Movie Lovers Only

My "Flick Chick Oscar Picks"

2011-02-25T14:30:00.002-05:00

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!"

No...not Christmastime silly. We're done with all that.

It's OSCAR time!

Yep, the wonderful time of year when this Flick Chick dreams of red carpets, beautiful people in beautiful gowns, memorable movie montages, too-long acceptance speeches and short, shiny bald men.

No Danny DeVito, I'm NOT talkin' about you.

Oscar time. I love it.

I must confess, I'm an Oscar Geek from waaaaay back. Not to date myself or anything...but when I was growing up as a major movie and Hollywood-obsessed kid, there was no internet (I know, shocker!). We didn't have Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood OR Joan Rivers and the Red Carpet Fashion Police.

No, aside from attending my favorite local movie theatre each week (which was NOT a 24 screen megaplex, by the way) -- the only time that I could really see big-time movie stars up close and personal (dressed up and out on the town with their peers & significant others, no less!) was on television.....on Oscar night.

That was a BIG deal for a movie geek girl like me.

I've always loved the whole show. The hosts (Johnny Carson. Billy Crystal). The cheesy musical numbers (Rob Lowe & Snow White?). The wacky outfits (Hello Cher! Hello Demi!). The awkward movie star presenters who seriously lacked charisma, couldn't read the teleprompter and made you realize that unfortunately...perhaps they weren't so fabulous after all (So sorry Harrison.)

Good times.

At about 8 years old, I started bargaining with my parents each year to stay up late to watch the whole telecast. All four hours of it.

The show usually ends at midnight, and up until fairly recently....the Oscars were held on a Monday.

Well, I got my wish, as long as I would come home from school on Oscar day and take a nap that afternoon.

A nap? Like a baby? Of course I will. Right away mom.

If that means I'll get to stay up late and see an American Indian accept an Oscar for Marlon Brando, a streaker run onstage past a smiling David Niven and everybody's favorite droids R2D2 and C3PO "live" on stage -- I will most definitely take a nap.

Flash forward to 2011: I am no longer required to take a nap on Oscar day (although, sometimes I do), and with the internet and a mind-boggling array of entertainment-oriented TV shows, websites, magazines, etc. -- Oscar time is more drawn-out than ever and darn near inescapable.

Me.Happy.Girl.

OK, so that's just a little background about my loooong history of love for the Oscars....and why for me, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Now it's time for my picks.

I must admit, that after following the Oscars as closely as I have for so many years -- I've become pretty good at predicting the winners. There are usually some surprises here & there (and I LOVE that!), but all in all....my ballot is usually fairly close to what's in those envelopes on Oscar night.

So, without further ado........

My 2011 "Flick Chick Oscar Picks"

(Who I think WILL win, not necessarily who SHOULD win.)

Best Picture

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
*The King’s Speech*
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
*David Fincher, The Social Network*
Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit

Best Actress

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
*Natalie Portman, Black Swan*
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Actor

Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
*Colin Firth, The King's Speech*
James Franco, 127 Hours

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
*Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit*
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
*Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech*

Best Animated Feature Film

How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
*Toy Story 3*

Best Foreign Language Film

Biutiful
Dogtooth
*In a Better World*
Incendies
Outside the law

Best Original Screenplay

Another Year
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
*The King’s Speech*

Best Adapted Screenplay

127 Hours
*The Social Network*
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

Best Documentary Feature

Exit Through the Gift Shop
Gasland
Inside Job
*Restrepo*
Waste Land

Best Original Song

‘Coming Home’ from Country Strong, Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
‘I See the Light’ from Tangled, Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
*‘If I Rise’ from 127 Hours, Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong*
‘We Belong Together’ from Toy Story 3, Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Best Original Score

How to Train Your Dragon, John Powell
Inception, Hans Zimmer
*The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat*
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Film Editing

Black Swan
The Fighter
The King’s Speech
127 Hours
*The Social Network*

Best Visual Effects

Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Hereafter
*Inception*
Iron Man 2

Best Cinematography

Black Swan
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
*True Grit*

Best Sound Mixing

*Inception*
The King’s Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit

Best Sound Editing

*Inception*
Toy Story 3
Tron: Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable

Best Costume Design

*Alice in Wonderland*
I Am Love
The King’s Speech
The Tempest
True Grit

Best Art Direction

*Alice in Wonderland*
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I
Inception
The King’s Speech
True Grit

Best Makeup

Barney’s Version
The Way Back
*The Wolfman*

Best Short Film (Live Action)

*The Confession*
The Crush
God of Love
Na Wewe
Wish 143

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

*Killing in the Name*
Poster Girl
Strangers No More
Sun Come Up
The Warriors of Qiugang

Best Short Film (Animated)

Day & Night
*The Gruffalo*
Let’s Pollute
The Lost Thing
Madagascar, carnet de voyage

*********************************************

OK, so those are my Oscar picks for this year.

The 2011 Academy Awards air live on Sunday, February 27, 2011 on ABC at
8 pm EST.

If interested, I will be live-tweeting during the red carpet arrivals (on E! network beginning at 6 pm EST) and during the entire Oscar telecast.

You can follow me on Twitter, I'm @KellyGingery.

Hmmm....wonder how good my Oscar knowledge really is?

Stay tuned.

Making A Film in 48 Hours...Big, Crazy Fun!

2010-08-21T11:15:00.004-04:00

Only 48 hours to make a movie? Am I a dummy or what?

The 48 Hour Film Project is a wild and sleepless weekend in which teams of aspiring filmmakers make a movie—write, shoot, edit and score it—in just 48 hours.
On Friday night you get a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, all to include in your movie. 48 hours later, the movie MUST be complete. Then all films submitted screen at a local theater, usually in the next week.
In 2009, nearly 40,000 filmmakers made 3,000 films in 76 cities. This year, the project is even bigger, with filmmakers around the world taking the challenge to make a film in just 48 hours.
Well, you all know I love movies....I am the Flick Chick for goodness sake!
I've been watching movies (a LOT of movies!) my entire life & am now a movie critic and have been creating video reviews for a while now, so how difficult would it be to jump right into trying to create a short 4 to 7-minute movie in a weekend?
Wow. Crazy. Who knew?
Less than a month ago, I formed Team 1 A.M. Films for the 48 Hour Film Project Columbus 2010 with my FlickChick.TV partner Jason Blanton. We became the team leaders and I signed on to write & direct, Jason would executive produce & act as an assistant director as well.
We assembled a fabulous team of friends & colleagues who were as passionate and excited about this project as we were, and had the various skills to make it happen:
Lou Ann Racher - Writer/Actor, Louie Cowan - Assistant Director/Actor, Jay Brooks - Editor, Ken Moss - Cinematography/Composer, Kristie Madden - Writer/Script Supervisor, Caliph Scott - Actor, Elizabeth Cave - Actor, Chris Engebretson - Camera/PA and Jim Bowe - Production Assistant.
(Missing in photo: Elizabeth Cave, Chris Engebretson & Jim Bowe)

A seriously wonderful and talented team, our film was a complete collaboration from beginning to end.
As a first-time writer/director/filmmaker, I must say...the result was a fun, inspiring, creative, tiring, educational, frustrating, hilarious, crazy weekend that I will NEVER forget....and a finished film that I will always be proud of.
As mentioned above, each submitted 48 Hour film had to include a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre.

Genres were chosen at a Friday night kick-off event by the team leaders (me!). I pulled "Mockumentary" out of the hat....and was thrilled because our team was really hoping for comedy. Other possible genres included: Sci-Fi, Horror, Road Movie, Dark Comedy, Musical or Western, Silent Film or Drama.

Every team HAD to include a character named either Sam or Sara Carpenter, and that character had to be a ticket-seller (and had to be shown on camera at some point in the film). The prop everyone had to include this year was a cell phone (pretty easy) and the line of dialogue that had to be spoken at some point in the film was: "All you need is one of these."

So, without further ado....below is POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS, our film produced and submitted for the 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT Columbus over the weekend of August 13th - August 15th.

We will be editing a "Director's Cut" version soon, where we can make all of the corrections & edits that we just didn't have time to do under the weekend time constraint. Make sure to stay tuned for that.

As you can imagine, our team ♥'s this finished 7-minute short that we were able to submit ON TIME for the competition -- but only having 48 hours makes it extremely difficult to get everyone's exact vision on film.

We'd love for you to view our submitted film below. Feedback and comments are definitely encouraged, we hope you enjoy it!

"KISS ME c/KATE": 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films

2010-06-02T11:37:00.010-04:00

Guess what happens when two life-long film lovers get together over breakfast, discuss favorite flicks and their desire for more film discussion groups here in Central Ohio?

They decide to create one on their own.

That’s the origin of the OSU Theatre and Friends Film-Discussion Group, a newly-formed University and community-based film group that sponsors film series that invite audiences to participate in post-film discussions in person and online.

Thanks to that early morning breakfast brainstorm a few months ago, Central Ohio film lovers are now enjoying the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” film discussion series that kicked off at the Gateway Film Center on The Ohio State University campus on Sunday, May 23rd.

The six-week series features a selection of seven films by three of the silver screen’s most talented actresses, all of whom just happen to be named Kate/Cate:

KATE HEPBURN

KATE WINSLET

and CATE BLANCHETT.

I must disclose that it was yours truly, the Flick Chick, who was dishin’ about movies at that breakfast meetup a few months ago, along with my good friend Clay Lowe.

No ordinary film lover, among his many accomplishments Clay just happens to be an Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre at OSU. He also spent eight years discussing film as co-host of “It’s Movie Time” on WCBE-FM and spent many years as the co-host and programmer for the Columbus Museum of Art Film Series.

Let’s just say, “When Kelly met Clay”, this Flick Chick knew she had found a friend and a film series was born.

As series hosts and programmers, Clay and I will briefly introduce the films, and each weekly screening and post-film discussion will include special invited guests from the worlds of film, theatre, art, music, dance, education and the media.

All screenings will be held at 2 pm on Sunday afternoons at the Gateway Film Center located on the OSU campus, with the discussion immediately following. The price is $5 per show and tickets may be purchased online at the Gateway website or at the box office.

In addition to the six Sunday afternoon selections, a special one-time only Tuesday evening screening of a newly-restored The African Queen, starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, will be held at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, June 1.

If you truly love classic movies and enjoy thoughtful and engaging film discussion, make plans to see these three great Kates/Cates in action and attend the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” series.

Details and dates for the entire series are below:

(Click on film titles for more information)

KATHARINE HEPBURN

May 23 – Sunday at 2 pm
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (NR 112 minutes 1940)
Director: George Cukor
Writer: Daniel Ogden Stewart (Philip Barry – Play)
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart
Guests: Carolyna Bradford (Actress/Producer), Melissa Starker (Gateway Film Center)

May 30 – Sunday at 2 pm
PAT AND MIKE (NR 95 minutes 1952)
Director: George Cukor
Writers: Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Charles Bronson, Jim Backus
Guests: Alan Woods (Faculty, OSU Department of Theatre), Jocelyn Nevel (Photographer/Educator)

June 1 – Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm
THE AFRICAN QUEEN
Director: John Huston (NR 106 minutes 1951)
Writer: James Agee, John Huston (C.S. Forester novel)
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart
Guests: Alan Woods (Faculty, OSU Department of Theatre), Jocelyn Nevel (Photographer/Educator)

KATE WINSLET

June 6 – Sunday at 2 pm
HEAVENLY CREATURES (Rated R 99 minutes 1994)
Director: Peter Jackson
Writer: Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Starring: Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey
Guests: Hope Madden (Film Critic, The Other Paper) , George Wolf (Film Critic, The Other Paper)

June 13 – Sunday at 2 pm
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
(Rated R 108 min 2004)
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Starring: Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst
Guests: Jennifer Ntiri (Actress/Dancer), Brad Keefe (Critic/Web Producer Columbus Alive)

CATE BLANCHETT

June 20 – Sunday at 2 pm
ELIZABETH: THE VIRGIN QUEEN (Rated R 124 minutes 1998)
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Writer: Michael Hirst
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes
Guests: Wayne Miller (Board of Trustees, Film Council of Greater Columbus; Chair, Columbus International Film & Video Festival), Audrey Harkonen (Board Member/Juror, Columbus International Film & Video Festival)

June 27 – Sunday at 2 pm
I’M NOT THERE (Rated R 135 minutes 2007)
Director: Todd Haynes
Writer: Todd Haynes, Oren Moverman
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Ben Whishaw, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julianne Moore
Guests: Melissa Starker (Gateway Film Center), Bob Ray Starker (Musician – Whoa Nellie!)

Note: Convenient $1 parking (up to 4 hours) is available year round in the Gateway Film Center garage located right next door to the cinema on both 9th and 11th avenues.

Please Join Us: FLICKCHICK.TV Live-Blogs The Oscars!

2010-03-06T08:47:00.009-05:00

Hey Movie Lovers,

Hollywood's big night is almost here!

Why not turn your viewing of the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7th into a fun group experience? (without ever having to leave the comfort of your couch!)

You're invited to join the FlickChick.TV team on Oscar night as we live-blog every exciting Oscar moment (and unfortunate red carpet fashion choice).

Uh....we're talkin' to you, Bjork.

Just click the link below to join in all of the fun:

FLICKCHICK.TV: Oscars Live-Blog!

Stop by & share your opinions, predictions, observations or just plain 'ol snarky comments during the red-carpet pre-shows and Oscar ceremony.

Seriously, it doesn't count if you're rooting for George Clooney, Sandra Bullock or THE HURT LOCKER to win and nobody hears you! Let your picks, pleas and gasps of horror be voiced here amongst others who understand exactly what you're thinking.

Believe us, at FlickChick.TV....we're ALL about the movies. WE understand.

Please click this link (FLICKCHICK.TV: Oscars Live-Blog!) & join us Sunday evening March 7th, from 6:00 to 11:30 pm for this fun & star-filled night.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.....

STAY TUNED!

The Lovely Bones

2010-01-27T10:50:00.002-05:00

In this new FlickChick.TV video, the Flick Chick discusses the new Peter Jackson film THE LOVELY BONES.

Based on a best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, the much-anticipated film stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon and the amazing young actress Saoirse Ronan.

Is it as good as the book?

Check it out below & stay tuned!

**And don't forget --

Click here: www.FlickChick.TV

To visit the site & check out ALL of the Flick Chick's video news & reviews.

It's Movie Talk With A Twist

"Star Wars: In Concert" -- The Interviews

2009-12-15T06:00:00.003-05:00

You may not know this, but the Flick Chick loves the entire Star Wars movie saga, and has ever since she was a teen.

Seriously….if it weren’t for that spunky Princess Leia and her somewhat questionable hairdo, the Flick Chick is pretty sure that she would be patrolling & protecting the galaxy from the Dark Side with her true love Han Solo at this very moment.

Oh well, a girl can dream….can’t she?

Flash forward a few years later and back to reality, imagine the Flick Chick’s geek-girl excitement when she was able to attend the multimedia event “Star Wars: In Concert” at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Not only did a full symphony orchestra play many familiar pieces from the wonderful John Willliams Star Wars scores, but a high def screen showed many of the most exciting moments from the epic six-film saga. To top it off, C-3PO himself — Anthony Daniels, was on hand to narrate and guide the audience through their journey.

With awesome movie music and clips, cool memorabilia and a huge group of other Star Wars fans to talk with, the Flick Chick was in true movie-lover heaven.

***Check out the video below of the Flick Chick at the concert, interviewing some of the (surprisingly young) fan faithful…and what they had to say about their favorite movie franchise.***

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Star Wars: In Concert — The Official Website

Greatest City of All — From A Galaxy Far, Far Away….’Star Wars: In Concert’

'NEW MOON' For Beginners

2009-11-24T12:20:00.009-05:00

The Flick Chick discusses her thoughts on the latest film in the hugely popular Twilight franchise:

NEW MOON.

Lovesick vampires, hunky werewolves and brooding teens....

Yep….just another day in the woods.

Check out the latest episode of FlickChick.TV and see what all of the fuss is about --

It's The End Of The World As We Know It....

2009-11-16T10:20:00.003-05:00

....and apparently, everybody wants a front row seat!

Yep, the apocalyptic action-adventure 2012 just had a terrific opening weekend, grossing $65 million in the States with a global box office gross of $225 million.

According to Variety.com, not only was 2012 the fifth best international opening of all time, that crazy global box office total was "the best ever for an original movie not based on an established franchise, brand or best-selling novel."

(I'm thinkin' they mean....other than peeps like Harry Potter and James Bond -- ya know, A Box Office Dream Team.)

(Wow, can you imagine the box office take for Harry Potter and Her Majesty's Secret Service Look For A Quantum Of Solace With A Goblet Of Fire? I am SO there!)

I was able to see 2012 at a screening last Thursday night, and had no doubt it was headed for the record books.

I do love John Cusack in most anything, and I enjoyed the over-the-top special effects & action....but I did have a few minor plot questions.

Check out the latest episode of FlickChick.TV for my take:

Stay tuned!

This Year, Oscar Brings The Funny (And Hopefully Fey).

2009-11-11T16:20:00.000-05:00

OK, so if you know me at all (or happen to be a regular reader of this blog)....you probably know that I'm just mad about a guy named "Oscar."

I also happen to LOVE those who can bring the funny, so imagine my delight when the two co-hosts for this years' Oscar telecast in March were announced last week --

Charming, intelligent and oh, so funny men: Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.

Hosting gigs are fairly familiar to this duo, as both have hosted Saturday Night Live multiple times (more than anyone else), and Steve has already hosted the Oscars twice before, solo.

Check out the two of them in action together:

Alec & Steve Compete As SNL
"Hosts With The Most"

Hmmm....as happy as I am, I DO wish they would have chosen an equally fun & fabulous female to join those two up on stage that evening.

Tina Fey?

Sandra Bullock?

Heck....Abigail Breslin?

In fact, many in Hollywood & beyond are already sniping about who wasn't (and should've been) added as a host:

Click Here: The Gold Derby -- "Not So Complicated: Meryl Streep Wasn't Asked To Join Costars As Oscars Co-Hosts"

Several inside sources are saying that Tina Fey was a clear choice to join the two men, but her busy TV schedule just wouldn't allow it.

She has obvious chemistry with Alec on 30 Rock,

AND....she's also worked with Steve on her show, with very funny results.

(for further incentive, when Tina presented the Screenplay awards at the Oscars with Steve last year, they killed.)

My fingers remain firmly crossed that Tina will somehow make an appearance on the Oscars....a very humorous and memorable one, I'm sure.

What gives me such hope?

Well....she is starring this spring with none other than Steve Carell (talk about a "Dream Team") in the upcoming comedy Date Night, about a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous & romantic evening, with dangerous & comic results.

The flick opens April 9th....just one month after the Academy Awards.

Can't you just see Fey & Carell presenting an Oscar, discussing their upcoming movie....and stealing the show?

Oh yeah, I'm laughin' already.

Stay tuned.

'THIS IS IT'....NOT For Michael Jackson Fans Only

2009-10-30T16:12:00.000-04:00

Hey Movie Lovers,

I was lucky enough to see a midnight screening of the new Michael Jackson "concert documentary" THIS IS IT on Tuesday evening.

Guess what?

I loved it.

This isn't a real shocker, because his #1 best-selling album "Thriller" came out the year I graduated from high school.

I have many, MANY fond memories of listening to and dancing to Michael Jackson tunes. Not to mention loving his music videos as well.

Those songs helped define a specific period in my life and they definitely have a special place in my heart.

I know there are many other MJ fans out there like me, all over the world....but there are just as many people who think he was just a very weird celebrity, who lived a very strange and unnatural existence.

I understand that, believe me I do.

I'm hoping that those people, along with the die-hard MJ fans, will go see this film. It truly gives a glimpse into his world as an artist and entertainer. It is enjoyable and engaging. Fun and joyful and ultimately, more than a little sad.

Please note, this film is NOT anything about his private, personal life.

This is Michael Jackson....the singer, dancer and entertainer extraordinaire.

And it is revealing, worthwhile and awesome --

and only in theaters for 2 weeks.

What made me wanna get up in the aisles and sing and dance?

THIS IS IT.

I discussed the film this morning during my Mix Flick Chick segment with morning DJ Mark Dantzer. Mark is a music lover (obviously), and has great memories of listening to MJ as well.

Check out the video of our discussion below, as well as the official trailer for THIS IS IT.

Let me know if you see it & what you think....

and stay tuned!

FlickChickTV: It's "Trailer Park Tuesday!"

2009-10-20T23:00:00.002-04:00

Check out my latest video for FlickChickTV:

FlickChickTV: "Wild Things & Stepfathers, Oh My!"

2009-10-18T15:45:00.006-04:00

My latest video for FlickChickTV........

Check it out:

Are You Ready For Another 'VACATION'?

2009-10-07T11:20:00.002-04:00

Yes, I think I am.

I just read this morning that we may soon see a sequel of sorts to the 1983 comedy classic, Vacation.

The original is one of my all-time favorite funny flicks, and I like what I've read so far about their new take on this popular franchise.

According to Borys Kit's HEAT VISION blog on The Hollywood Reporter website:

Writing has not yet begun, but the story will reportedly focus on Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark Griswold, the protagonist of the initial movies and portrayed by Chevy Chase. The younger Griswold is now a father in his own right and takes his family on a road trip vacation.

The characters would acknowledge that first trip, making the movie more of a sequel than a reboot. Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, who played the mom in the original movies, will have room to make appearances as grandparents, providing a sense of continuity, though no deals are in place.

New Line is taking meetings with writers this week, hoping to make a movie that skews more towards “Planes Trains and Automobiles” or “Little Miss Sunshine” than “RV” or “Are We There Yet?”

David Dobkin (director/producer of The Wedding Crashers) is attached to produce and possibly direct.

OK, that sounds like a good starting point to me, and a family vacation that I might actually enjoy.

BONUS FUN FACT:

Did you know that the screenplay for the original Vacation was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine titled "Vacation '58" (the screenplay changes the year to 1983)?

The original story is a (reportedly) fictionalized account of Hughes' own family's ill-fated trip to Disneyland (changed to Walley World for the film) when Hughes was a boy. The success of the film helped advance his screenwriting career.

And we all know how well that went, don't we?

So check out the original trailer for Vacation below, along with just ONE of the many funny scenes from this classic flick.

Enjoy your trip!

It's Elementary....Robert Downey Jr. IS Sherlock Holmes.

2009-09-15T06:42:00.014-04:00

Well Movie Lovers,

I NEVER thought I'd say this, but after seeing the Sherlock Holmes trailer below in the theater last night......

I have to say --

"I have a crush on Robert Downey Jr.!"

Whoa.

I know, I know -- he's a great actor and all.

It's just -- he's always seemed....I dunno.....just this side of.....

Skeevy.

So this is really a major breakthrough.

For me.

Wow. I just truly & thoroughly enjoyed watching this sneak peek of Robert and his new flick, set to hit theaters this December 25th.

To be honest, I did warm to him a little bit after Iron Man.....but seriously, I think Sherlock Holmes is gonna seal the deal. Just sayin'.

Hey, why not? We've got Downey Jr. as the oh-so-famous sleuth and Jude Law as his trusted sidekick, Dr. Watson.

Not a bad package (So to speak).

Downey Jr. is quite hot right now, and this flick looks like it may actually be smart, funny and quite action-packed.

And...with a little bit of lusty romance courtesy of the lovely Rachel McAdams as well.

So there.

By the way, this flick was directed by none other than the EX-Mr. Madonna.....Guy Ritchie.

Thankfully, she's nowhere to be found (Even though I'm sure she was just dyin' to use that British accent of hers, doncha know. No thanks Madge, we'll pass).

OK, so the audience I saw this trailer with last night laughed very hard, more than a few times... AND seemed to totally dig it.

Check out the trailer below for yourself, and let me know what you think.

Ya know, I seriously think he's shakin' off some of the skeevy.

Way to go Robert, way to go.

It's Our Gal Sandra....and it's "All About Steve."

2009-08-17T15:26:00.010-04:00

It's no real surprise that I love Sandra Bullock.

She's a Hollywood survivor who is smart, funny, not afraid to act wacky or look unattractive...

AND she enjoys working behind-the-scenes as much as in front.

Oh yeah....she's also currently riding a huge wave of success after her recent romantic-comedy flick The Proposal (which cost only $40 million to make....) just passed the $157 million dollar mark at the box office.

No, that's NOT a typo.

After 9 weeks in release....The Proposal has made $157+ million dollars.

In comparison, Night At The Museum 2 cost $150 million to make, and in 13 weeks has made $175 million.

Huh. Not bad girlie, not bad at all.

Especially for a former "It Girl" who many had written off as no longer bankable at the box office. I'm sure that some of those suits in La-La land were even waiting for her to announce a TV project.

That's where the former movie queens seem to be going nowadays...doncha know.

Nope, it seems our gal Sandra can still bring 'em into the theaters....she just has to be driving the right vehicle.

Well, looks like the next one for her is another romantic comedy, and this time she is once again starring with a handsome & younger leading man.

You go girl.

Lucky for Sandra, the guy (Bradley Cooper) is suddenly very hot after his recent turn in the mega-successful summer hit, The Hangover.

I've seen this trailer for the upcoming It's All About Steve a few times now, and each time it still makes me smile. Pseudo-stalker Sandra is quirky yet likable, TV reporter Thomas Haden Church looks smarmy yet funny and Bradley Cooper is......well, OK -- he's just plain hunkalicious.

(Gimme a break, I'm not dead!)

So click the movie title link here ----> All About Steve <---- to go to the official movie website. You can view the trailer there, then let me know what YOU think.

(Comments added below on my site are MUCH appreciated!)

The flick was originally supposed to open in theaters last spring, but studio bosses felt that there were too many romantic comedies scheduled for release around that time -- so it is now scheduled to open on September 4, 2009.

So....can Sandra do it again?

It may be All About Steve.....but as far as I'm concerned, Sandra's drivin' the bus.

Marvelous Meryl Is At It Again!

2009-08-09T09:40:00.000-04:00

Hey Movie Lovers --

Today I'm happy to report that it seems the marvelous Meryl Streep has now become Hollywood's go-to gal for summer AND holiday flicks that will appeal to the (largely ignored) over-25 female demographic.

At least, that's what it's starting to look like.

What with last summer's HUGE box office hit Mamma Mia, and then the holiday Oscar-bait of Doubt....Meryl is set to repeat herself this year as well.

We have the just-released Julie & Julia, poised to become a summer box office success....

And now the trailer for Meryl's upcoming holiday offering -- It's Complicated, has just hit movie screens & the internet.

Oh yeah...and it looks good, good, GOOD.

Let's just say, this makes me happier than a pig in.....oh, never mind.

Just take a look below at the newly released trailer for It's Complicated. Along with a very funny Meryl, it stars Alec Baldwin as her cheating ex-husband and Steve Martin as Meryl's architect and would-be suitor.

I mean seriously, how much do I love that cast?

You'll also see some other welcome faces: Mary Kay Place, Alexandra Wentworth and Rita Wilson as Meryl's gal-pals....and cutie John Krasinski from The Office as Meryl's son-in-law.

OK, so it opens Christmas day and I'm willing to bet the contents of my stocking that it's gonna be a big hit.

In fact, I'm thinkin' that will be right around the time Miss Streep will be receiving serious Oscar buzz for her portrayal of Julia Child....so it may just be a very Merry Christmas for Meryl this year.

Go ahead and quote me on that. Just sayin'.

Hey, take a peek at It's Complicated & let me know what YOU think --

(By the way, did Meryl Streep really just say: "Turns out, I'm a bit of a slut"? I LOVE it!)

Some Girlies Just Know Guinea Pigs: "G-Force" Blasts The Box Office

2009-07-26T14:30:00.002-04:00

Whoa......

Looks like even wizard boy-wonder Harry Potter is no match for the force that is G-Force.

I never thought I'd say this, but.....Guinea Pigs ROCK!

According to today's Variety.com:

The G-forces were too strong for the competition as Disney's "G-Force" won the crowded race at the domestic box office, grossing $32.2 million and surpassing holdover "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

"Half-Blood Prince," from Warner Bros., grossed an estimated $30 million from 4,325 in its second sesh for a domestic cume of $221.8 million.

Sony's Katherine Heigl-Gerard Butler romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" opened to a strong $27 million from 2,882 theaters.

Now, this box office coup may be a surprise to y'all......

But I have two young friends -- Mikyla (age 10) and Samantha (age 8), who saw a screening of G-Force with me on Wednesday evening, and predicted its' overwhelming box office success right away.

Yep, the "Mouse House" has done it again.

Seriously.....don't ever underestimate the power of a grade-schooler's love of Disney and "Gadgets, Gizmos and Guinea Pigs. In 3-D!"

I'm just sayin'.

So, if you're debating on whether or not to check out this romp with your favorite kiddo.....

Just watch the video below to see what the actual G-Force target demo has to say about this new flick --

Hmmm....looks like Harry hangin' on to the top spot for a second week in a row didn't stand a chance.

That's OK, we've made some room for him at the big people's table. Harry will be back and bigger than ever real soon....

Of that....I'm sure.

Newman, Redford, Butch and Sundance....Heaven & The Handsome Bank Robbers.

2009-07-19T19:30:00.019-04:00

OK, confession time.

Every time I hear the song, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head".....I wanna get on the handlebars of a bike and be driven around a farm by a handsome bank robber.

Uh....duh.

Who wouldn't?

Obviously, for me the feelings when I hear that tune are very strong, because they remind me of a classic scene from one of my ALL-TIME favorite flicks:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Oh yeah baby....I first viewed this flick when I was merely in grade school, but even then -- I knew a great flick when I saw it.

Newman & Redford.

Butch & Sundance.

Devilishly Handsome & Gosh Darn Gorgeous.

Ooops, I digress.

I really just wanna gush about this flick, and the fact that thanks to CAPA (Columbus Association Of The Performing Arts) and their 2009 Summer Movie Series -- I got to see Butch & Sundance all over again yesterday.

Yep, up on the glorious big screen of the Ohio Theatre, right where they belong.

Those two wonderful actors, a great script, awesome direction and a "true" story that was made for the silver screen.

I was in Movie Lover heaven.

Y'all know that I truly enjoy sharing movie fun, so I invited my sister Julie and fab friend Angela to join me for the afternoon....and we had a fun little discussion about the film (and the CAPA Summer Movie Series) over a few drinks at the Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails afterward.

Check it out:

For those of you who don't know -- CAPA's 2009 Summer Movie Series, the longest-running classic film series in America, celebrates it's 39th anniversary this year with a lineup of classics, cult favorites and much-beloved films.

With 20 films covering practically every genre, there's truly something for everyone -- action, suspense, romance, comedy, drama, sci-fi, musicals, and even a little good-humored horror -- all in the grandeur of the glorious Ohio Theatre.

Click below for the complete series schedule:

2009 CAPA Summer Movie Series Schedule

What are some of the great films that I'm looking forward to seeing?

Show Boat, Rebecca, Dirty Dancing, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spellbound, Steel Magnolias and South Pacific.

Oh yes....like I said, Movie Lover heaven.

Hey, why not pull up a cloud and join me for a few?

Tickets are truly a bargain, $4.00 for the General Public, $3.50 for Senior Citizens or a strip of 10 tickets for $25.00 (the best movie deal in town!).

Seriously....prices even a handsome bank robber on a bicycle would love.

Yep...heaven.

Good News For Ryan Reynolds Fans (aka...Me!)

2009-07-11T15:30:00.002-04:00

Just read some casting news today on Variety.com that caught my attention.

Why?

Well....it concerns funny, smart, handsome and talented Ryan Reynolds (most recently seen charming the nastiness out of Sandra Bullock in The Proposal).

Did I mention handsome?

Oh yeah, I did. Hmmm....guess you can see for yourself up above.

According to Variety.com:

Ryan Reynolds has landed the coveted role of “Green Lantern,” getting the starring role in Warner Bros.' live-action film based on the DC Comics hero.

Martin Campbell will direct. The studio is still working on the picture’s budget, but production is expected to begin in January.

The news caps off a memorable summer for Reynolds, who played Deadpool in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” a performance that prompted Fox to begin development on a spinoff film. Reynolds followed that by starring opposite Sandra Bullock in the romantic comedy “The Proposal,” which crossed the $100 million mark this week.

Warners and Campbell chose Reynolds, who vied for the superhero role along with “The Hangover” star Bradley Cooper and Jared Leto. The momentum built for Reynolds in the last week, as he was the only actor whose option was extended.

The Variety article goes on to report that Ryan will next star in Buried, a dark indie drama that will begin filming shortly in Barcelona.

Coincidentally, Vicky Christina Barcelona is the title of the Oscar-winning flick that Ryan's lovely new wife Scarlett Johansson made for Woody Allen there last year.

If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth a rental for Javier Bardem's steamy performance alone. Yeah, yeah...Scarlett and Penelope Cruz are OK too.

Whatever.

So it seems that Buried has Reynolds portraying a civilian contractor who is kidnapped in Iraq and awakes in a coffin, struggling against time to coordinate a rescue even though he doesn’t know where he’s buried in the desert.

Seriously? That's Ryan's next flick?

Hmmm.....

Well, it's NOT a romantic-comedy.....but it IS hot in the desert.

Yep.

I'm guessin' those famous abs will be on display at some point in this flick as well.

Man....do I hate that.

Stay tuned.

What Happens In Vegas...."The Hangover" Is A Hit

2009-06-07T07:30:00.007-04:00

Yep....apparently some hangovers aren't that bad after all.

And I saw this one comin' from a mile away.

While doing some serious, important research a while back (aka: surfing for movie gossip on the web), I read that Warner Brothers studio bosses had already given the green-light for a Hangover sequel to writer/director Todd Phillips.

Two months before the flick would even hit the theaters.

That kind of movie news makes me sit up & take notice, or at least stop clicking around for a moment.

Seriously, these dudes do NOT make major money decisions lightly.

(OK, Paris Hilton in The Hottie And The Nottie, doesn't count.)

While not common in the movie business, it is very uncharacteristic for a bunch of Hollywood "Suits" to make a decision like that on a property that isn't a well-known, proven commodity (e.g. Harry Potter,Twilight...or...uh, Weekend at Bernie's).

I'm just sayin'.

But the bosses had apparently been bowled over by the overwhelmingly positive responses they were receiving at early test screenings.

Hence, the early green-light for the sequel.

Good news for the studio AND the three lead bachelor party boys as well. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis were all invited to the next party, and they are now sequel-bound as well.

So, this is how I knew in early April that an outrageous and raunchy comedy hit was most likely on the horizon.

Now....preliminary box office numbers from The Hangover opening this weekend are proving those "suits" actually knew what they were doin'.

Go figure.

Check out the Saturday scoop from one of my fave box office-tracking websites, boxofficeguru.com --

"Riding a wave of strong reviews and electric early buzz, the post-bachelor party comedy The Hangover pushed aside the competition and opened triumphantly at number one on Friday with a stunning $16.5M in ticket sales, according to estimates, in its first day of release.
The Warner Bros. hit grossed nearly as much on its opening day as other recent R-rated comedies like I Love You, Man and Role Models collected during their entire first weekends. Hangover even powered ahead of the $10.5M first day take of the raunchy 2005 summer smash Wedding Crashers, despite lacking the same kind of star names.
A Friday-to-Sunday debut of about $45-50M seems likely for the groom-gone-missing comedy, putting it in a tight race for the top spot this weekend."

Hey, I'm a Movie Chick.
(I'm actually the "Mix Flix Chick", but that's beside the point.)

Because I had advance knowledge that The Hangover was a hit waiting to happen, I am not at all surprised by this....and that's why I jumped at the chance a few weeks ago to check out The Hangover at an advance screening.

Guess what?

I liked it.

It's outrageous and raunchy, but it benefits from some seriously great casting. Ed Helms (Andy from The Office) is very funny as the nerdy, much put-upon dentist who loses a tooth, yet discovers himself in Vegas.

And bushy-bearded comedian Zach Galifianakis steals the flick as the bride's dangerously whacked-out brother. If you haven't heard of Zach yet, you will very soon.

The Hangover had some genuinely funny, laugh out loud moments....and some "oh no, they didn't" moments. While it's not the best comedy I've ever seen, it's certainly not the worst (that list is waaaay too long to post here).

OK, so The Hangover is shaping up to be a big comedy hit, but take notice folks....it is most definitely NOT for everyone.

Please do not go if you are at all offended by sex, drugs, bad language or full frontal nudity.

Everyone else, raise your hand.

Yep, y'all can go see it without worries.

If you're interested in my quick review & thoughts on The Hangover, along with some other miscellaneous flick chat -- click on the video below to listen to my introduction on Thursday, June 4th as the new "Mix Flix Chick" for morning DJ Mark Dantzer on 107.9 FM in Columbus, Ohio.

Or, you can just read this:

What happens in Vegas....is funny and gonna make a lot of money.

Gee, Wayne Newton figured that out years ago.

I'm just sayin'.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**UPDATE : Sunday afternoon(12:30pm)box office figures courtesy of Variety.com:

"Warner Bros.' R-rated comedy The Hangover grossed a boffo $43.3 million in its debut, although Disney-Pixar holdover Up remained No. 1 at the domestic box office at $44.2 million."

(Hmmm.....looks like the bachelor party boys couldn't quite beat the old man with the balloons. Oh well, close guys....very close. We'll see ya in the sequel.)

Can Sandra Bullock Bring Back The Funny?

2009-05-27T23:00:00.005-04:00

Well.....she's made The Proposal, so I'm willing to accept it & hope that it makes me laugh.

I first saw the trailer for this flick a few months ago in the theater, and I have to admit....I let out a small groan.

The concept just didn't seem all that fresh or creative. A mismatched couple who dislike each other, but pretend to love each other....in order to win a prize (her Green Card, his job).

We've all seen variations on this story before, good AND bad, but I'm willing to hold on to a glimmer of hope because Bullock is still one of my faves (even AFTER a long...very long...string of disappointing flicks).

I also really like the tagline: "Here Comes The Bribe"
(Just hope that's not the best part of the flick)

And....I must admit that I have always liked Ryan Reynolds. No, not just because of THAT.....

Yes, he is a cutie....but he is also very funny, charming and smart.

Hey, I happen to like that in a guy....even better in a leading man.

From the looks of the trailer, the two of them seem to have good chemistry. Sometimes that makes up for lack of originality in the script.

Sometimes.

I mean, don't we know that they're gonna end up together? Seriously, who are we kiddin' here? It's a romantic-comedy for goodness sake...with two very attractive leads, forced together in a somewhat silly quest.

Yeah, we know they're gonna be a couple in the end. Let's just hope the road getting there is as fun & charming as possible.

Speaking of fun, Betty White's supporting role looks to be pretty hilarious and against type. Let's just hope it's outrageous...but not uncomfortably so. Ya know what I mean?

Hey, granny sex jokes get old REAL quick.

I'm just sayin'.

OK, so I'm gonna give Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and The Proposal a shot when it opens in theaters on June 19th.

Take a look at the trailer below and see what YOU think:

Oh yeah, before I forget -- I was tipped off that the Funny or Die website just posted a pretty funny, yet somewhat off-color "behind-the-scenes" video from The Proposal set.

There are more than a few choice curse words (bleeped out, I must add), and Betty White pretty much steals the show. If you're in the mood for something a little more funny & racy.....click the link below to head over to that site and check it out:

"Behind-The-Scenes of The Proposal": FunnyorDie.com

OK, that's all for now Movie Lovers -- as always, I love hearing your comments and feedback. Keep it comin'.

OK, so I guess I AM a Trekkie.....

2009-05-07T16:20:00.002-04:00

Because boy, oh boy.....did I ever LOVE this new Star Trek flick!

Wait, before you stop reading because you don't like Sci-Fi....listen up.

I wrote a few posts back that I was really psyched to see the new Star Trek prequel. I listed detailed reasons and I added some fun visuals.

I admitted that I had never been a "Trekkie", but all of the elements behind this new version had really made me sit up & take notice. I'd fallen for the fab trailer, and now I was hooked.

(If ya wanna know ALL of my reasons, skip back to 2 posts ago. Basically....I'm in love with director J.J. Abrams and all of his work, AND I think actor Chris Pine (young Capt. Kirk) is a cutie. So much for deep thoughts.)

Anyways -- I was all ready to go see this flick on opening weekend like any other self-respecting movie-lovin' geek like me would do.....but then something on Twitter caught my eye.

Yes, Twitter.

("Hello, my name is Kelly G. and I am a Twitter-holic.")

I know y'all are tired of hearin' me yammer on & on about Twitter. And now with Oprah & Ashton talkin' about it all the time, it seems like it's about to "jump the shark."

Believe me, it's not.

I happen to follow "ColumbusMovies" (duh....) on Twitter. Around midday Monday, ColumbusMovies tweets that anyone interested in seeing a free screening of Star Trek at the Campus Gateway Theater on Wednesday night, should email them for free passes.

Seriously, I never typed so fast in my life.

Long story short.....I successfully scored the free passes and I quickly rounded up a fun group of other Columbus Tweeps to attend the screening with me. Most, like me, were interested in the flick but not necessarily Trekkies.

Uh.....most, like me, were very interested in a FREE movie.

Here's (L to R) Jason Blanton (@Blantonious),
Clancy Bevington (@ClancyBevington),
Cheryl Harrison (@CherylHarrison) and Demetrius Hall (@DemetriusHall). Julie Castell (@jujuburd), Rich Haynam (@Rehcmh) and Mike Gingery
(a non-tweep, who we allowed to join us) were there as well.

I must admit, I have been to more than a handful of movie screenings like this in my life. The best part (ya know, other than it being....FREE) is that most of the people in the audience are movie-lovers as well & just as excited to be there and seeing it early, before the general public.

For me, this always makes the movie-going experience SO much better. I don't know about y'all....but I do talk a lot here about my desire to see big flicks such as this with opening weekend crowds.

Not only is it important for me to support films I like & believe in on opening weekend (because those are the box office numbers that the Hollywood suits really pay attention to when deciding future projects), but it's also fun for me to experience a film with other movie lovers. Especially a fun, adventure flick such as this.

Helloooo.....this is a T-shirt that I created and often wear:

Movie Lovers Only - Website Quote T-shirt by moviechick
Make Customized T-Shirts With www.zazzle.com
View other Film T-Shirts

I have always loved the laughing, ooohing & ahhhing and most of all -- the audience applause when great movie moments occur.

Last night during Star Trek, we experienced all of the above.

So, I'm not gonna really review the flick here...heck, there are reviews (mostly great) ALL over the internet for you to read.

Instead, I'm just gonna say this:

I saw Star Trek last night.....and it was really great.
I'm not a Sci-Fi lover, just a good movie-lover.
I never really watched the series, but I understood it all.
It introduces all of the characters that we think we know so well.
It's a fun "popcorn" flick in the tradition of Star Wars & Indiana Jones.
(With a little Top Gun thrown in for good measure)
It can be enjoyed by all ages, men AND women.
Yes, things blow up and there are space chases & gunfights....
But there are very humorous & touching moments as well.
The casting is great (especially Kirk & Spock) --
And Dr. Bones & Scotty almost steal the show.
(And they say their famous lines, and we'd be mad if they didn't)
It's fun spotting a few interesting cameo appearances....
And one in particular gets a rousing round of applause.
If you do go see it...I recommend this weekend, with a fun crowd.
And if you do go see it, please....as always, let me know what you think.

OK folks, those are my morning after thoughts....

(See Manolo? I promised....no spoilers.)

Basically, I realize that I am now proud to call myself a Trekkie, as I formally try to recruit others as well.

Hey, if ya wanna be a Trekkie AND join me on Twitter, you'd seriously make my day.

(Wait, that's a totally other flick.)

Whatever.

That's all I got for now.
So you know I gotta say it......

"Live Long And Prosper, y'all."

Will Anne Hathaway "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" To Oscar Gold?

2009-03-24T08:30:00.002-04:00

I hope so!

I really like Anne.....and I think she has made some very smart choices in her relatively short career (are you listening, La Lohan? Coulda been you girlie, I'm just sayin').

So I was especially intrigued this morning when I read that Hathaway will be tackling the biopic of a very iconic, beloved performer.......

Miss Judy Garland.

Apparently, Anne will be playing Judy on the stage AND the screen. That piques my interest even more.

The performance will be based on the 2000 Judy Garland biography titled Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, by Gerald Clarke.

Click Here: HuffingtonPost.com -- Anne Hathaway To Play Judy Garland
On Stage AND Screen

Personally.....I think Hathaway will totally knock this one out of the park.

She's shown her ability to play comedy and drama, she can be goofy and vulnerable......

and she can sing!

Remember, the lovely Miss Hathaway proved she has some serious stage chops when she surprisingly held her own with Mr. Showman himself, Hugh Jackman, during the opening number at this year's Academy Awards.

Click Here: Video Clip -- Anne Hathaway Joins Hugh Jackman in Oscar Opening
Number (Song begins at 2 min. in, Hathaway joins at 4:30 min. in)

Hmmmm........wonder if this Garland role was already in the bag then, or if her little Oscar song & dance helped seal the deal?

No matter.

I for one am looking forward to what she will do with this role -- and if it will once again lead her to the Oscar red carpet.

As we all know, this story doesn't exactly have what you would call a "happy" ending.....and it involves a very famous, larger-than-life personality.

So it has "Oscar Bait" written all over it.

Well, good luck Anne.....I can't wait to hear you (and Judy) sing again!

Seriously, I Am NOT A Trekkie......

2009-03-08T23:00:00.003-04:00

But I have to admit --

I am totally psyched to see this new Star Trek "prequel".

Hmmm.....I'm thinkin' it could be for many reasons:

1. It just seems fun, escapist and the special effects look awesome.

2. Cute Chris Pine (playing the young Captain James T. Kirk) is very easy on the eyes:

Oh yeah....and he happens to look NOTHING like this:

3. I just can't get enough of Mr. Spock's crazy eyebrows.

4. I just plain love, LOVE director/producer J.J. Abrams, and most anything he creates.

J.J. is a creative & cool geek who seriously knows how to make great popcorn flicks and engrossing television, without sparing important character development.

(e.g. Felicity, Alias, LOST, Fringe, Mission Impossible III, Cloverfield.....you get the picture.)

OK.

So I've decided......

I'm not formally a Trekkie -- but I'm very excited to see this new Star Trek, and plan to go on opening weekend, May 8th.

So......I guess I'm somewhat -- Trekkie-ish.

Why not take a look at the new full-length trailer below, and let me know what you think.

(Hey, if you want...I'll save you a seat on opening weekend, and even share some of my popcorn.)

Seriously, when it comes to fun flicks like this one....opening weekend is best, and the more the merrier, I always say!

Oh yeah....and sometimes, a girl's just gotta get her geek on.

I'm just sayin'.

Live Long And Prosper, Y'all.......

Oscars Ex-Plosion? Yep....Brangelina vs. John & Jen

2009-03-03T10:30:00.003-05:00

OK.......don't say it.

I know, I know.

For a girl who lives for movies and the Oscars.......

it sure takes me a long time to comment on them afterward.

I can't help it.

I think it's just that the whole build-up to the big event.....and then the big event itself, it just takes a lot outta me.

Kinda like a marathon or an Iron Man competition.

Yeah......that's it.

Ya see, I train for months & months (see all the nominated flicks, pick the winners for the local paper) and then participate in the actual event (watch the show & do a LIVE-blog).......

And then I'm just beat.

I enjoyed it all immensely, don't get me wrong......but I just need to go away for a little while afterward, and not even read or talk about it anymore.

Like an athlete. A trained professional athlete.

Well...one who sits in the dark for days and eats LOTS and LOTS of buttered popcorn.

But I digress.

Here's the deal peeps.......

I am workin' on an Oscars 2009 musical video montage.

I've got the pics and I've got the tunes.

What I don't got is the time.

So......until I'm able to get on my hard drive what I have in my head, I thought I would share with you all an Oscar recap video from one of my favorite funny gals, Sarah Haskins from current.com

It's all about the supposed Oscar night "EX-plosion" between our favorite, fabulous feudin' foursome.......

Brangelina and Jen & John.

So sit back, relax & enjoy her video.

I'll return soon with mine --

Coming Soon: Oscars 2009 Recap, Photos & Commentary

2009-02-23T15:00:00.003-05:00

Until then.....enjoy 2 of my favorite behind-the-scenes pix from last nights show:

4 Lovely Leading Ladies (all former Best Actress winners), waiting patiently backstage to present this years' Oscar for Best Actress. Awesome!

Hunk-a-licious Daniel (Bond) Craig getting a little powder touch-up backstage by flashlight. Why, oh why didn't I become a Hollywood make-up artist? (or flashlight-holder?) I'm just sayin'.

OK, gotta do some more surfin'.

I'll be back soon..........

2009 Oscar Red Carpet & Awards - Live!

2009-02-22T16:40:00.001-05:00

Hooray, it's almost time........Oscar Night 2009!

Check back here on Sunday at 6:00 pm Eastern for all of the fun --

I'll be live-blogging the Oscar Red Carpet & Awards Show -- watching the red carpet on E! Entertainment Television and the awards on ABC, and interacting LIVE with all of you.

We'll have special guests, interactive polls, silly pix, sound effects.....and you can join in and comment on ALL of the fun.

Just come back & click on the live-blog box below anytime after 6:00 pm Sunday, February 22nd.

We'll be here 'til the bitter end, and we'd love to chat with you!

See you soon..........

Why I Love The Oscars

2009-02-20T17:45:00.007-05:00

OK, I know I'm not gonna surprise anyone reading this when I say:

"I really, really LOVE the Oscars!"

Woo Hoo.....alert the media!

But guess what, it's not necessarily for the reason you may think.

I love the Oscars......

Because they always make me feel like a kid again.

Ya see.....I've loved the Oscar TELECAST ever since I was around eight years old.

(For you young'uns out there.....that was way before the internet, home videos, DVD's and 24-hour cable television.)

For a young movie-lover with stars in her eyes, the yearly Oscar show was the only time I could see a gathering of big-time movie stars.....up close & personal.

Remember, there was no Entertainment Tonight, People.com, US Magazine or E! Entertainment Channel.

I wasn't really into who would win or who was best & most deserving......I just loved seeing the stars and the spectacle of it all.

I have fond memories of bargaining with my parents so I could stay up late to watch the big show. It used to be broadcast on a Monday night, so I was supposed to come right home from school....take a long nap & then I could stay up late to watch it.

Let's just say....that idea really worked better in theory than in practice. I was usually a pretty tired girl come Tuesday morning.

OK, so flash-forward about 35 years or so.....and come Oscar season, I still feel like that star-struck 8-year-old, excited to see all of the movie stars and ready to watch the big show.

(Hmmm......or maybe I just want an after-school nap.)

Anyways, that's why I'm here -- blogging about the movies and Oscar night, and ready to give y'all my picks for this year.

I'm extra happy because I just finished my quest to see all of the nominated films in the 6 main categories (4 Acting, Best Director & Best Picture).

I do this not only because I love movies & I'm a total geek....but because it was part of my "agreement" for being chosen as a member of the Columbus Dispatch CAMPP Panel -- the Columbus Association of Motion Picture Pickers.

The feature article about the Oscars and our picks, plus a photo of our CAMPP group, will be in this Sunday's Dispatch Arts section. It's my third year being involved, and I've met a lot of other movie-lovers & Oscar fans, and it's been a lot of fun.

But enough about that......

I'm trying to make this post brief because I would LOVE to hear back from all of you guys regarding the Oscar-nominated films you've seen --

And your ideas about what was hot....and not so hot.

If you email me your thoughts and recommendations.....I will post them here on the blog for others to read and react to.

You can be Anonymous or not, whatever you prefer.

You can also post comments at the bottom of this post, people do it ALL the time.

(Uh, full disclosure here: they don't do it ALL the time.....but some have done it once or twice, in the past....and as a blogger, it's just nice to know that somebody out there is actually reading your stuff and has a thought to share. I'm just sayin'......)

OK, so let's get a little interaction goin' here folks......seriously, it's one of my most favorite things about the internet.

Well, that.....and the fact that I can surf in my PJs while eating Graeter's Mocha Chip ice cream and stalk all sorts of various celebrities & former classmates.

But hey, that's another blog post all together!

Ooops.....I said this would be brief, and wouldn't ya know it -- I've already gone on waaaay too long.

OK, so here's a hint about my main Oscar picks this year:

A Slumdog Reads In The Dark While Wrestling With Doubt.

Got it?

OK, here they are....(The 6 main categories)
Who I think WILL win & who I WANT to win:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn in "Milk"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (WILL win/WANT to win)

COMMENTS: I truly loved Mickey in this flick. Sean was great, but Mickey's performance really had heart & soul (and a staple gun!). Oh yeah, and Brad Pitt has as much of a chance of winning this Oscar as he does getting the "Husband of the Year" award from the Jennifer Aniston Fan Club. I'm just sayin'.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt" (WANT to win)
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (WILL win)
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"

COMMENTS: I just really thought Hoffman was subtle, yet great as the dubious priest in Doubt. Ledger was over the top for me, but he's gonna win. If he doesn't....the gasp in the Kodak Theater will be long and loud & comic fanboys will take over the streets of the world and revolt. Consider yourself warned.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling"
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (WANT to win)
Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (WILL win)

COMMENTS: I truly love Kate Winslet, but I thought her Revolutionary Road performance was more Oscar-worthy. It would be so great if Melissa Leo won, but that will NEVER happen. Next to no one saw her small film and it was bleak & depressing, but she was so awesome in it. Frankly, I'm just happy she's nominated, and that Happy Go Lucky's Sally Hawkins will be nowhere near that stage on Sunday night.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt" (WILL win)
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (WANT to win)
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"

COMMENTS: This is the Oscar category that is always wacky & hard to predict. Past winners include youngsters Tatum O'Neal & Anna Pacquin, a surprising Marisa Tomei and Dame Judi Dench for an whopping 8 minute role in Shakespeare in Love. Pundits are picking Penelope Cruz, but I think the early groundswell for Viola Davis' strong 12 minute Doubt performance will hold. I loved Henson in Benjamin Button, even though I didn't love the flick.

Achievement in directing

David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire" (WILL win/WANT to win)

COMMENTS: Danny Boyle pretty much has this one in the bag, and I think he totally deserves it. I love, LOVED Slumdog and I think that what Boyle achieved with that story, those children and that setting was truly wonderful.

Best motion picture of the year

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

COMMENTS: So, I guess you figured out that I was gonna pick Slumdog. What can I say? I'm a sucker for true love and a good Bollywood dance sequence. This category is another pretty sure bet if you're planning to do an Oscar pool. Bottom line: Slumdog is the one film over the last several years that I feel confident and happy to recommend to any and everyone. See this flick!

OK......there ya have it.

Take 'em or leave 'em, those are my Oscar predictions and thoughts as we head into the weekend before Hollywood's biggest night.

Now it's your turn: Send me an email or comment below about your predictions and thoughts about the Oscars and this year's slate of contenders.

(Or, if you'd rather just talk about Paul Blart-Mall Cop, that's OK by me.)

I wanna hear from you all, just a little or a lot....and I'll post it all on the blog.

In the meantime, I've been busy Twittering about the Oscars this week and plan to "live-tweet" during the Oscar Red Carpet pre-show and the award ceremony.

You can follow my Twitter feed anytime (or just on Oscar night) by clicking the link below & creating your own Twitter account in just a few short steps.

Once you're logged on, just search for my Twitter username: KellyGingery

It's really easy & painless, believe me. Even if you don't plan to ever post any "tweets", you still need to create a free account.....but then you can read the Twitter feeds from all sorts of interesting folks.

Seriously, it's informative & fun....I recently got my sis Julie and friend Marri to drink the Twitter "Kool-Aid".....and now they can't stop "tweeting"!

Check it out here: www.twitter.com

OK y'all, that's it for now......I'm lookin' forward to your emails & comments.

Let me hear from you, I'm listening.

Welcome Back!

2009-02-16T18:15:00.000-05:00

Hey there Movie Lovers......

Welcome back to the Blog.

I can't believe it's been just over a month since I've posted here. That's the longest I've ever gone without blogging.

Wow -- and it's even Oscar season.

What the heck is wrong with me?

I'll tell you what's wrong with me:

Hello, my name is MovieChick.....and I am an information junkie.

There.....I said it.

Seriously....... It's one of the reasons I love movies and movie trivia, and that I'm addicted to the internet and various social networking sites.

(Twitter.....Facebook.....People.com.....you get the picture.)

Hellooooo.......I am a news & pop culture information addict.

Well, this past month I have been in overdrive.

In addition to my frequent journeys to the local multiplex to complete my Oscar-nominated movie-watching quest.....

"Real-life" has been pretty engaging as well.

We've seen a new President sworn into office, an airliner land safely on the Hudson, a woman (a slightly wacky woman, at that) give birth to octuplets, a myriad of pre-Oscar red carpets and award shows, and.....Friday Night Lights, American Idol AND The Bachelor are back on TV.

Whew.

What's a girl to do?

Well.....this girl decided to take a break from blogging, and just took it all in.

I did a lot of reading, and a lot of watching....and it was fun.

But like my good friend Ah-nold (who I have shared chips & salsa with, by the way)......I'm back.

So....the Academy Awards are less than a week away, and I am now ready to focus on all things Oscar.

My first order of blogging business today was inspired by some recent photos that I happened to view on the internet.

(I know, I know....what a shock.)

These photos inspired me to create a musical video tribute --

To the brave & courageous man who I think totally deserves the Best Actor Oscar this coming Sunday evening at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

So, without further ado........

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present: "Oh Mickey!"

Hope y'all enjoy it......see ya back here again, soon!

Golden Globe Awards 2009 - Fashion Recap Video

2009-01-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been two nights since the Golden Globe Awards....and I think I've finally caught up on watching all of the misc. Globes stuff on my DVR.

Let's see.......

There's the E! Red Carpet pre-show, the E! live from the Red Carpet broadcast, the 1 hour NBC Globes pre-show, The E! after-party show, Monday's Entertainment Tonight - Golden Globes edition and the E! Golden Globe Fashion Police Recap show.

Oh yeah......and then there was the actual telecast itself. I wanted to rewatch some of that as well.

Whew!

Oh, and then I have to look at all of the red carpet pictures and read all about it afterward on the internet.

I know, I know......I'm an addict, what can I say?

And....there is no 12-step program for it, so I just deal with it --

Much like Mickey's poor stylist.

OK, so I think I've finally got it all digested...so I decided to put together a little fashion recap video for y'all.

I was inspired by a Seal song (Mr. Heidi Klum) I heard a few days ago, and decided that it would work perfectly for what I wanted to do.

Hope you enjoy it......

Happy New Year....From Harry & Sally & Movie Lovers Only!

2009-01-01T14:55:00.001-05:00

To ring in 2009, please enjoy one of my favorite scenes from one of my MOST favorite flicks evah........

When Harry Met Sally.

Harry: "I came here tonight, because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

Ahhhh......gotta love it.

Happy New Year to Movie Lovers everywhere!

Happy Holidays From MovieChick......

2008-12-24T10:08:00.001-05:00

And just a few of her happy, helpful elves!

Just click the screen below to enjoy our musical Holiday greeting, made especially for our wonderful readers

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Hmmm......I don't know about you, but I'm thinkin' that Tom, Tom, Brad and Georgie never looked so good!

OK, MovieChick hasn't posted much because she's been busy checking out all of the great Holiday flicks (and there are sooooo many of them!).

I recently saw:

Slumdog Millionaire
(Absolutely awesome! Go see this quick - A+)

Twilight
(Interesting, possibly worth the hype - B)

Seven Pounds
(Kinda slow and sentimental, a rental - B)

Just a few on my Christmas "To See" List:

Marley & Me
Doubt
Revolutionary Road
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Bedtime Stories
Valkyrie

Wow.....so many movies, so little time!

Don't worry Movie Lovers -- I plan to see 'em all, and I'll report back with my thoughts and recommendations after a short holiday break.

Happy Holidays everyone.......thanks so much for reading!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

2008-12-08T13:40:00.001-05:00

Yeah, yeah......I know it's the holiday season.

But even more importantly -- it's the holiday MOVIE season! Hey, for a movie lover like me....this is truly -- "the most wonderful time of the year."

As I sat down to my laptop this morning, I realized that I haven't posted to this blog for almost a month.

Yikes!

Ya know why?

I've been sittin' in a movie theater.

As the weather turns colder and the Oscars get closer, Hollywood begins to roll out the flicks that seem to have just a little bit more substance.

Ya know.....fewer House Bunnies and more Boys in Striped Pajamas. (And I'm not talkin' about Mr. Hefner.....by the way)

Don't get me wrong -- I love a good mindless summer blockbuster every now and then (Helloooo Hancock.....),

but I really love me some good Oscar bait.

So today I thought I'd give y'all a quick rundown of the films that have kept me busy eating too many tubs of popcorn over the last two months.

Here's what I've seen recently, along with my letter grade and a quick comment for each:

The Secret Life of Bees - (Grade: B....no pun intended!)

I enjoyed this film, it was nice. Unlike many people in the theater, I hadn't read the book. The casting truly was great. It's a little predictable, but a decent rental. It's a "chick flick" that a guy could like. I think.

Outsourced - (Grade: A)

An unexpected pleasure. A cute, fun indie about a guy who has to go to India to work at a call center to save his job. The two leads are very appealing & have great chemistry. A fish-out-of-water tale with a sweet romantic side. I say seek it out or rent it.

Rachel Getting Married - (Grade: B)

I thought this flick was just OK. Everyone raves about Anne Hathaway & she most definitely will be nominated for an Oscar. She was good, but I just thought the whole thing was a little too quirky and overwrought. Guess I just wasn't in the mood. Nice to see Debra Winger again though as her mom.....love her.

Happy Go Lucky - (Grade: C-)

Whew....more like Happy Go Yucky. I talked a group of friends into seeing this indie flick because I had read good reviews and they raved about the lead. It was just too wacky, UNfunny and had scenes that made absolutely no sense. Frankly, the lead made me want to smack her....hard. Lucky for ME, my friends are still listening to my movie advice!

Quantum of Solace - (Grade: A)

What can I say? I love the crazy, non-stop Bond action and Daniel Craig gets my butt in the seat. (Hmmm.....I don't think that came out quite right.) Anyways, it's fast and furious and full of Bond.....what could be better than that? I'll tell you what -- 3 words: "More beach scenes!"

(Now that's what I'm talkin' about!)

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas - (Grade: B)

OK, this is definitely NOT a feel-good flick. What it is, is a well-done drama about a family dealing with World War II at a German concentration camp. The twist is that the protaganist is German. The change from the usual perspective makes this tale interesting and the two boys at the center of the story are very moving. This is an emotionally draining flick, but very worthwhile.

Australia - (Grade A-)

Loved it. OK....so I'm a sucker for sweeping, epic historical romances. This would have to be pretty bad for me not to like it. For some reason, the critics really seem to have disliked it, and it's not doing great at the box office. I say, take it for what it is.....a throwback to another era. Kinda like, "Calgon, take me away." C'mon people, most of us weren't around back then and we aren't in Australia.....so just sit back, enjoy the story and the scenery (hunky Hugh Jackman shirtless AND in a tux, I'm just sayin'......). Nicole Kidman is very beautiful and the little boy is awesome and brought me to some serious tears, more than once. Yes, it is a little long -- just get the extra-large popcorn and bring a few tissues, just in case.

Four Christmases (Grade: C)

I seriously DID NOT like this movie. I don't think that I laughed even once. Hey, I do have a sense of humor...I guess I just don't think baby puke and grown men body-slamming each other is hilarious. Go figure.

I guess I'm just disappointed because this flick had an interesting and potentially funny premise, along with a great cast....and it just wastes it all, completely. Those kinda films drive me crazy. This flick has been number one for 2 weeks in a row and I think I know why --

Three reasons:
1. It's a comedy, and people want to laugh right now.
2. Reese Witherspoon. She's cute, smart and perky -- and women AND men like her (but only in comedies, did you see her in the Iraq war flick? Didn't think so.)
3. Vince Vaughn. Seriously, I don't get him at all (I think he plays the same guy every time). Apparently, men dig him (and I think wanna BE him) and women wanna date him. (Why? Is it the immature man/boy thing? Ya wanna change him? I'm thinkin' you need to meet a man like Daniel Craig. No changes necessary. No ma'am.)
Anyways, I say skip this flick -- unless you really wanna see a comedy with a Christmas theme. (Heck, just stay home and rent National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and be done with it. You'll definitely laugh, save a few bucks and thank me later.)

OK, so that's all for now.....the flicks I have seen.

I'd love to hear your feedback, if you've seen any of them as well.

Later in the week, I plan to do a post about the group of upcoming flicks I'm most looking forward to checking out.

Seriously people, get ready to grab some popcorn because there is a lot more Oscar bait out there, just waiting to reel us in.

Yep, for me -- it's definitely.....the most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

"The Kevin Bacon Movie Club"

2008-11-10T16:50:00.005-05:00

OK y'all........Forget Blockbuster and Netflix --

I'm gonna join:

"The Kevin Bacon Movie Club"

Check it out:

See more Kevin Bacon videos at Funny or Die

Hmmm.....I can't wait 'til Kevin comes over to watch She's Having A Baby with me, that's one of my all-time faves.

Yep, woo-hoo.....good times.

See ya soon, Kev!

Merry Christmas.....from "Marley & Me"

2008-11-05T09:27:00.001-05:00

Hey y'all.........

Seriously, could that dog be any cuter?

OK.....if you've been to the movies in the last few months, you've probably already seen the trailer below, for the upcoming flick -- Marley & Me.

Owen Wilson, Jennifer Anniston and a yellow lab that is just too cute for words.

Talk about a holiday, family, "feel-good" flick.

I saw the most recent trailer in the theater last week, and the last shot of Owen and the dog, out the car window -- got one of the biggest and longest laughs I've ever heard at the movies.

Mark my words people, this baby has hit written ALL over it.

The flick is based on the best-selling book by John Grogan and opens nationwide on Christmas Day.

Hmmm.....I think I know where my family and I will be after we finish opening our presents that morning.

Check it out:

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:23:00.001-04:00

Hey y'all......

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween today (it's one of my most favorite holidays, a chance to dress-up and let my true drama-geek come out!).

I also wanted to share an awesome clip from one of my very favorite scary flicks:

Halloween, of course!

This flick is a truly great teen scream experience. Much imitated, never duplicated.

Who could forget:

A great debut by Jamie Lee Curtis.....

A familiar yet eerie setting, a strange and creepy psychiatrist, a young psycho named Michael Myers......

(No, not that one!)

This Mike Myers wore a jumpsuit, had a big knife, a freaky white mask and some serious family dysfunction......

Yeah, that's the guy.

And how about that unforgettable theme music. Just like the theme from Jaws, whenever I hear that Halloween theme music, it gives me the creeps & takes me right back to the day I saw it.

Yep, the original Halloween is still great.....even 30 years later.

I will never forget seeing it when I was 14 at a neighborhood theater with a group of gal pals. We yelled so much at the screen during that flick, we practically lost our voices:

"Jamie, pick up the knife, pick up the knife!"

"Stab him, stab him!"

"Turn around, he's not dead!"

"Watch out, he's right behind you!"

"Sheesh! Keep the knife already, why the heck are you being such an idiot?"

We then had to walk home to my friends' house for a sleepover, and her younger brother hid on the front porch and scared the Bejeezus out of us!

Ahhhh......memories.

Hmmm, wonder whatever happened to that kid?

Does anyone else hear that scary music? No....just me? Huh, just checking.

Anyways, I'm sure you all have a few fun memories about this flick as well.

So enjoy your day, and if you have a few moments -- why not take a stroll down memory lane to the year 1978?

To a house in Haddonfield, Illinois where teen babysitter Laurie Strode is protecting two young children on Halloween night from a very creepy guy in a very creepy mask who just won't seem to LEAVE HER ALONE.

Enjoy the final scream-inducing (and frustrating) minutes from....Halloween:

Sarah Palin Has A Sense Of Humor.....

2008-10-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

At least, she appeared in two SNL skits last night with a bunch of people who do.

OK......we gotta give her props for actually showin' up on that set. I'm thinkin' it had to be just a touch awkward.

Kinda like those icy looks that Cindy McCain's been givin' her on the Straight Talk Express:

You Betcha!

Anyways, I did enjoy Sarah's head-boppin' during Amy Poehler's hilarious Weekend Update "Alaska Rap." That skit was definitely one of the evening's funniest moments.

I'm thinkin' the SNL ratings were probably HUGE. We'll find out soon enough.

Check it out below and enjoy:

The Girl In The Paul Newman T-Shirt

2008-10-03T00:25:00.000-04:00

Yep, that would be me.

Circa 1975, in my favorite T-shirt….the one with the big color photo of Paul Newman on the front.

This photo, as a matter of fact:

Ya see, Paul Newman was my very first movie star crush.

(Hey, what can I say......I have great taste.)

I was only 5 years old when Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid was released in 1969. Obviously, I didn't see that classic film in the theater at the time, it was a few years later -- on television.

When I finally did, I was hooked. Like many other fans, it remains one of my all-time favorite flicks.

Paul Newman as Butch....bantering while on the run with Robert Redford's Sundance, and riding on that bicycle with Katherine Ross on the handlebars.

Classic.

That Newman smirk....that wry, mischievous nature....those beautiful blue eyes. I was not even a "tween" yet, but I was hooked. Hopelessly in love with a (much) older man.

That's why I had the cool T-shirt with the big color photo of Paul Newman on the front.

There's a good story about that T-shirt, and some of the people that I met while I was wearing it -- one summer weekend when I was 10 years old.

I was reminded of the events surrounding this story, when I learned the sad news last Saturday morning about Paul Newman's passing.

The story goes like this:

When I was in elementary school, my dad worked in marketing and promotions for our local Columbus, Ohio CBS television affiliate -- WBNS-TV.

Back then, every summer CBS Network would set-up a weekend for all of the local affiliates to send a publicity team to convene in one hotel in a major city, and they would spend the weekend shooting local promo spots. The local stations would each send a group with a cameraman and crew, marketing/promo staff, on-air talent, etc.

The network then sent the stars from some of their new shows, and some from returning favorites….even soap operas.

Each affiliate would have their own assigned hotel room where they would set-up to film the various 30 to 60 sec. promo spots and short interviews, and then show them at home on their local station.

You know, you've seen these promos before, something like:

"Hi, this is Valerie Harper. Make sure to check out my new CBS show this fall, "Rhoda" -- and then after that, don't forget to stay tuned for Eyewitness News with Lou Forrest at 11:00 pm. WBNS 10TV, your place for the best in entertainment, and your source for the latest breaking news."

OK, you get the picture.

Well, my dad had worked a few of these network weekends before....and in the summer of 1975, he invited me to tag-along.

(Don't ya just dig my dad's suspenders? Snap!)

Seriously?

Hmmmm......let's see: at the time I was a 10-year-old movie & TV geek who knew the stats about the Oscars and current TV schedules better than her math homework.

(Full disclosure: I knew a lot of things better than my math homework.)

Needless to say, I was extremely excited to attend.

The year I went, it was held at a downtown hotel in Atlanta. As you might have guessed, there weren't many kids attending this event.....in fact, I think I may have been the only one.

Hate that.

Because of my love and knowledge of movies and TV (old and new), I knew a lot already about most of the actors that were scheduled to attend.

My "job" was to hang out & watch, pretty much stay in the background, and help move or hold things if needed. During downtime I sat on a couch and read, in fact -- I first read "Jaws" while I was there that weekend.

CBS supplied the affiliates with all sorts of publicity materials on the shows and the stars -- photos, bios, show descriptions, etc. I sat and read ALL of it.

Here is where I got lucky.

After each star did their "promo bit" -- I was able to ask them for their autograph on one of the publicity photos that we had been provided.

As I mentioned, I was one of a very few (if not the only) kids there.....so many of the celebs were surprised by my presence and TV knowledge, and got a kick out of it.

Most of them made a point of talking to me, chatting about movies & TV or what I was reading ("Jaws", remember?), and just being very charming and so nice.

Some names (and faces) you might recognize: Lee Meriwether ("Barnaby Jones"), Loretta Swit ("M*A*S*H"), Alex Rocco ("Three For The Road"), Cloris Leachman ("Phyllis"), a totally tan Chad Everett ("Medical Center").......

(Man, check out Chad's groovy hair!)

and a very affectionate Gavin MacCleod ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show")

(Gee, I guess we know why Gavin ended up Captain of "The Love Boat"!)

Seriously, there were so many 70's stars, I was in TV geek heaven!

They even sent a young actress from the popular CBS soap at the time, "Search For Tomorrow" -- a very sweet and lovely Morgan Fairchild.

Mind you, this is before anyone really knew her, she was a mere "soap actress" at the time.

Morgan was great and by far one of everyone's favorites. She told us all funny stories about how she was constantly being accosted on the streets of New York, because people did not like the actions of her crazy soap character (a major diva "bee-yotch", so to speak).

When I asked for her autograph on the publicity photo that had been provided, she was very sweet and obliged, but said it was "not one of her favorite shots."

Morgan then asked me to write down my address, so she could send me something she thought was better.

Sounds silly, but guess what?

A few weeks later, I received a big package in the mail from CBS with a personal hand-written note from Morgan and new photos and show publicity materials. She may have been "just a soap actress", but I was thrilled.

I'll never forget that, and I've always had a soft-spot for Morgan ever since.

Many wonderful and very sweet actors took the time to chat with me that weekend and seemed to genuinely get a kick out of my interest in them, and the work they had done.

There is one person however, that I remember most fondly........

This is where the Paul Newman T-shirt comes in.

Ya see, I had just bought the shirt in a outside marketplace that we visited, the first night in Atlanta. Naturally, I wanted to wear it the very next day -- so I did.

This shirt was a definite conversation-starter with most everyone I met. I think it struck most adults as funny that a 10-year-old girl was wearing a Paul Newman T-shirt, when most of my peers might not even know who he was, or even care.

(Hey -- I also had a thing for Humphrey Bogart, after seeing Casablanca....but that's a whole other story.)

Anyways......one actor in particular got a real charge out of my T-shirt that day. He was a handsome movie-star who was there to promote his new CBS comedy/detective series that would be premiering that Fall called "Switch".

Robert Wagner.

Handsome, charming and funny.....Robert Wagner.

From the moment he saw me in my Paul Newman T-shirt that day, he made a point to come over and talk with me.

Did I mention that he was handsome, charming and funny?

OK, just checking.

Wagner (RJ to his friends....) was 45 and had daughters, one just about my age.

Guess what? He was also very good friends with....Paul Newman.

At the time, they had made three films together: Harper, Winning, and one of my favorites at the time: The Towering Inferno

(I had seen it twice in the theater....hey, that's a lot of fire, drama, death & destruction for a kid!)

Anyways, after he was done shooting his promos, RJ sat with me and signed his photo. He was curious about my love of movies and actors, especially Paul Newman. I talked about some of my favorites (and why), and he was very funny and seemed genuinely amused.

Obviously, the network stars were on a tight schedule....so when it was time for him to leave our room, Wagner mentioned to me that he would be seeing Paul the following week, at a race event.

"Kelly, I will be sure to tell Paul about how I met his biggest fan from Columbus, Ohio. I'll tell him about your T-shirt, I know he'll love that."

I was thrilled, and sure that RJ would tell him just that. Wow....Paul Newman would know about me, AND my favorite T-shirt.

Boy, did that make my day. Heck, it made my 6th grade year!

Since that day, every time I read about Robert Wagner or see his work, I always smile and think about that weekend -- and how warm, funny and gracious he was to me.

I also think about his good friend, the very special Paul Newman -- whose wonderful life and career have been much-celebrated this week.

About Mr. Newman, I've read many of the warm and touching stories and tributes, and I really don't know what else to say other than:

Thank You.

For making the world a better place by sharing your art, your philanthropy, the examples you set and the way that you chose to live your life.

Thank You.

For the many wonderful moments spent with you and your characters in a darkened theater or curled up on the living room couch.

Thank You.

From the 10-year-old girl with your handsome face on her T-shirt.....and the 44-year-old woman who grew-up to greatly admire the real man -- behind the blue eyes.

Dear Mr. Newman, thank you for sharing it all.

Thank you very, very much.

Happy Birthday...To My "Inner Molly" & Me!

2008-09-12T06:00:00.003-04:00

OK, so it's really 44 candles today......not Sixteen.

Whatever.

It's what's on the inside that counts, right?

And on the inside -- I still sometimes feel like that sorta awkward, shy & insecure high school freshman.....a lot like the one Miss Molly Ringwald played in one of my all-time favorite flicks, Sixteen Candles.

Hmmm.....the fact that I happen to now be married to one of the shy freshman guys that I was friends with way back then -- AND we have a 15-year-old high school daughter -- well, I'm sure that has nothing to do with my fond memories & nostalgia for this movie and that time.

Right.

OK......so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me.

Look, I think I'm gonna have to order myself a present:

Awesome.

And because I feel like sharing today, take a peek at this slightly worn 24-year-old trailer for Sixteen Candles:

Love, love it!

Hey.....why not take some time today to reminisce and enjoy your own high school memories?

Yep....I think we were all just a little awkward, geeky and insecure back then.

:)

Have a good weekend y'all......

"I'll Be Back......"

2008-09-04T10:34:00.012-04:00

Hey y'all.....

Ya know I'm a true movie-lover and I live to blog about that kinda fun stuff,

But for right now --

I'm just fascinated, transfixed and obsessed with what has been going on in the political arena these past few weeks.

Listen, whatever your political leanings may be........

Ya gotta admit --

This is the best show in town!

And with only 61 days left until the Presidential election -- I have a feeling we ain't seen nuthin' yet!

So for awhile anyways......just consider MovieChick --

Stay tuned.......