pop culture: movies Archives | Page 2 of 8 | The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness

January 3, 2013 randomness

At the movies: LES MISERABLES

Les Misérables official movie website Musical drama, 2012 (rated PG-13) Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried Written by: Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, based on the novel by Victor Hugo Directed by: Tom Hooper Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption-a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean […]

December 24, 2012 randomness

At the movies: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Warner Bros.) official movie website Fantasy/adventure, 2012 (rating: PG-13) Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis Written by: Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Guillermo del Toro; adapted from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien Directed by: Peter Jackson Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which […]

November 29, 2012 reading

Book Talk: You Couldn’t Ignore Me if You Tried, by Susannah Gora

You Couldn’t Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation Susannah Gora (book website) Three Rivers Press (2011), Paperback (ISBN 0307716600 / 9780307716606) Nonfiction: Entertainment/social history, 384 pages Source: Purchased e-book (e-ISBN 9780307460066) Reason for reading: Personal Opening lines: “The lavender-hued poster of The Breakfast Club has hung on the walls of countless childhood bedrooms and college dorm rooms over the past quarter of a century. To […]

November 15, 2012 randomness

At the movies: Skyfall

Skyfall Official movie site Action/adventure drama (2012), rated PG-13 Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris Written by: Robert Wade, John Logan, and Neal Purvis, featuring characters created by Ian Fleming Directed by: Sam Mendes Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: In Skyfall, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal […]

October 29, 2012 'riting

At the movies: Argo

Argo Warner Bros. (official movie website) Drama/Supense, 2012 (rated R) Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin Written by: Chris Terrio Directed by: Ben Affleck Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: Based on true events, Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis-the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling […]

October 26, 2012 randomness

GIVEAWAY: Celebrate TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’s 50th Anniversary at a Movie Theater Near You!

I don’t do giveaways here very often, but when Harper Perennial invited me to host one for this very special event, I couldn’t say no! You’ve read the book…now see it come to life on movie screens nationwide! For one day only, on Thursday, November 15th, select movie theaters nationwide will show the award-winning film version of Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, in a special TCM Event Series screening in honor of […]

August 14, 2012 randomness

At the movies: The Campaign

The Campaign official movie site (Facebook page) Comedy, 2012 (rated R) Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine La Nesa, Sarah Baker Written by: Chris Henchy, Shawn Harwell Directed by: Jay Roach Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com:When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: […]

July 26, 2012 'riting

At the Movies: the Spider, the Bat, and the Summer of Superheroes

During the past decade or so, the “summer movie season” that once began on Memorial Day weekend–as does almost everything else “officially” summer, despite the fact the season doesn’t officially start before June 20th–has shifted its opening to early May, and superheroes have had a lot to do with that. 2012 has been a particularly “super” season at the movies, starting with Marvel’s The Avengers (which I saw three times), and hitting critical mass this […]

May 10, 2012 randomness

At the movies: The Avengers

Marvel’s The Avengers official movie website Action/adventure, SF/fantasy (2012) Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Ruffalo Written by Joss Whedon and Zak Penn Directed by Joss Whedon Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: Marvel Studios presents Marvel’s The Avengers-the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an […]

April 19, 2012 'riting

The Show Goes On: the Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 2)

When we last saw our tour group at the Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour, we were on our way out of the “Midwest” and about to visit a working soundstage, which is where most interior filming happens. Some of that does get done on the back lot too, though. These are two different kinds of interior sets used on the back lot. The one on the left is a “facade,” and on film you’d see […]

April 18, 2012 'riting

That’s Show Biz: The Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 1)

Unless you live in the middle of it, you might not realize how little of the work associated with “Hollywood” is actually done in Hollywood, California. (Conversely, I work in Hollywood at a job that has nothing to do with “Hollywood.”) Last Saturday, Tall Paul and I visited one of the places where Hollywood’s work has been done for more than eight decades: Warner Brothers Studios in beautiful downtown Burbank. You may have done the […]

January 26, 2012 randomness

At the movies: The Artist

The Artist (official movie site) Comedy/drama, 2011 (rated PG-13) Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo Written and directed by: Michel Hazanvicius Synopsis, via RottenTomatoes.com: Hollywood 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), it seems the sky’s the limit – major movie stardom awaits. The Artist tells the […]

« Previous 1 2 3 4 … 8 Next »