Links 4 My People

I was gonna type and entry, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was about. So, for now, here are some links to keep you busy.

No-Necked Monsters waxes lyrical with Pedro Almodovar. It was his birthday yesterday, and Mike over there has written a great little piece about his introduction to Almodovar. We all have one of those. Mine was All About My Mother, which I blind-purchased and watched that night. I instantly fell in love. I too share Mike's strong affection for Live Flesh. And as much as I loved Talk to Her, I wouldn't rank it above Mother, Flesh and probably Bad Education. But it was better than The Flower of my Secret. I really wish they'd release all his early stuff on DVD down here.

Nat from The Film Experience is having a Vampire Blog-a-thon!!! That's so awesome. Which should I discuss? The twin Nosferatu's in the form of Murnau's 1922 Nosferatu and the film based on the legend of the making of that 1922 film, Shadow of the Vampire (with Oscar-nominated Willem Dafoe in the famous role). Should I discuss how the television series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer got everything so right that the movie got oh-so-very wrong? Or, how about I inflict an Aussie edge to it and discuss Outback Vampires? Such a dilemma.

And if you just can't get enough of those sort of things, Squish at The Film Vituperatem is having a Hitchcock Blog-a-thon. Sign up if you're that way inclined. That's an even bigger issue coming up with a topic. There's so many.

Speaking of Nathaniel, his database on foreign films in contention for the Oscars is getting frequently updated. His latest entry features new titles announced for Germany (The Lives of Others), Denmark (After the Wedding), South Korea (The King and the Clown), Switzerland (Vitus) and somewhat surprising to me, Canada's entry of Deepa Mehta's Water. That film was a big bit around the globe but I had no idea it was actually Canadian (it's set in India, is in Hindu and directed by an Indian.) I really hope Rolf de Heer's Ten Canoes can make it through. That'd be unreal!

Is it wrong for me to be sorta in love with this?

Much like Ja at My New Plaid Pants (happy vacation Jason!), I continue to be creeped out by how fuckin' hot Kristen Bell is. Seriously. She's the best looking one on Veronica Mars too. But plz, NOBODY MENTION THE SECOND SERIES AROUND HERE! We're only one episode into the second season and I haven't had it ruined for me (I managed to not read who the killer was in the first season! Go me) so I don't intend on having it ruined for me for the rest of the year (or two or three years it takes channel 10 to air the fricken' show)

I'm so happy The Movie Binge has extended it's limited engagement to Fall. Their site was fun during the Summer, and now we've got their antics for however long they decide to keep going with it. I feel sorry for the person who gets stuck with Jackass Number 2, Flyboys and other crap like that (most likely starring James Franco)

Arden [Not her real name ;)] hates Zach Braff more than you. As much as I used to love the man, I must say I am getting a bit tired of it. By "it" I mean his shtick. His pensive i-am-going-nowhere-in-life twentysomething thing he does. I'm not too sure how much I like Garden State anymore (outside of Natalie Portman who I adore in that movie) and his character on Scrubs is my least favourite and wish he wasn't on there sometimes. So, yeah, it hurts to say that considering how much I used to love him, but... I do love Rachel Bilson who is his co-star in The Last Kiss. Wait, that's no concession.

In Box Office news, Little Miss Sunshine finally crosses the $50mil mark. Now please, release it in Australia. It's bad enough we're only just getting The Devil Wear's Prada this week. In other Box Office news, Miramax fucks up Reneissance. Seriously. That movie coulda been a contender (for Best Animated Feature) as an adult alternative to all the talking animals this year (or talking baseball bats???) with it's strong noir-enhanced graphics and stylish design. The movie was too convoluted by half but it was still great fun. DOES FRENCH BLACK AND WHITE ANIMATION HAVE NO PLACE IN THIS WORLD?!?! Also, The Science of Sleep made $24,785 per cinema for $347,000 total. Good to hear!

Oh, and seriously... for the record - I called All The King's Men back in, like, August last year. Long before they decided to delay it until 2007, I was saying the movie wouldn't hit it with Oscar and now with a pathetic gross of under $4mil this weekend, it's all but official. That movie stunk of narcisism from the get go.

Uwe Boll is a pest, but apparently he's quite good in the boxing ring. LOL.

Leonardo DiCaprio has good taste in movies. Two of his Top 10 films of all time are also in mine! Those would be Manhattan and East of Eden if you must know. I am a huge fan of The Third Man, Taxi Driver and Sunset Blvd (all in my Top 50). I liked The Shining too. Same for 8 1/2, but I much prefer Bob Fosse's treatment of the same ideas (as y'all would know). Unfortunately, I haven't seen The Bicycle Thief, Lawrence of Arabia or Yojimbo. Thief and Yojimbo are in my DVD queue, but I really have reservations about seeing Lawrence of Arabia on DVD. Everyone says that it is a big-screen movie. If it's ever shown at ACMI I'd have to try and go to see it.

And lastly, The New York Times photographs Sofia Coppola in Paris. It, essentially, an excuse to take lots of nice photos of the pretty things, but boy talk about pretty! I can't wait for Marie Antoinette!