Monthly Archives: November 2010

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)

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Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is Peter Sollett‘s adaptation of Rachel Cohn‘s and David Levithan‘s novel, starring Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Rafi Gavron, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena and Jay Baruchel (and a mini-role for John Cho).

Plot:
Nick (Michael Cera) plays in a Queer Core band “The Jerk-Offs” with his friends Thom (Aaron Yoo) and Dev (Rafi Gavron), but he happens to be straight. In fact, his girlfriend Tris (Alexis Dziena) just broke up with him and he’s pretty heart-broken, spending most of his times making break-up mix-CDs for her, which Tris throws away, only so that they be rescued by Norah (Kat Dennings).
Then one night it’s announced that famous publicity-shy band “Where’s Fluffy?” will put on a surprise performance, which gets Nick out of his stupor and into a show with his own band, where he meets Norah, who asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend for a minute. But that’s only the start of a crazy night.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a sweet film that doesn’t do anything wrong. And yet, it remains kinda bloodless. I never really got into the story or Nick and Norah as a couple.

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One Word – Meme Monday

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[taken from here.]

1. Where is your cell phone? bag

2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend? imaginary

3. Your hair? brownish

4. Your mother? awesome

5. Your father? likeness

6. Your favourite item? computer

7. Your dream last night? zombies

8. Your favourite drink? coffee

9. Your dream car? non-existant

10. The room you are in? living room

11. Your ex? far

12. Your fear? centipedes

13. What do you want to be in 10 years? happy

14. Who did you hang out with last night? deadra

15. What you’re not? bored

16. The last thing you did? google

17. What are you wearing? black

18. Your favourite book? one????

19. The last thing you ate? tangerine

20. Your life? good

21. Your mood? better

22. Your friends? perfect

23. What are you thinking about right now? friends ;)

24. Your car? no

25. What are you doing at the moment? meme-ing

26. Your summer? short

27. What is on your TV? nothing

28. When is the last time you laughed? morning

29. Last time you cried? unknown

30. School? over

Adventureland (2009)

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Adventureland is Greg Mottola‘s latest film, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Bill Hader, Martin Starr, Matt Bush and Ryan Reynolds*.

Plot:
1987. James (Jesse Eisenberg) has is life planned out: First, a trip to Europe with his best friend. Then university and becoming a journalist. Unfortunately that’s when his dad gets “transferred” and has suddenly less money. Which means that James not only can’t go to Europe but has to work to make to university at all. And since he has no work experience whatsoever, he ends up at Adventureland, a rather run-down amusement park where he meets not only new friends like Joel (Martin Starr), but also a new love in Em (Kristen Stewart).

Since I’m often disappointed with Indie comedies, I didn’t expect much from Adventureland. But it was actually extremely sweet, funny and (least surprising) very well-acted. The script was wonderful and the movie is definitely a keeper.

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Blue Man Group

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The Blue Man Group is a theatre/performance/show. It’s currently also in Vienna.

Plot:
Before going into the show, I thought, “there’s actually not much I know about this show. I know that there are blue guys and they do some drumming.” And nobody I talked to seemed to know more. Now I know why – it’s not because they don’t do more, but because it’s really hard to characterise what it is exactly that they do do. There’s comedy, there’s music, there’s audience participation. I guess it’s best experienced for yourself.

In any case, I was very well entertained and I laughed a lot. [Though listening to the people around me, not everybody liked it as much as I did.] If you don’t ask for a cohesive whole, you’ll have a great night.

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Fireflies in the Garden (2008)

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Fireflies in the Garden is Dennis Lee‘s first feature film, starring Ryan Reynolds, Willem Defoe, Julia Roberts, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hayden Panettiere.

Plot:
Michael (Ryan Reynolds) is on his way home to celebrate the graduation of his sister. But when he arrives at his aunt Jane’s (Emily Watson) house where everybody is supposed to meet, he finds out that his father Charles (Willem Defoe) and his mother Lisa (Julia Roberts) were just in a car accident that ended fatally for Lisa.
In the light of this loss, Michael grapples with his ex-addicted wife (Carrie -Anne Moss), the autobiographical book he is about to publish, and most of all with his abusive father.

The movie has a decent cast but was so incredibly boring, I have no idea why I actually finished it at all. And the ending sucks.

[SPOILERS]

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Play of Passion (Nalini Singh)

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Play of Passion is the ninth Psy-Changeling Novel by Nalini Singh. [My reviews of the other books here.] It’s Indigo’s and Drew’s story.

Plot:
Indigo is a dominant wolf and the highest ranking female in the SnowDancer pack. Which makes it kind of hard for her to relate to the men around her. That is, until Drew – her good friend – suddenly turns on the charm. But will he be able to accept a partner who is more dominant than him?
At the same time, the pack comes under threat of parts of the Psy Council who feel that the changelings are a huge contributing factor in the failing of Silence.

Since the last few books didn’t do that much for me, I had my doubts about this one. But it seems that all I needed to fall back in love with the series, was a little more changeling action. Because Play of Passion was awesome.

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4.3.2.1 (2010)

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4.3.2.1 is Noel Clarke‘s and Mark Davis‘ first film together, starring Emma Roberts, Ophelia Lovibond, Tamsin Egerton, Shanika Warren-Markland and has cameos from Kevin Smith, Mandy Patinkin, Michelle Ryan, Eve and Noel Clarke.

Plot:
4 girls, 3 days, 2 cities, 1 chance – that’s the title spelled out. What it means is we get a look at life of four friends for a weekend – and how their life gets entangled with a jewellery heist.
Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond) is struggling with her life, that seems to fall apart around her. Cassandra (Tamsin Egerton) flies to New York where she wants to lose her virginity with a guy she met and fell in love with online and audition for a spot at a music school. Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland) would like to spend a nice weekend with her girlfriend. Unfortunately her family keeps interfering. Joanne (Emma Roberts) gets pushed around by her family. On this particular weekend, she’s supposed to cover for her sister at work.
At first glance, it seems all rather normal. But said jewellery heist affects them more than they think.

4.3.2.1 is a very cheeky movie with a fresh sense of humour. It’s got a B-Movie feel to it with a British twist, good performances and a really good structure. It’s not without fault, but it’s good entertainment.

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Links

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Books

Best children fantasy and scifi books.

Can you name 200 Harry Potter characters in 18 minutes? [I managed 88. With cheating.]

This sounds like a mix between The Inkworld Series and Thursday Next. In one word: awesome.

Comics

Grant Morrison. David Finch. Batman.

The Complete Plays of William Shakespeare as Two-Panel-Comics.

Games

Movies

If other directors directed the Social Network.

Holy crap, this might just be the scariest film ever.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.

Now, that’s a really good idea for a Peter Pan movie.

I kinda don’t get this movie. Maybe you have to have read the book:

Science

A camera that can see around walls.

TV

Guillermo del Toro makes The Hulk TV show.

A first look at Game of Thrones. Looks great. [Just ignore the text with Tyrion’s pic, because it’s fucking insulting. Let’s hope they do the character more justice in the show.]

I guess all of you have seen this Buffy-without-Joss-thingy already, but just in case.

Completely Different Things

Steampunk Batman.

Mamika the Superhero.

Unstoppable (2010)

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Unstoppable is the newst movie by Tony Scott, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson and Ethan Supplee.

Plot:
Due to the ineptitude of one worker (Ethan Supplee), one of the trains in Southern Pennsylvania kinda runs off. Runaway trains are apparently not that uncommon, so everybody stays rather cool until it’s discovered that the train isn’t a coaster, but is under power and has picked up quite some speed. Now track manager [or whatever the official title is] Connie (Rosario Dawson) has to see to it that the damage stays as small as possible. She gets unexpected help from train-driver Frank (Denzel Washington) and conductor Will (Chris Pine) who are on the same track as the rogue train.

Unstoppable opens with the most dramatic credits I have ever seen: We see still standing trains, but the font, its animation and the frantic cutting suggest that we see the last few secones before an explosion. It is painful to watch – but it all goes downhill from there. Especially the cutting and Scott’s direction just never get any better.

[SPOILERS]

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