Mini Movie Review: 30 Minutes or less : ★½

Huge disappointment. I expected a lot more innovation from director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland). Mediocre comedy with very few big laughs. Wait to watch this on Netflix or Cable.

(1.5 out of 5)

Mini Movie Review: Cowboys & Aliens : ★★½

With the unique mash-up of the Scifi and Western genres, an all-star cast and ‘Iron Man’ director Jon Favreau, one would think 'Cowboys & Aliens' film might be epic to the geek degree. But unfortunately it falls WELL short of that. Daniel Craig is convincing as the baddest outlaw in the West, but Harrison Ford, on the other hand, unintentionally looks old and frail (its sad). Overall, this film is right down the middle, its not horrible, but its nothing special. If you’re a huge Daniel Craig fan, or enjoy over CGI-ed visual feasts you’ll probably like this movie. But I’m confident no one will say they “LOVE” Cowboys & Aliens.

(2.5 out of 5)

And the Nominees are...Golden Globes 2010

This is the time of the year I love most. Christmas music on every radio station, lights hanging on homes and trees, and the best films of the year getting the buzz they deserve. With today's announcement of the Golden Globes I'd like to share a few thoughts and make my picks for the winners.

TV:
I honestly could care less for just about everything in this section. But I will say that besides being nominated for Best TV Series (drama) The Walking Dead didn't get as much respect as it should have.

1. Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series or TV movie
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee
Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

2. Best Actress in a TV series, comedy
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Bic C
Lea Michele, Glee

3. Best TV movie or mini-series
Carlos
The Pacific
Pillars of the Earth
Temple Grandin
You Don't Know Jack

4. Best Actor, TV series comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

5. Best Actress in a TV series, drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, the Closer

6. Best Supporting Actor in a series, mini-series, or TV movie
Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-0
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
David Strathern, Temple Grandin

7. Best TV Series, comedy
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

8. Best Actor in a mini-series or TV movie
Idris Elba, Luther
Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth
Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack
Dennis Quaid, The Speicla Relationship
Edgar Ramirez, Carlos

9. Best Actress in a mini-series or TV movie
Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Judi Dench, Return to Cranford
Romola Garai, Emma
Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List

10. Best Actor in a TV series, drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie - House

11. Best TV series, drama
Broadwalk Empire
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
The Walking Dead

MOVIES:
This is the section that matters in my book. Although a few of the categories are a complete joke (Best motion picture, musical or comedy) You can see who I think will come out on top.

1. Best original song – motion picture
Bound to You - Burlesque
Coming Home - Country Strong
I See the Light - Tangled
There's a Place for Us - Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
You Haven't Seen the Last of Me - Burlesque

2. Best original score – motion picture
Alexandre Desplot, The King's Speech
Danny Elfman, Alice in Wonderland
A.R. Rahmin, 127 Hours
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, The Social Network
Hans Zimmer, Inception

3. Best screenplay – motion picture
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, Kids are All Right
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The Kings Speech
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

4. Best foreign language film
Biutiful, Mexico, Spain
The Concert, France
The Edge, Russia
I Am Love, Italy
In a Better World, Denmark

5. Best animated feature film
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

6. Best Actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone, Easy A

7. Best Actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy
Johnny Depp - Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp - The Tourist
Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version
Jake Gyllenhaal - Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey - Casino Jack

8. Best supporting Actor in a motion picture
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

9. Best supporting Actress in a motion picture
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

10. Best Director – motion picture
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, Social Network
Tom Hooper - King's Speech
Christopher Nolan - Inception
David O. Russell - The Fighter

11. Best motion picture, musical or comedy
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist

12. Best Actress in a motion picture, drama
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

13. Best Actor in a motion picture, drama
Jesse Eisenberg - Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg - The Fighter

14. Best motion picture, drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network

There you have it. It's not a perfect analysis because I have not seen everything nominated, but after few educated guesses and personal opinion that's the way I see it.

FIN

Gearing Up For Sundance 2009....

Now that a new week is upon us, I find myself trying to mentally and physically prepare for my grand return to the Sundance Film Festival 2009 in Park City, Utah. I have not attended this annual collection of Independent films since I made my Utah exodus in 2006. As you can imagine, I am more than excited to make my return. With two "fest rookie" friends at my side, Matt (NY) and Megan (LA) we are going to conquer a total of 7 screenings in 4 days. Since the festival is already well underway (has been on since Thurs. Jan. 15), we will be a little behind the buzz, which from my experience will be to our benefit.

Our indy film adventure begins on Wednesday, when we fly into Salt Lake City. Matt and I have the exact same layover in Las Vegas, and coincidentally will be on the same flight from Vegas to SLC. We couldn't have planned it better! Once we land we will meet up with Megan, somehow, some way and will head to my parents house in Park City (pictured right). We'll hit the sack and rest up for the next few days, which will be mad busy.

Our plan will be as follows, feel free to meet up with us at the following screenings:

Day 1 Thurs. Jan. 22:

8:30 am Peter & Vandy @ the Raquet Club. (Matt's Choice)3:15 pm Big Fan @ the Eccles Theatre. (Matt's Choice)
Day 2 Fri. Jan. 23:

6:00 pm Black Dynamite @ The Tower Theater, Salt Lake City (Kristian's Choice)



11:59 pm Død Snø (Dead Snow) @ The Egyptian Theater (Kristian's Choice)


Day 3 Sat. Jan. 24:

9:00 am Moon @ The Eccles Theatre (Kristian's Choice)


8:30 pm Shorts Program V @ Prospector Square Theater (Matt's Choice)

11:59 pm The Informers @ The Tower Theater, Salt Lake City (Kristian's Choice)



As you can see we have a lot to look forward to this year. Many of these films are already getting lots of critical acclaim. Some have already been picked up for distribution (Black Dynamite). Although, I must say that my Norwegian bias paired with my love for horror movies has made Dead Snow the must see film of the Festival for me this year. I will do my best to give my take on each of these flicks in blogs to come. Stay tuned and stay warm while we're freezing our asses off in Park City.

Random Celebrity Sighting...

I was reminded today of why I love living and working in LA. On my way back from lunch today, I noticed a familiar face, critically acclaimed director, Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13) . Man, it's cool to be in this town, you truly never know who you are going to see...