The End (for now?)

Don’t worry; nothing is as sad as the way Nicole Kidman’s face has frozen over the last five years…

Most of you have probably noticed that, despite my original promise of just scaling back, I have in fact decided to quit blogging indefinitely.  This is not to say that I don’t reserve the right to change my mind in the immediate or long term future.  You never know when the need to wax poetically about pop culture might get the best of me.

The fact is, with stress and transition on the job front, I’ve wanted to spend more time goofing off and less time trying to keep pace with the blog (even though I’m the only one setting the pace).

I would like to officially thank all those who’ve followed, commented on, and supported me on the blog.  It’s been a blast on the whole.  I will be keeping all the comments and posts on the blog open for viewing, so feel free to stop on by and re-read any old posts or to comment on your favorites. 

Facebook Friends, as always, I will keep posting my status update reviews for your edification and enjoyment.  

Thanks to All!

Alyssa

Blog Changes

Just a quick post to explain some changes I’m making to the blog.  To put it simply, feeling like I have to keep up with the blog each week is rapidly becoming more work than fun, so I’m going to ease back a bit.  From now on, I’ll probably be posting about once a month or so instead of weekly.

For the most part, I’m going to focus on Rapid Reviews (current movie reviews) and Truly Great Movie entries, since those are not only the ones which get the most traffic and views on the blog, but are the easiest to formulate and give me the most nerd-like glee to write.   The last big summer review will be Dark Knight Rises, and after that I’ll probably do a post or two this fall.

So, keep an eye out for blog posts when the urge to write strikes me, but not on a weekly basis. I still plan on posting when I see a movie that I think needs reviewing, but I plan on scaling back so that the blog still remains a place where I can sooth the need to bleed all things entertainment-related without the stress of feeling like I have a self-created deadline.

Of course, all blog posts and comments will remain open, and I’ll be checking in now and then to monitor those.  To all my Facebook friends out there, I’ll still comment and do short “status update” style reviews on a more regular basis (I know, you were worried)…

Thanks to everyone who’s read and enjoyed the blog these past few years.  I’ll still be active on here, just not as much as in the past.

Have a FABULOUS (and hopefully movie-filled) summer!

Alyssa

Movie Marathon Idea: American Nostalgia

Happy 4th of July to all!  For this edition, we have a selection of films that focus on America as viewed through rose-colored glasses.  Let’s face it, as a nation we often cling to nostalgia as if it were life itself, preferring to  bask in ideals rather than reality.  Movies are the perfect venue to escape from the day-to-day grind by remembering fondly what has come before, and what will no doubt come again…

1.) Radio Days (1987)

Perhaps Woody Allen’s most personal and most light-hearted film, Radio Days is a hilarious look at the New York of the 30s and 40s from a child’s viewpoint.  Based on Allen’s own memories and featuring an ensemble cast like no other, the film is basically a series of vignettes that celebrate the joy of the ridiculous, the magic of coincidence, and the love one family shares throughout it all.  My favorite sketches involve the dim-witted cigarette girl Sally (Mia Farrow), who finds herself entangled with the mob before rising as an unusual star in her own right.  Radio Days strikes just the right chord from beginning to end, reminding us how important it is to remember those formative years.

2.) Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

Francis Ford Coppola’s often overlooked time-travel comedy is less about the sight gags and more about learning to value our past decisions without regret.  Kathleen Turner’s Peggy Sue made the choice to marry young and give up her girlhood dreams, but gets a second chance to change her fate and her true love when at her 25 year high school reunion, she’s transported back in time to 1960.  It’s easy to blame all the hard knocks on fate or on others, but in the end, Peggy Sue learns that she still has some growing up to do of her own .  Nicholas Cage gives one of the best performances of his career as Peggy Sue’s conflicted boyfriend/husband Charlie, who had dreams and goals of his own to consider.  Overall, that love of nostalgia permeates the film, which takes you back to a land of shiny cars, perfect ponytails and dreamy tunes.

3.) Dazed and Confused (1993)

The best thing about Dazed and Confused is the mood it creates.  On the last day of school in 1976, your various stereotypical teens deal with those issues that once used to seem so important.  This includes your standard posse of bullies (including a young Ben Affleck and Cole Hauser), the popular kids, and the younger siblings who are just trying to stay alive in the face of self-created mayhem.  Richard Linklater’s film isn’t about plot so much as it is about atmosphere and the ultimate aphrodisiac of nostalgia.   The glory days still reign in everyone’s memories, and Dazed and Confused is a nod to the normalcy of grabbing some insanity while the sun still shines.  High school movies are a dime a dozen, but the best are those which take us back without making us feel guilty for remembering just what was so awesome about being irresponsible.

REALLY Rapid Review: Brave

Braveis Pixar’s first movie to feature a female heroine, and she’s not the traditional “princess” of Disney lore.   Merida is many things, the least interesting of which is a princess.   Merida is a Scottish lass who is all tumbled red hair and awkward limbs.  She says everything with a sense of purpose and her defenses are always up.    It’s necessary in her world to be always on your guard.   Everyone struggles in their youth at some point against expectations and parents’ goals for the future, even in medieval Scotland and even when you have the world’s most gorgeously animated red hair (seriously, it is mesmerizing and every tendril seems to have a life of its own).

Merida’s greatest challenge lies not in the traditional hero’s epic journey (although there are elements of that in the film), but in coming to realize that her own self-worth isn’t incompatible with the importance of family.   All this is set in the wonderful CGI’d Scotland that Pixar’s animators have brought to life with loving care and charm.  Brave is the first Pixar film directed (well, co-directed) by a woman, but that’s really just trivia when it comes to the results on-screen.  Brave is very much a Pixar film in terms of character, story and heart.  What we’ve come to love about Pixar characters is present in Merida and her clan.  Their adventures are fun and interesting.  They are humorous without being trite, loving without being corny, and touching without being sappy.

Merida and her father

Merida (well-voiced with vigor by Boardwalk Empire’s Kelly Macdonald) is the daughter of burly and loud King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and demure and ladylike Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson).  She also has a trio of devilish little brothers who provide much of the early sequences’ comic relief.  In a Disney/Pixar film, it is nice to see this family dynamic intact.   Normally a Disney princess would have a missing parent or an evil stepmother, but Merida has a fully functioning group of folks in her world who genuinely care for her and her well-being.  To a teenager,  however, all this emphasis on family love and honor can be embarrassing.

Merida believes in free will and destiny, in stark contrast to her mother Elinor’s wishes and dreams for her daughter, which involve much the same path she chose for herself: duty, honor and family.  This leads to the amusing sequence shown in the previews where Merida upstages her potential suitors for her hand in marriage, and sets off to find her own way in the rough Highlands.  It’s a classic set up for a coming-of-age story.  To find a purpose in life, we very often look in all the wrong places first.

taking control

Unfortunately, Merida didn’t see The Little Mermaid, and perhaps should have been warned about strange old ladies in deep, dark woods and their intentions.    The witch of the forest offers Merida a chance to change her destiny, but as with most grand gifts, there is an ironic price.  Merida’s desire for freedom impacts her mother, leading to the heart of the story, where Merida must triumph over not just evil forces, but her own flaws, all to find the happiness and freedom that she perhaps had all along.

Although the story’s final half hour is a bit rushed, what I loved the most about Brave (other than the joyously lush animation) was the fact that Merida’s tale has nothing to do with needing a Prince Charming to make her life complete.  Brave is a tale of self-discovery that has a family’s love for each other at its heart, and that in itself is  “brave” route for a Disney movie about a princess to take.  Here’s hoping that more heroines like Merida are in Disney’s future.

Overall Grade: B +

Upcoming Summer Posts

I’ll be taking a break for a week or two to focus on some projects (and to take a break from my summer break), but here are the upcoming posts I’m planning on producing for June-August…

Rapid Reviews:

     Week of June 22nd – Brave

     Week of July 3rd – Amazing Spiderman

     Week of July 20th – The Dark Knight Rises

     Week of August 3rd: The Bourne Legacy

Potential Entries (time and theater availability permitting):

    Safety Not Guaranteed

    Total Recall

    To Rome With Love

    Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Truly Great Movies:

    Casino

   Great Expectations (1998)

Best of the 80s:

    Krull