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| We've Moved! Posted by Kim on 05 May 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorta. If you're still looking at this, you're in the wrong place! Girls Talkin Smack has changed over to Word Press and all the new posts will be updated at www.GirlsTalkinSmack.com. The RSS feed has also changed. So if your subscription didn't change automatically, please visit us at the main domain to subscribe again. Thanks! |
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| The Queen DVD Review Posted by Tiff on 29 Apr 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  When I first saw previews for 'The Queen,' I was intrigued. Never would I have considered a movie about the British monarchy following the death of Princess Diana. However, someone did. The movie is set in the U.K., and follows the stories of the Queen, Prince Charles, and newly elected [at the time] Prime Minister Tony Blair. The movie provides a unique insight into royal life and protocol which media cameras don't allow. Truly captivating is the performance of Academy Award Winner Best Actress Helen Mirren. Her acting allows you to believe she truly is the Queen. She manages the coldness of protocol all the while bringing human emotion and realness to the role, a realness few believe exists. She certainly stands out among the other actors and steals the show. It is a story of tragedy we all know well, and the decisions that shaped the legacy of a monarchy. I'd say it's definitely worth renting. It's slow in some parts, and seems a bit unfinished in others, but Mirren's acting makes up for it. Rating: Three and a half of five stars. Mirren's acting: Four out of five stars. |
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| SherryBaby Movie Review Posted by Tiff on 18 Mar 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Amid what has been one of the busier weekends I've had in recent memory, I managed to stop and rent a few movies. One of those movies was the independent film, SherryBaby, which stars Maggie Gyllenhaal. She plays Sherry, a young mother who is released from prison after a history of drugs. She is thrown back into the world, and she has to get a job, stay clean, deal with life pressures, and also get to know the daughter she'd left behind. It's not really a feel-good movie. In fact, at the end, there are a lot of questions unanswered, and there are a lot of things in the storyline that are never addressed, which tends to bother me. However, Maggie's acting is raw and strong. I have seen her performances in other movies, and this one, perhaps serves as a very accurate gage of which she is capable. In fact, the performance earned her a nomination as Best Actress at the Golden Globes. It's a raw movie, that deals with drugs, sex, mistrust, and hurt, but the rawness is part of what makes the movie intriguing. Real life isn't always wrapped up in a neat little package with a pretty bow. Maggie's acting is worth 4.5 of 5 stars. The Movie 3 of 5 stars. Official Movie Site |
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| Because I Said So Movie Review Posted by Tiff on 02 Feb 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Tonight, I caught Diane Keaton's latest film, 'Because I Said So.' I was also shocked that I made it to the movies two weekends in a row, trust me. Partially I was psyched to see his movie because Lauren Graham (from 'Gilmore Girls') is in it, and because I almost always love Keaton's movies. In retrospect, the movie definitely comes off as a 'chick flick.' Basically, Keaton plays a mother, Daphne, to her three daughters played by Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo, and Lauren Graham. The two older daughters marry, leaving youngest , Milly, (Moore) single, and the mom worrying. She's an obsessive meddler who attempts to play matchmaker. The result is something she's not quite expecting. Overall, there were some funny moments, amusing even. But it seemed a lot of the storylines were unfinished or hanging. I think they had a lot more they could do with things, and didn't. Perabo's character didn't really seem to have a viable role, and casting Perabo, Moore, and Graham as sisters doesn't seem that believable. I think the movie had a hard time figuring out if it wanted to be about the daughter (Moore) or the mother (Keaton) and didn't do so well meshing the two. Technicalities aside, I liked the movie alright. It's not the best I've seen, but it was a good distraction, and not bad to see. Though waiting for the rental might've been fine too. Overall Rating: Three out of five stars. |
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| Catch And Release Movie Review Posted by Tiff on 26 Jan 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Tonight, I actually managed to make it to the movies. (I usually prefer renting and staying in pajamas, haha.) I was talked into seeing 'Catch & Release, which is Jennifer Garner's new movie. Basically, she was with a guy named Grady, and he died. She finds out all kinds of things about his life after he's gone. She lives with two of his friends, and gets to know a third (see picture.) Honestly, I was pretty bored with the movie. The plot was slow, and they seemed to drag things along much more than needed. Also, the plot didn't always make a lot of sense, it wasn't fluid. They seemed to want dramatic moments, but they never followed through - so there were all kinds of open storylines dangling. It's definitely not something I'd go see again. And I don't think Jennifer plays a very believable drunk person, haha. The best part about the movie was the soundtrack. (Joshua Radin, Doves, The Swallows, etc.) The guy (in the picture) Timothy Olyphant wasn't bad to look at, and Kevin Smith was funny, that's about it. The previews weren't that good either, which is disappointing. I love previews. They did show a big thing on the show 'Heroes' and a movie preview for Sandra Bullock's upcoming film, 'Premonition,' which I'm not sure if I want to see or not. 'Catch and Release' Rating: One out of Five Stars. |
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| The Pursuit of Happyness Posted by Kim on 22 Dec 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  After a few weeks of watching films like The Break Up and John Tucker Must Die on DVD, I really needed something that subsequently drop my IQ a point or two. That's why it was nice to see a quality and inspiring movie like The Pursuit of Happyness. The movie itself is good, but Will Smith's performance is even better; he definitely deserves all the attention he's getting for it. The movie also stars Thandie Newton, who does sort of an odd job playing the dead beat mother, and Will Smith's realize son, who's as cute as a button. The movie is based on a true story, I'm not sure to what degree but as I mentioned before, it's inspiring. It's about a father who takes an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm, despite barely having enough money to get by to begin with. I really like the message this film puts out; no matter how disadvantaged someone might be, with hard work and sacrifice there is ALWAYS a way to get ahead....without turning to prostitution/stripping/drug dealing, like so many people do (and of course, using their children as a cop out). The movie was somewhat on the slow side, I mean, don't expect to see Will blowing up any aliens in this film, but it held my interest all the way though. 7.5/10 |
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| The Fountain Posted by Kim on 02 Dec 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  I finally got a chance to see The Fountain (starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz) just a few days ago. I've been following this project for quite a while (maybe a year?) ever since Brad Pitt dropped out and Hugh Jackman took over (upgrade!). It always sounded promising, but going into the movie I didnt have any expectations. Mainly because the promos seemed to be so vague, which is probably one of the reasons why it totally flopped at the box office it's opening weekend. After seeing the movie I totally understand why the promos don't tell us anything except "together we will live forever"....there's really nothing else to the film. That's not to say this movie was bad, although I DO like movies with a really rich plot and a lot of backstory (like The Prestige, for instance). It's a nice change of pace from that sort of film, but lacking a plot didn't really make this movie less convoluted or hard to follow. Here's a basic, spoiler free overview of the movie: The Fountain is about a doctor who is trying to find an experimental cure for his wife who has cancer. During this time she's writing a book about a conquistador searching for the tree of life, and he's having visions of himself in the future to help him cope with her disease. I actually can't take credit for this overview; a friend of mine had to explain it to me because I thought the three stories were supposed to be real. And it makes much more sense like this! This movie is very slow. I found myself minimally intruiged, but almost on the brink of boredom a few times. It is interesting though, if you like this sort of thing. To enjoy this movie you have to like very deep, talky dramas and have at tolerance for science fiction (which is probably another reason why it couldn't find an audience). In the end, the most redeemable thing about the film is that it has a clear and concise message to it that will make you think a little bit, and perhaps get a decent discussion going. But that doesn't necessarily mean the ending is a happy one. Besides that, the most redeemable thing about The Fountain is the acting; both Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz do an excellent job and have great chemistry together. Despite it's positive points, I would recommend waiting until this one comes out on video instead of paying the full ticket price. That is, if you like this sort of stuff. 7/10 |
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| One Night With The King Movie Review Posted by Tiff on 29 Oct 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  I actually didn't have any plans to do anything today but read for class, then my mom insisted we have a "family day," throwing on the guilt trip that tomorrow is my parents' anniversary, so I agreed, although somewhat unwillingly. She decided we'd see the movie, "One Night With the King," which is based on the story of Esther in the Bible. I tried to convince the family to see "The Prestige" with no luck, but I'm going to try to catch that soon. The movie is a cast of near unknowns, save a few names that have made a blip on the radar at one time or another. The person who really shines is Tiffany Dupont, who plays the lead role of Haddasa/Esther. Still a virtual unknown, she acts very well, and she's beautiful. I admittedly typically avoid religious movies in theaters, though I am religious, I prefer to rent them and watch them alone. The movie, however, was good, giving one both a Bible and history lesson. However, I don't think there was enough history in the movie, being one who loves that sort of thing. The two hours and twelve minutes dragged in places, but even on a small budget, it was visually stunning. Since its October 13th release, "One Night With The King" has made over seven million at the box office in the United States. Not bad for a movie with a small budget, unknown producers, and nearly unknown actors. My rating: B - (Wait for the DVD.) |
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| Saw III Posted by Kim on 29 Oct 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  In case you didn't know I'm a BIG fan of the Saw movie franchise. Don't even ask me to explain why; I just am. Aside from poor acting (a problem that plagues all the films in the series) the first movie was awesome, with an AMAZING twist. The best twist I've ever seen in a film; I mean, there's no way anyone could have predicted that. The second one was strong for a follow up, but a tad bit cheesy for the series itself (although the twist was still pretty awesome). Saw III returns to the gritty nature of the original, with traps that are actually inventive and interesting. Not just some girl getting her wrists caught in box. I actually had no idea what this movie was going to be about before watching it, which made it pretty cool to see it all pan out. (very, very mild plot spoilers coming up) Their are two main characters that are "playing the game" this time around; one is a doctor who has to keep Jigsaw alive, and the other is a man who has to make his way through a maze of Jigsaw's torture contraptions. But he's not the one in danger. This movie had a pretty good balance of story, character development and of course....gore. This one actually is gorier than the first two. The traps are CRAZY in this one! Especially the first one, and the last one. I'm not going to give much away here but the last trap has to be the worst and the most painful of all three movies. I mean, whoever thought that up is just sick, twisted and sadistic. But isn't that the point of these movies? Yeah. I'm not very squemish but I actually considered looking away a few times during this film. Okay, let's cut to the chase and get to my favorite part: the twist. I was a tad bit dissapointed with the ending of this one. I mean, it wasn't a predictable ending in the least bit but I really couldn't get myself to care. It wasn't shocking like the twist in the first movie, or clever like the second. In fact, I was really enjoying the movie up until the final scene, which totally brought the whole film down a notch for me. Perhaps my expectations are too high after watching The Prestige. But all in all this is a decent film for a sequel atleast. The filmmakers did a good job of keeping things interesting, and reinventing the story without losing it's original edge. One thing I noticed in the promotion of this film was that they weren't toting this as the last in ther series. I found that interesting, because usually the third film IS the last. I can assure you, judging from the ending of this film, this definitely is NOT the final installment. In fact the guy who plays Jigsaw has officially signed on for two more films. And I'll be in line for both. B- |
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| The Prestige Review Posted by Kim on 27 Oct 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Whoa, okay. I saw the Prestige last night and honestly it was one of, if not the best movie I've seen this year (yes, even rivaling Pirates). Now, I expected this movie to be good but it wasn't at all what I expected. I really thought it would be more of a popcorny period piece with action and a bit of romance. But I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be such a well crafted and intricately written film, with a whole lotta symbolism, foreshadowing and all those other plot devices that I'm such a sucker for! I really could go on and on about this movie, so let me try and keep this short (and spoiler free, which is kind of hard). This movie can be confusing, really confusing. You really have pay close attention to everything that happens and remember everyone's name and what not. And the timeline isn't anywhere close to linear; the first scene is some where in the middle of the timeline, then we go to the end, then back to the beginning. From there on out the movie jumps back and forth, telling the story from three different places in time. Yeah, confusing. The movie is all about obsession and how, in the end, obsession can cloud better judgement. It's also about the sacrifices the two magicians, played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, make for their art. The movie has a lot of twists and turns (which I love!) and even though I thought I had the movie figured out, I didn't expect the final twist. The funny thing is, looking back at the movie now, all the clues were there. But they were subtle. Now that's good filmmaking, folks. And how awesome is this cast? I'm a huge fan of Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale; both of which did an awesome job in their parts. The movie also starred Piper Perabo, Michael Cane, Andy Serkis and David Bowie, who did a great job but was almost unrecognizable. The only person who didn't impress me was Scarlett Johansson; it wasn't necessary to cast a big name for her role, and she just couldn't keep up with the rest of the cast. But for the most part the film was extremely well acted. I'm glad The Prestige lived up to my expectations, unlike that other magician film earlier this year, The Illusionist. I HIGHLY recommend this to people who don't mind movies that make you think, atleast just a little bit. Make sure you're watching closely. 8.5/10 |
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| The Illusionist Posted by Kim on 04 Sep 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This weekend I got the chance to check out The Illusionist, which just opened wide on Friday (it was in limited release for a few weeks prior). This is one ofthe two magician movies of the year, the other being The Prestige. I'll admit I've been much more interested in The Prestige, but the trailers for this one caught my attention. Love story? Period piece? I'm there. But once again I wasn't that impressed. The love story felt kind of rushed, and there was no real chemistry between the main characters. On top of that, the movie is actually more of a detective story than anything else, lead by Paul Giamatti's character. None of that really interested me, not my type of movie. Unfortunately for me this took up most of the film. And this movie is sloooow, and very "talky". I usually don't mind that but it just depends on what the characters have to say. I did enjoy the ending but it was terribly predictable. I mean, the title of the film pretty much gives it all away. The one redeemable thing about The Illusionist is the acting, which is top notch. This was my first time seeing anything with Edward Norton in it, believe it or not, but I know he has a good reputation and I'm sure his performance lived up to expectations. Even Jessica Biel of all people did a convincing job. I've read that she's trying to get more parts in period pieces, and while I do agree that she's a tad bit too modern looking, with this on her resume it shouldn't be such a hard feat for her in the future. This movie is worth seeing, but I'd highly recommend renting it. 6/10 |
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