Armchair Commentary

"Defiance": Best of the Month for June/July 2009

What it is: Daniel Craig (James Bond: Quantum of Solace) stars as Tuvia Bielski, an ordinary citizen turned hero, in this action-packed epic of family, honor, vengeance and salvation. Defiance is a riveting adventure that showcases the extraordinary true story of the Bielski brothers, simple farmers –outnumbered and outgunned- who turned a group of war refugees into powerful freedom fighters. Tuvia, along with his unyielding brother, Zus (Liev Schreiber, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), motivate hundreds of civilians to join their ranks against the Nazi regime. Their “Inspirational story” is a true testament to the human spirit. ~David Densby, The New Yorker

Why it is significant: Based on the book The Bielski Partisans, Defiance is a story of survival against all odds. It explores parts of World War II and the Holocaust that have up until now, not been depicted in film, and seemed to be skipped over in my grade school lessons.The fact that the Bielski brothers' resistance movement was not wiped out by the Nazis was really extraordinary. The film shows the incredible measures that the Nazis took to keep the Jews from escaping which only accentuates the strength of this resistance. Defiance boasts a strong cast, starring, Daniel Craig, who stepped away from the glamorous life of James Bond briefly to show us an even deeper side. He even received some Oscar buzz for this film, and many felt that he should have deserved at the very least a nod for it. Check out the trailer for the film below. -- Meredith

"Doubt": Best DVDs of April 2009

What it is: Doubt is a mesmerizing, suspense-filled drama with riveting performances that will have you pinned to the edge of your seat. Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Streep), the rigid and fear-inspiring principal of the Saint Nicholas Church School, suffers an extreme dislike for the progressive and popular parish priest Father Flynn (Hoffman). Looking for wrongdoing in every corner, Sister Aloysius believes she's uncovered the ultimate sin when she hears Father Flynn has taken a special interest in a troubled boy. But without proof, the only thing certain is doubt.

Why it's significant: Boasting an A-list cast of Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, Doubt, had five Academy Award nominations and Meryl Streep won the SAG Best Actress award for her role. Doubt is based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play, that may take some back to their Catholic school days. The film holds you on the edge of  your seat, not knowing if Sister Aloysius' accusations are baseless and just plain vicious, or if Father Flynn is trying to get away with inappropriate behavior.  --Meredith

Happy-Go-Lucky: Best DVDs of March 2009

What it is: Academy Award nominee Mike Leigh, delivers the delightfully fresh and cheerful comedy Happy-Go-Lucky. Free-spirited and effervescent, Poppy is a schoolteacher whose unstoppable optimism guides her life. Bubbling forth with giggles, laughter and jokes, life's a bowl of cherries even when she comes across a few pits. Whether it's a cranky driving teacher or a fiery flamenco instructor, Poppy embraces life on the sunny side of the street. It's a joyous, feel-good film you'll find irresistible.

Why It's Significant: Because Sally Hawkins won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -Movie or Comedy this year and she was so moved by the honor that she could barely get through her speech. It was so sweet that Emma Thompson even offered to get on stage and help her. Happy-Go-Lucky is a nice change of pace, an unusually happy main character who keeps running into obstacles in life and yet seems to maintain her optimism despite it all. The film didn't get as much buzz as it may have deserved in the states while in theaters so it is worth checking out on DVD. Check out the clip below of Sally Hawkins where she reflects on what she learned from her character Poppy.

Amazon.com Review: Mike Leigh has made a career out of unusual films--who else would make a biopic about Gilbert & Sullivan?--but Happy-Go-Lucky may be his most unusual yet: A movie about a woman who is almost compulsively cheerful. Poppy (Sally Hawkins, star of the 2007 miniseries of Persuasion) may at first seem like the most annoying human being alive. She can't help but try to get a smile from someone who's ignoring her. When her bicycle gets stolen, she shrugs it off and decides to learn how to drive, which leads her to form a strange sparring relationship with her frustrated driving instructor, Scott (Eddie Marsan). Meanwhile, she takes flamenco lessons, visits with her squabbling family, tries to help a troubled boy at the school where she teaches, and encounters a homeless man--but this bland catalogue of events doesn't capture how Poppy's relentless optimism acts as a rorschach test to the people around her, reflecting back their worst or best feelings about themselves. Poppy, whose natural impulse is to empathize, discovers she needs to draw boundaries between herself and a world that wants to interpret her cheerfulness in unintended ways. The result is a unique movie experience, one that defies conventional notions of what's dramatic yet grows more absorbing with every moment. Just as it's hard to imagine anyone liking Poppy at the start of Happy-Go-Lucky, it's hard to imagine that anyone doesn't care about her by the movie's end. --Bret Fetzer

-Meredith

Amazon Exclusive Interview with Confessions of a Shopaholic Author Sophie Kinsella

Confessions of a Shopaholic, 2009's attempt at a fashion filled flick hit theaters this past Friday, February 13th. I was able to see the movie last Tuesday, and although I have never read the books, I enjoyed it. It's no The Devil Wears Prada, but Isla Fischer (best known from Wedding Crashers) is lovable and there is a dance scene in it that is sure to make even a grown man laugh out loud (trust me, I was sitting next to one).

Check out our exclusive interview with Sophie Kinsella, the author of the Confessions of a Shopaholic books. Sophie gives insight into the making of the movie, her feelings about Becky, and more. The trailer follows the interview, so stick around and get a glimpse of the movie or just catch it in theaters now.

The books are incredibly popular, so this movie is sure to be a hit in the theaters. They are about Rebecca Bloomwood, shopaholic in denial. She, like the rest of us, loves to shop, and owns a ridiculous amount of designer clothing. The hilarious part to me is, despite the sheer amount of designer goods that she owns, she only has $9,000 in credit card debt. Puh-lease, you could do that damage at J.Crew in a day and some of those frocks she owns are thousands of dollars alone. But I digress. Rebecca gets herself in a pickle when she finds herself in a job that she has no experience in (writing for a savings magazine) and trying to escape from the claws of her credit card debt collector, Derek Smeed. It's a cute story, and Becky (as her friends refer to her) is someone you can root for. Some of the story line is a bit underdeveloped, but if you love looking at clothes and cute British men, this flick is for you.
 

 

High School Musical 3 is coming to DVD and Blu-ray! Admit it, you love it too...

I think I am the person that is the most excited about the DVD release of High School Musical 3: Senior Year next Tuesday. Ok, well maybe my excitment is slightly surpassed by the thousands of screaming tweens that cannot get enough of those crazy Wildcats. Trust me, I realize I should be embarrassed about the fact that I have seen two of the three installments of the Disney franchise that is supposedly aimed a people half my age and am waiting patiently for my copy of the third. HSM3 is being released on DVD and Blu-ray, for everyone's viewing pleasure. But who can resist?

 

Top 10 Things to Love About HSM :

10. It brought the musical back to life. Ok, well maybe Chicago did this already, but this is something kids can watch too!

9. The fact that they didn't stop after HSM2, which in my opinion was nowhere near as good as the first installment.

8. It gave us Zanessa! Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, the Disney Channel power couple. When will they break up? Who's career is going to take off and leave the other in the dust (my bet is on Zac's).

7. The romance between Troy and Gabriella started over karaoke. Who doesn't love karaoke?

6. The positive reinforcement for kids to do whatever they want to do, ignoring stereotypes and not allowing themselves to be typecast.

5. The fact that they do a sing-along version of all of the movies so we can sing and dance along with the Wildcats.

4. Troy's emotional solos. When he was dancing around on the golf course, flailing about, throwing golf clubs, I couldn't help but laugh. Word on the street is he has another solo freak out in HSM3 called Scream. 

3. The school spirit. Brings me back to the days when my high school football team made it to state and for a brief moment we were all intense seriously devoted football fans whose lives depended on a win. We lost.

2. Zac Efron is supposedly good enough to play college basketball, yet he is likely only 5'7.

1. Ryan's outfits. The kid has flare and it must take some major cajones to wear pink fedoras and matching pink pants.

If you are an HSM fan, check out the Amazon High School Musical store and read up on bloopers from HSM3, read an interview with Zanessa, and find out what Director Kenny Ortega says it takes to be a star. If you are not a fan...get with the program.