Where the Heart Is

Where the Wild Things Are isn't a movie made for children. It's a movie for the 20- to 30-somethings who grew up with Maurice Sendak's 350-word adventure. Director Spike Jones brings the the classic children's book to life in a way that is both visually stunning and emotionally affecting.

Max (Max Records) is a rambunctious, mischievous boy who feels scorned by his teenage sister, for letting her friends destory his ice castle, and mother (the always reliable Catherine Keener), for spending time with her new boyfriend. After a night of defiance, where he bites his mother, Max sets off on a journey, donned in his iconic wolf costume, to become king of the Wild Things.

Jonze's throughout the movie directorial choices are spot-on. He and and his screenwriting partner Dave Eggers deserve ridiculous praise for maintaining the tone of Sendak's story while injecting the film with original concepts. Jonze gives the brilliantly constructed Wild Things (designed with meticulous accuracy by Jim Henson's Creature Shop) names and personalities that add depth and heft to the story. He also showcases excellent judgment by handing the musical reigns to Karen O and Carter Burwell who turn in a score that is playful, melancholy, and entirely enchanting.

However, Jonze's direction would be nothing without the bravura performance of Records. The young star delivers the same type of spectacular performance that launched the careers of fellow child actors Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam), Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), and Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland). He carries the film, and watching him bring such a beloved literary character to life is remarkable.

Where the Wild Things Are is, without a doubt, one of the best films of the year. Not only will it touch your heart, but it will help you remember how to live and love life with reckless, childhood abandon.

Grade: A

"Takin' the Long Way Around"

This week's quote is a passage from one of my favorite books, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

"She would emerge. She always had before. The punishing political climate of Oz had beat her down, dried her up, tossed her away -- like a seedling she had drifted, apparently too desiccated ever to take root. But surely the curse was on the land of Oz, not on her. Though Oz had given her a twisted life, hadn't it also made her capable?"

Oops! She Did It Again

It's not news to anyone, but Britney Spears is back. This week, Britney became the first artist in over a decade to debut a "non-American Idol coronation song" at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The last artist to do so was Lauryn Hill with "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in November 1998.

Britney's new song, "3" is an absolute trash fest, and I'm not just talking about the song's subject. Though Britney has reached new skanky heights by singing about the appeal of threesomes. I don't even know if you can call "3" a song. It hardly has a hook and Britney's goat bleating (aka singing) is at its worst. The song's appeal is dumbfounding. I'd rather listen Sanjaya Malakar cover No Doubt's "Bathwater." Oh wait, that already happened.

Now I'm not one to have superior musical taste. I have Britney songs like "Oops! I Did it Again" and "Lucky" on my iPod. (At least Britney attempted to have a voice back then.) However, her new "music" has jumped the shark. Sure, "Womanizer" and "Gimme More" were "foot tap" worthy, but don't get me started on "Radar" and "If U Seek Amy."

I'm not sure what Britney's recent success says about the music industry. We live in a time where singers rely on synthesizers and vocal modulation. Some don't even bother to try and sing live (Britney!) while others try but sound heinous (I'm looking at you Katy Perry). Again, I am as big offender as anyone when it comes to falling for catchy music, but when the most talented new singers of the last decade come from reality television, I think we have a problem.

So even though Britney is a talentless hack, at least we have Kelly Clarkson. (You didn't really think I'd write a post on music without bringing her into the mix, did you? Come on now. Lets be serious.) On her new tour, she covers (and absolutely kills) the White Stripes' "7 Nation Army," and shows why there is still hope for the future of pop music. Watch the video below and enjoy.

Abnormally Great

Not since the Blair Witch Project has a horror flick been marketed as ingeniously as Paranormal Activity. Released nationwide this weekend, solely because of online demand from fans, Paranormal Activity is making a killing at the box office -- already grossing more than 1,800 times its paltry $11,000 budget. The film's styling and tone draw obvious and warranted comparisons to Blair Witch, but Paranormal Activity is far to superior to its 10-year-old predecessor.

The two-hour fright fest is set exclusively in the San Diego home of Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston. The movie begins with Micah purchasing an upscale video camera, so he can record the noises and sounds that Katie claims have haunted her since age eight. The scares start slowly, but they build as Micah ignores Katie's fears and encourages the supernatural happenings.

Some will say that the film's pacing is too slow, but that's what makes it so great. Paranormal Activity draws you in as you begin to understand Katie and Micah's relationship. Once the film has you hooked, it preys on your instinctual fears and vulnerabilities, making the fear that much more palatable.

Like summer hits District 9 and (500) Days of Summer, Paranormal Activity is one of the recent quality films, made on a modest budget, that has deservedly struck gold at the box office. If anything, Paranormal Activity proves that horror films can scare up a whole lot of dough, without all the blood and guts.

Grade: A-

The Truth Hurts

Last fall, Ricky Gervais headlined Ghost Town, a surprisingly funny romantic comedy about a man who sees ghosts. This fall, Gervais is back, this time as both director and lead actor, with another quirky rom-com about a world where no one can lie and everyone says what they think. However, The Invention of Lying, while funny at times, doesn't live up to it's one-of-a-kind concept.

Gervais plays Mark Bellison, a frumpy, down-on-his-luck screenwriter. Since it's a world without lying (and imagniation), Mark's screenplays are dry historical documentaries. Pretty exciting stuff. After Mark gets rejected by the woman of his dreams (Jennifer Garner), belittled by his snappy coworkers (Tina Fey and Rob Lowe), and fired from his job, he tells the world's first lie. Mark's fibs make him famous, and without giving away too much, a large portion of the film is a commentary on religion and the afterlife.

Anyone who has watched an award show during the past few years knows that Gervais is a comedic all-star. His delivery is spot-on and he knows how to make the most scathing one-liners endearing. While he's an excellent comedian, Gervais' directorial skills need some work. The Invention of Lying suffers from an identity crisis. The film waffles between romantic comedy and biting satire, and doesn't succeed fully on either front.

The supporting cast is stellar and elevates the muddy material. Jennifer Garner mails in her go-to, girl next door persona (perfected in 13 Going on 30), Tina Fey is, well, Tina Fey, and there are quite a few funny cameos from a smattering of stars including Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Though not even a cast this loaded can completely save the film.

There is a strong message to be found in The Invention of Lying, but it's just not as powerful as it should be. However, truthfully speaking, let's hope Gervais' is back soon with a comedy that delivers on his award show potential.

Grade: B

Congratulations Are in Order

Bloggers Note: Those who know me, know that I like to keep my political commentaries open-minded, rational, and level-headed. However, this will be no such post. If you're a conservative, a closed-minded partisan, or a "political ambivalent" you best stay away. Consider yourself warned.

By now everyone is aware that U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. The award is a great honor and a coup for the U.S. -- or so I thought. Upon hearing the news, the Internet exploded in a heated debate. My facebook newsfeed, which is supposedly populated heavily by liberals included the following statements:

• "can't believe that man won. the world blows my mind."
• "how the hell did Obama win? really? he hasn't done anything."
• "can't really understand why Obama won. what is the world coming to?"

I don't want to debate Obama's credentials for the Nobel Peace Prize. I think the committee chose Obama because of his phenomenal potential, and I have no doubt that the President will do his best to live up to the award. (The Huffington Post has a great piece on the Nobel Committee awarding the Piece Prize based on potential here.) I don't understand why the public cannot congratulate the man on the achievement and move on. The feverish skepticism set me off. After months of remaining silent, I am "mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore."

This rant is probably more about a few fickle Democrats than the Republicans, so my blogger's note may be for not. However, I am livid with those who continually complain about President Obama "not doing anything." The man has been President for nine months. Count them. NINE. He still has at least 39 more months in office. Yes, Obama had big campaign promises. Yes, he promised change in Washington, but can you please name a President that has made radical differences in nine months? We all knew that Obama's biggest weakness was his lack of experience. It wasn't a secret. We all knew what we were getting when we voted. The decades-old Washington machine is well-oiled. It's going to take more than one man, and 3/4 of a year to change it.

Maybe its Obama's fault for setting expectations too high, but has he really done nothing? Thanks to Obama, the discussion of health care reform has come further than ever. The system has been messed up for decades and Obama is finally stepping up to the plate and trying to get something done. Reforming health care is a pretty big deal.

Who knows, I could be completely crazy, but do I blame Obama for lack of progress? Absolutely not. I blame Congress (aka the opposite of PRO-GRESS) -- the old boy's club that hasn't accomplished anything in what seems like forever. The President has a myriad of issues to tackle - it's going to take time. I for one, still believe in the him. (As a side note, for all those complainers, change rarely happens on the national level -- it's ALWAYS slow and painful. If you want to make change -- get involved in local government, contact your state legislator, vote in municipal elections. Please.)

I said it when I was 16-years-old and I'll say it again, I want a President who knows how to lead and who can inspire a nation. President Obama is still that man. We live in a world full of cynicism and doubt, and I could be naive, but I am still choosing hope, because at the end of the day, that's a lot better than the alternative.

The Second Coming

I shouldn't be posting during the work day, but I couldn't resist, this is a big deal -- Allison Iraheta, my favorite American Idol from last season leaked her first single today, and it's a good one. Iraheta, despite Simon Cowell's criticisms, is the most talented teenage belter (sorry Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta) to come out of American Idol and "Friday I'll Be Over U" is her first step to becoming the next P!nk. The song, penned by ultimate hit maker Max Martin, the man behind Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," P!nk's "So What," and Katy Perry's "Hot 'N Cold," is simple, catchy, and showcases Allison's raw, husky tone. If anything, the song is a promising hint at what her album, coming out this December, will sound like.

Take a listen here.

"You Can Count on My Love"

A shout out to all my friends, especially those who are 2,500 miles away. From Winnie the Pooh of all places.

"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think, but the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you."
-Winnie the Pooh

Rule #1: See Zombieland

Rules are made to be broken, and that's why Zombieland, Hollywood's latest "zombie comedy," succeeds. In making Zombieland, Director Ruben Fleischer threw convention out the window, and the result is a movie that's a killer good time.

Our protagonist is Columbus, a rule-obsessed virgin in search of his family. Played by Jesse Eisenberg, Hollywood's new go-to geek (sorry, Michael Cera, your ship has sailed), Columbus neurotically lives by a long list of rules regarding the undead. For example, the most obvious rule is "do cardio" because fatties can't outrun zombies. Watching Columbus' rules play out over 80 minutes is part of Zombieland's massive appeal.

During his time as a lone wolf, Columbus meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a crazy-eyed, zombie killer on the hunt for the world's last twinkie. (The characters in Zombieland don't refer to each other by their first name, just their geographic locations, as to not get too attached.) While searching for the calorie-laden Hostess snack, Columbus and Tallahassee meet Witchita and Little Rock (Emma Stone and Little Miss Sunshine, Abigail Breslin), two manipulative and savvy sisters.

The group of misfits soon bands together and travels to (where else?) a Southern California amusement park. Their adventures are littered with hilarious zombie encounters and pop culture references. The jokes poke fun at everything and everyone from facebook to Russell Crowe, Hannah Montana even merits a references. Though I'll keep Zombieland's best pop culture encounter a secret, but it'll definitely leave you in stitches.

While it'll never win an Academy Award, Zombieland is a bloody good way to spend a night with the living dead.

Grade: B+

"You Know that I Could Use Somebody"

Kelly Clarkson launched her "All I Ever Wanted" tour yesterday, and rather than bitch about how sad I am that I can't see her, I'll just post tour videos periodically. Thank God for YouTube.

Here she is singing a mash-up of Alanis Morissette's "That I Would Be Good" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" (one of my favorite songs of the year). Pretty awesome.

Enjoy.



via mj's big blog.