I don’t usually post more than one ‘ooh look at what’s coming soon!’ about a lot of movies but when I do.. just know you know I’m already eyeing off a Gold Class movie session for it.

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From Safe Haven to pretty dresses at the Oscars, to lipsticks and now… an Arnie movie?

See, I’m diverse!

I took myself on a date to the movies this past weekend, very spontaneously after realising itd been a while since I’d seen a brainless, dumb and fun action movie. Like the old days!

Although its not as if I’ve missed the Governator in film; when I looked at the trailer for this pseudo Western and saw it featured Rodrigo Santoro and Zach Gilford (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS #7!) well, I was sold. The Last Stand was the perfect mind numbing action flick I wanted to see.

Picture this, a remote town nearing the border of the U.S and Mexico, a stopover town essentially and there’s a sheriff that likes to wear boat shoes. He has a thick accent, but it sure ain’t Southern. He’s built like a Mack truck and he’s just your regular old Joe. He warns a townsperson not to park in the fire zone, and calls the guy a schmuck when he refuses. Ah. Small town life.

Then, cross cut to idi Amin, I mean Forest Whittaker, lead FBI agent calling an urgent 3am meeting to convoy the most dangerous drug dealer on American soil to his next country club, I mean maximum security prison. Drug dealer escapes, manages to get magnet lifted (look, I don’t know the technical term for it) and he’s on the run in a super pimped out ride with a hostage. Racing for the border.

The Last Stand is a shoot em up, car chase with a touch of Western flick with a lot of cheesy 90s’ style humour. Low key deputies – including (‘honorary’ deputy in the form of Johnny Knoxville who really does well in his role as the town kook!) barricading the town and trying to keep the townspeople safe. Not even in an obvious way. Really. This film has full of surprises. And I wholeheartedly think its worth watching on the big screen. Go!

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So who and what stood out for me?

Jennifer Garner in this gorgeous mulberry wine coloured dress, and along side her, Jessica Chastain (who was my favourite to win tonight) in this bronzey jewelled gown.

Naomi Watts. Absolute stunning in a silvery metallic piece by Armani Prive. A columnist from MX that sat nearby called it amazing ‘robo-boobs’. I had to mention that!

Oh, J-Law! A gorgeous, stunning dress from Valentino (I think?) and.. a little fall as she went up the stairs. And doesn’t it make your heart melt to see our Hugh and Bradley Cooper rush to the rescue? Swoon!

Oh, and I figured you’d want to see the front of the dress…but seriously. Hugh and Bradley. Beautiful men.

Thankyou Kerry Washington for being as flawless as you always are. Love the smoothed layered hair, and the beautiful detailing in the bodice.

How damn adorable 9 year old Best Actress nominee Quvenzhane Wallis (I had to imdb that spelling) is and how excited, and ecstatic to hear her film being mentioning, and her own nomination? A name to watch – especially as she was just named as the new ‘Annie’  in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s remake…

An honourable mention. A rare moment too if you will. Kristen Stewart who arrived on crutches, smiling. This dress is pretty swish.

And what can I say, Seth McFarlane. Toilet humour at its finest, and he wasn’t at his peak; but I LOVED his take on Django Unchained being Chris Brown’s idea of a date movie. Seriously. The opions online seemed to be right down the middle, loving or loathing him. I haven’t laughed so much in a monologue though I have to say. And it could have been due to his ‘We Saw Your Boobs’ musical intro. I LOVED the pre-recorded reactions of the actresses he named. What did you think?? Too much?

What were some of your favourite moments throughout the night? Let me know!

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Look, I didn’t have anyone to take me to see this on Valentine’s Day so I asked a co-worker for a bit of a lady date on a Monday night. (And to avoid the continuing steamy Melbourne weather that has me avoiding going home)

We both wanted to see a bit of Fergamel (sorry, I mean Josh Duhamel) and Julianne Hough in the latest Nicholas Sparks’ tearjerking romance Safe Haven. Damsel in distress, only not outwardly showing distress Hough is seeking a new life in a coastal town that is a stopover on her bus trip to anywhere but in the same state as her abusive husband. Oh, he’s a cop by the way.

If you’re a 90s movie fan; this sounds like Sleeping with the Enemy. Classic Julia Roberts.

This is aimed to tug at the heartstrings, and when you think Nicholas Sparks’ of course you think of the Notebook. How could you not especially when the movie artwork features the couple looking longingly at one another, and he takes her canoeing. And it rains. Just like Quentin Tarantino loves a bit of blood splatter and controversy, Nicholas Sparks really digs his romantic canoe canoodling coupled with a LOT of rain.

Listen, this isn’t one of Sparks’ best. Even with Lasse Halstrom directing (known for Chocolat, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Cider House Rules etc) it feels like it rushed through the narrative. It rushed through the romance too much. I can’t really say it fully because I haven’t read the book but there were moments when their chemistry, and relationship just moved SO fast. I mean, maybe I’d move fast too if I was being looked at like that by Josh Duhamel. But the dialogue was SO cheesy, moreso than a standard level of fromage for a romantic film where I held back a groan in the cinema, and an eye roll. No, you did NOT just describe that sunset as ‘incandescent’.

Despite that, Julianne and Josh are just so gorgeous to look at, and it is the type of fantasy to indulge in where you want to be taken care of, but you want to be strong and start a new life. It just wasn’t ‘Notebook’ level.

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Since the coverage here in Australia didn’t include all the TV spots (including Naya Rivera’s cutesy M & Ms ad) here they are in their glory;

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I was lucky enough to go to a preview screening of Hitchcock a few weeks ago, and this little red herring of a film (ie, not as heavily promoted as the Hobbit or Skyfall) was one I was eagerly looking forward to. Hitchcock is one of very few directors where I can appreciate his style, and one I also studied at university so I was almost nostalgic in approaching this.

It centres around the man (amazingly portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins), and the brilliant woman behind the man; Alma (played by Helen Mirren) his dutiful wife who really had more of a hand in his film-making choices than anyone might have realised. It focuses on the time of his life after the critical success of North by Northwest, and what compelled him to make Psycho. Enough to have him self-fund it, due to its shocking central themes based on a real life serial killer.

Absolutely fascinating and with a supporting cast – Scarlett Johannsson, James D’Arcy and Jessica Biel playing the main cast in Psycho, perfectly played, and not taking away from the real romance of the film; it was a beautiful look into Hitch, and Alma and their personal and working life. Hitch really regarded Alma’s opinions higher than anyone else in the industry, and she really helped keep him grounded, though it seems he neglected her in other ways, once he immersed himself in the production.

Hopkins and Mirren really make it look effortless and natural, so I would almost say it was understated but with Hitchcock’s mannerisms, and stance alone, he’s really got it nailed. There is such a darling humour (I use an adjective worthy of the time and setting) that it is a charming film, it really is. I definitely recommend it for those fascinated with the films, and the man behind them.

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Oops – a day late! I’ve never been great at blogging deadlines, this is obvious.

This year seemed quite tricky to put together the top movie list! There were so many that were close to being my favourite, but just.. sort of not top ten material. I might have enough to put in ‘honorable mentions’ and that might be just as surprising as the below list! It just seemed easier last year, I can’t put my finger on it!

The below list is definitely in no particular order..

Looper surprised me, in terms that it was time travel; and I am quite dedicated to the Dr. I wasn’t sure I would like it, plus in all the trailers, I was like why does Joseph Gordon-Levitt look so plastic?! I was just so immersed in it all, it was beautifully laid out and wowsers Emily Blunt is stunning.

The Avengers; this seems like so long ago doesn’t it? But probably one of the best superhero ensemble films.. EVER. Standout was Ruffalo as the Hulk. What a star!

Dark Knight Rises should be no surprise. Slight loss of brownie points with the distracting Bane voice but it was still a hell of a ride and I didn’t dislike Anne Hathaway as Catwoman!

Pitch Perfect is probably the fun movie of the year (on this list at least) and I just couldn’t stop grinning throughout it! It was just such a surprise, and I loved the two leads so much!

Unexpectedly fun, and one that raised a few cheers at the screening was Cabin in the Woods; I even saw it twice! So many shocks, and funny moments in unusual ways, I loved how clever it was. It was almost like the new ‘Scream’ where it was pop culture reference laden but it would only take those references, than create new conventions.

This one I had to double check, I thought this was last year! Chronicle! What a dark, ‘superhero’ movie. Though it wasn’t superheroes really, it was just about superhero powers and how things can get a tad out of hand.

I don’t think I’ve featured an animation on my list before; I really don’t. Wreck It Ralph was easy though! It had the charm of Toy Story but it felt a lot more modern and aimed at adults too with the nostalgic wonder of an arcade.

Perks of being a Wallflower was a very recent watch and I probably got hooked into it by all of the caps and gifs I was seeing on Tumblr. It became very clear this was more than Hermione post Harry Potter. SO much more. Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and Emma Watson are just a gorgeous, and haunting ensemble. A must see.

The Imposter. I think this is my Catfish of the year, it was just a powerhouse of a film where you think the biggest spoiler is in the title. Centering around the disappearance of a 13 year old boy in Texas in the early 90s; we meet someone posing as him, 3 years later found in Spain. That is all I will say.

The Lucky One is probably my red herring of the list; and a bit surprising even for me but when I think of it, it just lingered and made me wish for a returned soldier to nurse back to health. Or something like that. Zac Efron and relative unknown Taylor Schilling were just beautiful together, and quiet and I cannot handle it.

What were your favourites of the year? Comment and share!

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I bloody love this time of year. Lists, best of, worst of.. and mash ups!

Here are a couple you should see, and needless to say SPOILER ALERT. I’m still compiling my ultimate list of films for the year, but geez ; I still haven’t seen Argo or Skyfall. Annoying!

For the next movie mashup; this goes so blisteringly fast; you’ll need to view the entire list just to spot each one..! (Which you can handily view here

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Its not often that a poster for a film makes you look as closely as this one made me; I honestly thought it was for something Inception-y or Batman-y – not Star Trek!

Which of course makes Star Trek Into Darkness all the more enticing! (Plus the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch is in this next film)

It just conjures so many questions and definitely begins the anticipation for next year’s release from one of my favourite writer/director/producer genius JJ Abrams.

Keep up to date with the goss at the official Facebook page here 

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Paranormal Activity FOUR. Can you believe it?

I didn’t! The trailers are so great, and I’m always drawn to seeing actual crowd reactions (I could have been there! SAD FACE!) so there was no hesitation that I’d be going to see this movie!

Went with a brave co-worker who loved the franchise, but she went in blind – no trailer, NOTHING! I thankfully was not the loudest one there – believe me, about ten minutes in there was a long shriek, not a quick one.. it stretched out a bit. HILARIOUS!

The film begins with the Paranormal Activity timeline; it shows you Katie and Micah through film 1, Katie and Lindsay through 2 and 3, and the abduction of Hunter. Bam. A young couple with a teenage daughter and young boy take in the little boy from next door whos’ mum has had to be rushed to hospital and he has nowhere else to go.

The little boy is WEIRD. He wears socks with sandals. Oh boy, that’s the tip of the iceberg. Let me tell you! The teenage girl is weirded out, and noises start occurring in the house, and as she is Skyping her cutesy best friend or love interest (it isn’t quite clear) he sets up the webcams in the main rooms to take film, and employs the camera on the Xbox Kinect (which has a green eerie brighter than night vision sort of effect). Nobody really believes her, her parents think a falling chandelier is the fault of the builder, the little boy is ‘quirky’.. and so on!

Whilst it does feel a bit more relevant in today’s online world and it is great using the laptop camera to capture what is behind you – it isn’t really practical carrying it around to light a darkened hallway. Really. Its not. You’d take an app on your iphone, surely? I seem to be nitpicking; and maybe I’m trying to explain why I have to say; look, this isn’t the strongest in the series, and not the scariest. (I think number 3 holds that title). It is still a lot of fun and there are actually moments where you want to yell at the family COME ON! Look at THAT! I just feel as if its paced oddly, and it doesn’t accelerate like the others did. Shockingly – this won’t be on my top 10 of the year..

The fact that I haven’t itched to see it again like I did with number 3, or number 1 which I have seen repeatedly, well that says a little bit in terms of how films sit with me long after I’ve viewed them. I would definitely recommend you see it; its just not in my top 10.

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