The One With the Aftermath of the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

What a night! In this post, I will be commenting on my favourite stars on the red carpet + of course; sharing my thoughts on the winners for motion pictures.

Favourites on the Red Carpet:

Eli Roth, Mélanie Laurent & Quentin Tarantino:

Eli Roth looked sharp and absolutely gorgeous, as usual :) Slicked hair is always a plus, but I'm a little sad that he shaved his beard. Mélanie Laurent looked stunning in her champagne-coloured dress with flowers. But, of course, she would look stunning in anything. Quentin Tarantino could wear anything, and he'd still look totally cool. Here, he is wearing a black samurai-inspired suit. Cool, huh? :)

Marion Cotillard:

Marion Cotillard also looked stunning! The way she wore her hair is pretty much my favourite hairstyle, I must say, and it looks amazing on her. I usually hate green dresses, but this one is the exception. Cotillard rocked that dress(!) and she knew it :)

Kate Hudson:

Kate Hudson was charming as always on the Red Carpet. We can't help but love her. This dress probably would have looked strange on anybody else there that night, but it looked great on Kate. And her shoes are crazy(!), in a very good way :)

Fergie:

Purple seemed to be the colour of the night. But the exact colour of this dress is lavender, one of my favourite kinds of purple. The dress looked sweet, soft and very comfortable. It extenuated her waist, which is always flattering, and her hair is simple, but stylish. It's a shame we can't see her shoes though, they would have been interesting to see.


Penélope Cruz:

Penélope's holding her own umbrella! She was the only person on the whole red carpet holding her own umbrella, kudos to Penélope :) Although, when thinking of the situation, I can't help but wonder where Javier Bardem was. The umbrella actually gives her grace. Regardless of what anybody says, I think Penélope looked beautiful. The snug dress and lace works for her, and her hair looked fantastic. I can't wait to see what she wears to the Oscars! :)

The Winners [for motion pictures]:

1. Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (The White Ribbon)
Would've been better: Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces)

I did not see any of the films that were nominated, but I was rooting for Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) to win. I would have seen Broken Embraces if it was showing at the cinema closest to my house, which, unfortunately, it wasn't. The White Ribbon certainly sounds interesting, but Broken Embraces looks amazing, and Penélope's in it, it must be great. I was happy when Broken Embraces won Best Foreign Film for the Critics Choice Awards, so maybe it was time for the White Ribbon to be recognised, because I'm sure it was a good film.

2. Best Animated Film
Winner: Up
Would've been better: Fantastic Mr. Fox

I'm sure that Up was worthy of winning this award. I've only heard good things about it. But, I did really like the look of Fantastic Mr. Fox. Although, I am not that big on animated films, so I was alright with whatever film won this award.

3. Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Winner: Up: Michael Giacchino
Wanted to win: NOT AVATAR!

I was so glad that Avatar didn't win this! Up must have been one good film. I do have the soundtrack to Where the Wild Things Are, although I've haven't seen it, but I have not listened to it yet. But I usually like Carter Burwell's work and it would have been good seeing him & Karen Orzolek win.

4. Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Winner: Crazy Heart: T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham ("The Weary Kind")
Should have won: Nine: Maury Yeston ("Cinema Italiano")

I have not seen Crazy Heart [it hasn't come out here] nor have I heard the song, "The Weary Kind". I have heard "Cinema Italiano" though, and I think it is loud, catchy & fabulous! Kate Hudson did a fantastic job considering that singing is not quite in her job description. I do believe that "Be Italian" should have been nominated as well though, I love that song!

5. Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Winner: Up in the Air: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
Should have won: Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino

I have seen Up in the Air and I thought it was brilliant, but Inglourious Basterds is everything a film should be, and more! It is beyond brilliant. They should really have two awards for Best Screenplay; Adapted and Original. In that case, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner and Quentin Tarantino could have both won their well-deserved awards. Thankfully, Best Screenplay is split into two awards at the Oscars, so they'll win there and I'll be happy.

6. Best Director - Motion Picture
Winner: James Cameron for Avatar
Should have won: Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds

Don't even get me started on this award! I was horrified when James Cameron won! Avatar was so weak! Quentin Tarantino is long overdue to win best director at the Golden Globes and the Oscars. He deserved it so much more than Cameron did. Inglorious Basterds was perfect. But, I have more to say when I speak about Best Picture - Drama, so I'll save it. So, we haven't gotten the Hurt Locker or Invictus here yet, so I can't comment on them. But, I do know that Invictus will be great, Clint's always great! Jason Reitman did a great job for Up in the Air. Tarantino blew me away. Cameron bored me. James Cameron winning this award just pissed me off. Everybody at the Inglourious Basterds table knew Tarantino should have won it.

7. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Should have won: Penélope Cruz for Nine

Okay, Precious hasn't come out here yet either, so, again, I cannot comment on the winner. I've heard that Mo'Nique was fantastic, so, at this point, I cannot argue with that. A Single Man or Nine hasn't come out here yet either, but I'm sure Penélope Cruz knocked it out of the park. I've seen the trailer for Nine though; she dances, she sings and she acts her ass off! Vera Farmiga & Anna Kendrick's performances were great in Up in the Air, there's no doubt about that. But I would have loved to see Penélope Cruz win this award.

8. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Should have won: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds

Ah, Christoph Waltz! He was truly my saviour of the day! Out of everything/everyone who I wanted to win anything, he was the only one who actually won it! I could not be any happier that he won. His speech was so amazing, it nearly made me cry. I knew his win was a shoe-in, and I'm so glad. I'm sure that Matt Damon was great in Invictus as well.

9. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia
Should have won: Marion Cotillard for Nine

I'm sort of happy that Meryl Streep won, but not what she won for. I haven't seen Julie & Julia but it looks so over-the-top, while It's Complicated is smart, funny and very entertaining. If you ask me, she should've won for It's Complicated, if she had to win at all. I would have loved to see Marion Cotillard win this award. She is always great and I think she would have done a wonderful job in Nine.

10. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes
Should have won: Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine

Although I saw none of the films that the nominees of this award were in, I was happy to see Robert Downey Jr. win this award. I really like him and I'm sure he deserved it. I would have been happier if Daniel Day-Lewis won though. He is wonderful, and I'm sure that shows in Nine.

11. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Should have won/Would've been better: -

Frankly, I had no opinion on this award. I didn't see any of the films that the nominees were in, nor did I have anybody I was really rooting for. I guess I would favour Sandra Bullock, so, I'm glad she won :)

12. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
Should have won: George Clooney for Up in the Air

I have not seen Crazy Heart because it's not coming out here, but I heard that Jeff Bridges is fantastic in it. But I thought George Clooney was beyond amazing in Up in the Air! He was so real, so believable! Actually, I really thought Clooney would win it, but maybe that's because I haven't seen Crazy Heart. I still need to see Invictus, and I will when it comes out. I'm sure Morgan Freeman is amazing and his nomination was well-deserved.

13. Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: The Hangover
Should have won: Nine

Out of the nominees for this category, I only saw It's Complicated. I've heard that The Hangover was the best comedy film of 2009 and from what I've seen [not much], it's pretty hilarious. I knew it was going to win. I would have loved to see Nine win it, seeing the whole cast out there would have been great. I've also heard good things about (500) Days of Summer. I would have been pissed off if Julie & Julia won, so I'm just glad that didn't win.

14. Best Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Avatar
Should have won: Inglourious Basterds

I was, again, horrified that Avatar won this award! As I said; Avatar is weak! It had a boring screenplay, it was overlong(!) and the acting wasn't top-notch either. Yes, the effects are great, blah, blah, blah, but in my book, that just doesn't cut it! I found nothing particularly amazing or mind-blowing about it at all.
On the other hand, Inglourious Basterds is an absolute masterpiece! I could not say one bad thing about it if I tried. I would even go as far as to call it flawless. I found Inglourious Basterds way more superior to Avatar, in every way possible, especially the screenplay and the acting. The screenplay of Inglourious Basterds is fantastic. It is classic Tarantino, and frankly, that is unbeatable. Mélanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz' performances were immaculate and very worthy of Oscars. And who can resist a good Nazi-killing film?!
Avatar only deserves awards for special effects, nothing else. I'd rather watch paint dry than see Avatar again!
Yes, I love Up in the Air. I call it the second best film of 2009 :)
Precious & the Hurt Locker have not come out here yet, so I cannot comment.

Cecil B. DeMille Award - Martin Scorsese

It was so great seeing him receive this award. This was the highlight of the night, apart from Christoph Waltz winning his award. Seeing Robert De Niro & Leonardo DiCaprio presenting the award was so cool, especially De Niro saying, "We’re like an old married couple. We built a life together, we have great memories — we just don’t sleep together anymore" and DiCaprio calling Scorsese "a master filmmaker and a generous, patient teacher". It almost brought me to tears. Scorsese's speech truly expressed his love of cinema. It was beautiful. We love you, Marty! :)

Ricky Gervais - The Host

One quote: "I like a drink as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson." ! Legend.

Let's end on a fantabulous note! Eli Roth at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards:

He's a GQMF if ever I saw one! Sexiest man alive if you ask me :)

Taysha. x

Photo of the Day #2.

Marion Cotillard & Penélope Cruz at a Golden Globes Awards After Party. They're so beautiful :)

Photo of the Day #1.

I thought I would try something new on my blog; posting a 'Photo of the Day' every once in a while. I thought it would be really cool :)

Quentin Tarantino & Eli Roth at the Critics Choice Awards where The Basterds won the award for Best Ensemble, Christoph Waltz for Best Supporting Actor & Quentin Tarantino for Best Original Screenplay. Congrats, Basterds!

The One Where It's Complicated.

I've seen It's Complicated (2009) in the cinemas twice. The first time was with my friend. We saw it because we thought it would be hilarious - we were right. The second time was with my mother. She wanted to see it badly & I was up for it. We loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed the film both times.

Written & Directed by: Nancy Meyers

Jane Adler (Meryl Streep) is caught in a messy, complicated love triangle with her charming, cheeky ex-husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin) who she recently hooked up with at their son's graduation, and her 'nerdy', sweet architect, Adam (Steve Martin).
Personally, I cannot pick between the two. Baldwin is ridiculously charming as always, and Martin is so sweet, we just can't resist it. If somebody put a gun to my head, I still probably wouldn't even be able to pick.

Streep is still absolutely gorgeous at 60 and great as Jane. Her performance is outstanding, as usual for Ms. Streep. She nailed everything, especially the facial expressions. I love seeing Streep in comedies because she's very good in them, I must say. Although many people have said that Jane's situation is very unbelievable, I don't think it's that far-fetched, but whatever.
Baldwin is, as I've said, completely charming in his role as Jake. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing his character, especially when he sneaks around. Those scenes especially, are hilarious.
I found Martin totally adorable as Adam, especially in the scene where he is trying on all of the different sweaters! Maybe if I had two guns to my head, I'd say that I may like Adam a little better, but I love Jake as well :)

Jane and Jake's children are great as well. They're all very likable, sweet characters. They are just how Jane's children should be; perfect.
Their son-in-law, Harley (John Krasinski) is the best! Apart from the main three characters, Harley is my favourite. He is the first one to find out about Jane & Jake's affair and has to keep it a secret from everybody else. Every one of his lines is hilarious, I laughed out loud every time he spoke. I can definitely say that I am a John Krasinski fan now :)

There are so many great scenes in this film, but the best one is where Jane & Adam turn up stoned to Harley & Lauren's party. They then engage in an awkward (obviously, not awkward to them) conversation with Jake and his younger wife, Agness [pictured below] about how Jane & Agness have been married to the same man. I laughed out loud during the entire party scene. Meyers deserves huge kudos for her screenplay.

The ending [I won't spoil it] is very satisfying. I think it ended very well. The decisions Jane made at the end were just right.
The cast of this film couldn't be better. Everybody suited their roles so well and there were no big dull duds whatsoever. Meryl Streep definitely deserves to be nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. She did a fine job.
It's Complicated is nominated for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy which is also well deserved. Nancy Meyers is nominated for a Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Golden Globe which is also well deserved, but Quentin Tarantino should definitely get it for Inglourious Basterds :)

This film is funny, smart, charming & very entertaining. I will be waiting a while before I see it again though, twice in four days is just too much.
I give it 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt-l1liNjk0

Rating: R
Runtime: 120 mins

Taysha. x

The One Where Everybody is Cool, From Dusk Till Dawn.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) is the other film I watched on my birthday, right after Death Proof. I wanted to watch Planet Terror after Death Proof because I love the double feature, although I know that Planet Terror is traditionally watched first, but I had a strong craving to watch From Dusk Till Dawn instead. Plus, my friend said she hadn't seen it, so, of course, that meant we had to watch it! :) It was my second time seeing this film. I absolutely loved it both times. It is brilliant.

WARNING: Again, I cannot talk about From Dusk Till Dawn without giving away SPOILERS. If you haven't seen this film & don't want to read spoilers, read another one of my blog entries (not including Death Proof and/or Inglourious Basterds). But if you wish to read the spoilers, by all means; read on.

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez.
Screenplay by: Quentin Tarantino

From Dusk Till Dawn tells the story of the Gecko brothers; Seth (George Clooney) and Richie (Quentin Tarantino). They are known criminals who are running from the law. They kidnap the Fuller family (Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis and Ernest Liu) to help them cross the border to get to Mexico for refuge. This is successful, but when the Geckos and the Fullers arrive at a club called the Titty Twister to wait for the Gecko brothers' money prize, the ultimate chaos descends...everybody who works there is a vampire!

George Clooney & Quentin Tarantino are Seth & Richie Gecko
Their best lines:
1. Seth: "I may be a bastard, but I'm not a fucking bastard."
2. Richie: ""How's your hand, Rich?" It hurts like a fucking son of a bitch, thanks for asking, Seth!"
3. Seth: "OK, ramblers. Let's get rambling."
4. Richie: "We're having a wet bikini contest, and you just won."
5. Seth: "What do you think I want, you mean old bastard? I want a fucking room."
6 Seth: "We did it. We're in Mexico! We're fucking in Mexico you little piece of fucking shit!"
7. Seth: "Rule number one: No noise, no question. You make a noise...Mr 44 makes a noise. You ask a question, Mr. 44 answers it."
8. Richie: "He's in the bathroom. Why don't I just go in there, shoot him in the back of the head, and we can get the fuck out of here."
9. Seth: "Everybody be cool. You - be cool."

The Gecko brothers are criminals who are running from the law. Seth is a known armed robber and Richie is a known armed robber and sex offender. They are also known for taking people hostage and murdering people such as Earl McGraw, a Texas Ranger.
I LOVE the Gecko Brothers. I think they have got to be the coolest characters ever in a film, along with characters from Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds! I know they're meant to be assholes, but that's why I absolutely love them. They are hilarious, focused, crazy and just plain cool assholes. Characters like these are rare to find in a film. That is what makes this film brilliant!
Clooney puts on a stellar performance! He was made for the role of Seth. He had the right amount of intensity that the character needed. It showed that Clooney was able to jump from the small screen to the big one quite gracefully. Clooney has charisma and it shows!
Tarantino was great as Richie Gecko. People saying Tarantino can't act is bullshit. He does an amazing job and is very believable as Richie. I wish Tarantino had more large roles like this one.

Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis & Ernest Liu are Jacob, Kate & Scott Fuller
Their best lines:
1. Jacob: "Are you so much a fucking loser, you can't tell when you've won?"
2. Kate's dialogue:
[Richard day-dreaming]
Kate: Richie, would you do me a favor and eat my pussy for me... please?
Richie: Uhh... sure.
3. Scott: "Kill me, Kate."
4. Jacob: "I'm a mean, mhm mhm servant of God."
5. More Kate dialogue:
Kate: Where are you taking us? Richie: Mexico. Kate: What's in Mexico? Richie: Mexicans.
6. Jacob dialogue:
[referring to Jacob & Scott] Seth: So, what's the deal with you two, you a couple of fags? Jacob: He's my son. Seth: Yeah, how's that happen? You don't look Japanese. Jacob: Neither does he. He looks Chinese. Seth: Oh, ooh, well excuse me all to hell.

Jacob Fuller is the father of Kate and Scott. He is a widowed ex-pastor who is not even sure that God exists anymore. He is very close to his two teenage kids. This is the family that the Gecko Brothers take hostage.
I think the Fuller family are adorable. They're all so close and just genuinely sweet, until Jacob swears at Seth, but that's only one time :) I love how the Fullers just accept that they're being taken hostage and use their van to help the Gecko brothers, although they were forced and they would die if they didn't, but it's sweet nonetheless. But the Fullers actually eventually get into Seth's cool book...which means they're pretty damn cool.

Salma Hayek is Santanico Pandemonium
Her best lines:
1. [To Seth] "Let's see if you taste as good as your brother."
2. "I'm not gonna drain you completely. You're gonna turn for me. You'll be my slave. You'll live for me. You'll eat bugs because I order it. Why? Because I don't think you're worthy of human blood. You'll feed on the blood of stray dogs. You'll be my foot stool. And at my command, you'll lick the dog shit from my boot heel. Since you'll be my dog, your new name will be "Spot". Welcome to slavery." [and Seth replies "No, thanks. I've already had a wife." - which Clooney improvised, kudos to him for that. It cracks me up every time]

Santanico Pandemonium is insane! She is a stripper and the main attraction at the Titty Twister. Mind you, she is a vampire and unfortunately, she kills Richie Gecko. She is a bitch for doing that, but she's still great nonetheless.
Her snake dance is a-m-a-z-i-n-g and it wasn't even choreographed! Rodriguez told Hayek to feel the music, and she did! She performs to Tito and Tarantula's After Dark, the best song on the soundtrack, although they are all great. I actually read in the script that the song played during Santanico Pandemonium's snake dance was originally supposed to be Down in Mexico by the Coasters, the song that Arlene performs her lap dance to in Death Proof. But After Dark works perfectly and Salma Hayek is fabulous. That scene is hot. I actually missed Santanico Pandemonium when she died, although she was a blood-sucking vampire that killed Richie.

Tom Savini is Sex Machine
His best line:
1. "Now, let's kill that fucking band."

Sex Machine is awesome! Just take a look at that killer gun for starters! He turns out to be a pretty nice, cool guy, until he turns into a vampire. Of course, he had to be killed, which is a shame because he was alright.

Danny Trejo is Razor Charlie
His best dialogue:
Seth Gecko: You serve food here, Jose?
Razor Charlie: Best in Mexico.
Seth Gecko: I kinda doubt that.

Razor Charlie is a small part. He is merely one of the bartenders at the Titty Twister. And although it is small part, I cannot not mention any Danny Trejo character. Razor Charlie is a bad-ass, a bad-ass vampire that is.
Trejo is a regular in Robert Rodriguez films and it's awesome! :) A Trejo project I'm particularly looking forward to is Machete! The fake trailer for Grindhouse was so over-the-top-hilariously-amazing and the film will definitely be the same.

Cheech Marin is the Border Guard, Chet Pussy and Carlos
His best lines:
1. Chet Pussy: "All right, pussy, pussy, pussy! Come on in pussy lovers! Here at the Titty Twister we're slashing pussy in half! Give us an offer on our vast selection of pussy, this is a pussy blow out! All right, we got white pussy, black pussy, Spanish pussy, yellow pussy, we got hot pussy, cold pussy, we got wet pussy, we got smelly pussy, we got hairy pussy, bloody pussy, we got snappin' pussy, we got silk pussy, velvet pussy, Naugahyde pussy, we even got horse pussy, dog pussy, chicken pussy! Come on, you want pussy, come on in, pussy lovers! If we don't got it, you don't want it! Come on in, pussy lovers!"
2. [Dialogue as Carlos]
Seth: [talking about the Titty Twister] You've never been here before?
Carlos: No. I drove by it a couple of times. It's a rowdy place, it's out in the middle of nowhere, there'd be no cops and it's open from dusk till dawn. And didn't you say you wanted to meet in the morning? Here we are.
Seth: Well since you just picked this place out of a hat, my brother is dead, that girl's entire fucking family is dead!
Carlos: What, were they psychos? Or...
Seth: Do they look like psychos? Is that what they look like? They were vampires! Psychos do not explode when sunlight hits them, I don't give a fuck how crazy they are!

I know those were all long quotes/dialogue, but it's all gold!
[Chet Pussy is pictured] Cheech Marin is a champion! He is also a Rodriguez regular and he plays three(!) characters in this film. Chet Pussy is especially famous because of his 'pussy speech' that is said when the Geckos and the Fullers first arrive at the Titty Twister. He is hilarious!
Carlos is also hilarious. Every time my dad and I talk about this film, he never ceases to quote Carlos from the final scene. He is the guy that the Gecko brothers were waiting for in the Titty Twister.


This film probably has the best plot shift of all time. Many people think it's stupid, but I totally agree with Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez's view on that matter, which is that the shift is good because you don't expect it. There have been no implications that they were going to run into vampires at all, and that makes it exciting. And as Tarantino has said, it's much like a Stephen King novel in the sense that the audience is introduced to the characters, you get to know them first, and then the bad stuff happens to them. It makes you somewhat feel sympathy towards the characters and interested in how they're going to survive the recent random turn of events.

This film excites the hell out of me. The plot shift is so unexpected and so great! Everybody dies except Seth, Kate and Carlos. The final scene is somewhat touching. Kate asks if she could go with Seth to El Ray and he basically says that it's not for somebody like her. He says "I may be a bastard, but I'm not a fucking bastard." I found this sweet because he puts her safety first and saves her from the dangers of El Ray.
Kate ends up being alone, all her family is dead, and Seth escapes to El Ray with his money.

This is the ultimate Tarantino/Rodriguez collaboration, along with Grindhouse. This film contains several Tarantino-isms and Rodriguez regulars and I enjoyed seeing and spotting all of them. Tarantino wrote a magnificent script and Rodriguez's direction is top-notch!

I actually get really excited when I think about this film and it makes me want to see it again, every time. My friend I was watching it with at the time said, "Oh my God, 'Selma' [god love her] Hayek turned into a vampire out of nowhere! That is so freaking random, and cool! Quentin Tarantino has a foot fetish, doesn't he?" That cracked me up. I'm guessing she liked it, but one thing's for sure; I absolutely love it!

This film is bad-ass, hilarious, just plain cool & exhilarating!
I give it 4 out of 4 stars!
Tarantino & Rodriguez did a great job. I will love them forever :)

Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E5iV_VoBSg

Rating: R
Runtime: 108 mins

Taysha. x

The One Where the Car is 100% Death Proof.

The 6th of January was my third viewing of this film. I chose to watch it then because it was my birthday. And what better film to watch on my birthday than Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (2007)?! This film is definitely one of my all-time favourite films and it always will be, it might even be close to my favourite.
Now, as everybody knows, Death Proof is only one half of the Grindhouse double feature by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez but I'm choosing to review Death Proof & Planet Terror separately...

WARNING: I'm sorry, this blog contains SPOILERS. I must comment on the events that take place in this film. In my defense; that is a good thing. It means I get excited and want to talk about the film in detail :)

Written & Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Two separate groups of beautiful girls are stalked at different times by a stuntman serial killer who uses his "death proof" cars to bring his murderous plans to action.

Tarantino films usually offer a range of brilliant characters. This film is no exception to that fact.

Kurt Russell is Stuntman Mike
His best lines:
1. "Hey, Pam, remember when I said this car was death proof? Well, that wasn't a lie. This car is 100% death proof. Only to get the benefit of it, honey, you really need to be sitting in my seat."
2. "I'm not a cowboy, Pam... I'm a stuntman."
3. "You know how people say "You're okay in my book" or "In my book, that's no good"? Well, I actually have a book. And everybody I ever meet goes in this book. And, now I've met you, and you're going in the book! Except, I'm afraid I must file you... under... 'chicken shit.'"

Although, Stuntman Mike is a serial killer, I do like him a lot. He is a real smooth talker with plenty of spunk. That is probably why Arlene gives him his lap dance, well, that and/or the fact that he shall file her under "chicken shit" in his book if she didn't. He's absolutely crazy for stalking those girls, but he's completely cool at the same time. But he loses his cool when the second group of girls kick his ass! He cries like a little girl! It is absolutely hilarious.
Kurt Russell IS Stuntman Mike, I actually cannot picture anybody else in this role. In my opinion, Stuntman Mike is the best character Kurt Russell has played since Snake Plissken. Russell's performance should definitely get more recognition! His performance is great in my book!

First group of girls:

Sydney Poitier is Jungle Julia
Her best lines:
1. "What about "kinda cute, kinda hot, kinda sexy, hysterically funny, but not funny-looking guy who you could fuck" did you not understand?"
2. "Looking good, Cannonball Run!"
3. "For your information, Pete Townshend, at one point, almost quit The Who. And if he had, he would have ended up in this group, thus making it Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, Tich and Pete. And if you ask me, he should have."

Jungle Julia is a local radio DJ in Austin, Texas. She's beautiful, full of surprises, up to scratch on her musical knowledge; of course, and she likes to stick her feet out of the car window. What's not to like? Personally, I love Jungle Julia. She has great taste in music and I absolutely love her hair! Her bitchy moment is when she tells Arlene she must give a random guy a lap dance if he repeats the poem Julia said on her radio show. This was all to Arlene's surprise and she got pretty annoyed. Although Julia did a bitchy thing, we still love her :)
Sydney Poitier is perfect as Jungle Julia. She's got the right look [as seen in many of Jungle Julia's promotional billboards plastered all around Austin] and I love the way she delivers her lines. I would love to see Poitier in more films. I'm surprised she hasn't gotten her big break yet. She has a huge amount of potential!

Vanessa Ferlito is Arlene
Her best lines:
1. "Hold on, I gotta come up! I gotta take the world's biggest fuckin' piss!
2. "You got two jobs; kiss good, and make sure my hair don't get wet."

Arlene is really cool. She's not a Texan native, she is from Brooklyn, NY. She's also beautiful, she doesn't take any crap [most of the time] and she also has an awesome taste in music. Arlene is probably my favourite character out of the first group of gals.
I really liked Vanessa Ferlito as Arlene. She really suited the part. This is probably because Tarantino actually wrote the part of Arlene specifically for Ferlito to play. Nonetheless, it worked. Ferlito also deserves kudos for the lap dance scene, she was really good!

Jordan Ladd is Shanna
Her best lines:
1. "Okay, mean girl in a high school movie. You through havin' a tantrum?"
2. "No. Now there is one thing every girl in the whole world whose name is Shanna has in common with each other - we all hate the name Shawna. And we really hate when people call us Shawna. Remember it's Shanna banana not Shawna banawna."
3. "You said "Jesus Christ Shanna". And before the sentence was over, ya threw a fuckin' in there to emphasize your irritatedness."

Shanna is very likable in my opinion. She's a total Texan party girl with the accent and everything. I would totally hang out with her, she seems like fun! :) And when I hang out with her, I would definitely make sure that I call her Shanna, not Shawna.
I enjoyed watching Jordan Ladd as Shanna. I thought she did a damn good job playing her too, considering that Ladd doesn't really have a Texan accent. She's been in Cabin Fever, Hostel II, the Thanksgiving fake trailer made for Grindhouse & Death Proof. She definitely has a good-quality career on her hands!


Other notable characters:

Rose McGowan is Pam
Her best lines:
1. "Is that cowboy wisdom?"
2. "So what's your name, icy?"
3. "Hey Warren. Who is this guy?"
4." And who the hell is Stuntman Mike?"

Pam starts off as a woman who simply needs a ride. Stuntman Mike then offers to give her one. Although Jungle Julia calls Pam something along the lines of a "fake, blonde bitch", I quite like her. She's smooth, cute and curious [which is a good thing].
I was glad to see Rose McGowan in both of the films from the Grindhouse double feature because I like watching her very much.

Quentin Tarantino is Warren
His best lines:
1. "Is that a tasty beverage or is that a tasty be-ve-rage?"
2. "Chartreuse! The only liquor so good they named a color after it!"
3. [when asked who Stuntman Mike is] "He's a stuntman".

Warren is the bartender of a local bar in Austin, Texas. Seeing that Austin is a small place, Warren knows many of the Austin natives and regulars such as Stuntman Mike.
I love to see Quentin Tarantino acting in his own films as well as other films such as From Dusk Till Dawn, Sleep With Me and Planet Terror. Regardless of what people say, I think Tarantino is a fine actor.

Eli Roth is Dov
His best lines:
1. "Dude, check it out. I wonder if BJ brought the bear with him."
2. "Dude fucking cut himself falling out of his time machine."
3. "Hi, could I get a chicken suit for "Stroker Ace", please?"
4. "Dude, as long as a guy's buyin' the booze, a fuckin' bitch'll drink anything."
5. "And I know I can at least get Shanna "Suck My" Banana to do a fucking Buttery Nipple shot."
6. "So is it Shawna and the girls at lake house this weekend?"

Dov! Dov is a legend! Eli Roth has described Dov as a Jewish guy that cannot get laid, which is very true. Dov is hilarious, witty, persistent, so gorgeous(!); of course, and a bit of a dufus, but that makes us love him even more :) Okay, why didn't Shanna make out with him again? Silly girl.
Well, I think it's safe to say that it is quite obvious that I love to watch Eli Roth act in films, especially Quentin Tarantino ones. I think he is definitely good value and should be in more films! Although it is a small part, I always look forward to seeing Dov.

Second group of girls:

Tracie Thoms is Kim
Her best lines:
1. "Fuck that! I wanna do my laundry whenever the fuck I wanna do my laundry."
2. "You redneck, lunatic bastard!"
3. "Look, I don't know what futuristic utopia you live in, but the world I live in, a bitch need a gun."
4. "Uh, yeah... they gave it to me after I became a Secret Service Agent..."
5. "Whatever with your however."

Kim is a professional stunt-woman. Stuntman Mike chose the wrong girl to mess with in the second half of the film! She's ruthless, hilarious, crazy and cool. Kim is an absolute hoot! She too seems like a fun gal to hang out with.
I know Tracie Thoms from Cold Case, but I've never seen her in any other film. She is a really good actress. I really enjoyed watching her in Death Proof and I hope to see her in something else soon :)

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is Lee
Her best lines:
1. "I can't believe a fucking Circle A clerk carries Italian Vogue."
2. "Okay, but if anyone tears out any sheets that I want, you gotta make color Xerox copies of those pages, and I'm not talkin' fuckin' Kinko's here either. You take it to the art department and have them do it fucking right."
3. "He made you a tape? Wait, he didn't burn you a CD, he made you a tape? Oh, it's so romantic."

Lee is an actress. She's adorable, sweet, has a beautiful singing voice and she's so clueless. Now, there is much speculation as to what happened to Lee when she was left by Abernathy, Zoe and Kim with Jasper (a really sleazy guy who's selling his car) who thought she was a porn star. My theory on this issue is that the girls left their own car with Lee, so if Lee was in any kind of trouble she could simply drive off. But Tarantino has obviously left it to anybody's interpretation, so anything could have happened.
Winstead is good in her role as Lee and I'd like to see her in more films as well.

Zoe Bell is Herself
Her best lines:
1. "I'm sorry I called you black bitch!"
2. "I'm okay!"
3. "So where's the maniac?"

Zoe too is a stunt-woman. She is one cool, crazy cat! Her favourite game is called Ship's Mast; a crazy-ass game that involves her riding on the hood of the car while Kim drives really(!) fast. Yes, crazy, I know.
Now, Zoe Bell is a real life stunt-woman who has doubled for Uma Thurman in the Kill Bill films & Melanie Laurent and Diane Kruger in Inglourious Basterds. She had never really acted before her role in Death Proof, so considering that; I thought she was pretty damn good. She's a natural!

Rosario Dawson is Abernathy
Her best lines:
1. "You can't get around the fact that people who carry guns, tend to get shot more than people who don't."
2. "Okay, fuck both of you and your little high five."
3. "I heard what you said. I just can't believe what you said. You know, you two got some fucking balls."
4. "You know we're supposed to be this big posse, but that's the excuse that you guys use whenever you want to exclude me from something. So, what is it that you two daredevils are doing that I'm just so uncool I couldn't possibly understand?"

Abernathy is a make-up artist to the stars. I love her, she is my favourite character in the second group of girls. She is just fabulous. She doesn't take any crap and gets into the action, eventually. And she likes Italian Vogue; she's my friend! :) Also, she kicks freaking ass!
Rosario Dawson is great, totally believable, and I think this is one of her best roles yet. I'd love to see her work with Tarantino again sometime because she was amazing in this film.


Now, if you're wondering what the whole Grindhouse double feature deal is about, I'll tell you :) Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez decided to make one film each and release them together under the title of Grindhouse. These films would be homages to the 70's exploitation films they used to show in the trashy theaters called 'Grindhouses', where they would show double features for the price of one film. They would have missing reels and the film would be damaged which caused the picture of the film to seem grindy or somewhat tattered/sleazy. Up to speed?

Many people that discuss this film complain that there is too much dialogue and not enough action. If you don't enjoy scenes of dialogue then why the hell are you watching a Tarantino film?! Tarantino films are always full of dialogue! Great, interesting dialogue, definitely not drivel. I thought the conversations both the groups of girls are having concerning the "dick department" (to quote Zoe) are interesting as well as the scene where Abernathy, Zoe, Kim and Lee are having lunch talking about films such as Vanishing Point, Gone in 60 Seconds and Pretty in Pink.
The action scenes were in the right place all throughout the film. There wasn't a lack of action scenes and there weren't too many. It was exactly the right amount.
These actions scenes, of course, being the suspenseful, intense death scene of the first group of girls and the riveting car chase at the end of the film with the second group of girls and Stuntman Mike [which literally had me on the edge of my seat!]. The ways Jungle Julia, Arlene and Shanna died were incredible! We saw everything, and that's what made me happy. We saw the wheel go over Arlene's face, we saw Jungle Julia's leg break off and we saw Shanna fly out of the car no longer in one piece. My friend flipped out the first time she saw that scene, and so did I when I first saw it! Well, Jungle Julia did have it coming, with her leg hanging out of the car window all the time & everything. And let's not forget how poor Pam died...Stuntman Mike's a real asshole, but you can't help but love him and be utterly charmed by him. These scenes were utterly amazing because there was no CGI involved. That blew my mind!

I must comment on the soundtrack! Tarantino, the great man he is, has provided another kick-ass(!) soundtrack for this film. All of the tracks are amazing, but I must single out Down in Mexico by The Coasters. Wow! Now, that is a song! That song is, of course, the song played in the lap dance scene with Arlene & Stuntman Mike. And Paranoia Prima by Ennio Morricone to give it that eerie feel, and it succeeds. Also, Hold Tight by Dave Dee, Dozy Beaky, Mick & Tich is amazing! Kudos to Jungle Julia for that one :)

The ending of Death Proof was so satisfying! There are some films that I watch where I can't fully absorb the ending, I'm questioning everything and/or thought it was a stupid way to end the film. In my experience, Death Proof was nothing like that. After the film finishes I am left feeling fully satisfied and feeling good! Every time I see Abernathy, Kim and Zoe beating up Stuntman Mike, I cheer them on! I love it. And when Abernathy kicks his face in with her boot is just awesome! That's one kick-ass moment right there!

For some reason, Grindhouse bombed at the box office. Now, I have no idea why that is and I don't understand it. Maybe audiences just didn't appreciate what Tarantino & Rodriguez were paying homage to. I'm glad to say that I do understand that and I appreciate it. I love Death Proof! No matter what everybody else says, I don't think it's a weak Tarantino film at all. I think it's brilliant!
I give it 4 out of 4 stars!
Wow, I could talk about this film all day...but, don't worry, I won't :)
I actually can't wait to watch it again. This film and the film I'm reviewing next made my birthday a fantastic day! Thanks Quentin(!) and his guys...and of course his gals :)

I love this photo of the whole cast of Grindhouse as well...it actually makes me really happy :) This photo proves Eli Roth's greatness ♥

Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEVyC8FByng

Rating: R
Runtime: 114 min (international version) | Japan:113 min | USA:90 min (edited version)

Taysha. x

The One With Edward Scissorhands.

I have watched Edward Scissorhands (1990) approximately 5 times and I never get tired of it. This film is one of my favourites and it will always be the film that exemplifies Tim Burton's genius perfectly. It is a classic.

Directed by: Tim Burton
Story by: Tim Burton & Caroline Thompson
Screenplay by: Caroline Thompson

Edward Scissorhands tells the story of an usual, "uncommonly gentle" man who has scissors for hands. While being exposed to the 'real world' after living in his castle his whole life, he falls in love with a teenage girl. This is the typical story of two people from separate worlds where the girl hates the "freak" at first but then learns to love him, but it works!

Edward Scissorhands is a fragile, adorable and insecure man played by Johnny Depp. He does not know right from wrong, but he has a heart of gold(!), not literally, though. Actually, his heart is literally a cookie. Edward can do no wrong in my book. He's so lovable and unbelievably sweet.
As usual, Johnny Depp is amazing in his role. Depp saw qualities that he himself possessed in Edward and he used them to his advantage. Johnny Depp IS Edward Scissorhands, nobody else could play him, even Tom Cruise who auditioned for the part & wanted it bad.

Winona Ryder plays Kim, the teenager that Edward falls in love with.
At the beginning of the film she is involved with Jim (Anthony Michael Hall) who is a complete asshole. Fortunately she dumps him towards the end of the film because she falls in love with Edward :) Kim's best scene is when she dances in the snow that Edward creates while ice sculpting.
Winona Ryder is fantastic as Kim. It would have been good if Ryder made more films with Tim Burton because she also great in Beetlejuice.
The only compliant regarding Kim/Ryder is the blonde wig that Ryder wears. It would be fine if it didn't look like straw, but that's hardly the point...the point is that Kim is lovable, adorable and sweet like Edward. Kim and Edward are nearly perfect.

Vincent Price plays Edward's inventor and father figure. He taught Edward everything he could about life and etiquette among other things before he died.
Vincent Price is perfect in one of his last roles as the Inventor. It is such a shame that Burton could not do his documentary about Price which was to be titled "Conversations with Vincent". Unfortunately it did not get made due to Price's death in 1993. This documentary would have been extremely intriguing.

There are many more notable characters in this film. For example; The Boggs family played by Dianne Wiest, Alan Arkin, Robert Oliveri and Winona Ryder, are perfect. They are a very normal family who the audience could really relate to. They are your typical nuclear family. Arkin is especially good as Bill Boggs. Wiest is exceptional as Peg Boggs, the local Avon lady. Peg is also very lovable. Audiences immediately love her because of her understanding and sweet nature. Apart from Edward and Kim, she is my favourite character.

There is also those crazy-ass, nosy, lonely housewife neighbours! They are all crazy(!) but very entertaining. Especially, Kathy Baker as Joyce.

The contrasting colours in the film are genius. The regular suburban families live in pastel coloured houses, while, at the end of the road; Edward lives in a large, black Gothic-style castle.
Overall, I love this film. I am a huge fan of Johnny Depp, Tim Burton and Winona Ryder and they hardly ever do wrong in my opinion. In this context, they were all fantastic! This is a fairytale that is definitely a must-see. It's beautiful. It never fails to make me cry and I love that. This film is highly recommended.
I give it 4 out of 4 stars.

Check out the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq2PPFUhfpo

Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 105 mins.

Taysha. x