Saturday, May 21, 2011

3way - SNL Finale - JT, Andy Samberg and Lady Gaga

LOL


Hailee Steinfeld on Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss - video

Katniss loves Gale and Peeta (Casting)

Jennifer Lawrence defends casting of Peeta and Gale:

PEETA (Josh Hutcherson): “Josh is so charming,” she says. “He’s so charming! And when you read in the books about Peeta being able to manipulate anybody — I mean Josh could get, well, I don’t know a metaphor for [this scenario] except for dirty ones. But he’s charming, he’s sweet, he’s down to earth, he’s normal. He embodies all of it and brings it all to Peeta. So when you meet him he’s got all of these great qualities and every single one of them come across in every line he says out loud as Peeta.”

GALE (Liam Hemsworth): “Liam is just a solid brick of muscle and you look at him and you’re like ‘Oh, okay great!’” she says. “But he’s got depth and he’s interesting and at the same time he’s natural and he flows.”


Source]

Friday, May 20, 2011

Summer Movies 2011 - Are you ready?

Summer is a time for movies. If you are cheap like me you will try to sneak into as many movies as possible in a weekend or hitup the drive-in theatre where for a mere $12.50 you can see three movies (2new ones, 1 older one, but it is still three movies, one low price, if you canstay awake that long!

Lot's of movies coming out this summer... some are obvious must-see's other's intrigue me... here are some clips/trailers/comments/release dates...

More...

May

We have already started this month and I have seen Bridesmaids and Something Borrowed. I also went to the drive-in and slept through Rango, Thor and a third movie... oops!

Still, this month I hope to check out a few of the following flicks:

Skateland.

Not a fan of Ashley Greene, but love the 80s. Even so0 I can get my 80s fix with ANY OTHER 80s MOVIE... or even a modern movie that takes place in the 80s... Adventureland please? We'll see, this islikely a dvd wait...



Beautiful Boy

I must see this. I cry watching the trailer even! It will be an embarassing bawling movie but I love the actors, I sympathize with the plot and I must see this!



Midnight in Paris

To be honest, I know very little about this film but I like the cast and know Rachel and Michael hooked up on set so I kinda wanna watch it. Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen,Adrien Brody and Carla Bruni Sarkozy.



Pirates

I need to re-watch previous ones before I go see this. I know I am bizarre but it is just how I roll... do it for HP (everytime) and did it for SAW and every other series'd movie.



Hangover 2

I loved the first one and can't wait to see the second one!



Kung Fu Panda 2

Will take the kiddo :)



Tree of Life

Great cast, touchey topic. About life



June

Xmen First Class

I like Xmen, so does my hubby. I think this wll be cool since it's more of a prequel.



Super 8

I love JJ Abrams and combined with Spielberg... epic! Plus Dakota Fanning's lil sis Elle is in it and the trailer looks cool... strange.. but cool.



Green Lantern

Canadian Hottie Ryan Reynolds (ok I never considered him a hottie but he has his moments) hub is anxious to see this... looks cool, I will check itout.



Mr. Popper's Penguins

I read this ages ago. Very cute!



Cars 2

OMG this wll be awesome! Loved first one and waited a long time to see this !



Bad Teacher

I think this movie will not be great BUT the trailer makes me laugh and I love Justin Timberlake as an actor (shocking I know - I just think he is amaze)



JULY

Transformers

To be honest, my husband loves these movies, I tolerate them. The first one was good I barely recall the second and don't care much to see the third... this is the third isn't it?



Larry Crowne

This movie, the idea, is kind of boring, plain blah... but it is Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, so by default it will do well right? I don't know, I want to check it out...



Zoo Keeper

Don't judge me... this looks cute! Like Night at the Museum but in a zoo?



Horrible Bosses

This will probably be dumb, but I saw the trailer the other day and giggled enough that I would probably go check it out anyways.



Winnie the Pooh

Loved this story and cartoon so excited to take my kiddo to see the movie.



Harry Potter

Nothing to say here - quite obvious!



Avenger

More my husbands thing but I am intrigued by cute boys - Chris Evans mmm



Friends with Benefits

I hadn't even heard of this movie until I saw it preview the other today. Andy Samberg, Mila Kunis, Emma Stone, Justin TImberlake, Woody Harrleson, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, the list goes on... looks funny and cute.



Cowboys and Aliens

thought it would be dumb but would see it for Olivia Wilde (girlcrush) but turns out it looks kinda interesting, maybe.



SMURFS

80s love though these guys look kinda creepy... maybe they did inthe 80s too? *shrugs* I do like Doogie Howser, er, Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays (Heroes, Glee) but George Lopez, Katy Perry and more are also in it (via voice)



Crazy Stupid Love

This is another one that looks good. I love Emma Stone though (Another girl crush sorry) BUt more importantly, Ryan Gosling - - HELLO? hottie! I predict Emma Stone is Steve Carrall and Julianne Moore's daughter - who knows! It looks funny and lot's of eye candy! Watch for the Twilight line in the trailer LOL



AUGUST - Coming Soon!




So which ones are you most looking forward to seeing? Any I missed that are worth checking out? COmment Below!

Baz Lurhmann's The Great Gatsby


I loved Baz's Romeo & Juliet in 1996 so this idea is exciting. Plus, the cast sound absolutely superb!!

Hollywood Reporter writes:

Isla Fisher is in negotiations to join Baz Lurhmann’s 3D adaptation of The Great Gatsby being made by Warner Bros. Fisher will join Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan.

DiCaprio is pegged to play the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby, while Maguire is playing Nick Carraway, who in the novel is the narrator. Mulligan is playing Gatsby’s love, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to a wealthy chap named Tom Buchanan, whom Affleck would play if his deal makes.

Fisher will play Myrtle, a married woman having an affair with Buchanan.



[Source]


Sleeping Beauty Premiers at Cannes


Emily Browning at Cannes 'Sleeping Beauty' Premier.



22-year-old Emily Browning is the lead actress and here is what she had to say about her bare-ing all for the role: “I just loved the material and I could tell from the beginning that Julia wasn’t going to do anything gratuitous – it was all tasteful. Also, I just don’t have a problem with naked human bodies – it just didn’t really seem much of an issue to me.”


[Source]

Twilight vs. Hunger Games

What is there to know? I love them both! They are both YA novels. They are both great. They are both being made into movies. They both have HUGE fan following. But really... the rest is not all that similar is it? Let's take a peak....

Celebuzz writes:

As The Twilight Saga comes to a close, The Hunger Games is just getting started! Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss on the cover of EW got Celebuzz staffers excited for the first film that is about to start filming in North Carolina, so we created a gallery of the similarities and differences between the two franchises.
We’ve all heard “The Hunger Games is the next Twilight” but is it really? Let’s take a closer look.

Aside from the fact they have insane fan followings- and Hunger Games is sure to be as much of a theatrical success- there are not a whole lot of similarities between the two aside from the main three-way love triangle.
Check out our side-by-side very surface level comparison of Twilight and The Hunger Games.

Warning some minor spoilers!

Bella Swan: Love drives almost every decision Bella makes. Despite her best efforts, this clumsy protagonist always gets herself into trouble and is a target for danger. The Cullen family (and werewolves too) risk their lives to keep her safe. At the end of the day Bella will do anything for Edward and visa-versa, no matter what it takes.

Katniss Everdeen: Survival and love of her family drives every decision Katniss makes. Despite the fact she cannot determine exactly how she feels romantically for fellow tribute Peeta and best friend Gale, at the end of the day Katniss will do whatever it takes to keep her sister Prim safe, no matter who she may have to deceive along the way.

Edward Cullen: Edward will do whatever it takes to protect Bella, even if it means leaving, or dying for her. He knows she would do the same.

Peeta Mellark: Peeta will do whatever it takes to protect Katniss, even if it means leaving, or dying for her. Peeta does this without knowing her exact feelings for him. Katniss constantly describes Peeta as being one of the most genuinely selfless people she knows.

Jacob Black: Bella considers Jacob her best friend despite his romantic feelings towards her. Although she pauses at the possibility that Jacob might be her future, she is hopelessly in love with Edward and can never truly consider being with anyone else.

Gale Hawthorne: Throughout the series Katniss' feelings towards Gale shift. First and foremost he is her best friend and companion, in many ways. Throughout the series Katniss can't decide how exactly she loves him. Gale will also do whatever it takes to keep Katniss safe, as will she.





The Volturi: They are the closest thing the vampire world has to a government. The Volturi are the largest and most powerful coven of vampires and enforce laws of their world. They also know how to hold a grudge.

The Capital: The Capital is the government of Panem. They created the Hunger Games after district 13 attempted to rebel against them and were consequently destroyed. The games are to remind the districts the Capitol has the power over their lives and ultimately deaths. Capital members too, know how to hold a grudge.



Carlisle: Although the entire Cullen family, and wolf pack, looks out for Bella, Carlisle acts as the leader and voice of reason in many situations involving his family (Bella included).

Haymitch: As the only District 12 tribute to ever win the Hunger Games he is automatically a mentor to Katniss and Peeta so it is his job to teach them necessary survival skills. Oh, but he's a massive drunk. Somehow Haymitch ends up taking a liking to the kids, especially Katniss, and this is shown during the games.



Charlie Swan: Bella and her relationship with her father is complicated. They didn't grow up together, but when she moves in you can tell they have a bond that doesn't need to be talked about. Bella never wants him to worry and tries to shield him from hurtful knowledge.

Prim: Prim is Katniss' sister. Their father died when the girls were younger and their mother was so traumatized that Katniss really was the parent of the family looking out for them both, particularly her sister. Katniss saves Prim from entering the games and continues to put her first before anyone else in all the books.

[Source]

Portia and Octavia cast for Hunger Games


Lionsgate has announced two more cast members for The Hunger Games movie – the stylists for Katniss and Peeta.

Latarsha Rose will play Portia, the stylist assigned to Peeta, while Brooke Bundy will play Octavia, a member of the prep team that helps style Katniss. We still don’t know who will play Cinna, the stylist assigned to District 12, and one of the most-anticipated cast decisions still to be revealed.


[Source]

Jennifer Lawrence's Archery Training.


“For over a month, Lawrence has been enduring a grueling training program consisting of archery, track work, stunt drills and yoga. She says that her archery coach, a four-time Olympian from Eastern Europe, spent weeks bemoaning her lack of skills. Apparently, it was only after the woman declared her “helpless!” that Lawrence gritted her teeth and hit the bull’s-eye. “What happened?” her coach cried in surprise.

Lawrence turned to her and growled, her Southern accent making a rare appearance, “You pissed me off!”


[Source]

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Countdown to Breaking Down - Movies.Com new column features Lexicon co-owner 'Pel'

Movies.com has a new column on Breaking Dawn, written by Twilight Lexicon's "Pel" (aka Laura Byrne-Cristiano)who also helped develop the recent "Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide" published by Little Brown.

Read more: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Countdown: The Veterans Meet the Denalis | Featured Article | Movies.com

Here is a snippet of the first piece "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Countdown: The Veterans Meet the Denalis"


Christian Camargo, Mia Maestro, and Maggie Grace are all fairly well-known to the Twilight audience from their previous work. Camargo is best remembered from his stint on Dexter in the role of Rudy Cooper, AKA the Ice Truck Killer. The role only lasted a season, but it was a stand-out one. Mia Maestro is unforgettable to fans of Alias where she played the half-sister of Jennifer Garner’s Sydney for two years. Arguably, the new cast member who is best known to Twilight audiences is Maggie Grace. She appeared in LOST as Shannon Rutherford on and off in various episodes during its extensive run. The one thing that these new Denali clan members have in common is that they all bring in significant fan followings of their own. This may spark the interest of their fans in the Twilight Saga for the first time.

Given the released photos from Summit Entertainment, there appears to be a significant variation from what fans are familiar with in the books with regards to Maggie Grace’s Irina character. In the novel Breaking Dawn, Irina does not appear at Bella and Edward’s wedding, apparently still holding a grudge over the death of her lover Laurent , played by Edi Gathegi. It will be interesting to see how this change is incorporated, and how it further affects Maggie Grace’s character in the second movie where the plot is driven by her character’s actions. In the released photo, Irina seems to be on perfectly friendly terms with the Cullens. She’s standing with her sisters, Kate and Tanya, greeting Esme Cullen who is played by Elizabeth Reaser. All of them are in wedding attire and seem to be having a great time. This is a total 180 from what fans would have expected. She’d be more likely to want to stab Esme with the nearest pine tree than be up for a nice chat.

The two relative unknowns to most fans are Casey LaBow and MyAnna Buring. Originally from Sweden, Buring currently makes her home in England. She has appeared mostly in UK television productions. Her character, Tanya, carries a bit of a torch for Pattinson’s Edward Cullen. Though the feelings are unrequited, her striking and statuesque blonde beauty is a source of insecurity for Stewart’s Bella Swan.

Casey LaBow hasn’t the vast number of TV and movies credits as her co-stars in the Denali coven. The first opportunity that many fans are going to have to become familiar with her work on any level is the just-released indie flick Skateland. Ironically, Skateland was filmed almost two years ago and is finally launching on the big screen, due in part to the Twilight Saga. One of Skateland’s headliners is Ashley Greene, who plays Alice Cullen. Greene’s popularity has soared since taking on the role of Alice. She has two big-budget films, Butter and Apparition , due to come out later this year. On top of that, she’s the face of Avon’s Mark line of cosmetics. It’s all quite a change from hostessing at a restaurant to make ends meet just over three years ago.


READ MORE HERE and be sure to check it out every other Thursday!

Meet the Cast - EW Hunger Games

Everyone knows the "big three" (No, not Rob, Kristen & Taylor) Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are the new "big three" as the leads in The Hunger Games.


But there are dozens of other cast and if youare anything like me, it is tough to keep track.

So here is a who-is-who for Hunger Games which began filming today.

EW has


Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy)
Harrelson (Zombieland, 2012) will take on the crucial role of the only living resident of District 12 ever to win the titular to-the-death games and the mentor to current District 12 tributes Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). He starts off the series as a burned-out drunk, but Haymitch ultimately begins to see Katniss and Peeta as his poverty-stricken district's best hope for winning the games and helps them as best he can.


Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman)
The always elegant Stanley Tucci will vamp it up to play Caesar Flickerman, the smooth-talking, just this side of oily interviewer at the annual Hunger Games. Expect his hair, eyelids, and lips to be dyed a powder blue and his suit adorned with a thousand twinkling electric bulbs. It is Flickerman — and his probing questions — who introduces Katniss and the other tributes to the Capitol audience.


Wes Bentley (Seneca Crane)
The American Beauty star plays the 74th Annual Hunger Games Head Gamemaker, who makes a decision at the end of the first book that sets the course for Suzanne Collins' dystopian trilogy.


Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket)
The pink-haired, sadistically bubbly Trinket serves as an escort for District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Also a bit of a social climber, Trinket is all too excited to be part of the reaping.


Amandla Stenberg (Rue)
The 12-year-old District 11 tribute reminds Katniss of her younger sister, Prim. That association leads Katniss to team up with the young tribute in an alliance that has a lasting effect on the Hunger Games heroine throughout the entire trilogy.


Alexander Ludwig (Cato)
Ludwig (Race to Witch Mountain) will be the nasty piece of work from District 2 who is a hulking, fiercely competitive specimen and perhaps Katniss' biggest threat in the reality TV fight to the death.


Isabelle Fuhrman (Clove)
Fuhrman (Orphan) will play the expert knife-thrower from District 2. Clove has been known to take tremendous glee in killing her competitors.


Jackie Emerson (Foxface)
Emerson, whose big break up until now was voicing a role in 2004's Father of the Pride TV series, will play the quick and sly tribute from District 5. Nicknamed Foxface by Katniss, she is a clever nemesis who never utters a single word in the book. Though she does let loose a mean laugh after the Careers' food supply is decimated.


Leven Rambin (Glimmer)
Tall and beautiful, Glimmer is still quite deadly. Partnered with Marvel, her fellow tribute from District 1, she is also cunning and not above cheating.


Jack Quaid (Marvel)
A strong, ruthless Career Tribute from District 1, Marvel has trained most of his life for the Games and shows no mercy. In the book, he is never mentioned by name. It is only in Catching Fire that we learn it.


Dayo Okeniyi (Thresh)
A powerful, intimidating force from District 11, Thresh proves to be a formidable opponent — and a surprise ally for Katniss within the arena.


Kalia Prescott (District 3’s female tribute)
Prescott, whose resume boasts a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, will play the girl tribute from District 3. She has a tearful goodbye scene with her parents and younger siblings before being whisked away to the Hunger Games.


Ian Nelson (District 3’s male tribute)
The boy tribute from District 3 manages to align himself with the Careers, who exploit his skills in technology and electronics.


Imanol Vepez-Frias (District 9's male tribute)
Not only is Vepez-Frias a relative unknown, not much is known about District 9 or either of its tributes. But the male tribute does play a pivotal role in Katniss's survival.


Annie Thurman (District 9's female tribute)
Thurman will take on the role of the unnamed and barely seen tribute.


Samuel Tan (District 8's male tribute)
The unknown actor will play the male tribute in Panem's District 8, a region that figures predominantly into Suzanne Collins' trilogy.


Mackenzie Lintz (District 8's female tribute)
The unnamed female tribute from District 8, played by unknown actress Lintz, has a tragic run-in with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) in the first novel.


Ashton Moio (District 6's male tribute)
Very little is known about District 6 — including this unnamed tribute, who will be played by Moio, an actor who has appeared in series like No Ordinary Family and Dexter.


Kara Petersen (District 6's female tribute)
Stuntwoman Petersen — whose work appears in J.J. Abrams' upcoming Super 8 — should boast the skills necessary to play the unnamed District 6 female tribute.

http://images.wikia.com/thehungergames/images/2/2b/Kara.jpg" width=300>


Chris Mark (District 5's male tribute)
Mark — an actor with a stunt work background who has also had roles in projects like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Unnatural History — will represent as District 5's male tribute. He remains nameless throughout the Hunger Games.


Ethan Jamieson (District 4's male tribute)
A young tribute in the affluent Panem district, the unnamed boy runs into trouble at the Cornucopia.


Tara Macken (District 4's female tribute)
A skilled player, the unnamed District 4 tribute is a Career who forms an alliance with other Careers, the unnamed District 4 boy (Ian Nelson) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson)


Dakota Hood (District 10's Tribute Girl)
The Panem District known for livestock sends Hood's unnamed tribute to the reaping. And, undoubtedly, Hood dealt with hunger filming 2007's Scripture Cake: A Southern Cuisine Movie.



Jeremy Marinas (District 10's Tribute Boy)
Marinas' unnamed District 10 tribute might walk with a limp, but the actor certainly has full use of all his extremities, based on his impressive stunt work: He's appeared in The Green Hornet and will be seen in the Sherlock Holmes sequel.


Gary Ross (Director)
He wrote the screenplays for winners like Big and Dave, and directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, for which he earned an Oscar nomination. ''If you look at my work, even though it may not be quite as intense as the Hunger Games, there's an antiauthoritarian streak that runs through all that.


Also... there is... (according to imdb which is not always accurate)...

Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen

Paula Malcomson as Mrs. Everdeen


and various others.

MANDY'S MIND -
What do you think? I am loving some of these unknowns, they have pretty good looks. I am also so excited that filming started today. Hope to get set pics like we did with Twilight ;)


[Source: EW and imdb and Google Search]

Hunger Games Filming Begins Today in NC

Examiner writes:
Filming is set to begin today on The Hunger Games movie -- though if you ask the folks at Lionsgate to confirm this news, they're remarkably tight-lipped about it.

The production known as "Artemis" -- the believed working title for The Hunger Games -- has been setting up shop in North Carolina recently, with area news outlets reporting on the building excitement. And earlier reports indicated that today, May 19th, was set to be the first day of filming.

This photo (via here) is possibly Peeta's bakery set in NC:


I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo EXCITED!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rob at Adele Concert in Toronto


Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss on EW Magazine Cover this week


EW writes:

When Lawrence was offered the role, she describes her response as a mixture of elation — and desperate anxiety. “I knew that as soon as I said yes, my life would change,” she says. “And I walked around an entire day thinking ‘It’s not too late, I could still go back and do indies, I haven’t said yes yet, it’s not too late.’”

And yet, who can turn their back on Katniss? “I love this story,” she says, “and if I had said no, I would regret it every day.” After officially signing on, Suzanne Collins herself called to offer a starstruck Lawrence her most hearty congratulations. “I feel like when you said yes,” the author told her, “the world got lifted off my shoulders.”


Mandy's Mind - She looks great... I am sooooooo excited!!!


[Source]

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Something Borrowed - Review and Comparison of Novel vs Movie

I read Something Borrowed a couple years ago and really loved it. What shocked me MORE was how Something Blue was able to switch my whole perspective on Darcie, but that's another story....

If you have not seen the movie or do not want spoilers do not ready on as my review and comparison of book vs movie will reveal plot and other things you may not wish to read (yet)

More...

I love Emily Giffin's writing and knew this movie would be a chick flick. I was glad to see that much of the movie stuck to the book, with a few exceptions. Though it has been a while since I read the book, which helps.

The casting itself was amazing. Ginnifer Goodwin was a perfect Rachel. Colin Egglesfield was a sexy but sensitive Dex and Kate Hudson had all the crazy, wild, quirks of Darcy. I love John Krasinski and think he was a fantastic Ethan, but Steve Howey was NOT AT ALL what I imagined for Marcus.

The story itself is tough. Who wants a girl to hook up with her best friend's fiance? It is a tough angle to sell and make an audience want to see happen. I think the book did a better job of making you "hate" Darcy (or at least think she deserves it) and want Dex and Rachel together, whereas the mvoie tried, but in my opinion did not do as good a job.

The book also did a better job of showing the BFF status between Darcy and Rachel. The movie didn't make you believe they were life-long best friends as well. Although I did like the flashbacks in the movie to show the past, I still do not think that Darcy and Rachel had a believable relationship like the book described, with the exception of a few scenes (The sleepover, in particular the dancing etc.)

Other differences.... There is no Hilary in the movie, Marcus is a lot different than I imagined, the ending is different.

I really prefered the book ending... the movie was just kind of - meh!

Overall I loved the book, liked the movie and suggest you read before you see or you may not want to read... but I promise reading is worth it! And Something Blue, the sequel is an AMAZING book too! Wraps up some loose ends from the first book in a unique and interesting way ;)



Thoughts?



Nikki Reed Celebrates her Birthday at Gallery Night Club on May 13


Nikki did a little pre-birthday bash at Gallery Night Club with her boyfriend, American Idol's eliminated Paul McDonald.

[Source]

On The Road Distribution Update


Variety.com writes: 'On the Road' sells to Canada, Scandi. Kerouac adaptation still waiting for U.S. deal

French mini-major MK2 has inked a slew of sales on Walter Salles' "On The Road," the bigscreen adaptation of Jack Kerouac's classic novel. MK2 exec produces and handles international sales on the $25 million pic. "On The Road" stars Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams.

Pic was nabbed by Alliance Films for Canada, Noble Entertainment, Future Film and Star Media Entertainment for Scandinavia and Rosebud for Greece.


"On the Road" has already been picked up by Icon (U.K., Australia), Cineart (Benelux), Telemuenchen (Germany, Austria), Medusa (Italy), Filmcoopi (Switzerland), and Falcon (Middle East).

[Via Twifans]