day 4.39

movie review: contraband

no. no. no. contraband is mark wahlberg's latest action-packed thrill ride of a movie, and it's also his weakest. wahlberg stars as chris, a former smuggling expert gone good. but when his young brother-in-law gets caught in the smuggling game, chris has to re-enter to save him and his family. the problem with contraband is that it doesn't push the envelope far enough- it's a predictable romp with almost no twists. there are about 234908 characters, none of whom you get to know, and too many plot holes. giovanni ribisi (aka phoebe's brother from friends) plays the villian, but his cartoon-like choice of accent makes all his threats laughable.  if you're looking for a good wahlberg thriller, just go watch the italian job again- that's all i wanted to do while i sat through contraband.

day 4.37 - day 4.38

mini-break

but i'll be back in less than a month. promise. 

day 4.36

paula deen has diabetes, y'all

like anyone's surprised. the thing i don't get- paula claims she only eats "like that" when she cooks on her show. she also claims she eats everything in "moderation." i say she is lying. i hope paula starts cooking a little- well, a lot- lighter because food network needs her. she's their best comedy program.

day 4.35

guys, confessions of a teenage drama queen is real

seriously. reports claim lindsay lohan and megan fox are eyeing the same part- elizabeth taylor. in a lifetime movie. the movie would be an adaptation of furious love, a biography chronicling the late star's love affair with richard burton. first lilo was in the lead- but apparently her legal troubles are getting in the way. lohan would need to speed up her community service asap in order to land the role. if lifetime were smart, they'd somehow cast both girls in the part. can you imagine? i need this to happen. either this or megan fox playing lindsay lohan in a lifetime movie about her life.

day 4.04 - 4.34

so, it's been a month...
i decided to take a month off from my blog. i know, i know. shameful. but, i'm back. starting tomorrow. this is just a post to let you know that i'm back, ok? ok. great. see you tomorrow.

day 4.03

there might not have been a new glee this week...

but there is this new clip- a deleted scene of naya rivera's santana belting out "santa baby" at the jewelry store. somebody get this girl a record deal asap.

day 4.02

movie review: young adult

instant classic. diablo cody and jason reitman's latest collaboration, young adult, is basically what would happen if we got to see a character form a john hughes movie all grown up. charlize theron stars as mavis, a 37-year-old young adult author still living like a young adult- example: her meals consist of ben & jerrys and an episode of the kardashians. mavis treks back to her minnesota hometown in hopes of landing the one that got away, buddy (morning glory's patrick wilson). the thing is- buddy recently had a baby and that's the only reason mavis wants him back. as mavis tries to win back buddy, she's also tasked with finishing the final book in her series. her book begins to mirror the action in her real life, as both she and her character realize going home isn't alway the best thing. alcoholically stumbling through each day, mavis can't seem to get it together. a newfound friendship with former high school geek matt (patton oswalt) doesn't help either, as mavis is forced to directly face how horrible she was in high school. young adult is no light comedy- it's very dark and very real, so don't expect a pick-me-up at the movie theater. instead, expect to feel for the very real, very flawed characters cody created and walk away feeling really good about yourself. well, unless you sympathize with mavis. then expect to feel pretty bad.

vicki gunvalson has a new face...

and there's a brunette. the new season of the real housewives of orange county premieres february 7.

day 4.01

what i love (this week)


the song

this song has been stuck in my head since robyn's snl appearance last weekend.

the show

it was like the early 2000s again last night on snl! the weekend update joke off? phenomenal.

the movie

i watched this on netflix instant. so bad it was good. sarah jessica parker has seriously only ever played one character.

the look

every month, the olsen twins release a new viral video to promote their t-shirt club, stylemint. it's like seeing what they would do if they had never stopped making olsen twin movies.

day 3.365

three years
i've officially blogged (almost) every day for three years. damn. thanks for reading for however long you've been reading.

day 3.364

if this girl does not win the x factor...

day 3.363

golden globes 2012

it's the most wonderful time of the year. no, not the holiday season (though- that's happening, too). it's award season time! the hollywood foreign press association released its list of nominees for next year's awards. let's discuss.

best motion picture - drama

• the descendants 
• the help
• hugo
• ides of march
• moneyball
• war horse

well, i guess i'm going to have to see war horse now (i try to see all major award contenders). ugh- it didn't get a sag nod, so i thought i could avoid it. the disconnect between the golden globe and the screen actors guild nominees have basically blown awards season wide open. i'd expect the descendants to take this category- it has the most universal appeal and the most credibility. the help might be a close second, and hugo just made it in there because martin scorsese directed it. 

best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama

• glenn close, albert nobbs
• viola davis, the help
• rooney mara, the girl with the dragon tattoo
• meryl streep, the iron lady
• tilda swinton, we need to talk about kevin

this category is super political. glenn close and meryl streep got nods because, well, they're glenn close and merly streep. rooney mara took one because award shows love a "pretty girl goes ugly" story. and tilda swinton? she's an anomaly. i'm betting viola davis gets a globe for her turn in the help.

best performance by an actor in a motion picture - drama

• george clooney, the descendants 
• leonardo dicaprio, j. edgar
• michael fassbender, shame
• ryan gosling, the ides of march
• brad pitt, moneyball

clooney! clooney! clooney! george is the only guy in this category who delivered an award-worthy performance this year. also, his is the only performance i've seen (damn, i've got some catching up to do). leonardo dicaprio tried so hard for an award with j. edgar, but it's just not going to pay off. fassbender? good luck landing an award with an nc-17 flick. ryan gosling can wait his turn, and they just nominated brad pitt to ensure he and angie show up.

best motion picture - comedy or musical

• 50/50
• the artist
• bridesmaids
• midnight in paris
• my week with marilyn

i would argue half the movies on this list are not comedies, but the hfpa just didn't know what to do with them. i refuse to sit through a silent movie, even if it's getting all the buzz. yes, i'm looking at you, the artist. bridesmaids is the only true comedy in this bunch, but i'm sure dramedy my week with marilyn will take home the statue. 

best performance by an actress in a motion picture - comedy or musical

• jodie foster, carnage
• charlize theron, young adult
• kristen wiig, bridesmaids
• michelle williams, my week with marilyn
• kate winslet, carnage

i will be so disappointed if kristen wiig doesn't win. cut to me being disappointed, yet happy, when michelle williams wins for her two-hour marilyn impression. it was good,  but wiig's my girl. sidenote- can't wait to see carnage and young adult, but i doubt any performance in those will beat out williams.

best performance by an actor in a motion picture - comedy or musical 

• jean dujardin, the artist
• brendan gleeson, the guard
• joseph gordon-levitt, 50/50
• ryan gosling, crazy stupid love
• owen wilson, midnight in paris

yeah, this category is weird. gosling was definitely a supporting actor in crazy stupid love. dujardin can't even speak english, so i don't want to listen through his attempt at an acceptance speech. who the hell is brendan gleeson and wtf is the guard? i haven't seen 50/50 so, by default, i'm giving this to owen wilson since i saw- and really enjoyed- midnight in paris.

best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture

• berenice bejo, the artist
• jessica chastain, the help
• janet mcteer, albert nobbs
• octavia spencer, the help
• shailene woodley, the descendants 

this category is both brilliant and some bullshit. um, ever heard of melissa mccarthy, hollywood foreign press association? you know, the girl who stole every effing scene in bridesmaids. the one who won an emmy for her role in mike & molly bridesmaids? yeah, big oversight. huge oversight. but, anyway ... i'm all about the help, but i think chastain and spencer will cancel each other out and shailene woodley will take home the statue. i mean, she cried underwater in the descendants. cried. under. water. this will be the perfect "let me out my contract on secret life, please!" moment. 

best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a motion picture

• kenneth branagh, my week with marilyn
• albert brooks, drive
• jonah hill, moneyball
• viggo mortenson, a dangerous method
• christopher plummer, beginners

i'd call this the weakest category of the golden globes. i mean, jonah hill? really? from what i've heard, plummer is brilliant in beginners, and he'll take it home. 

best television series - drama

• american horror story
• boardwalk empire
• boss
• game of thrones
• homeland

so, network tv is officially dead i guess. no revenge? no parenthood? what's your damage, hfpa? boardwalk empire's bound to take this category, but american horror story and homeland offer some pretty stiff competition. 

best performance by an actress in a television series - drama

• claire danes, homeland
• mireille enos, the killing
• julianna margulies, the good wife
• madeline stowe, revenge
• callie thorne, necessary roughness

claire danes. award shows love a movie star-turned-tv star, and danes is a child star-turned-tv-star-turned-movie-star-turned-tv-star, so, yeah... i was pleasantly surprised to see madeline stowe get a nod for her icy turn as victoria grayson on revenge- at least the show is getting some love! and i'll just disregard that whole necessary roughness nod. someone at the hollywood press association has a boner for the usa network and that's that.

best performance by an actor in a television series - drama

• steve buscemi, boardwalk empire
• bryan cranston, breaking bad
• kelsey grammer, boss
• jeremy irons, the borgias
• damian lewis, homeland

buscemi? i have no clue on this category. i don't think anyone is even watching kelsey grammer on boss. i mean, it's on starz. camille grammer is more famous than kelsey now. bryan cranston's an award show fave, so he could bump buscemi.

best television series - comedy or musical

• enlightened 
• episodes
• glee
• modern family
• new girl

no happy endings? no cougar town? no parks and recreation? no 30 rock? community? up all night? to be honest, this category could be doubled in size. modern family is bound to win. 

best performance by an actress in a television series - comedy

• laura dern, enlightened
• zooey deschanel, new girl
• tina fey, 30 rock
• amy poehler, parks and recreation
• laura linney, the big c

poehler for the win! as a recent parks and rec convert, leslie knope is my current spirit animal. but chances are the hfpa will upset me and give it to laura linney, as it tends to favor a more dramatic comedy. don't even get me started on kat dennings and beth behrs getting no recognition for 2 broke girls. 

best performance by an actor in a television series - comedy

• alec baldwin, 30 rock
• johnny galecki, the big bang theory
• david duchovny, californication
• thomas jane, hung
• matt leblanc, episodes

um ... i don't know. baldwin? it's definitely galecki's turn to win, but i doubt he will. duchovny and jane are both more dramatic and matt leblanc plays himself so, yeah, i don't know.

best performance by a supporting actress in a television series

• jessica lange, american horror story
• kelly macdonald, boardwalk empire
• maggie smith, downton abbey
• sofia vergara, modern family
• evan rachel wood, mildred pierce

i hate, hate, hate the supporting categories at the golden globes because they seem like an after thought. like, seriously, can't comedy, drama and mini-series/made-for-tv movie have their own categories? so many people missed out on this category because of how jam packed it is. plus, it's too hard to judge comedy talent against dramatic talent. i'm pulling for jessica lange here- no one pulls off crazy like her- but i could see sofia vergara taking home the title, too.

best performance by a supporting actor in a television series

• peter dinklage, game of thrones
• paul giamatti, too big to fail
• guy pearce, mildred pierce
• tim robbins, cinema verite
• eric stonestreet, modern family

see my previous rant. i'm hoping for a stonestreet win. 

to see the rest of the nominees and make your own predictions, click here. the golden globes air january 15 on nbc. sadly, ricky gervais is returning as host. womp womp.  

day 3.362

guys, lana del rey. 

her music is mad depressing, but i can't stop listening. check out lana del rey's latest single, "born to die," live at the chateau marmont (above). then watch the just released music video for the track. like, why can't i stop? how can you be happy and sad at the same time? make me stop. or don't. whatever.

day 3.361

tom cruise sings!

well, i assume he does. just not in the trailer. check out this jam-packed preview of rock of ages, the big screen adaptation of the blockbuster broadway musical. alec badlwin, julianne hough, catherine zeta jones and, yes, tom cruise star in the '80s-set rock-drama. i'm in.

day 3.360

too busy to blog

story of my life. am i right?

day 3.359

what i love (this week)

the song

if you haven't given rihanna's talk that talk a spin, you're missing out. get on spotify and start with "do ya thang." now. do it.

the show

i've recently become obsessed with parks and recreation. i'd never given the show a chance, writing it off as an office rip-off, but it's so, so, so much better than the office. amy poehler is a god.

the movie

yes, i gave two hours of my life to new year's eve. it's just as disjointed as its predecessor, valentine's day, but a little more entertaining. i won't give a full-blown review, but i will tell you to give it a chance. especially if you can purchase alcohol at your theater (or bring your own). the best part is the 10 minute bloopers reel that plays with the credits, half of which is zac efron and the over-frumped michelle pfeiffer dancing. had the whole two hours been zac and michelle dancing i would have been happy.

the look

the "look section" has kind of become a "my favorite snl sketches section." sorry i'm not sorry. katy perry as florence and the machine and kristen wiig as flirt expert rebecca larue = insane.

day 3.358

tonight

this is happening. i don't know why katy perry isn't also the musical guest, but i'm guessing she'll sing in approximately half her sketches.

day 3.353-day 3.357

5 day blogging fast

finals week, ya know?

day 3.352

movie trailer madness

check out three movies i'll probably see- the five year engagement, the three stooges and what to expect when you're expecting. only one looks good (the first), but whatever.

day 3.351

what i love (this week)

the song

childish gambino just made his way into my itunes (i know, i'm late to the party). donald glover (yes, the guy from community raps) brings it on his original ep, culdesac, especially on "do ya like," which samples adele. fyi- glover just released camp, his second album, on itunes.

the show

it's like extreme makeover: home edition for aspiring models.

the movie

one of the best made-for-tv christmas movies, am i right?

the look

maya rudolph is a genius.

day 3.350

this.

i've recently become obsessed with parks and recreation, which makes this funny or die sketch that much better.