One Day

I am beyond excited for the movie One Day to come out in August. It's based off the book of the same name by David Nichols. Since the book is one of the best I've ever read, it could either be amazing or horrible. However, the screenplay was penned by the book's author, David Nichols, which leads me to believe that the movie will be the former.

One Day is the story of Dexter and Emma, two people who meet on the eve of their graduation from college. Dexter is a handsome, arrogant Casanova and Emma is shy, bookish, and awkward, but the two of them form a connection from the moment they meet. The book explores their relationship and how they grow and change over the next twenty years. Every vignette takes place on the anniversary of the day when they first met.

Another reason I am very much looking forward to this movie is the casting of Jim Sturgess as Dexter and Anne Hathaway as Emma. Both are extraordinary actors and it's apparent from the trailer that they have incredible chemistry. It is also being directed by Lone Scherfig, who is best known for the beautifully complex film, An Education. The film comes out in August.

The New Girl

This fall, FOX is premiering a new show called New Girl with one of my all time favorite actresses, Zooey Deschanel. Judging from the preview which I'm including below, it looks funny, smart, and adorable.

As far as the premise goes, it's about a dorky, awkward, yet completely quirky and adorable woman named Jess. She goes through a bad breakup with her boyfriend so she's forced to move in with three guys, Nick, Schmidt, and Coach. They only let her move in because her best friend is a model. They all soon become friends and help each other weather the modern dating world.

I think it looks like it has great potential to be really excellent, but watch the preview and judge for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQDc_yuX26w

Super 8 (2011) - Joan Finch

  This had everything I loved about movies growing up and it was an original screenplay which simply makes me glow with happiness.  J.J. Abrams produced, wrote and directed a charming love letter to film and I hope its not the last.  Let all who love cinema flock to see it and in that encourage more original stories to fill our multiplexes.

        The cast is fantastic and some of the best performances I've seen this year come from this talented group of teens.  The pacing is heavy at points but it's well shot, well written, well acted, and well...fun.  It's good.  It's genuinely good. 

  Its hard for science fiction themed scripts to strike the right balance between authenticity and fantasy.  Your characters usually end up spending too much time with the 'explains-it-all' scientist or they never know what's going on.  And I've seen those films and thought, “Okay, so I get the molecular bio-mechanics of the zombie transformation but why is there an armory in this high-school?”  Or I end up rooting for the plant creatures and aliens because I could care less about the lead character, Jack Randomguy, with the rifle and cocky attitude.  I'm glad to say Super 8 stayed out of the laboratory and stuck with the characters and their perspective.  

  Take the ride and like most of Abrams' projects you will be glad you trusted him, because when you walk out of the theater you'll have a new favorite film.  Super 8 is a project clearly about the love of film and I adored it.

Idlewild's Top Ten Christmas Holiday Movies

In no particular order . . .

1. White Christmas – You’ve gotta admit, it’s hard to top Irving Berlin’s songs delivered by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, director Michael Curtiz, Danny Kaye’s humor, and ex-Rockette Vera Ellen’s legs, all wrapped up in one Christmas package. In the words of Federico Fellini, “Two things always look good in film: a train and snow.” White Christmas delivers the goods.

2. A Christmas Story – And speaking of legs, Darren McGavin didn’t need Vera Ellen’s to make his Christmas light up (pun intended). A Christmas Story is classic family holiday fare, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get a little nostalgic watching Ralphie’s dilemma. A must-see for any kid who wants the impossible for Christmas.

Superman Reboot News - Joan Finch

Man of Steel: Good News for Super-Classic

          Bit player and current Tudors cast member, Henry Cavill, to steal the lead in next years Man of Steel.  

          Here's hoping the filmmakers on this redux of the classic franchise avoid the creative decisions behind the last disheartening release.  What a disaster that was.  I must admit I haven't paid much attention to Director Zach Snyder's previous work but his style is vibrant and he has a lot of talented support behind him.  The cast includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, as well as, Kevin Costner & Diane Lane as Mr. and Mrs. Kent.  To top it all off the script is being helmed by David S. Goyer and is based on a story he wrote with Christopher Nolan.  This is the same team behind the successful Batman films of the past several years! 

I have real hope for this guys.  Holy smokes this could be good!

His Girl Friday (1940) - Adelei Idlewild

In the Sabrina review, this diehard Bogie fan mentioned Cary Grant three times, and she therefore decided it was time to pay some tribute to one of the most charming men that ever romanced the screen. Although I wouldn’t dare assert that Grant’s best role was as Walter Burns in Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday (1940), the film did make the Times All-Time 100 Movie List, so I am at least somewhat justified in choosing this particular example of Grant’s work. And what a work it is!

My Top 5 Movie Endings - DeWinter

My Top 5 Favorite Movie Endings
Obviously if you haven't seen any of these movies, there will be spoilers. Read at your own risk. Also it should be noted that I have a lot of other favorite last scenes, but these are the ones that have stuck with me the most. Also, these are just my opinions, you may agree, you may not, but here they are...

Romantic Movie Moments-Emma DeWinter

Some of My Favorite Romantic Movie Moments
So here’s the background on this one. I am the world’s biggest romantic comedy freak. Not even joking. And I have TONS more favorite romantic movie moments, but these are the ones that I am thinking of right now…This might be amended later…Just sayin’. 

Top 5 James McAvoy movies - DeWinter

Okay this is a hard one. I love me some Hot Scots and Mr. McAvoy is no exception to the rule. However, I own pretty much like 75% of his movies, maybe more, not just because he’s nice to look at, but also because the man is a great actor and he makes incredible films…So here it is, folks, in no particular order. Also, it should be said I know that there are a lot of great films that didn’t make this list, and I love all of them as well, but these are the ones that have stood out to me.

About Me: Emma DeWinter

Introducing...Emma DeWinter

Who am I? I have been called many things, but the one that seems to stick most often is film nerd. Why? Well, because I am one. I love all kinds of film from comedy to drama to action to cult classics to indies. You name it: I can tell you the year, the director, the actors, the writers, everything. I get swept up in all of the cinematic, passionate glory. And that’s why I’m here to help share my cinematic, passionate glory…or maybe something a little less pretentious…Anyways, I hope you love reading about film as much as I love writing about it….Also, random fact number 28: I can do a spot on impression of a velecoraptor. Why? Because I’m awesome.

Sabrina (1954) - Adelei Idlewild

Appreciating the Contrasts in Sabrina (1954)

  In Billy Wilder’s 1954 film Sabrina, romance meets comedy in a perfect blend of contrasts: gritty, American film noir actor Humphrey Bogart and wispy, European beauty Audrey Hepburn; in terms of matrimonial ideals, we see Victorian-esque “classing off” versus twentieth century democracy; a world-weary bachelor and his world-embracing playboy brother, and the list continues. It’s a simple Cinderella story wrapped up in a post-war “La Vie en Rose” on Long Island, New York, and along with Edith Head’s delicious costumes, we “the last of the Romantics” eat it up with a fork and spoon.

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