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

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!

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

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

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

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....

....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).

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.