American Hustle

For the last several weeks, the trailers for "American Hustle" have left me ambivalent about seeing it in theatres.  The other night, I saw a Richard Roeper review, in which he raved about how awesome it was, and that the DeNiro cameo was possibly some of the best ten minutes of his acting career.

After seeing it this afternoon, man did I feel deceived.

I really should have stuck with my gut on this.

I think that the story itself was interesting, but the directing and editing was all wrong, and they actors were cast in the wrong parts.  As much as I love Christian Bale, there's no way in hell he should be nominated, let alone win an Oscar for this performance.  I kept hearing about how he should be in the running, and I'm hear to tell you right now, no, he shouldn't be.  In fact, I think he was miscast.  I think they all were.

Bradley and Christian needed to switch.  I'm sorry, I just couldn't buy Bale as this balding, gut having, uncouth con artist.  If he were a suave, Thomas Crowne kind of con artist, okay, but this was just wrong.  He's a great actor, but it just didn't fly.  Bradley could have done it.  On that same token, I didn't buy Bradley as an FBI Agent.  I think that role would have been better suited for Bale.

I think Amy Adams is fabulous, but she and Jennifer Lawrence needed to switch roles in order for the whole thing to work on screen.  I think Adams was capable of playing either role, but Lawrence was not up to snuff.  That being said, Lawrence was given the harder role, in certain respects, even though she had less screen time.  The role just didn't hold a lot of weight with her at the helm.  Adams' role required an English accent, so perhaps Lawrence couldn't have done the part?  I don't know that for certain, but her range just was not there as Bale's wife.

The film also started out slow.  So slow that I caught a few z's after the first thirty minutes.  It's rare indeed for me to fall asleep during a film, regardless of how tired I am.  I felt like Scorese or Soderbergh should have directed this.  I felt like the director, David O. Russell, was way out of his depth on this one.

In short, this is a film better served as a rental, or waiting for it to hit HBO or something.

Diary of a Fangirl: The Wolf of Wall Street

"The Wolf of Wall Street" brought back a boatload of nostalgia.

I love Scorsese, and I love DiCaprio, so I was 99% sure I was going to love their latest project.  After viewing it, I can tell you that was a complete understatement.

"Goodfellas" is not only my favorite Scorsese film, but my favorite film, period.  "The Wolf of Wall Street" felt like a total throwback to that film, except all of the violence is replaced with nudity and drug use.  Even the appearance of Jon Bernthal (who, omg, is so awesome you guys), made me think of DeNiro, and tied the whole thing together for me.

Anyway, this film is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, who makes his start on Wall Street, loses his job, goes into the penny trades and creates a mega millions stock company with his rag tag friends.

Back to the "Goodfellas" connection--

A lot of the styling of shots and narration also harken to Scorese's early 90s masterpiece.  DiCaprio as Belfort tells a good chunk of story to the audience with voice overs, and at times, breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience (as Ray Liotta did at the close of "Goodfellas").  Even Leo's on-screen wife, actress Cristin Milioti, reminded me a bit of Lorraine Bracco.  And it's a period piece.  I'd have to watch it again to see if there was a gradation in color throughout the piece.

DiCaprio also doesn't work alone--he has a great supporting cast accompanying him.

All in all, I give it damn near four stars (I want to say between 3.5 and 3.75 out of 4), and it's definitely worth the watch.  And a rewatch.  If Leo doesn't get an Oscar for this, I just don't even know.

Diary of a Fangirl: Fast & Furious 7

The writers and producers of "Fast & Furious 7" are working frantically (I assume) in tweaking the script to accommodate the tremendous loss they've been dealt, while honoring both the character of Brian and Paul Walker's final appearance in the franchise.  Being a writer, I couldn't help but ponder the course of action they'd take.

Paul was only able to finish about half of the scenes he was supposed to do.  Therefore, I'm thinking the start of this film may very well begin with a funeral--Brian's (though it's not explicitly said).  Then the film will move into the initial storyline, with Paul featured prominently, and then the bad news happens midway--the plan was botched, and they lose him.

The film then takes us back to the opening (or shortly thereafter), and the team makes the decision to avenge him, and the story picks up from there.

Just a thought.  No clue which route they'll take...but clearly, it's been on my mind.

"The Best Man Holiday," Films, Black Films, and Wtfery

This started as a Facebook post but kept getting longer and longer.  That's when I realized that it's been damn near three months since I've posted anything here.

Sorry...

Anyway, a friend  linked to this on her FB page, and I have to say it pissed me off so much that it brought me out of blogging hibernation.

The article's writer, Scott Bowles of USA Today called it "race themed," and compared it to popular films this year that were in fact race themed (whereas this one was not). "The Best Man Holiday" is a holiday film/friend reunion, and not a "racially charged" film or a "black" film, and by no means should be compared to "Fruitvale Station" or "12 Years A Slave" or "The Butler."

Tangent: As a side note "12 Years a Slave" shouldn't be compared to those two films either, for it is this decades "Schindler's List," and it may be another 20 years before we get to see a film of this magnitude.

I...am at a loss for words, is what I am.  Richard Roeper compared it to an updated "Big Chill."  I like his reviews.  And after seeing the film for myself, I think he was spot on.  The film is clever, funny, fresh, and worth the ten bucks at the theatre.  All without special effects, 3D glasses or an IMAX theatre.  Malcolm Lee does a wonderful job at telling the stories of several friends getting together over Christmas Break.  Additionally, Terrence Howard steals the show as the resident Lothario.  A lovely actor, but I'd forgotten how funny he can be.

Anyway, if you haven't seen it (and I don't care what color you are), go see it.  You'll enjoy it, cause it's a well done story about people (who happen to be black).  If you have seen it, go see it again, and metaphorically bitch slap people like this dude in the face.

Diary of a Fangirl: Miley Cyrus' Grotesque VMA Performance

There are many articles popping up (such as this one), stating that Miley Cyrus is privileged and shouldn't be using aspects of "black" culture.

Here's what I think: I have to say that I don't like the idea that those particular things are associated  with black culture.  Sure they're part of some kind of culture--ghetto culture or ratchet culture--but not black. 

Oh Robin--how in the blue hell did you let yourself get roped into this grotesque and pathetic performance?

As a black woman, I reject that as an image of black people.  If Miley wants to let her tongue hang out and look ratchet and stank as hell, it only makes her look like a fool, and I for one feel sorry for her, not offended that she's privileged and wandering into "black" culture.  She just looks pathetic, IMO, and to many others. I don't think anyone sees it as her treading on black culture, which is why I hate articles like this. Like that whole thing when "video hoes" were considered degrading to all women.  Uh, no they weren't.  They were a certain sect who felt comfortable being objectified, and do not represent the rest of us.

And to say that she's acting/dressing ghetto "...without having to deal with the racism and racialization that black women live with every day. In short, she can imagine that she is being "ghetto" without having any concept of what living in a ghetto would really mean."  Well damn, I'm not from the ghetto either with no substantial experiences of what it is like to live in one.  And you know what?  There's a whole lot of black people who don't have those experiences either.  Know what else I don't have an experience in?  Being ratchet. Let Miley have it--I'm not going to petition for that. I'm also not oppressed by that.

Diary of a Fangirl: Ben Affleck is the new Batman

Ben Affleck has signed on to be the new Bruce Wayne.  Or at the very least, he'll be donning the cape as The Dark Knight.

I...

When I saw the ending of "The Dark Knight Rises," and the clever way Nolan went about incorporating Robin without calling him that or putting him in tights, and then giving him the keys to the Batcave, I had such great high hopes for Joseph Gordon-Levitt rising Batman out of the ashes and watching over the city.  It was such a perfectly perfect set up.

And now this.

I couldn't bear to watch "Daredevil" all the way through...and unlike many, I do think that Ben Affleck can act, if given the right project.  He's grown so much as a writer, director and actor over the years, and I look forward to great things from him.  I just don't feel that this will be one of them.

However, I didn't have hopes or believe in Nolan's casting of Hathaway as Catwoman either, so maybe this will work.  Not the way I want it to by any stretch of the imagination, but maybe it won't be terrible.  Hell, there's not a damned thing I can do about it anyway, so might as well wait and see what happens.

Diary of a Fangirl: Breaking Bad Final Days

I saw the season premier yesterday, and also watched Breaking Bad: Talking Bad.  One of the things mentioned is will Walt be killed in the end, and will he have to kill Jesse?

Here's my take:

* Walt can't/won't kill Jesse.  Jesse knows that Walt had Mike bumped off, and Walt desperately wants him to believe otherwise.  We've seen Walt be on the rag many a time with Jesse when he was angry/frustrated/ego tripping, but we've also seen Walt kill for Jesse.  He was jealous of Mike and Jesse's relationship, of the controlling relationship between Jesse and...damn, what's her name?  All I got his "Apology Girl" at the moment.  Jane--right.  He poisoned a little boy to get Jesse back on his side.  He fell into a deep depression and took pain killers on the eve of Walt Jr.'s birthday because of a fight he and Jesse had.  Walt will do anything to keep Jesse by his side.  He finally even called him "son" in this season premier.  There's not a snowball's chance in hell that Walt will do anything to hurt Jesse, and I love him for that.  Damn near everyone else is expendable except for Jesse (and his kids and even Skyler).

* If Walt is to die, I feel like it'll be by Jesse's hands.  Jesse is the only one who can touch him.  I don't think he really will though...but if he did, I could see it.  Only cancer or Jesse will be able to stop Walt.

* I think the ricin is for Hank, sadly.  No effin' clue about the M16, though.

* Instead of "Remember My Name," I feel as if that promo poster should be "Say My Name," cause that was a bad ass moment and monologue last season.

* I don't think the title Breaking Bad is a reference to Walt becoming the villain...I think it's a reference in a break in the system, as well as Walt.  It has to be about the deconstruction of evil-doings.  It was always the intention for Walt to do a 180 and become a Scarface/Kingpin kind of guy.  So what needs to be broken then?  The evolution, that's what.  In the flash-forwards, Walt looks unraveled and unkempt.  He seems to be going to last resorts.  His family is gone, his home is gone, and his anonymity is gone...That's what the true "break" is about.  Like how the mobster lifestyle is presented in "Goodfellas" from start to finish.  You think it's about one thing, then it evolves, fades and deteriorates (literally) into something else by the end of it. Even the color grade changes to signify the reality of the situation.  "Growth, decay.  Transformation."  We've seen Walt in a decay state for some time now.  This season is about transformation.  Hell, he's even wearing mostly white now in all of his scenes.  What will he ultimately change into?

So excited about this season.