ONE DAY-just not today....

I just had the misfortune of watching "One day", based on the popular (?) novel by David Nicholls. Following the affair between couple "Emma" (Anne Hathaway) and "Dexter" (Jim Sturgess)
Wow this really was disappointing from start to finish. I had to look away several times because I just couldn't handle the cornball lines and fake expressions any more!
There is nothing here we haven't seen before that hasn't been dealt with a lot better.
Boy meets girl,girl yearns for boy,boy takes drugs and screws around,girl eventually gives up on him and gets better looking and then boy finally comes knocking on her door.
There was no substance in this film. Not one performance that could get it over the finish line. They managed to get Patricia Clarkson for chrissake and not even utilise her. OUTRAGE!
The look of the film was reminiscent of a midday movie. The hair and makeup used to age the characters over a 20 year period was laughable.A year 8 student could have shown them a thing or two.
According to Harpers Bazaar this is a "must see romantic epic". I hate to break it to ya folks but "Out of Africa" and "Gone with the Wind" are romantic epics;this is but a mere piece of fluff.
Anne Hathaway's performance is trite. Her earnesty and appeal are nil. Her accent is appauling.One minute she is as cockney as Eliza DooLittle the next she sounds as Welsh as Pam Ayers. HELP!
Jim sturgess as "Dexter" has a few moments as the "asshole" but was boring and unbelievable when he turned into the nice guy.
Just when you think the end is near,we are juxtaposed once more when the couple first met.Here we have to endure more crap dialogue and strained passion. WTF !!!
People there's a reason you've never heard of danish Director Lone Scherfig.
You dig?
Dont like me be fooled by the smoky mysterious movie poster.

JAX

COUNTRY STRONG....Too Long....

MUST remember never to see a film that goes straight to DVD.
Yes yes I know I always seem to break this rule and I'm invariably dissapointed.
I must say the trailer for "Country Strong" had me chomping at the bit. Country music movies have always had my vote. There have been some pearlers over the years- "Coal Miners Daughter" "Walk the Line" and more recently "Crazy Heart"
These movies like the songs within them are intoxicating. I cant seem to get enough of the plights of lonely and mistreated wives and their tough talking alcoholic cowboys.
"Country Strong" definitely delivered on the music front. Songs like "Coming home" "Words I couldn't say" or "A little bit stronger" all fit the bill here and some were even nominated for an Oscar for best original song.
Unfortunately the rest of the film was a fair waste of time.
You'd have to be Gomar Pyle to believe the plot that Shana Feste concocted here. The sporadic status between underdeveloped characters was difficult to watch. Sometimes I felt like I was watching a bad episode of "The Young and the Restless"
The corny script made me reach for the sick bag more than once. Gwyneth Paltrows' character "Kelly" made one devastating faux pas after the next. If she wasn't having sex with her manager or skulling a bottle of vodka,she was passing out on stage. Although after visiting a dying kid,she miraculously comes good and goes onto give the performance of her life as well as giving advice to her young protege- "Falling in love honey,that's all there is in life..." Deep...
As any alcoholic will tell you it takes five years for the fog to lift; not three hours.
In saying that there was some good acting here. Big hunk of spunk Tim McGraw was well cast as "James" the long suffering husband to Kelly. This co dependent matrimonial arrangement is all too common. One fucks up,the other cleans up and no one gets out alive. Tim's conversion from real life country singer to screen has been effortless. He doesn't miss any cues and his portrayal of "James" denotes real depth and clarity. I just hope they don't typecast the poor bastard in the future.
Gwyneth too puts in a solid performance. She carefully illustrates the child like nature of the addict. That is highly emotional and volatile when they don't get their own way.
Infuriating one minute,utterly adorable the next. She had the southern accent and doey eyes down pat. Perhaps a little too beautiful for this highly flawed character. Yes blondie you can do it all. Its a shame it wasn't a better movie to showcase all your talents.
As for the two kids,well. The young "Beau" played by Garrett Hedland was mediocre at best. His blue eyes and bum fluff did nothing for me. Perhaps he could shake it on "Friday Nights Lights" but he seemed somewhat out of place here.We may decide to lay blame again with director Shana Feste. Not only for casting someone too young, but for allowing such over the top lip syncing to be screened.
Leighton Meester as "Chiles Stanton" (the up and coming country star) is nice enough;she is certainly no Sissy Spaceck ("Coal Miners Daughter"). The love story created between these two young characters is contrived and vaccuous . But again perfectly good actors drown in bad scripts and poorly woven plots. This was no exception.
By the time the ending came, I was playing angry birds on my i phone and planning my scathing attack on this movie.
All said and done, as I move into 2012,my New Years Resolution is to not be so black and white and to live in the grey. In this way "Country Strong" like any hot headed cowboy has its pros and its prickles.

"You may fool me and I'll fall
But I won't stay down long
'Cause I'm country strong"
(lyrics from "Country Strong")

AMERICAN:The Bill Hicks Story.

Hello again,
The other day at work,my colleague mentioned a documentary that was due to be aired on TV about Bill Hicks. I knowingly replied,"Oh the guy that did Microsoft?"
Not quite.
I was soon to discover there was a magical man that had somehow managed to completely bypass my entertainment radar.
An exceptional American comedian,satirist,social critic and musician that I'd never even heard of.
A man that unlike many could make me laugh out loud and rejoice in his uncensored and brutally honest take on society.
Despite his untimely death of cancer at 32; Hicks managed to cram a lot into his short life; a unique individual that was clearly born with dem "funny bones"
From his humble beginnings as a wanna be mimic at Sunday school, to performing stand up comedy at the tender age of 16 at the Comedy Workshop in Texas. He continued to develop his craft right across the country.
The documentary contains real life footage of Hicks having full control over his audience.
The choice to intersperse animation and black and white stills was an original and engaging move by directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas.
"Americain"illustrates Hicks resolute determination to become a comedian. His drive that eventually lands him on the David Letterman show and to furthur and greater recognition in the United Kingdom.
Hicks has been called the comedians comedian. A man who inhabits what it is to be truly funny.
Whilst studying acting myself,my movement teacher said-when you are going for funny. Go ALL the way. Don't hold back. HICKS, FARLEY,BELUSHI. All now with God,but all went ALL the way.
His tenaciousness also leads him into a dynamic dual with the bottle. Hicks played hard untill he just wasnt funny anymore. After admitting defeat, Hicks joined AA and never looked back (despite a few ongoing educational experiments with magic mushrooms)
On his return, Hicks really started to develop his humour. He was no longer just a dead pan mimic but rather a staunch social commentator with attitude.
He was no longer willing to apologise for speaking his truth. After all he poised, wasn't that your right as an American citizen?
He gave everyone a hard time- marketing/advertising executives, Christians,non-smokers,you name it. But every time,he had a point.
Hicks was no "phony".He detested hypocrisy and was always willing to push the boundaries.
Bill Hicks thank God I found you. Your legend truly lives on.


"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die."

Mel Brooks

Bill Hicks - AMERICAN: The Bill Hicks Story Official Trailer - redband