Adele will be performing live on stage this Sunday at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards marking her first public performance following her throat surgery. Leading up to the awards, she sat down with Anderson Cooper to talk about the surgery and the recovery process, and during the interview she showed off her amazing voice by singing “Rolling in the Deep” a cappella.
Watch the video:
—Posted by Rebecca Murray
In honor of tonight’s midnight release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 on Blu-ray and DVD, Summit Entertainment’s released a behind the scenes videos. The new video provides a peek at what it was like on the set of Breaking Dawn during the shooting of the wedding scene.
Official Synopsis: In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson), plus those they love, must deal with the chain of consequences brought on by a marriage, honeymoon, and the tumultuous birth of a child…which brings an unforeseen and shocking development for Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).
“Was anyone else hurt, doctor?” “Paige, you know who I am, right?” “Yeah…you’re my doctor,” and so begins Leo’s (Channing Tatum) daunting task of trying to get his wife, Paige (Rachel McAdams), to remember him and their life together after a terrible car accident has erased part of her memory in the romantic film The Vow.
It seems the trauma from the accident has erased the last five years of Paige’s memory, which includes meeting, falling in love, and marrying Leo. Struggling and hoping her memories will come back, Leo convinces Paige to come back to their home and tells her the two of them will work through this together.
There are difficult obstacles in Leo’s way, however, including Paige’s parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange) who never approved of her life in the city as an artist, which she chose over law school, and they see this reboot of her mind as an opportunity to swoop in and change her life the way they want it to be. Another big problem for poor suffering Leo is Paige has renewed feelings for her old boyfriend, Jeremy (Scott Speedman), whom she was once engaged to. Remember, to Paige in her current state of mind it’s as though she has woken up five years ago – before the fall-out with her parents and the dumping of Jeremy.
Desperate to win the love of his life back and make her fall in love with him all over again, Leo decides to take her on an official date and recreate the special, wonderful moments that caused her to fall for him in the first place.
Sweet, sentimental and sappy, The Vow is a romantic date film that has a mediocre script which is saved and elevated by the performance of its two leads. Rachel McAdams delivers a strong performance as Paige, the young woman whose life has been derailed as she struggles to remember her husband and her old life but keeps falling back to the comforts of what is familiar. The scene where she watches their wedding video and doesn’t even recognize the strong, independent, and hopelessly in love woman she had become is extremely effective.
Channing Tatum gives a solid performance as Leo, the devoted and loving husband who only wants his soulmate back and will do anything – except be a punching bag both physically and emotionally to Paige – to make it happen. Both McAdams and Tatum have nice chemistry, especially in the flashback scenes where it’s revealed how they met and started falling for each other hard.
Unfortunately, Sam Neill and Jessica Lange are given very little to do in the film except look uncomfortable whenever Leo comes calling to see Paige after she’s moved back home to help with her sister’s wedding. It’s a true waste of two very talented actors who could and should have added much more to the drama of the two separated lovers.
Another problem with the film is the intrusive soundtrack that is used to supposedly enhance some of the romantic scenes in the film, such as Leo and Paige’s wedding in an art museum and their subsequent running from security. The audience will find themselves straining to hear the dialogue over the loud and inappropriate songs.
Ultimately, The Vow is saved from being nothing more than a forgettable romantic fluff film by the chemistry and performance of its two stars.
GRADE: C+
The Vow hits theaters on February 10, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language.
Oscar winner Denzel Washington discusses his starring role in Safe House, the action thriller in which he plays an ex-CIA agent-turned-traitor opposite Ryan Reynolds as an up-and-coming agent. Washington talks about the mind games in the film, his character’s motivations, and the fight scenes.
Watch the video:
The Plot:
For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A “housekeeper” who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he’s had proves to be the most dangerous man he’s ever met, Weston readies for duty.
Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA’s known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he’s done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he’s now back on the reservation with a secret.
As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston’s safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it’s up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they’re both eliminated from the game.
A spy goes off the reservation, hunted by the agency for which he once worked. There’s corruption within the CIA, stemming from the very top and a trusted mentor may be at the center of it. Action scenes are shot with a shaky camera, cut together in quick bursts to make everything that much more frenetic and almost overburdened with grain to amp up the grittiness. No, I’m not talking about The Bourne Supremacy, I’m talking about Safe House.
Putting aside the notion that director Daniel Espinosa and writer David Guggenheim concocted this after a late night Bourne DVD marathon, the element that doesn’t seem like a direct lift from the other franchise is pairing Denzel Washington as the rogue spy with Ryan Reynolds’ naïve agency greenhorn. That element is a bit more Training Day meets any cliché story about a man framed for a crime he didn’t commit having to convince the cop chasing him of the truth.
There’s also the often-used idea of a beautiful civilian girlfriend who has no idea her man leads a double life. Will our hero prove his love by sending her away? Will they find a way to reconnect once it’s all over? The anticipation is almost unbearable!!! (Sorry, sarcasm overload.) Okay, I’m going to stop finding rehashed plot elements; I could be doing this all day.
About the only element of the film that’s original is the importance of CIA safehouses in order to interrogate and hold prisoners prior to extradition. Or, at least, I can’t readily remember this being a significant feature of another, so way to go guys! (Sarcasm burp, excuse me.)
However, while stopping to think about the development of the script or the film’s direction is a bad idea for anyone just looking to have a good time, the upside to Safe House is the cast. Denzel is sort of mixing and matching some of his previous roles, but his presence on-screen is always appreciated, and it played nicely against the desperation and almost wide-eyed innocence being exuded by Reynolds (think Washington vs Pine in Unstoppable). Adding to the mix are Sam Shepard, Brendan Gleeson, and Vera Farmiga as the CIA muckety mucks; it’s a shame you see through their veneers so quickly but they’re such good actors it’s still enjoyable to see them go through the paces.
Also, while the action may be framed like a film school student imitating director Paul Greengrass, there’s a decent amount of it. The runtime is just shy of 2 hours, and a few of the slowdowns could have used some tightening, but the generally frequent splashes of violence will keep action junkies at least moderately satiated. And while The Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds isn’t always 100% convincing as a supposedly trained wannabe field agent, there’s no doubting the ruthlessness Denzel can elicit when the situation calls for it.
In the end, whether or not all that cinematic Déjà Vu will get in the way of liking this experience probably rests on your ability to suspend your disbelief and forgo any film comparisons until after the credits roll (this time, the only connection is me shoehorning in a movie title). So while one could just sit comfortably on the couch and pop in a few DVDs of the films Safe House not so subtly echoes, if you’re looking for an action film in theaters right now, this will fit the bill.
GRADE: C
Safe House hits theaters on February 10, 2012 and is rated R for strong violence throughout and some language.
Believing his grandfather (Michael Caine) is the one sending the coded message, Sean is determined to find the Mysterious Island. Not being able to stop him but wanting to protect him as best as he can, Hank decides to join the quest. The two adventurers join up with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his lovely, annoying daughter, Kailiani (Vanessa Hudgens), to fly out to the Pacific Ocean where they hope the Island is located. As the helicopter gets closer to the area indicated on the map, the helicopter is swept up and down by a terrible storm at sea and thrown right into a tornado.
Sean opens his eyes to find Hank helping him up off the beach while Kailiani and her dad ask the obvious question, “Where are we?” After finding a cave that leads them off the beach, Sean quickly discovers the true wonder and amazement of where they have crash landed…The Mysterious Island itself. Awestruck by the wonder and beauty of the place and shocked by creatures such as tiny elephants, a giant lizard, and the biggest bees in existence, the four stranded survivors head out to explore the Island, search for Sean’s missing grandfather, and try to find a way off the island to get back home.
Silly and unoriginal, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a ridiculous, unexciting, fantasy adventure that will have the audience wishing for the fun and thrilling classic Disney films from the ’50s and ’60,s including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
The film has horrible writing with a predictable plot and terrible, uninspired dialogue such as, “Run! Run! Run! Run!” or “If we get squashed…I’m blaming you,” and almost all the characters are one dimensional. The only exception is the helicopter pilot played by Luis Guzman who has the only few funny lines in the film. There’s also no urgency or real fear coming from the characters as they struggle countless times to escape certain death. These survivors are in danger… But Not Really.
The CGI special effects and the 3D are more than just lacking in the movie, with everything from the tiny elephants to the giant lizard to the island itself looking incredibly fake. With all the advancements in movie magic special effects these days, there really is no excuse for that in a fantasy, adventure film of this genre.
The best part of Journey 2 is the five minute Looney Tunes animated short starring Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd tied to the beginning of the movie which has all the humor, fun and originality that should have been in the feature length film.
Bad on so many different levels, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island should, like the island in the film, sink to the bottom of the ocean where it belongs.
GRADE: D
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island hits theaters on February 10, 2012 and is rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language.
Nominated for Best Documentary at the upcoming 84th Academy Awards, Pina comes from director Wim Wenders and pays tribute to the late dancer/choreographer Pina Bausch, who passed away in 2009. However, maybe it shouldn’t have been nominated. Not because it isn’t good, but because to call this a documentary is a bit misleading.
If you thought you were going to learn about Pina, where she came from, how she got into dance, the trajectory of her career – well, you’re out of luck. The film would more accurately be described as a love letter to Bausch, a fond farewell to a woman who meant so much to her dance company and to those who followed the art form. In fact, you’re likely to exit the theater with more questions about her than when you entered.
Instead of the normal talking heads and heaps of archival footage, the film is comprised of some of Pina’s most notable choreographed compositions, performed by members of her company (with some archival footage thrown in for good measure). They also add in some pieces of their own, inspired by their time with her. The result is an excellent collection of dance sequences, made even more transfixing because of the sets, cinematography, and 3D.
That’s right, I said 3D. This is one of the very, very, VERY few films I’d say absolutely should be seen in 3D on the big screen. This isn’t about gimmicky objects being thrown at the camera, Wenders actually utilized the technology how it’s supposed to work by creating depth of field and truly placing the audience in front of a performance. (The faux theater shell and seats used to sell this point are a bit hokey at times but for 3D this good, I can let it go.)
As mentioned, also working in the film’s benefit are amazing sets and excellent cinematography. And when I say “sets,” I don’t just mean some of the remarkable indoor playgrounds created for the dancers, I also mean some outdoor locations that are breathtaking; reflecting the balance between man and nature, such as a gorgeous lake location, a glass house that looks out onto a lush forest, an excavation site, even a city street somehow seems magical when presented alongside the dancers and their performances.
Everything is shot with extreme attention to detail, lighting, and composition; Germany may have nominated this for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars (yet another indicator this is something other than a documentary) but if there was a place this truly was robbed, it was Hélène Louvart’s efforts as cinematographer. This is second only to Emmanuel Lubezki’s work on The Tree of Life.
Now, of course, because I’m a jaded, bitter film critic, I can find a fault. The opening 30 minutes or so seem to drag quite a bit. Part of this is due to the more dynamic dance elements taking place in the latter half of the movie, another is not knowing what to expect when I entered the theater. I prefer not to watch trailers or get too much info on anything I’m going to review so as to minimize any preconceived notions. I did know this was nominated and billed as a documentary, so I was expecting to learn about Pina through recollections from friends, family, and fellow dancers. Learning only about the inspiration she provided and a measure of the emotion her company still feels for her, it took some time before I adjusted to Wenders’ approach.
That being said, if you are a fan of contemporary dance, this is your can’t-miss movie of the year (2011 or 2012, depending on how you look at it). The technical elements are handled brilliantly, the dance is spectacular, and the measured exhilaration one feels upon exiting the theater is the kind of stuff that doesn’t come along all that often. Pina ends up more as a performance captured on film than a documentary but the end result is so satisfying that worrying about what label to put on it defeats the purpose. It’s an excellent movie, what more does one really need to say?
GRADE: A
Pina is rated PG for some sensuality/partial nudity and smoking.
SPOILER ALERT: The Vow isn’t based on a Nicholas Sparks’ book. However, short of certain plot resolutions Mr. Sparks seems to prefer, one wouldn’t really be able to tell the difference.
In the film, Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams are a happily married couple, running in a Chicago hipster crowd and living a romantic, unrealistic life as a recording studio owner and sculptor, respectively. A car accident renders McAdams’ memory of her life with Tatum kaput. He must then start the arduous process of attempting to get his wife to fall in love with him all over again.
The fundamental problem with this setup is casting Tatum. I realize he’s the man-candy of the moment, but he’s only got one acting gear; and any attempt to ramp up the emotion to something higher than a simmer results in simple yelling or the swing of a fist. McAdams is fine, though she really doesn’t have much to do but look trapped and confused whenever she’s not flashing that infectious grin of hers (a hideous hair coloring in the latter half doesn’t help things either). Bringing in Sam Neill and Jessica Lange as McAdams’ parents is a nice touch, though whoever was in charge of Lange’s make-up might want to consider looking for a new career field.
As for the story, there’s not much on-screen that fans of the sappy rom-com genre won’t see coming a mile away (and yet be completely satisfied with). It would have been nice to axe an annoying subplot involving an old flame played by Scott Speedman; It manages to make watching Tatum on-screen almost desirable in comparison. Also, the hipster friends that comprise Channing’s support system are the very definition of plot devices and get as much character development as a Michael Bay film.
All that being said, I doubt it comes as any great shock that I’m not the target demo. Hell, I spent a portion of the film lamenting the terrible foley work whenever characters walked in the snow (the crunch of their footsteps was all wrong) and groaning that they chose to play a song by The Cure I really like when the credits begin to roll (which elicited more emotion out of me than the film itself). For all those who saw the trailer and squealed in excitement, you’ll get all you want out of The Vow. Aside from the very nature of films like this and Tatum’s non-modulating emotive abilities, this is actually a bit better than most of the weepy romances boyfriends and spouses work so hard to avoid being dragged to. Take that for what it’s worth.
GRADE: C
The Vow hits theaters on February 10, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Best Scene Stealer
Uggie, the adorable Jack Russell in the new silent film, The Artist, can evoke more humor and lightheartedness in silence and in black and white than most dogs can in Technicolor and sound. Not only did Uggie steal the hearts of The Artist‘s audience, he also stole the hearts of his co-stars. Uggie even managed to continue stealing the spotlight when the camera person at the Golden Globes couldn’t take the camera off him during the cast’s acceptance speech as The Artist won Best Film. By the way, in real life Uggie is a shelter rescue and American Humane Association Film & TV Unit estimates that approximately 80 percent of the cats and dogs you see on the large and small screen are rescues and/or adopted from shelters!
Best Perception vs. Reality
There is no doubt that there are scenes in War Horse that are gut-wrenching and tough to watch, such as the scene where Joey the horse (whose real name is Finder) runs across the battlefield and gets caught in a fence of barbed wire (which was really made of soft rubber). Although this scene appeared incredibly visceral and real, the truth is the American Humane Association was on set to make sure that all of our strict and comprehensive Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media were in place. The scene is a perfect example of the audience perceiving Joey in in danger while the reality is that No Animals Were Harmed and Finder did an amazing acting job.
Best Dressed
American Humane Association Certified Animal Safety Representatives(TM) are extremely knowledgeable about all species of animals – including, of course, the well-known Pygoscelis Papua. Okay, that means Gentoo Penguin. Besides being darn cute and gliding on ice like skaters, one thing we can all agree on about the penguins in Mr. Popper’s Penguins is that they’re darn snappy dressers. They even out-dressed their co-star Jim Carrey at the Hollywood premiere of the film when they waddled down the red carpet in their naturally tailored tuxedos. And man, as Jim Carrey would say, “They were smokin’!”
Best Inspirational “Tail”
When the true story of Winter the dolphin with her prosthetic tail was made into an inspirational film called Dolphin Tale, the whole world took notice. It’s incredible that Winter was able to beat the odds that were stacked against her and live a wonderful life with her new tail. And now she lives that life, encouraging people of all ages and walks of life, including children with disabilities and returning veterans with severe injuries, to find hope within themselves. Winter beautifully illustrates what the human-animal bond is all about.
Best Use of Technology
In Jack And Jill a cockatoo named Poopsie finds himself in a chocolate fountain, sipping a Jack Daniels and flying against a gale-force wind. Now if co-stars Adam Sandler and Robert De Niro want a glass of whiskey or take a swim in chocolate, that’s up to them, but green screens, computer-generated imaging and a fake bird filled in for the real Poopsie in those situations. American Humane Association can safely say that Poopsie was the most entertaining bird of 2011.
Best Ensemble Cast
We scoured the world to find a movie that could win this particular category and oh man, it was tough, but we finally settled on Cameron Crowe’s holiday family film, We Bought a Zoo. The animal actors in this film include otters, peacocks, a bear, a lion, tigers, a capuchin, snakes, bees, porcupines, an iguana and a binturong. That’s right, a binturong (aka a bearcat). Oh, and we almost forgot! A cute beagle named Leon.
Best Animal Speaking Role Ever
You know the human-animal bond is the emotional epicenter of the film when the dog’s barks are scrawled out in subtitles. Cosmo, the canine companion to Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer in the wonderful film, Beginners, runs the gamut of emotions, from fear to sadness, elation to redemption. You’ll be surprised how much emotion Cosmo brings out of his co-stars, which is probably why Christopher Plummer thanked Cosmo (who was also rescued from a shelter before becoming a star) in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awards. And Ewan fell so hard for Cosmo that immediately after wrapping the movie, he adopted a dog of his own.
Best Doppelganger
When the legendary Four Musketeers proclaimed, “All four one and one four all” they could’ve been talking about the four four-legged pooches from the Science Fiction film, I Am Number Four. You would never know by watching the film but four dogs were used to portray one dog. Sometimes animal trainers use multiple look-alike animals to play one character for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to make sure that each animal gets enough rest or when they need different characteristics that one animal may exhibit more than another. Maybe that’s secretly why they named it I Am Number Four?
Source: American Humane Association – February 9, 2012
—Posted by Rebecca Murray
Bravo’s bringing back The Real Housewives Miami for a second season with season one’s Housewives Marysol Patton, Lea Black, and Audriana de Moura coming back for more. The show follows some of Miami’s most “beautiful, connected and influential women,” and Bravo’s promising an even spicier season two of the reality series.
Filming will begin this month.
Source: Bravo – February 9, 2012
