Any excuse to discuss how much I hate PRETTY WOMAN is OK by me

7 comments January 23rd, 2009

Over at Turner Classic Movie’s Movie Morlock’s blog, writer “medusamorlock” writes about a category of movies we all have our picks for, movies that we “will not watch, no way, no how, under any circumstances.”

Medusa lists a couple that I’d place on my own anti-favorites list: PRETTY WOMAN and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. In the case of the first one, I just can’t stomach Julia Roberts. What’s more, I can’t even understand her appeal. I don’t find her attractive, I don’t think she can act, and I don’t find her likeable. Why would I want to watch a movie starring her? Simple. I don’t. So I don’t.

In the case of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, I just think it’s way too long, way too boring and completely lacking in any dramatic conflict. The kids are annoying, Julie Andrews — despite her obvious talent — gets on my nerves and Christopher Plummer is dull as dishwater. It’s the sort of Oscar-winning movie that’s barely viewable (by me, at least) today.

Haven’t seen SEX AND THE CITY, and I don’t have any plans too. I did see one of Medusa’s other anti-favorites, ENCHANTED, and thought it was actually pretty entertaining.

How about you guys? Any anti-favorites you’d care to share?

It’s that time of year again…

3 comments January 23rd, 2009

… where I put on plenty of makeup and do my best to look like one of the nominated performances from the Academy Awards for my annual BEAT THE MOVIE MAN contest. This year, there was really only one choice: Heath Ledger’s Joker from THE DARK KNIGHT. Here’s the promo poster…

… and you can enter the contest (starting Sunday) by clicking here. What’s more, well have a short video documenting the entire Joker-ization process, from makeup to photos to Photoshop, posted online soon. I’ll put a link here on this blog as soon as it’s ready.

So be sure to enter the BEAT THE MOVIE MAN contest — I don’t want to have put on all that makeup for nothing!

And good luck!

Friday Afternoon Videos: Peter Finch in NETWORK

Add comment January 23rd, 2009

With the late Heath Ledger a favorite to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, it’s a good time to look back at the only time someone won a performing Oscar after his death.

British actor Peter Finch died January 14, 1977, just before his performance as Howard Beale, the “mad prophet of the airwaves” in the great film NETWORK, won the gold statue for Best Actor. It’s a consistently strong performance, both funny and tragic, but here’s the classic scene, the one that no doubt won Finch the Academy Award.

It has a bit of mild profanity, but you probably already knew that.