Monsters vs. Aliens: What did you think of the movie?

Huge thanks to everyone who came to the library to watch Monsters vs. Aliens yesterday. 63 people showed up! After the movie there was a drawing to win a Night at the Museum 2 poster.

I think my favorite part of the movie was when B.O.B. (voiced by Seth Rogen) tried to be smooth and used pick-up lines on a green jello mold. Too funny. Later in the movie B.O.B. copies Susan's break-up with her boyfriend Derek and adds his own spin on it: "Derek, you're a stupid jerk, and guess what? I've met someone else. She's lime-green, she has 14 little chunks of pineapple inside of her, and she is everything I deserve in life! I'm happy now, Derek, without you. It's over!" Monsters vs. Aliens got a ton of laughs and I'm glad everyone had a good time! I missed most of the beginning of the movie because I was making popcorn, so I think I'll have to check it out from the library in the near future!

Have you seen Monsters vs. Aliens? What did you think? If you haven't seen it yet or would like to watch it again, put a copy from the library on hold for yourself:
Find it in the catalog!

I hope we'll see everyone at one (or all) of the four movies Dundee Township Public Library District is showing in December! More on those later!

Part two of New Moon opening night recap: The wait is over

During the break between Twilight and New Moon AMC Peter was back for further audience hassling; he asked if the ending of Twilight was the same or if it had changed since the last time we watched it. Hilarious stuff! He also wanted to see who had more support, Team Edward or Team Jacob. After a short screaming match Team Edward was deemed the winner in our theater, but it sounded like a tie to my ears.

Once midnight hit the waiting still was not over, as we had to sit through trailers (seven total). The trailer for Remember Me (starring Robert Pattinson) ignited freak-outs in a majority of the audience. The audience clapped and then screamed once the trailers ended. When the Summit logo appeared people started to shush each other.

New Moon focuses on Bella's (Kristen Stewart) relationship with her newly-buff friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who turns into a werewolf when he gets angry or hunts vampires. In much of the movie Bella is in a depressed state because her vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson) broke up with her. When Bella spends time with Jacob she feels better and isn't so down about everything. He cares deeply for her, but Bella only likes Jacob as a friend. Bella still cannot let go of Edward. She realizes that when she behaves recklessly she is able to see and hear Edward, so she rides motorcycles and participates in other dangerous activities. When she cliff dives she sets off a chain of events that leads Edward to believe Bella is dead. He then goes to Italy to offer himself to the Volturi, a group of vampires that uphold vampire laws.

Similar to the first Twilight film, Bella's dad Charlie (Billy Burke) and her friends from Forks High School provide some nice comedic moments. In one highlight Bella sits between Mike Newton (Michael Welch) and Jacob at the movies, and each guy has his hand upturned on the armrest while she keeps her hands to herself. In another, Jessica (Anna Kendrick) explains why she does not like zombie movies. Paul, Sam, Jared, and Embry of The Wolf Pack also get some comedic jabs in, although their personalities aren't as clearly defined as those of the Cullen vampire family. I wanted to see more done with the Quileute tribe and the members who turn into werewolves (aka "The Wolf Pack"). And not because they're shirtless most of the time! The movie only briefly touches on their abilities, one of which is how they are able to read each other's minds.

There's no question who got the most screams: Jacob. His first New Moon appearance prompts Bella to say, "Hello, biceps." During the scene where Bella confronts Jacob in the rain someone in the theater even took a picture. Jokes about his bulked-up physique aside, I think Lauter gives a fantastic performance in New Moon. He is such a sweetheart to Bella; audience members went, "Aww" whenever she rejected any of his advances. I admit it: I am switching to Team Jacob after seeing Lautner's performance.

New Moon tallies*:
The number of times...
... the audience screamed: 8
... the audience clapped: 12
... Edward appears shirtless: 3
... Jacob appears shirtless: 5 or 6*
... a member of the wolf pack appears shirtless: 17
... Edward appears to be in pain: 27
... Edward smiles and/or laughs: 10
... Bella mopes and/or has nightmares: 13
... Bella is rescued: 5
... Jasper has a hilarious look on his face: 10
... Edward's image appears before Bella when she is being reckless or in danger: 15

* At certain points my pen was running out of ink and I had to go back and forth over the paper several times. Looking at my tallies now it's hard to tell where I was trying to darken one tally mark or add an additional one (it was pretty dark in the theater, okay?). Can anyone fill in the gaps to these numbers? If not, I guess I'll just have to see New Moon a second time.

The third installment in the series, Eclipse, comes to theaters June 2010!

• The Twilight Saga: New Moon is now playing at theaters everywhere
• 2 hours and 10 minutes; rated PG-13

Part one of New Moon opening night recap: Twilight

Last night I caught a double feature of Twilight and New Moon at the AMC in South Barrington. Several theaters in the area screened last year's Twilight at 9 PM before screening the next installment, New Moon, at midnight. In anticipation of the craziness I bought the tickets online and then picked them before the actual date of the showtime. It was a good deal to do the double feature. My friend and I got to the theater around 8:30 and saw that there were already two holding pens of Twilight fans waiting for the midnight showing, but we were able to go right into the theater. Although I've seen Twilight twice before in the theater I thought it would be fun to see it with a packed crowd of hard-core fans. I didn't see many people dressed as the characters, but plenty of fans (including myself) were wearing Twilight-related shirts.

Shortly before 9 PM an AMC employee named Peter welcomed us and then proceeded to mock our decision to see Twilight in the theater again: "Everyone feeling satisfied you paid $6 to see a movie you already own on DVD?" (screams!) Perhaps he was also trying to give the audience's lungs a workout; he mentioned something about the new Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp (more screams!), and then asked if anyone watched the TV show True Blood (screams!). He asked the audience whether Twilight or True Blood was better (indistinguishable screams!). His response: "The correct answer is True Blood."

By the time the lights went out for Twilight, the screams started up again. I heard audible gasps erupt from the audience the first time we saw the Cullens walk into the school cafeteria. The first close-up of Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) provoked the loudest screams. Interestingly enough the only other character whose appearance caused screams was Carlise (Peter Facinelli). Yep, that's right, nobody was screaming for Jacob, played by Taylor Lautner (yet).

Seeing the movie this time around I noticed things I hadn't before. On Bella's (Kristen Stewart) first day at Forks High School she gets a prime parking spot right in front of the school. Not believable! And, why doesn't Emmett Cullen (Kellan Lutz) like to sit down when he rides in cars? He always stands or crouches. Also, what's with the monkey references? Edward calls Bella a "spider-monkey" and Rosalie (Nikki Reed) refers to Emmett as her "monkey man." Furthermore, the head cocking and air sniffing that Cam Gigandet brings to the role of James is also something he used in the movie Never Back Down. Finally, while I always paid close attention to the hilarious strained looks on Jasper's (Jackson Rathbone) face, I never realized he is doing a sort of jig when he and Emmett burn the body of James in the ballet studio. Dance, Jasper, dance! Things to think about. I also kept a few tallies going during the movie:

Twilight tallies: The number of times...
... the audience screamed: 3*
... the audience clapped: 5
... Bella is helped/rescued: 5
... Jasper makes a painful face: 11
... Edward appears as if he's in pain: 38
... Edward smiles and/or laughs: 33
... there were bad special effects: 8

* I didn't start counting until after the movie began. I wish I would have kept track of all the screams during AMC Peter's "welcome."

Race to Witch Mountain: What did you think?

Thanks to the 17 people who came out to watch Race to Witch Mountain at the library last night. I think it had some cool action sequences, especially those scenes with the taxi chase. Plus, the movie had many funny moments. I think Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) is a good combination of an action and comedy star!

Have you seen Race to Witch Mountain? What did you think about it?

If you are interested in watching this movie on DVD, just place it on hold from the library:
Find it in the catalog!

Hope to see you on Saturday, when we show Monsters vs. Aliens!

Marlene

The 1984 documentary Marlene is both fascinating and frustrating; an essential part of Marlene Dietrich's legacy, in which she is noticeably absent. Directed by Maximilian Schell, a renowned German actor-turned-filmmaker whom Dietrich had previously worked with on the 1961 film Judgement at Nuremberg, this is very much Marlene's show. The reclusive 81-year-old star agreed to participate in the interview process, with the substantial caveat that she not appear on film. Schell's solution was to present these interviews as the documentary audio-track, and use film stills, vintage newsreels, archival concert footage and excerpts from the films themselves as the visual corollary to the interviews. The documentary touches on Dietrich's entire filmography, from her breakout performance in The Blue Angel (1930), and continued collaboration with director Josef von Sternberg, to her Hollywood genre pictures such as Destry Rides Again (1939) and Touch of Evil (1958). The interviews themselves are legendary. Dietrich routinely ignored Schell's questions, in favor of dismissive declarations ("I was an actress. I made films. Period.") and wry assessments of her fellow performers. These evasions prove to be far more revealing than one might imagine; creating a portrait of a complex, mercurial, personality. Marlene works as an intriguing case-study in how much an iconic film star can give of herself, and how much she needs to keep.

Recently released on DVD by Kino.

Find it in the catalog!

For a look at what made Marlene Dietrich such a fascinating subject, check these out:

The Scarlet Empress (1934)
Find it in the catalog!

Destry Rides Again (1939)
Find it in the catalog!

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Find it in the catalog!

Touch of Evil (1958)
Find it in the catalog!

What we're listening to: Lines, Vines and Trying Times by the Jonas Brothers

I checked out the Jonas Brothers' CD A Little Bit Longer earlier this year from the library, not expecting much. I actually found myself enjoying the music and eventually went out and bought my own copy. So I had to check out this album, which definitely has a more mature sound as they deal with relationships and growing up. Kevin, Joe, and Nick write and perform their own music; all the songs save two are co-written by all three brothers (Nick is the sole writer on the other two songs).

"World War III" finds the boys complaining about a girlfriend who prefers to turn everything into a fight. On "What Did I Do To Your Heart" they wonder how they could break a girl's heart when "all I do is treat you with respect / All the best and nothing less." Lines, Vines and Trying Times also features cameos that are both predictable (Miley Cyrus on "Release the Storm") and surprising (Common on "Don't Charge Me for the Crime"). My favorites off the album include "Much Better" and "Black Keys." "Much Better" sounds like something out of the '80s, with its horn section and fun refrain of "You / I wanna fight with you / Make up tonight with / You / You're much better." This song is evidence of how the Jonas Brothers' music has reached beyond teen-pop. In the linear notes for this song they explain how they wanted to share their influences of the Bee Gees and Neil Diamond. "Black Keys," written by Nick Jonas, recalls the honesty and vulnerability of "A Little Bit Longer" (also written by Nick) from last year's album of the same name. I think Nick is the stand-out of this group, and I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually went solo. In addition to his role as a songwriter he also plays guitar. And the piano. Plus the drums. Oh, and don't forget the glockenspiel. The kid is only 17!

Reserve your own copy from the library and listen to Lines, Vines and Trying Times:
Find it in the catalog!

DVDs out November 17th

Brüno: Sacha Baron Cohen, creator/star of the hit comedy Borat, is back with another satirical comedy. Cohen stars as the title character, a fictional fashionista whose resolute shallowness is used as a tool to expose the shallowness of the fashion industry itself. Like Borat, the Brüno character was originally created for Cohen's television series Da Ali G Show.
Find it in the catalog!

Is Anybody There?: A young boy raised in a hospice for the elderly is preoccupied with death. His unlikely friendship with an embittered ex-magician (played by Michael Caine) is what drives this comedy/drama.
Find it in the catalog!

My One and Only: Renee Zellweger stars as a young mother who leaves her philandering husband (played by Kevin Bacon) and goes in search of a new father for her two sons. Based on the real-life childhood experiences of actor George Hamilton.
Find it in the catalog!

My Sister's Keeper: A drama based on Jodi Picoult's bestselling novel, adapted by screenwriter Jeremy Leven (The Notebook). Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric star as parents whose daughter suffers from leukemia. Their family dynamic is profoundly tested when they conceive another daughter in an attempt at saving the first. The critics agree: Do not watch this film without a box of Kleenex nearby.
Find it in the catalog!

Star Trek: A prequel to the original Star Trek series, this 2009 adaptation features a younger crew and updated visual style. An entertaining - and occasionally touching - entry in the decades old franchise. Chris Pine stars as a young and untested Captain Kirk, but, this being Star Trek, it's all about teamwork.
Find it in the catalog!

Highlights of November movies out in theaters

Here are some movies I'm looking forward to seeing in November:

Pirate Radio (now playing): Attention Philip Seymour Hoffman fans! During the 1960s rock radio is banned in Britain and a group of DJs (including Hoffman) broadcast rock music from a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Written and directed by Bill Curtis (Love, Actually). Also starring Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, and Kenneth Branagh.

Precious (now playing): Sapphire's book Push is the basis for this movie about an illiterate teenager who is pregnant for the second time by her father and living with an abusive mother. Comedian Mo'Nique plays the role of the mother in a performance many critics say is Oscar-worthy.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (November 20): The second novel in the popular vampire series by Stephenie Meyer comes to the screen. Teenage Bella's (Kristen Stewart) heart has been broken by her vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson). She finds comfort in friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who is quite changed from how we saw him in the first movie.

Me and Orson Welles (November 25 in limited release): Teenage Richard (Zac Efron) is a last minute addition to the Orson Welles Mercury Theater Company's stage production of Julius Caesar in 1937. Claire Danes is the older woman he falls for and Christian McKay plays Orson Welles.

The Road (November 25): Based on the postapocolyptic novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, The Road stars Viggo Mortenson as a father traveling with his son through an eerily isolated and lifeless American landscape. My brother informs me that based on the trailer, "The movie looks exactly like the book."

What are some recently released or soon to be released movies you look forward to seeing?

Mini-series to watch: Into the West

Recently, the cable channel TNT re-aired the 2005 mini-series Into the West. November being Native American Heritage Month, and since we're nearing Thanksgiving, I understand why TNT decided to re-run this enlightening series. A huge ensemble cast (Matthew Settle, Keith Carradine, Irene Bedard, Graham Greene, Skeet Ulrich, Keri Russell, the list goes on . . .) portrays the story that alternately follows a white family venturting out West, and the Native Americans already populating the region. Jacob Wheeler (played by Matthew Settle and John Terry) and Loved By The Buffalo (played by Simon Baker and Steve Reevis) seem to be the characters which all others basically revolve. Decades are spanned as characters experience struggle, betrayal, death and, occasionally, joy.

Unfortunately, some of the storylines do fall flat. The series tries to cover all angles: an African American family travels with the group of settlers out West and a Chinese immigrant helps to build the railroad. Of course, these things did happen, but they're a bit contrived and too insignificant in the plot to truly be representative of those particular expierences. The series' strong points lie in the portrayal of the conflict between white men and Native Americans. Ultimately, it is a fairly balanced look at the era in American history; not all white settlers were greedy opportunists and not all Native Americans were violent and opposed to outsider influence.

The miniseries is comprised of 6 episodes (approximately 90 mintues each) on 4 discs.
Find it in the catalog!