatagirl

 

Well these are some of my personal faves – what are yours?

Filed Under: Blog a Thon Tagged With: , ,

A Few Tweets from Today’s #TCMParty for “Dial M for Murder”

March 24, 2013 By 3 Comments

In reference to Kelly’s Margot turning the tables on her assailant:

The key is the key …

Be sure to check out the TCM Party schedule and to follow them on Twitter @TCM_Party and Tumblr. Like them on Facebook as well.

Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Tweets Tagged With: , ,

The Underground on Film

March 21, 2013 By 10 Comments

Last night, I dreamt I was in London again …

Actually I was talking about traveling with a friend of mine and started to reminisce about my lovely times in Londontown. That led me to this topic – a look at the London Underground from the world of cinema.

The Tube/The Underground – whatever you call it (just don’t call it a SUBWAY), is an attraction unto itself for visitors to the English capital city. It has also been the setting for many an interesting films and pivotal scenes in those films. Here is a cool map that conveys this very message. For a larger view of the map, click here.

underrgound film map

In my continued admiration for the U.K. capital city and in honor of  the 150th anniversary of the London Underground system, I have gathered a few of my favorite cinematic scenes from The Underground:

 

THE WINGS OF THE DOVE (1997): couldn’t find the actual clip but there is a snippet of the scene in the trailer. If you do happen to watch the pivotal scene starts with the opening title sequence.

 

V FOR VENDETTA (2005)

 

SLIDING DOORS (1998): this sequence sets the stage for the rest of the film

 

ATONEMENT (2007): this is just the trailer; if I showed you the scene, it would give away a major plot point.

 

SKYFALL (2012): What’s NOT to like? This clip is the culmination of a great underground chase sequence, mind you – but I decided to add it anyway because it DOES include an Underground train :)

In related news, earlier this year, the BFI (British Film Institute) took a retrospective look at some great (British-made) films that featured the underground system .

Let me conclude my post by sharing another take on the London Transport system as depicted in the cinema, courtesy of fellow blogger and Anglophile – Ruth @ Flixchatter!

 

For MORE Tube-related Trivia …

Read 150 fun facts about “The Tube” (Source: Telegraph.co.uk).

Filed Under: On Location Tagged With: , , , ,

Cute Tweet

March 19, 2013 By 2 Comments

Filed Under: Fun Stuff Tagged With: ,

Lesson to be Learned from The Third Man (Via Twitter)

February 28, 2013 By 4 Comments

thirdman

Filed Under: Fun Stuff Tagged With: , ,

Happy Birthday (Times Two)!

February 27, 2013 By 2 Comments

Just wanted to dedicate a little space to extend birthday felicitations to two leading ladies of the silver screen, who ironically enough, shared the screen in the classic films, Father of the Bride and Father’s Little Dividend.

 

First, there was …

The Mother of the Bride (Joan Bennett)

Joan-Bennett

Ms. Bennett is unfortunately not well renowned for her work nowadays by large swaths of movie lovers, but in her time she sure did leave a mark – for my money at least – in some great classic film noirs. One that I particular liked was Woman in the Window, having previously written about the film on my blog.

—————–

… and there is the Bride herself (Dame Elizabeth Taylor), who I have also covered on this site on the sad occasion of her passing a couple of years ago. She is also personal favorite of my Mom, who singled out her performance in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as one of her all-time favorites (Mom has taste).

Elizabeth-Taylor-Blue-Eyes-960x1080

 

What are some of your favorite films featuring one (or both) of these actresses?  Share your picks below

Filed Under: Fun Stuff Tagged With: , ,

Movie Jail Relay Race – the Lucky 13th Round

January 25, 2013 By 19 Comments

movie_jail1

Thanks to my movie bloggin’ buddy Ruth at flixchatter.net for including me in this really interesting meme. So far the following movie bloggers have participated in this event:

  1. My Film Views/The Focused Filmographer
  2. Cinematic Corner
  3. And So It Begins
  4. Surrender to the Void
  5. Cinematic Paradox
  6. The Cinematic Spectacle
  7. Being Norma Jean
  8. Defiant Success
  9. …let’s be splendid about this
  10. Lime Reviews and Strawberry Confessions
  11. Aziza’s Picks
  12. Flixchatter

Here are my parameters:

It’s time to put some movie people in jail. The object is to give a prosecutor’s argument as to why these movie people belong in “Movie Jail” whether it be for violating the integrity of the content source of one their films, or being a sell-out, just making bad movies overall, getting worse as time goes on or not being in a good movie for many years.

The baton will be passed to another blogger who will have to do the following:

In order to free someone from Movie Jail they have to do 2 things
1 – Give a defense attorney argument defending the plaintiff
2 – Pay bail: the cost of which is another case for the court and a prosecutor’s argument against the actor/director of their choice that will replace the one set free.

There must always be 10 people in Movie Jail.

As it currently stands, the following folks are incarcerated:

MichaelBaymoviejail

Michael Bay

FreidbergMovieJail

Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer

 

sgsdgsd

Raja Gosnell

 

Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl

 

Todd Phillips

Todd Phillips

 

Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy

 

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler

 

Til Schweiger

Til Schweiger

 

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart

 

 and lastly …NicCageMovieJail

Nic Cage

(added by Ruth)

Ruth – this is a sound choice! What makes his crimes so egregious is that early on he had so much talent (or at least we were told he did). He has does nothing but cash in on that earlier praise to turn in what can only be described at best mediocre performances over the past 15+ years.

 

Person rescued by Ruth: Jennifer Aniston

JenniferAnistonProbation

Ruth, again this is a sound choice and you make a very valid point in her defense. She is a thespian who definitely capitalized on her televisual success for a movie career – and has sure as heck stretched it for all it is worth. The result has been a couple of hits and several misses. Granted I am not a fan of hers but if anything she has sold-up, not sold out.

 

Unlucky 13 Indeed. Geez folks! You all have made this choice really hard for me. Most of these prisoners should be UNDER the jail not just in it. I was thinking Til Schweiger will get a reprieve. My reasoning is not the most thought out admittedly but it is the best I can come up with at this point. While I agree that anyone who terrorizes folks with subpar rom-coms on a constant basis is GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY. But I have not seen them since most of his crimes against cinema are not in my native language, so I will give him a pass (READ: Ignorance is bliss). But the blogger who selected him (at Lime Reviews and Strawberry Confessions) got me thinking in the world of the romantic comedy …

Lock’em Away and Throw Away of the Key. I must thank my little bro for this one. After much consideration I think I am going to go with Jennifer Lopez.

jlojail2 Why, you may ask? Well, after early box office promise from films like Selena and Out of Sight, the rest of her cinematic CV is littered with a set of films that I suppose were to make her a bona-fide American Darling. Yeah – didn’t work. This latest outing (released today) does her no favors either (although I am a kinda sorta Statham fan):

 

Oh yeah I almost forgot Gigli (how could I?).

 

I now pass the baton to Dan at Public Transportation Snob.
Filed Under: Blog a Thon Tagged With: ,

Films Set in the Nation’s Capital (DC)

January 23, 2013 By 3 Comments

Hey Guys!

Sorry I have been a little off the grid in the past couple of days – I have just returned from the nation’s capital. It is simply a great city and the setting for many of my favorite films of distant and recent memory. Here is a quick look at some of my favorites:

The Pelican Brief (1993) – Denzel and Julia together at last! This was a tense yet evenly paced film that also harkened the earlier (and superior) All the President’s Men (1976) which of course had similar hallmarks especially considering that they were both directed by the same fella – by Alan J. Pakula. All the President’s Men stands out because of the aforementioned tension and pacing but also because I find it a quintessential film of the 1970′s when paranoia and fear of what lurks in the dark shadows seemed to reach its height in Cold War America.

pelican1

 

Strangers on a Train (1950) – Hitchcock and tennis, my two great loves. Throw into the mix a bizarre double murder plot and I am a happy girl indeed. Adapted from the Patricia Highsmith novel.

Original-Strangers-on-a-Train-alfred-hitchcock-1499041-653-475

 

Born Yesterday (1950) – this film proved to be an award-winning performance by the fantastic Judy Holliday and co-starring the dreamy William Holden in a Pygmalion-type story with hoods to boot!

Annex - Holliday, Judy (Born Yesterday)_01

 

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) – This proves above all Frank Capra was a true believer in the ideals America continues to imbue to the huddled masses who wash upon our shore.

Hollywood's Greatest Year: The Best Picture Nominees of 1939

 

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) –  One of the best sci-fi dramas EVER. That is all.

gortklaatumessage

 

Dave (1993) – OMG I cannot believe that this film is already 20 years old! Anyways, I love it. Words nearly escape to talk about how I like this film but I know that whenever it is on, I have to watch it.

picture-of-kevin-kline-frank-langella-and-kevin-dunn-in-dave-large-picture

 

I know I could add more, but let me stop here and pose the following question to all of you … What are some of YOUR DC favorites?

 

Filed Under: On Location Tagged With:

My End of the Year Challenge

December 20, 2012 By 15 Comments

I admit it I have really fallen off this year with my cinema-going. Some of it is my fault but some of it has to do with the mere fact that it seems like all the ‘good stuff’ (for me anyways) is mushed into an increasingly small window – the last 3-4 weeks of the calendar year.

This is my roster of films (in no particular order):

  • Lincoln
  • Dark Zero Thirty
  • Central Park Five
  • The Hobbit
  • Les Miserables
  • Django Unchained

My December 2012 Lineup

So what do you think? Can I do it?

Filed Under: Fun Stuff