Going For The Gold

The Golden Globes nominations were just announced yesterday morning (Tuesday, Dec 15) and as an avid movie and TV fan, of course I was watching to see if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association agrees with me when it comes to who deserves the honor. And I have to say, this year it’s not such a disappointment. Although they still snubbed some of my favorite actors, actresses, movies and TV shows, they showed some love to a lot of them. So, while the nominees are still celebrating, I thought I’d share the HPFA’s picks for the 2010 Golden Globes Award (airing January 17, 2010 on NBC) as well as my predictions and who I actually wish would win.

Note: Who I Think Will Win means who I think members of HPFA would vote for, and Who I Want To Win means well, who I want to win.

Also, not in this list: Best Foreign Language Film (because I have not seen any of them), Best Original Score & Song (because I’d have no idea how to judge), Best Mini-Series/Motion Picture Made For Television as well as the actress and actor because again, I have only seen about one or two of them. For the complete list, check it out here.

Okay, let’s begin!

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Avatar

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire

Up In The Air

Who I Think Will Win: Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire. (The movie was powerful, and it’s the type of movie that HFPA usually goes for)

Who I Want To Win: Inglourious Basterds. (My favorite film of 2009, enough said)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture – Drama

Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria

Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side

Helen Mirren – The Last Station

Carey Mulligan – An Education

Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire

Who I Think Will Win: Gabourey Sidibe (she was truly amazing in this breakout role)

Who I Want To Win: Sandra Bullock (it’s just nice to see Sandra in a role that is different than what she’s usually in)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama

Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart

George Clooney – Up In The Air

Colin Firth – A Single Man

Morgan Freeman – Invictus

Tobey Maguire – Brothers

Who I Think Will Win: Morgan Freeman (he plays Nelson Mandela, that says it all)

Who I Want To Win: George Clooney (I love him. He’s my ex-future husband. Yep.)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

(500) Days Of Summer

The Hangover

It’s Complicated

Julie & Julia

Nine

Who I Think Will Win: Nine (Haven’t seen it yet, but it’s an all-star musical in the style of Moulin Rouge, we all know HFPA loves that)

Who I Want To Win: (500) Days Of Summer (It’s such a cute, quirky, non-romantic romantic comedy with a fresh take on love. My favorite movie of the genre ever)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Sandra Bullock – The Proposal

Marion Cotillard – Nine

Julia Roberts – Duplicity

Meryl Streep – It’s Complicated

Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

Who I Think Will Win: Meryl Streep (She’s a double nominee in this category, the odds are in her favor)

Who I Want To Win: Marion Cotillard (I actually don’t know how she was in Nine, since I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve loved her since Love Me If You Dare/Jeux D’enfants so I’m going to have to pick her. Besides, Streep has enough Golden Globes and Oscars to last her a lifetime)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Matt Damon – The Informant!

Daniel Day-Lewis – Nine

Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes

Joseph Gordon-Levitt – (500) Days Of Summer

Michael Stuhlbarg – A Serious Man

Who I Think Will Win: Matt Damon (He was pretty amazing in the movie, and I applaud his commitment to the role)

Who I Want To Win: Robert Downey Jr. (He’s RDJ. He’s awesome in everything. And yes, I mean EVERYTHING.)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture

Penelope Cruz – Nine

Vera Farmiga – Up In The Air

Anna Kendrick – Up In The Air

Mo’Nique – Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire

Julianne Moore – A Single Man

Who I Think Will Win: Mo’Nique

Who I Want To Win: Mo’Nique (Let’s face it: Mo’Nique was phenomenal in the movie, it’s not easy to play an abusive mother that we can all still feel sorry for)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture

Matt Damon – Invictus

Woody Harrelson – The Messenger

Christopher Plummer – The Last Station

Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones

Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

Who I Think Will Win: Christoph Waltz

Who I Want To Win: Christoph Waltz (If he doesn’t win, I will be VERY upset. I’m not the only one who think Christoph Waltz was beyond amazing as Hans Landa – everyone, from my friends to renowned movie critics, even fellow actors have spoken publicly about the awesomeness of Mr. Waltz in Inglourious Basterds)

Best Animated Feature Film

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Princess and The Frog

Up

Who I Think Will Win: Up

Who I Want To Win: Up (By far, the best Disney/Pixar animation flick since Finding Nemo. And as much as I love Gaiman’s Coraline, I nearly cried when watching Up, which is the second time a freakin’ cartoon has ever made me so emotional – the first time was Finding Nemo, of course)

Best Director – Motion Picture

Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker

James Cameron – Avatar

Clint Eastwood – Invictus

Jason Reitman – Up In The Air

Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

Who I Think Will Win: Clint Eastwood (It’s been a while since he’s won one of these, and I know HFPA loves him)

Who I Want To Win: Quentin Tarantino (He’s my favorite director, and let’s face it, no one else can make a WW II flick like Inglourious Basterds)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

District 9: Written by Neil Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell

The Hurt Locker: Written by Mark Boal

Inglourious Basterds: Written by Quentin Tarantino

It’s Complicated: Written by Nancy Meyers

Up In The Air: Written by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Who I Think Will Win: The Hurt Locker, written by Mark Boal (It’s a small, independent movie on the Iraq war. Just the kind of movie HFPA usually goes for)

Who I Want To Win: District Nine, written by Neil Blomkamp and Terry Tatchell (There’s just nothing like it. It’s different, and it’s mind-blowingly good)

Best Television Series – Drama

Big Love (HBO)

Dexter (Showtime)

House (Fox)

Mad Men (AMC)

True Blood (HBO)

Who I Think Will Win: Mad Men (Let’s face it, it’s a critic and audience favorite. And the story is always solid from episode to episode)

Who I Want To Win: True Blood (Truth to tell, I just want to see Alexander Skarsgard go up on stage in all his 6 foot 4 inches tall blondness)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Drama

Glenn Close – Damages

January Jones – Mad Men

Julianne Marguiles – The Good Wife

Anna Paquin – True Blood

Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer

Who I Think Will Win: Glenn Close (Damages didn’t really have a strong second season, but she still carried the show on her back and gave a phenomenal performance)

Who I Want To Win: January Jones (Betty Draper is such a complex character, and she plays her with such subtlety and tackles some really difficult scenes with ease last season. I say she deserves the love)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Drama

Simon Baker – The Mentalist

Michael C. Hall – Dexter

Jon Hamm – Mad Men

Hugh Laurie – House

Bill Paxton – Big Love

Who I Think Will Win: Jon Hamm (Mad Men won big in the Emmys last year, but he lost the Best Actor Emmy to Bryan Cranston. Seeing that HFPA snubbed Cranston and Breaking Bad, I think he’s a sure win)

Who I Want To Win: Michael C. Hall (He’s been nominated almost every year for Dexter but hasn’t taken home the Globes yet. I think he deserves to win, especially since it’s a next-to-impossible task to make us love a serial killer the way we love Dexter. I’m just saying)

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

30 Rock (NBC)

Entourage (HBO)

Glee (Fox)

Modern Family (Fox)

The Office (NBC)

Who I Think Will Win: Glee

Who I Want To Win: Glee (Let’s face it: Glee is fresh, hilarious and surprisingly different than anything else on TV. I think HFPA will agree with me on this one)

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Toni Collette – United States of Tara

Courteney Cox – Cougar Town

Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie

Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Lea Michele – Glee

Who I Think Will Win: Toni Collette

Who I Want To Win: Toni Collette (Each and every single woman in this category did a fantastic job, but Toni Collette deserves the win since she essentially played four very different characters in the show. Not to mention, she’s Australian. So not only does she have to don an American accent, she has to play four people – sort of.)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock

Steve Carell – The Office

David Duchovny – Californication

Thomas Jane – Hung

Matthew Morrison – Glee

Who I Think Will Win: Alec Baldwin

Who I Want To Win: Alec Baldwin (Of course I could be wrong and Thomas Jane ends up taking the Globes home, since HFPA usually has a soft spot for controversial freshman show, but I just don’t think any of the nominees really gave the kind of performance Alec Baldwin did.)

Best Performance by An Actress In A Supporting Role in A Series, Mini Series or Motion Picture Made For Television

Jane Adams – Hung

Rose Byrne – Damages

Jane Lynch – Glee

Janet McTeer – Into The Storm

Chloe Sevigny – Big Love

Who I Think Will Win: Jane Lynch

Who I Want To Win: Jane Lynch (Hands down, Ms Lynch is a definite scene-stealer in Glee. She delivers the funniest lines and has the perfect comedic timing, not to mention she manages to portray both the evil and the sweet side of Sue Sylvester with such ease. As much as I love Chloe Sevigny, she just can’t compare to Jane Lynch this time)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Series, Mini Series or Motion Picture Made For Television

Michael Emerson – Lost

Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother

William Hurt – Damages

John Lithgow – Dexter

Jeremy Piven – Entourage

Who I Think Will Win: Michael Emerson (I don’t watch Lost – I know, shocker! – but I have heard enough about how amazing he was in it from everyone else and from every TV blog I’ve read to know that he will probably win this one, plus he did just win an Emmy)

Who I Want To Win: Neil Patrick Harris (I love NPH. He’s my “imaginary gay husband” and I think he’s solely responsible for the awesomeness of Barney Stinson. In Short, NPH is legen-wait for it, and I hope you’re not lactose intolerant because the last syllable is-dary!)

Now before I go, here are the people/shows/movies that were snubbed that I thought should’ve gotten some love:

• Zooey Deschanel for (500) Days of Summer (If you nominate Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you should nominate his co-star too, since she truly shines in the movie)
• Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon Cooper is the only thing that consistently stays funny, fresh and interesting in the show, and it’s all because of Jim Parsons’ fantastic acting)
• Alexander Skarsgard for True Blood (Not only is he a Swedish sex god, I thought he did a really great job playing Eric Northman last season. The scene when he was crying over Godric, that was some great acting right there!)
• Jeffrey Donovan for Burn Notice (why no love for USA Network, HFPA? I get that you chose The Mentalist over Psych, but burning Michael Westen? Seriously?)
• Katherine Heigl for Grey’s Anatomy (I thought the fact that she portrayed cancer-stricken Dr. Izzie Stevens would surely get her a nomination. Maybe HFPA is afraid she’ll reject the nod?)
• Adam Sandler for Funny People (They nominated James Franco for Pineapple Express last year yet they snubbed Sandler’s amazing performance in Funny People? What were HFPA members smoking?)
• Maria Bello for The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (I even said in my last post that I predicted a Golden Globes nomination for her role as Suky Sarkisian. She was amazing! I don’t get it…)
• Coco Avant Chanel for Best Foreign Language Film (I know I didn’t list the category here and I haven’t seen a lot of Foreign films lately, but this biopic is pretty spectacular, I thought it would get nominated)

What do you think? Who do you predict will take home the Globes? Who do you think deserve to be nominated? Will you be watching the telecast in January? Who are you rooting for?

Sound off below.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Reel Life

It’s almost the end of the year. Time flies! I’m still busy writing my novel, but every now and then I’d take a break to watch a movie just to get my creative juices flowing. So, I figured I’d give my take on these movies to help you choose which flick you want to view on a lazy weekend. Sounds good?

Here are the movies I’ve seen in the past two weeks or so, on DVD or otherwise.

One/ Love and Other Disasters, 2006, Romantic Comedy.

Written and directed by Alek Keshishian, this charming romantic comedy tells the story of a British-born American-raised intern at UK Vogue who spends her life helping her friends find love, while at the same time avoiding to deal with her own commitment issues. If you’re looking for a feel-good comedy to watch with your significant other on Date Night, I recommend looking for this movie in your favorite DVD store. It’s funny, fresh and honest – it deals with the normal, everyday issues of being single: love, career and friendship, without being pretentious and preachy. Brittany Murphy is adorable as Emily “Jacks” Jackson, the main character, but Catherine Tate, who plays her best friend Talullah Riggs-Wentworth definitely steals the scene with her outrageous behavior, and insanely funny “poems”. You will not be sorry in checking this one out.

Two/ Speak, 2004, Drama.

I don’t know if this is an indie movie or a made-for-TV, but in any case, don’t let it turn you off. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Laurie Halse Anderson, and it tells the story of a high school freshman Melinda Sordino (played by a pre-Twilight Kristen Stewart) who resorts to selective mutism after being raped by a senior in a party. The issues dealt in the movie are heavy, but a then 13-year-old Kristen Stewart did a really good job portraying the anguish and trauma that her character went through without coming off too teen-angsty. The supporting cast also did a great job; from Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds) who played her busy mother to Steve Zahn who played her teacher who helped her dealt with her rape through art. I recommend watching this movie if you have a teenage daughter, or if you just want to understand the troubles and perils of being a teenager in general.

Three/ Stardust, 2007, Fantasy.

I don’t know why it took me so long to watch this movie, maybe it’s because my non-Neil Gaiman reading friends told me the movie “sucked” when it came out that I kept putting off watching it in fear of disappointment. However, when I finally saw it – it actually did not disappoint. Maybe it’s because I understand that adapting a novel into a movie is hard enough, and the fact that it’s the fantastical world of Neil Gaiman’s imagination surely made it even harder. And other than that understanding, I thought they did a pretty good job of keeping the adaptation as close to the novel as possible, and they even managed to capture Mr. Gaiman’s wonderful sense of humor. Seeing Robert de Niro playing a gay pirate was a little surprising, but he’s Robert de Niro. He can play any role and he was hilarious as the cross-dressing Captain Shakespeare. All in all, it’s a fun movie to watch – especially on a weekend.

Four/ Veronika Decides To Die, 2009, Drama.

This movie is not scheduled to release in the US and UK until 2010, but it already premiered in the film festival circuits for a while and I got the chance to see it last Sunday night. It’s an adaptation of Paulo Coelho’s best-selling novel of the same name and it stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jonathan Tucker to name a few. As far as adaptations go, this one sticks pretty close to the novel as well, though it changes the location from Ljubljana, Slovenia to New York City. It’s also not as detailed as the novel, but that’s to be expected. It however retains the intensity and message of the novel and both Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jonathan Tucker gave stellar performances as Veronika and Edouard. One thing that I didn’t like about the movie was the fact that the relationship between the patients and the doctors seems disjointed and distant – they hardly interact in the entire movie, except for Mari (Melissa Leo) and Dr. Blake (David Thewlis). But all in all, it was a pretty good, albeit intense, watch. You do need to be in the right mood to see this movie though, so keep that in mind when you decide to see it in theaters when it opens.

Five/ Interview, 2007, Drama.

I’ve wanted to see this movie since it came out, but it was surprisingly hard to find it anywhere and I had to resort to watching it online in the end. As with many of Buscemi’s films, it’s one of those movies you have to be in the mood to watch, but I highly recommend you to give this one a try. It’s also an adaptation, not from a novel but a 2003 Dutch movie of the same name by director Theo Van Gogh, who was assassinated by a Dutch-Moroccan Muslim after he produced the film Submission, which analyzed the treatment of women in Islam. Steve Buscemi directed and co-wrote the movie as a tribute to his friend Van Gogh. Both he and Sienna Miller were amazing in the film, and I have to give props to Sienna Miller, who lately have been more famous for her exploits in the tabloids than her body of work, who really showed her acting chops in this film. If you’re not convinced of Sienna’s talents, I suggest you give this movie a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Six/ The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, 2009, Drama.

I just realized that most of the movies I’ve seen lately are adaptations. Hmm, what is my subconscious trying to tell me? (Maybe that I should write more and watch less ) Anyway, this delightful movie is also adapted from a novel by Rebecca Miller, who also wrote the screenplay and directed it. Talk about a triple threat! The movie chronicles the journey of Pippa Lee, played by Sean Penn’s ex Robin Wright, from the childhood she spent taking care of her pill-popping mother, to her own troubles with drugs until she found a “savior” in Herb Lee (Allan Arkin), a charismatic publisher thirty years her senior that she eventually married and settled down with. The movie goes back and forth between the present and the past, as Pippa examines her life and does a little soul searching as she struggles with her sleep disorder and a growing attraction with a younger man (Keanu Reeves). Robin Wright proved she’s a solid actress in this movie, and Maria Bello will probably get at least a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Pippa’s mother Suky. It’s already opened in limited release since Nov 27,  so I suggest you go check it out – it’s definitely worth watching. Look out for Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively as the younger Pippa Lee, a refreshing change from her usual sulky poor little rich girl role.

Seven/ Funny People, 2009, Comedy/Drama.

If you haven’t seen this one yet, be advised: This movie is a little misleading. From the title “Funny People”, to the stars (Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Leslie Mann and Jason Schwartzman, among others) to the writer/director (Judd Apatow), you might expect a raunchy, fun comedy like Knocked Up or The 40-Year-Old Virgin. I’m not saying it’s not a good movie, I liked it – it’s just not your usual Apatow comedy fix. I will even go as far as saying that this movie is 70% drama and only 30% comedy. Sure, there are typical-Apatow movie laugh-out-loud moments, but the message of the film is a lot more serious than usual. It deals with fame, success, and what it takes to be happy. It’s actually really deep, and if you’re expecting raunchy, fun comedy, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to see Adam Sandler tackling a complicated, troubled role like he did in Reign Over Me, then you won’t be sorry. This is definitely one movie to watch if you ever dream of achieving a larger-than-life fame and success. It will give you something to think about.

Eight/ The Cake Eaters, 2007, Drama.

This is another Kristen Stewart pre-Twilight indie movie and there’s a reason why she’s been acting since she was a child, she’s actually a really good actress. And in this movie that marked the directing debut of actress Mary Stuart Masterson, Kristen Stewart once again shines as Georgia, a 17-year-old small town girl who suffers from Friedriech’s Ataxia. I know that the description of the film is about how two families lives start to intertwine with the return of one son – but somehow, to me the movie is not really about that. As with most indie movies I watch, I have no idea why it’s called ‘The Cake Eaters’ (not once did they mention cake in the movie, though they do eat steak a lot), but if I have to guess – I think it comes from “having your cake and eating it”. Georgia may have a debilitating illness, but she doesn’t let it hinder her from falling in love and being with a man who truly cares for her. And the same goes for Beagle, the man she falls in love with – who to some may seem like a “white trash loser”, but is actually a gentle, kind and loving man who’s often misunderstood. This movie is not for everyone, but if you’re into slow-paced art flicks, there’s no harm in watching it.

Nine/ Coco Avant Chanel, 2009, Drama/Biography.

I’ve wanted to see this movie ever since I heard that they were going to make a Coco Chanel movie with Audrey Tautou in the lead role, so my expectations were pretty high and I’m happy to say, this movie doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve seen the Coco Chanel TV movie with Shirley McLaine… expect to be confused by the discrepancies in the story. But the writers of both versions are not to be blamed for this, apparently not much is known about Chanel’s early life and she was known to have made up a lot of tales to hide her dark past. Coco Avant Chanel (English: Coco Before Chanel) chronicles the journey of one Gabrielle Chanel before she became the Coco Chanel. From her dreams of becoming a star in Paris, to her affairs with Etienne Balsan, a French millionaire, and Arthur “Boy” Capel, an English businessman, this movie showed us the kind of woman Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was; someone who was tough as nails, driven, ambitious and headstrong. Audrey Tautou portrayed this legendary designer so well, and Alessandro Nivola was charming as Boy Capel. If you’re into fashion (or French films), I highly recommend this movie.

Ten/ The Ramen Girl, 2008, Comedy/Drama.

This is another one of Brittany Murphy’s criminally slept on charming little movie, and I don’t know why she loves playing an American expat so much, but she’s always so adorable I can’t really blame her. The Ramen Girl tells the story about Abby, an American girl who moved to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend, only to be dumped and left all alone in a city where she knows no one and hardly speaks the language. Broken-hearted and alone, she walks into a Ramen shop across her apartment in the rain and has a meltdown. After being comforted by the delicious ramen in the shop, she has the (slightly delusional) idea of training to be a ramen chef and practically forces the grumpy owner of the shop to teach her. The movie then follows Abby as she trains under the tyrannical chef and learns how to grow up and becomes the woman she always longs to be. Watch this movie if you’re looking for something light and charming to entertain you on a rainy day, but make sure you have a bowl of ramen ready, because I guarantee you’ll feel hungry after seeing the many bowls of delicious ramen on screen.

Eleven/ Paper Heart, 2009, Comedy.

Do you believe in love? Have you ever been in love? Well, musician/comedienne Charlyne Yi does not believe in love and has never been in love, so she embarks on a journey across the United States to make a documentary on love to get a better understanding of love. While she’s in the process of making the documentary, she gets a taste of love herself when she meets Michael Cera – and their journey together is captured in the documentary. And before you Google “Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi”, know this: it’s fiction. But not pure fiction. All the actors play themselves and the people being interviewed in the documentary are all real people with real stories – the only fiction part is Yi’s own love story with Cera. Director Nick Jasenovec called it “hybrid documentary” to blend the fiction and non-fiction content in the film. The plot itself is based on Yi’s original idea of a documentary and Nick Jasenovec suggested to be accentuated with a fictional storyline. The result: a quirky, cute and adorable comedy that you’ll fall in love with. And even though Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi are not really dating in real life (though they were rumored to be, which inspired the storyline), you’ll be wishing that they are a real couple at the end of the movie. This is one cute movie you can watch together with your significant other on date night, and it’ll leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

So there you go. Eleven movies you might want to check out in the near future. If you’ve seen any of them, tell me what you think!

xoxo

Binky Bee

Make A Statement

Sometimes you really don’t have to shout it out from the rooftop. Neon signs work just as effectively.

I wonder if anyone will really give me money if I carry that sign around.

Posted on every teenager’s bedroom door. Or it should.

This is my favorite. I should hold up this sign everyday.

I bet this will really make you stop.

I’ll applaud any man who is this honest.

Note to self: start befriending vampires and other nocturnal creatures.

I think the pink underwear says it all.

Pardon my French.

Read the fine print.

Sounds a hell of a lot better than, “Wanna f–k?”

The saddest graffiti.

The wisdom of a paper bag.

Well said, Queen Amidala.

Or until Monday comes. Whatever works for you.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

Binky Bee

Photographs courtesy of Ffffound.

He’s Lost Control

It’s Black Friday, and I’m down with the flu so I took a little break from writing. It’s going good, by the way. Even with my stuffy nose my muse still sticks around so I really have no reason to complain.

I saw a movie the other day, it’s been out a while but since it’s indie, it was quite hard to get and I could only watch it online since I could never find it in my favorite DVD store.

The movie is called “Control” and it’s about the life (and death) of Ian Curtis, lead vocalist of the band Joy Division, directed by Dutch director Anton Corbijn. Control marked Corbijn’s debut as movie director (he was mostly known as music video director and photographer) and it was reported that he paid half of the € 4.5 million budget out of his own pocket.

Singer/model/actor Sam Riley (mostly known for being the face of the Burberry ad campaign) played legendary Ian Curtis, and he was phenomenal in his performance.

What’s more amazing about Sam Riley’s performance in the movie is that he had to sing all the Joy Division songs himself and not just lip-sync to the voice of the real Ian Curtis. And he sounded exactly like Ian Curtis, it was pretty unreal.

The movie is written by Matt Greenhalg based on Deborah Curtis’ (Ian’s widow) book “Touching From A Distance” and it started just before Ian met her in 1973 until his death on May 18, 1980. It detailed his journey, from his marriage to Debbie (when they were both in their late teens), to the forming of Joy Division, to the band’s success and his untimely death.

The movie also detailed his struggle with epilepsy, his rocky marriage and his extramarital affairs with a Belgian music journalist Annik Honore.

I love this movie because it really showed the inner struggle of the legendary Ian Curtis, his demons, his depression, his fears and his internal conflicts. His relationships with the two women in his life; Debbie and Annik were also approached in a beautiful way – that you don’t see him as this lying, cheating “rock star” but as a frail, confused and torn human being instead.

After a tired day of shopping, I recommend you getting this movie and just curl up on the couch being completely amazed by Sam Riley’s talents and the incredible vision of Anton Corbijn, especially if you’re a Joy Division fan like me. This is one movie that would remain as a cult classic, in my opinion.

Also, don’t be surprised with the fact that the whole movie is shot entirely in black and white. I think, aside from capturing the feel of the era, it also successfully captured the dark and tormented soul of one Ian Curtis – and you’re left with this haunting feeling hours after you’ve seen it.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

xoxo

Binky Bee

Gone Writing…

My writer’s block is finally over! Hallelujah!

On Friday night, after I saw this cute little indie movie “Love and Other Disasters” (check it out, it’s so cute and entertaining!) on DVD, I suddenly felt this strong urge to write.

So I sat behind my faithful Mac (I named it “Mei Mei” – Chinese for “little sister”, actually) and suddenly, a story just popped into my head and I started typing furiously.

So I’m finally back on track in writing my new novel – and in the next few weeks (it really depends how long it’ll take me to write this one. Usually – barring any more writer’s block – it takes me about three to four weeks to finish writing a short novel) I might not be actively blogging since I need to concentrate all my energy into my novel.

But I’ll pop in from time to time to share my progress on the novel. So far, I’ve written about two chapters – had to stop writing on Saturday and Sunday, had too much to do and pressing matters to attend to – so I can’t tell you yet what the novel is all about (honestly, I don’t really know myself. Usually my characters just take me along for a wild and crazy ride), but I know that it’ll have these elements in it:

Friendship.

Love.

Heartbreak. (Because you can’t have “love” without all the drama and complications)

Break ups and break downs.

Longing.

Self-searching and discovery.

Escaping…

And all the baggage that comes with it…

And happy endings.

Why happy endings? Because it’s fiction, not life.

Like Jane Austen, I believe in giving people happy endings. Life is hard enough as it is… I want my readers to get the endings they want, the ones they may not ever get in real life.

And with that, I shall bid you adieu and get back to my novel.

See you soon-ish.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Now Playing

I love watching movies, but lately I’ve been too much of a hermit to actually go out to the movies – except for that week in October where I actually managed to see not one but two movies: Inglourious Basterds (awesome!) and Fame (more like, “Lame”) because my mom was in Holland and I got the car and driver all to myself – so mostly I only watch movies on DVD (and sometimes online too).

Now you may have seen these movies, you may not – but here are some of the movies I’ve seen in the past week or so, and my take on them:

One/ The September Issue, 2009, documentary.

If you don’t like or even care about fashion, you may not enjoy this documentary as much as I do, but I live and breathe fashion so I truly enjoyed this one. Anna Wintour has always been such an enigma in the fashion world, what with her being the inspiration for the character Miranda Priestly in the popular book-turned-movie The Devil Wears Prada, and she’s the one woman that can make all those big-named fashion designers tremble at the mention of her name, so it’s a treat to finally see the “real” her in this documentary. And surprisingly enough, she’s not the dictator is 5-inch Louboutin heels as most of us imagined her to be. In “The September Issue” you see her as the true visionary; she was the one who came up with the idea of putting celebrities in the cover of fashion magazines, and she continues to nurture up-and-coming designers (like Thakoon, for example) because she sees something in them that no one can see just yet. She’s ruthless all right, and often times she stressed out and frustrated her subordinates like her Creative Director Grace Coddington who has worked in Vogue for 40 years (yes, four-zero) with her decisions but in the end, if she weren’t that ruthless, Vogue wouldn’t be the number one fashion magazine in the universe. Her decisions may not please everyone, but she can see beyond what most people see and that’s her true strength. I recommend you to watch this movie if you love fashion, work in a magazine or a leader of some kind. The fact that Ms Wintour can have such charisma without having to raise her voice is something all leaders should learn from.

Two/ Julie & Julia, 2009, biography/comedy.

I got this movie especially for my mom, because she loves to cook and to chronicle her adventures in the kitchen in her blog. I didn’t expect to like it too much but surprisingly enough, I do enjoy it. Amy Adams is so endearing as Julie Powell, she’s such an amazing actress and she could very well be the next Merryl Streep. And of course Merryl Streep is Merryl Streep, she’s always amazing in any role and this was no exception. I had no idea who Julia Child was (I’m sometimes unabashedly ignorant when it comes to certain things, and I don’t like to cook) until I heard about this movie, but apparently she was pitch-perfect as the infamous cook. However, make sure you have enough snack to munch on while watching the movie because all the food will surely make you hungry.

Three/ Spread, 2009, drama/romance.

I only watched this movie for Sebastian Stan, because I think he’s a great actor and he’s also really really hot, and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. First, he only appeared for about 10 minutes in the whole movie and second, this movie feels more like Ashton Kutcher’s vanity project than anything. I think it tries to be deep but it falls short due to a weak plot and half-baked storyline. American Gigolo it is not. But if you like Ashton Kutcher and want to see him naked, a lot, you can definitely give this movie a try.

Four/ The Hangover, 2009, comedy.

There is a reason why this R-Rated comedy did so well in the box office, it is THAT hilarious. The premise of this movie is simple: four guys went to Vegas for the ultimate bachelor party, and they woke up in the morning with a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, a missing groom and having no recollection whatsoever of the crazy night they just had. What ensued later was a series of hilarious events as they try to locate their missing friend, and remember the night before. Look out for cameos by Mike Tyson and the always funny Ken Jeong. If you’re a fan of Swingers, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with this one.

Five/ The Ugly Truth, 2009, romantic comedy.

This movie has all the makings of a successful romantic comedy: dashing but womanizing leading man, beautiful but neurotic leading lady, a fake orgasm at the dinner table, and the classic man vs woman debate. But the problem with it is just that. It’s so damn predictable. We know from the get-go that Katherine Heigl’s character will fall in love with Gerard Butler’s character and they’d live happily ever after (sort of), and sorry if I spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen this movie yet, we get exactly what we expected. However, it is pretty entertaining to see Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler go at it. I’d say watch this movie without any expectations and you’ll be quite entertained. But no, you won’t get more than that.

Six/ The Broken Hearts Club, 2000, romantic comedy.

For an unconventional romantic comedy with a lot of heart and truth, I suggest you scour your favorite DVD store for a copy of this movie. Written and directed by Greg Berlanti, the man behind Everwood and Brothers & Sisters, this movie is about a group of gay men in Los Angeles who tries to deal with being gay, loneliness, commitment-issues and self-image, in other words, being human. This movie is probably the first “gay” movie that depicts them as real people, instead of “noble, suffering AIDS victims, the friends of noble suffering AIDS victims, sex addicts, common street hustlers and stylish confidantes to lovelorn women” as Howie so eloquently puts it. This is like the gay version of Sex and The City with a lot more heart and a lot less cliche. I recommend you give this movie a try, even if it’s only to ogle Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff and Dean Cain in their younger days.

Seven/ Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen, 2009, action.

If you haven’t seen both this movie and District 9, do me a favor: watch this first. Not because it’s better, because it’s much worse and if you’ve seen District 9 first then you won’t be able to actually finish watching this movie without falling asleep or dying from boredom. And I’m not exactly exaggerating. District 9 was so amazing that it kinda ruined all other alien-robot type movie for me, and no amount of Shia LaBeouf in all his “LaBeouf”-ness can convince me to continue watching this movie (I gave up after 39 minutes and 20 seconds). I just realized why I had to suffer through screaming children running up and down the cinema steps when I saw the first Transformers movie, this franchise is so not for anyone over 15. Sorry, Shia. You’ll always be a hottie to me, I just can’t watch this one.

Eight/ Twilight, 2008, drama/romance.

Yes, I know I’m aboard the Twilight-bashing bandwagon, but I decided that I have no right to make fun of something if I don’t at least try to watch it first, so after much hesitation, I saw the movie a few days ago. And, I still don’t understand the phenomenon that is Twilight. I haven’t read the book series, so maybe that’s the reason for the fan-demonium, but the movie alone just doesn’t explain why everyone seems to be going insane for these vampires. I thought the plot was weak, the acting was mediocre (I’m so disappointed, Kristen Stewart, I know you’re better than this) and Edward, the one that teen girls all over the world fall madly in love with, is kinda pathetic and whiny. There’s a reason why 17-year-old boys shouldn’t have that kind of superpower, they’ll just whine about it instead of using it to be awesome. And I had a big problem with the sparkling. Call me old school, but I like my vampires to be living in old mansion, sleeping in coffins and burning in sunlight. Give me Gary Oldman or Alexander Skarsgard any day.

Nine/ The Assassination of A High School President, 2008, comedy.

I didn’t expect much from this movie when I bought it, to be honest. It was just another indie movie that I had to buy because I’m a sucker for anything indie. But I was pleasantly surprised. It’s funny, smart and it has a lot of good moments. It’s no Charlie Bartlett, but it’s up there in the entertaining department. I thought Mischa Barton was actually good in this role and not annoying or pathetic as she usually is in The OC or her short-lived CW comeback show The Beautiful Life. And Luke Grimes, who we may know better as William Walker’s illegitimate son Ryan in Brothers & Sisters, showed some real good acting. Of course the gem of the movie is Bruce Willis, who is so seriously funny that you can’t help but laugh out loud whenever he enters the scene. No harm in giving this one a try.

So those were the 9 movies that were playing in my DVD player in the past week or so. If you’ve seen them, let me know what you think.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Picture Perfect

I had my first photography lesson on Monday. My brother-in-law is a photographer, and while he’s learning English from me, I thought I’d enlist his help in teaching me photography.

The upside of learning photography from a real photographer: he’s really passionate about it – so his passion is contagious and I feel like I can be a great photographer as well. (Not likely, but let’s just dream for a moment)

The downside of learning photography from a real photographer: he’s a stickler for the rules. He won’t teach me with a digital camera, instead he made me learn how to use my mom’s old Pentax camera from the 70s, with films and everything.

I didn’t even know that they still sell films this day and age, but they do. And let’s just say, learning photography the non-digital way is a LOT harder. First, I have to think about diaphragm and speed, and there’s no cheating. If I want to shoot a moving object, I have to really be careful and capture the moment in just the right time so it won’t be blurry and shaky. And I have to calculate the speed and all. It’s not easy, especially since I’m kind of Mathematically challenged.

He also gave me a ton of reading materials that he expects me to read and understand before our second lesson, and they’re very technical. Everything about the camera is discussed – including which camera is used for what purpose, lenses, lighting, etc, etc, etc. I’m still not sure I’ve mastered the art of putting the film in and taking it out, to be completely honest.

It also doesn’t help that I’m a little over-ambitious and picked my uncooperative cat as my first subject. I was hoping for a cute picture of her, like this one I got from FFFFound!:

Err… let’s just say, my cat refuses to stay still and look that cute for a long period of time. So what happened was, she kept moving and I kept yelling from behind the lens: “Damn it, Miu Miu (that’s her name), stay still!”

Not that she listened. After getting tired of trying to photograph my cat, I turned to still objects to make my job a little easier. I took pictures of my shoes.

The result however, is still unknown, since I have to wait for my brother-in-law to develop the film first. And for someone as impatient as I am, the wait is killing me! I keep checking my email to see if he has developed, scanned and sent them to my email.

And no, he hasn’t to this day, so I have no idea if I was successful in taking at least one good picture.

I’m not hoping to become a photographer, I’m quite happy being a writer, even though every now and then I’d be frustrated with writer’s block.

However, I do hope with the lessons, one day I’d get to post my own pictures here and I can capture the moments that inspire me on my own, instead of always relying on someone else’s talents.

And, the one benefit of taking photography lessons is I’m starting to get the idea for my new novel, the one I’ve abandoned mid-way thanks to the writer’s block.

I haven’t started writing again, but I see the sentences forming in my head – and I’m sure soon enough I’ll have what I need to begin again.

And that is why sometimes it’s good to find another creative outlet. At the very least, you’ll have something to take your mind off the frustration of not being able to write.

So thank you everyone, for suggesting me to do this. I’ll dedicate my new novel to all of you… once it’s finally finished, of course.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Smile, It’s Friday

It’s the weekend! Which means, no more dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, showing up to work just to sit behind the computer all day and listening to mindless chatter of the person in the cubicle next to you, or driving in peak hour traffic. It’s time to have fun.

I don’t know what your plans are this weekend, but I just thought of a few fun things to do on the weekend – and even though I may end up not doing any of it… I thought it’d be good to put it out there. Just in case.

Here’s my weekend suggestions:

One/ Spend the day in bed with a loved one.

It doesn’t have to be your “significant other”, but I think instead of going out doing the same things (movies, dinner, clubbing, etc), it can be fun just to chill in bed – even if it’s only with your cat. Pop in a DVD and just get lost in an “alternate reality”. May I suggest my favorite movie at the moment, 500 Days of Summer?

Two/ Go record/CD shopping and then play the music out loud in your room.

There are a lot of good music that just came out recently. My favorite TV show Glee has just released its soundtrack filled with good music sung by the cast (with special guest star Kristin Chenoweth). Staying in the soundtrack genre, despite my hatred of everything Twilight (in the exception of the gorgeous Kristen Stewart, who will remain an indie queen in my eyes), I have to admit that the New Moon soundtrack album is actually pretty great. It’s got great songs by artists I love like Death Cab For Cutie, Lykke Li, The Killers, Muse and Thom Yorke among others. It’s like indie heaven.

Three/ Curl up in bed or on the couch with a cup of coffee and a really good book.

Feel free to substitute “coffee” with “tea” or “hot chocolate”, if you’re not into caffeine.

Four/ Sleep in.

It’s the weekend. You have every excuse to enjoy a 10, 12-hour sleep. I say go for it. Especially if you’re single with no kids. Sleep is a luxury you can’t afford not to enjoy.

Five/ Clean out your closet or room.

Even if you’ve got someone doing it for you (either you have maids or you live with your mother, or both like me), it’s always good to edit out all the junk from your closet or your room. Nina Garcia of Project Runway fame taught me that in her book “The Little Black Book of Style”. It’s a chance for you to be your own fashion editor.

Six/ Go to a party or club with your girl friends and get ready together.

This one’s not for the guys, unless you’re the kind of guy that likes to get dressed together with other guys (no judgment here, I’m all for it!). But one of the fun things about going out with your girl friends is the getting ready together part. Four girls cramming in a small bathroom, trying on each other’s clothes, who says you can’t do those things once you’re an adult?

Seven/ Go out and play in the rain.

I just did this very thing an hour ago. I put on my rain boots and went to the back patio to dance in the rain. There’s something so liberating about it. Give it a try. I also suggest blasting Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” while you’re doing it.

Eight/ Invite your best friend to have a sleepover and just do crazy girly things all night long.

Again, who says you can’t do this once you’re an adult? Relive your teenage years and just have fun with your BFF, and this time you can actually consume some alcohol without sneaking around! Play movie montage and try on the most ridiculous costumes, give each other facials or manicures, or even a makeover. Just don’t crank call your ex – that’s just a little too childish, even for me.

Nine/ Take a drive somewhere, anywhere.

This is something that my mom and I do all time time when we’re bored during the weekend. We’d just get in the car and drive. Well, she drives – I navigate. Destination unknown. We’d just drive and the destination will come to us after a while. It’s fun, spontaneous and, provided there’s no traffic jam, completely stress-free.

Ten/ Play dress up.

If you have no one to spend the weekend with, this is a great way to have fun all by yourself. Take out all your clothes from the closet – and start trying out different “looks” by the mirror. Take a picture if you want. And the best part is, you’ve got so many different outfit choices for Monday.

Eleven/ If it’s a nice day out, go to a park and have a picnic lunch.

You’ll get to enjoy a nice sunny day, get a tan and eat good food. Not to mention, it’s always fun to people watch in the park.

Twelve/ Go to the beach.

This is something I did all the time when I was living in Sydney, Australia. Sydney has so many great beaches that it’s always fun to drive out there with my friends and just hang out. Especially when we’re low on cash.

Thirteen/ Go shopping.

I know times are tough now, but I always believe in the old adage “When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping”. And besides, you’re actually helping the economy by shopping. It’s been proven. I think.

Fourteen/ Go to a karaoke bar and sing your heart out.

Or in the case of my next door neighbor, have a really loud and tone deaf karaoke session in your living room. Yes, you’ll torture everyone within a 50-mile radius, but if you can’t be selfish on the weekend, when can you?

So what’s your plan for the weekend?

xoxo

Binky Bee

 

 

 

 

On The Street

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

Here are some of my favorite “street style”, documented in photographs:

From The Sartorialist.

My fashion icon: Alexa Chung on the streets of London.

Another fashion icon: Rachel Bilson at LAX airport.

Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester on the streets of New York.

Her red carpet style may have been a lot of hits and misses, but I really love her personal, everyday style. Maybe she should fire her stylist.

I’m just saying. I am really craving for those jeans. And she looks cute in glasses.

Finally, Mark Ronson’s cutie ex Tennessee Thomas – in what appears to be a subway. Not sure this is truly “street style”, the photo seems to be from a magazine spread or something. But I love her style anyway.

Err… yeah, before you ask – I do have a thing for brunette girls.

xoxo

Binky Bee

 

 

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

The Man: “Why do you have so many pictures of people riding bicycles anyway? You can’t even ride a bike!”

Me: “Well, maybe my subconscious is telling me that I should learn! Maybe I will!”

The Man: “Ha! You do know that they don’t make tricycles for adults, don’t you?”

Me: “Shut up.”

Yes, I really can’t ride a bike. I tried to learn once when I was a kid, but then I fell and I didn’t want to try again because my sister – along with the nanny and the maids – laughed at me. I was a spoiled brat who didn’t like to be laughed at, so I just didn’t try.

But now I’m moving to the suburbs… or whatever passes for a suburb in this city. Anyway, my new house is tucked inside a cul-de-sac in this huge real estate just a little outside of the city. It’s adorable, the row of houses and the fact that they’re all so pristine and identical reminds me of Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane. But it’s also so far away from the main road. And since I can’t drive (there’s a lot of normal kid/teenager thing I missed out on… like learning how to ride a bike and how to drive), it means I need to depend on my mom or the driver to actually leave the cul-de-sac.

Unless I want to walk for miles, which in this kind of tropical heat could almost mean the death of me. Well, I exaggerate. I might just pass out.

So maybe I should really learn how to ride a bike, it seems the right thing to do to ensure that I don’t turn into a creepy shut-in once I move.

Easier said than done, though. I am so uncoordinated. I might fail miserably like Phoebe in Friends. It’s a very real possibility.

Nonetheless, my mom is thinking of buying a bike for my maid so she can get around the housing complex easily. Which means, soon enough I’ll be able to learn. Provided someone is patient enough to teach me.

However, The Man is right. He almost always is, but don’t tell him that.

I predict that even after my mom buys a bicycle, I will spend most of my days figuring out the cutest “riding a bike” outfit – and never really actually getting on the bike to learn.

Ah well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

“I want to ride my bicycle… I want to ride my bike…”

There’s a reason why Freddy Mercury wrote that song. Maybe he also wanted to learn to ride a bike like me?

Who knows?

Will I ever learn to ride a bicycle?

At this point, I doubt anyone can answer that.