Bard's All's Well That Ends Well is a well done production

By Vanessa Ho

Last week I had the great fortune to be invited to the dress rehearsal for All's Well That Ends Well, the first of Bard's two studio stage productions (the other being Richard II), and was blown away by the opulent Rachel Ditor directed production.

The standout of the production is Lois Anderson as Helena. She plays the orphaned daughter of a renowned physician is living as ward to the Countess of Rousillion (Patti Allan) a kind and gentle woman who thinks of Helena as a daughter. Helena is in love with the Countess's cad of a son, Bertram (Craig Erikson), the new Count of Rousillion (after his father's passing).

Bertram is called to the court of the King of France who is gravely ill. Love-sick Helena follows Bertram and uses what she has learned from her father and goes to the court believing she can cure the king. If she does so, her only caveat is that she be allowed to choose any nobleman to marry. The king agrees and Helena is successful and chooses Bertram to be her groom in a scene that could be lifted out of the season finale of The Bachelorette.

Bertram is repulsed that he is forced to marry Helena who is lower in class than him being a physician's daughter that he runs off to fight in the Italian wars before consummating his marriage to Helena. Bertram becomes more of a jerk when he writes to Helena saying that never will he call her wife unless she gets his wedding ring off his finger and gets pregnant by him.
Helena follows Bertram to Italy and discovers that he is trying to seduce a girl in the town where he is stationed called Diana (Celine Stubel).

Diana resists his advances because he is married and when Helena reveals that he is Bertram's wife the devise a plan that will help Helena meet Bertram's conditions. I won't reveal exactly what happens for those that haven't read or seen the play but that is one of the problems of the play but not the production.

All's Well That Ends Well is considered one of Shakespeare's problem plays in where the denouement is not exactly plausible but Ditor added a prologue not in the play that helps draw some context into Bertram's and Helena's relationship that helps the ending make sense.

However, what makes this production of All's Well That Ends Well excellent is the performances, in particular Anderson. What makes Anderson a standout is as soon as Helena comes on stage, you just fall in love with her from the get go and hate Bertram for not loving her too. Erickson is appropriately sexy and charming as Bertram so that you can understand why Helena would fall in love with him but at the same be such a slime ball that you also hate him.

Other performances of note are Allan Morgan as LaFew, an old friend of the Countess and Scott Bellis as the boastful Parolles, a follower of Bertram's. Both deliver hilarious performances and have witty banter amongst each other.

As well, kudos to Ditor for placing this production of All's Well That Ends Well during Victorian times, an ear I am especially fond of. Mara Gottler's costumes are so lovely and I also enjoyed the use of the laundry lines on Pam Johnson's set design during the second act.While I may have only seen a dress rehearsal it was still an excellent performance and I urge you to go see it once it has opened.

All's Well That Ends Well opens July 2 at Bard on The Beach's Douglas Campbell Studio Stage and runs until September 19. Bard celebrates its 20th Season this year.

(500) Days of Summer shines brightly

By Vanessa Ho

Buzz for (500) Days of Summer coming out of the Sundance Film Festival this year was so positive that you wonder if the film could live up to its expectations when it had a wider release. The film not only delivers but it is all thanks to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's charming and winning performance.

Gordon-Levitt plays architect turned greeting card writer Tom Hanson and (500) Days of Summer recounts his courtship with Summer (a winning Zooey Deschanel), his co-worker from his greeting card company. Problem is Tom believes in true love and soul mates while Summer doesn't.

The script written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber doesn’t tell your typical boy meets girl story, which is definitely part of the charm of the film. The narrative goes back and forth and back again in time as it tells the tale of Tom and Summer's 500 days together with all its ups and downs.

Gordon-Levitt, all grown-up from his days of TV's 3rd Rock from the Sun, is loveable as Tom that you really hope he gets his happy ending (he certainly deserves it).

Deschanel manages to take what could be an unsympathetic character when you consider her belief in love but she brings so much complexity and layers to Summer that you don't hate her when you know early on that she breaks Tom's heart. Plus, she and Gordon-Levitt have such sweet chemistry, especially during one of their dates that takes place at an Ikea, that you can't hate her for long.

The supporting cast also deserves some praise, in particular Chloë Moretz as Tom's wise beyond her 12-year old years younger sister. Geoffrey Arend and Matthew Gray Gubler deliver hilarious performances as Tom's best friends McKenzie and Paul respectively.

As well, director Marc Webb lovingly captures some beautiful Los Angeles architecture in one scene as Tom shares his passion for architecture with Summer.

If there is one thing you need to do this summer is make sure you reserve one day to go and see (500) Days of Summer.

Up soars

By Vanessa Ho

Pixar has done it again. Just when think that the Disney computer animation studio was due for a flop after nine consecutive critical and box office smashes.

And on the surface an animated movie about curmudgeonly 78-year old Carl Frederickson (voiced by Ed Asner) and an 8-yearWildnerss Explorer names Russell (charmingly-voiced by Jordan Nagai) seemed destined to be hits first box office failure but when you dig deeper, the movie is anything but.

Up's first five minutes will have you in tears so you know that the film is going to be good. What has you all emotional is how the story recounts Carl's life with his wife Ellie as they dream of adventures in Paradise Falls that is somewhere in South America. However, life gets in the way, they get older and Ellie passes away before that dream becomes a reality.

With Carl's home under threat of developers and himself being forced to move to a retirement community, Carl (a former balloon salesman) attaches 1000s of helium balloons to his home to finally embark on the South American adventure that his wife dreamed of as a little girl.

A hiccup in his plan is stowaway Russell, who was on Carl's front porch when the house floated up. Russell attaches himself to Carl as he just needs one more badge (Assisting the Elderly) so that he can become a Senior Wilderness Explorer. The pair does make it to Paradise Falls and encounter an exotic bird, talking dogs and a disgraced explorer (Christopher Plummer).

The movie is the first Disney Pixar 3D film and seeing Up in 3D isn't totally necessary. There were only a handful of scenes like when house floats away and some of action sequences that is neat but not worthwhile to pay the extra dough for the 3D glasses that are styled like the glasses that Carl sports. You don't need 3D to appreciate the colors of the balloons or on the exotic bird.

The real winner of this movie is the performance of Nagai as Russell. It is so adorable and innocent and filled with joyous naivety that as he and Carl go through their adventure, it elicited a lot of oohs and aahs from the audience. Russell is also animated so cutely that you just want to hug him.

Asner and Nagai made for a great voice team that elevated what is essentially a great buddy flick.

Also stay for the end credits for some Carl and Russell treats and don't be late for the film, you don't want to miss the Pixar short, Partly Cloudy, which plays before Up. I won't spoil plot details but let's just say clouds never looked so cute.

Enough of Jon and Kate Plus 8

Don't get me wrong. I love Jon and Kate Plus 8 but with all the tabloid junk that is all over the place these days, I am actually finding myself not enjoying the show at all anymore.

I used to watch the show when I was stressed or down in the dumps because watching the adorable kids of theirs always puts a smile back on my face and makes my heart warm. My favorite of the sextuplets is Joel -he says so many funny things, especially during the Crayola Factory episode. My favorite of the sextuplet girls is Alexis because she is so wild and reminds me so much of my own niece. In fact, watching all the kids is like give me a crystal ball into my niece's own future development (she is only 21 months old).

But all this negative press around Jon and Kate makes it hard to enjoy the show (even the older episodes during happier times) no matter how adorable and cute the kids are. Now when I watch their vow renewal ceremony episode, it really makes me sick that it is now all a sham.

Of course, I am going to watch the fifth season premiere on Monday because I am curious to see how TLC and the show deal with all the stuff that has come to light. Plus the episode focuses on the sextuplets 5th birthday party and they are bound to be adorable no matter what is happening in their parents' lives.

For the sake of their marriage and their kids lives, please stop the show after this season. I think you guys make enough money now that I think you can survive without what TLC pays. I mean you get the royalties from book sales and DVD sales and probably repeat royalties. Re-visit again when the sextuplets are like 16 and the twins 18. We don't have to see them grow up before our eyes.

I am officially in love with The Twilight Saga

Over the past few days, I've been inundated with tons of news of the Twilight Saga, in particular New Moon, the next movie installement. The poster to the left is one such news. It makes me excited to see the movie, even though it is my least favorite of the book series.

Robert Pattinson looks awesome but so does Taylor Lautner (who looks quite buff -but doesn't make like Jacob any more than I do now, which is I don't!) and Kristen Stewart, as always, looks great too. This poster is way better than the final poster for Twilight.

Every time I see this poster or see photos from the set or watch video of the set visits, it makes love Twilight more and more. Then when I heard that at the MTV Movie Awards on May 31, they are going to show a clip from New Moon. That really got my heart racing. At the same show, there are going to show clips from Harry Potter and the Hal-Blood Prince and Transformers The Revenge of The Fallen, while I am excited to see both of these films, I've already seen clips so I am more excited to see New Moon as these will be the first official images of the film.

Then came news that Breaking Dawn will indeed be made into a movie and will have Robert Pattinson in it. I am so excited to see this adaption. I am so looking forward to all the love scenes between Edward and Bella. But now it just when it will be filmed. After Elicpse finishes filming, Pattinson is going to be busy filming a bunch of different movies, amongst them a film starring Hugh Jackman (where do I line-up to my tickets?)

Angels and Demons doesn't quite illuminate

By Vanessa Ho

Tom Hanks, this time with better hair, returns as symbologist Robert Langdon in Angels and Demons, a sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code (but in actuality the book is a prequel), who this time around is in Vatican City trying to solve clues to find four kidnapped cardinals before they are murdered and a canister of stolen anti-matter that threatens to blow-up Vatican City that is crowded because of Conclave (the event to elect a new Pope).

The film really picks up pace and excitement as Langdon and Vittoria (Ayelet Zurer) traverse across Rome and Vatican City trying to follow "the path to illumination" in order to find these four cardinals and the canister before potential disaster can occur. Also on hand is Ewan McGregor as the Carmalengo (a priest in charge of the Vatican when there is no Pope) helping Langdon and Vittoria find the cardinals and Stellan Skarsgaard as the head of the Swiss Guard who seems to stand in the way of their investigation.

The detective work was a marvel to watch and eschewed fairly close to the book. I also enjoyed director Howard's interpretation of the Vatican archives, which was quite neat to see and made me wonder if that was a realistic representation of the actual location.

Frustratingly, the screenwriters decided to either completely ignore or re-write key plot points that proved distracting to fans of Dan Brown's book, which was also what happened to The Da Vinci Code. Some of the stuff that they cut out could have helped explain certain things while some cuts made were necessary for storytelling purposes but that didn't make it any less annoying.

As with The Da Vinci Code, Hanks didn't exude much chemistry at all with his leading lady, Zurer, who I felt was a bit underutilized in the detective work. However, why have a beautiful young woman helping Langdon with his detective work and not have her be his love interest (as it was in the book). Here's hoping that when they do the film adaptation of Langdon's next adventure, The Lost Symbol that they actually give him a love interest or re-introduce Vittoria somehow.

Having read the book sort of took the suspense out of the film for me and I think I would have thought the film would have been more thrilling and suspenseful if I hadn't read the novel.

Nostalgia lifts Adventureland

By Vanessa Ho

When I heard that Adventureland was written and directed by Greg Mottola, the same guy that brought us Superbad, I went into the theatre with trepidation not wishing to see another gross-out teen movie but I couldn't have been more pleasantly wrong.

Based on Mottola's own experience of working a summer job at an amusement park, Adventureland is set in 1987 Pittsburg and centers on recent college graduate James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) who is forced to find work after his parent's financial woes find him cancelling his trip to Europe and derails is graduate school plans in New York City.

Finding that he isn't qualified for even manual labour, James ends up working as a carny for Adventureland and there he meets the oddball crew that include Josh (played quirkly by Martin Starr) and his bosses Bobby and Paulette (the always hilarious SNL vets Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig). He also meets Em (Kristen Stewart) and quickly falls for her. As well, he starts to hero-worship Connell (Ryan Reynolds), the amusement park's mechanic, who also happens to be having an affair with Em.

Adventureland isn't a teen comedy but a coming-of-age story. James does grow during his time at Adventureland and learns some things about him and life outside of college.

There is something mesmerizing about Stewart. Every time she is on screen, I can't take my eyes off her. Yes she is beautiful but she imbues Em with some world-weariness that goes beyond her age and displays good chemistry with Eisenberg and Reynolds.

While Eisenberg was effective in showing James struggles, to me, he seemed to be channeling Michael Cera from Superbad or even Juno every time he opened his mouth when speaking his lines.

The other thing missing is more Hader and Wiig. When they were on screen, I laughed and wished they had more screen time.

However, one of the most effective things Mottola did with Adventureland was that he actually brought me to the amusement park. I actually could picture myself going there and felt the summer heat and wind there. The place reminded me a lot of Playland here in Vancouver and even the time I worked at the PNE and wandering through Playland on my breaks. The 80's tinged soundtrack also helped with that nostalgia feel with Crowded House and Falco's Rock Me Amadeus but if I had to listen to that song like 20 times a day, I might want to kill myself too as the characters want to do in the film.

ER The Series Finale -My Retrospective

Last night, ER signed off for the final time after a glorious 15 year run. Now, I will admit that I haven't been watching the show for the last few years (I think since John Stamos joined the cast) but I decided to watch it this year because I knew it was going to be its last year. I think another reason why I stopped watching is that the writers were jerking around my recent favourite couple on ER -Neela and Ray.

But I did start watching the show from the very beginning -1994. ER does hold a somewhat special place in my heart because a life changing thing happened to me in its first season while I don't remember the exact episode that aired in November of that year but I remember watching the show while my personal drama was going on.

I faithfully watched ER since day one and my favourite episodes of all time is from season one and is entitled "Blizzard." What I love about this episode is pretty much how the orderly known as Bob, a woman from an Eastern European country who really was a cardiac surgeon, swoops in and cracks open a patient's chest and save's his life and afterwards becomes known as Dr. Bob.

One of the most horrifying moments for me is when Dr. Romano gets his arm cut off by the helicopter so unexpected and when they showed that moment again during the Retrospective, I screamed again.

One thing I didn't quite get closure on was the relationship with Neela and Ray. While I am pleased that she went to work in Louisiana to be with Ray, I really wanted some real confirmation like seeeing them be a couple instead of inferences such as Ray saying he brought this stuff for her office from home. And I read that they were going to write in Parminder Nagra's pregnancy into the show so I was hoping that she would show up in the finale at Carter's opening all pregnant with Ray and saying she is pregnant with Ray's child and not Dr, Brenner's (who I never liked as I saw him as a barrier to Neela-Ray).

Anyways, last nights finale was a great way to end the show. Like the whole season this year, this episode just seemed like a regular episode as with George Clooney's episode a couple of weeks ago. Nothing special, County General wasn't closing down with people being transferred, it wasn't a crazy dream or anything series finales are supposed to be.

The episode started off on the right foot. The opening credits came back. It really was one thing that bugged me during its last few seasons, why get rid of the opening credits -you had for what 13 season so you decide to get rid of it for its last two. It was annoying and when I saw it last night, I jumped for joy. It was great seeing all those names again: Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Sherry Stringfield, Eric LaSalle -all the old names. Plus the new ones like Angela Bassett, Parminder Nagra, John Stamos, Scott Grimes and Linda Cardenelli.

I did like the re-appearance of Thandie Newton's Kem to close out Dr. Carter's storyline with some hope for their marriage. More old faces appeared: Weaver, Lewis and Benton for Carter's opening of his new medical center to help those who can't afford the care like the homeless. I liked seeing those old faces but wouldn't have minded seeing Dr. Chen or Neela or Ray or Abby or Luka. I think the kid who played Dr. Benton's son last night was played by the same kid who played him as a child. I also liked the wink and nod to Dr. Benton and Corday's past relationship. And did you see Corday's rental "car."

Another thing I really liked was Alexis Bledel as Dr. Julia Wise (or as I kept on calling her Dr. Rory) and if ER lasted another season, I wouldn't have minded seeing her on TV again. I really liked how she handled a lot that was thrown at her from the man with HIV to the poor pregnant woman who gave birth to twin girls. During the retrospective they said that there will be moments from the pilot in the finale and I think this pregnant woman storyline while not in the pilot reflected one of ER's best episodes (Love's Labours Lost). But what came from the pilot and was shown last night was Lydia (a nurse we haven't seen in ages) calling Dr. Morris to wake up just as she did in the opening scenes of the pilot calling Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards).

Speaking of Dr. Greene, I did love the re-appearance of Rachel, his daughter (Hallee Hirsh). I really loved how her character has changed and matured and is now a med student touring County as a potential place to work. I also loved that she gets along with Dr. Corday since I think she lives with her as she goes to Duke and Corday works at Duke. I teared up during the retrospective when they showed Dr. Greene's death. If you remember during that time Rachel was a real *itch and really unlikeable. I like to think that his death really effected her and that's why she decided to become a doctor.

I love the fact that Dr. Carter took her under his wing pretty much like how her father did with him and really loved the last scene when a major trauma was coming into the ER in the wee hours of the morning and Dr. Carter jumping in to help and turns to Rachel and said "Are you coming Dr. Greene?" I loved that. It was having Dr. Greene back. It was awesome.

As series finales go, I think it was one of the best. Nothing flashy. The only thing I could have done without was the repeat of the ER theme as the episode concluded.

I think the show ended when it needed to but the show will live on in repeats and DVD and its stamp can be seen in all the other hospital dramas that followed it or will follow it on TV too.

Natasha Richardson dies after skiing accident in Quebec

This is from CBC.ca but I will add some of my thoughts after the story:

British stage and screen star Natasha Richardson has died in New York after suffering a head injury while skiing at Quebec's Mont Tremblant resort on Monday.

A family spokesperson made the announcement Wednesday evening.
Richardson, 45, was a celebrated film, TV and stage actress with prolific credits on both sides of the Atlantic. She came from an esteemed family of British actors.

Her maternal grandparents were Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, and her Oscar-winning parents were Vanessa Redgrave and the late Tony Richardson.

Her younger sister, Joely Richardson, is an actor, as are her aunt Lynn Redgrave, uncle Corin Redgrave and aunt Kika Markham.

Though Richardson and her husband, Irish actor Liam Neeson, were based in U.S., where their teenaged sons Michael and Daniel were born, she trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama.

A familiar face for movies such as The Handmaid's Tale, The Comfort of Strangers, Nell and The Parent Trap, Richardson is most noted for her extensive stage career.

Theatre accolades began flowing in 1986, when she was dubbed the most promising newcomer by the London Drama Critics Circle for a turn in The Seagull opposite her mother.
By 1998, when she starred as Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes' revival of Cabaret, Richardson was awarded a raft of best actress trophies, including Tony, Outer Critics circle and Drama Desk Awards.

After starring in a one-night benefit concert performance of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music with her mother in January, Richardson had been slated to reprise the role in a planned upcoming production.

She had also been set to star in a December revival of August Strindberg's Miss Julie on Broadway, along with Philip Seymour Hoffman.
On Monday afternoon, the 45-year-old Richardson was taking a lesson on a beginner's slope at Quebec's Mont Tremblant ski resort north of Montreal.

The actress, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered what initially appeared to be a benign fall, not hitting anyone or anything else, according to the resort.

"She showed no injuries," Mont Tremblant spokeswoman Lyne Lortie told CBC News on Tuesday. "She was talking. She seemed all right. But [the ski patrol] have to follow strict procedures, so they brought her back to the bottom of the slope.
Richardson agreed to return to her hotel room, accompanied by the ski patrol and her instructor.

About an hour later, she complained of a headache and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe. She was eventually transferred to Montreal's larger Sacré-Coeur hospital.

Neeson immediately left the Toronto set of the Atom Egoyan film Chloe to join her Monday evening in Montreal.

Around midday on Tuesday, the actress was taken by private plane to New York, where the couple lives with their sons.

Family members — including the two boys and Richardson's mother, Vanessa Redgrave — were seen arriving at Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital on Tuesday evening.

I think what really gets me about this story is all the conflicting reports that came out on Monday shortly when the accident happened. At first, it sounded like she was brain dead then the next she was okay and even joking with people. It was almost too close to home for me. My dad suffered through a traumatic brain injury via a terrible car accident and while my dad survived, I did get conflicting reports on his condition.

I think this is a sad passing. I wasn't a huge fan of Natasha Richardson but I did first become a big fan of hers when she appeared in the remake of The Parent Trap back in 1998 and have been a fan since, even slogging through terrible movies like Maid in Manhattan (I wanted to see that film because she was in it). I also admired the fact that she came from an acting dynasty and really loved her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, when she was in Howards End.

Richardson was 45 when she died and I think she still had a great career ahead of her with tons of wonderful performances both on stage and on film.

I do have a sort of personal Natasha Richardon story. While I never met her, I do remember back in 2004 when Liam Neeson came to the Toronto International Film Festival for Kinsey and Richardson accompanied him to the red carpet, I was staked out across the street from Roy Thompson Hall with my telephoto lens and took pictures of them as they got out of their limo and moved along the red carpet. Here are some of the pictures that I took.

Enough with the horror movies already

Another Friday the 13th is upon us and only after a month from our last one and I am honestly tired of all of the horror/suspense/thriller movies that keep on coming it seems every week.

Last month it was Friday the 13th (coincidentally enough) and My Bloody Valentine 3D. Tomorrow we get Last House on the Left and coming soon The Haunting in Connecticut, Drag me to Hell and I am assuming Babysitter Wanted (I am judging this by the poster).

Sure movies like Scream and the first Saw movie helped revitalize the gory horror genre but over the past say 10 years, a whole bunch of them have come out and not a lot have done well at the box office and now I hear there is going to be a Saw VI and that disgusts me. I think they really should stop making Saw movies because there are no longer box office hits and what story can come out of these. I think the Saw franchise is in danger of being like the Land Before Time series that when I worked at Rogers Video about 10 years ago, they were already at part 14.

Now I am not a fan of the horror genre, never been ever since I saw Jaws II as a child but I just think there are too many of them that come out that pretty much tell the same story of a psycho or group of psychos terrorizing/killing pretty young things in a remote area. Enough is enough.

I mean I excpect a horror movie to come out at Halloween or on a Friday the 13 or a day like 666 (June 6, 2006) as the case was with The Omen remake but not let's say Good Friday or Rememberance Day.

I am just ranting because I saw a commercial for Last House on the Left during George Clooney's ER appearance and it just got me going.

Live Blogging the 81st Academy Awards

Hello all again. This is my third year blogging the Oscars and I am quite excited about this year's ceremony. Will this be the year that my favourite actress of all-time will win her Oscar? I think this will be Kate Winslet's year but we will see.

And this year is my first time blogging it back on the West Coast!!!!!! Last night, I can say that I have now seen all Best Picture Winners since 1996 (The English Patient) as I finally saw the rest of No Country for Old Men. After seeing this it got me thinking that as a huge movie fan, I've only seen 26 out of the 80 Best Picture winners. I haven't seen Gone with the Wind all the way through or even seen Schindler's List but I have made this vow that whenever a Best Picture winner like Chariots of Fire comes on TV, I'll watch it except for Silence of the Lambs -I can't bring myself to watch a "horror" film.

I just finished watching the East Coast feed of the Barbara Walters Oscar special and I have to say I am looking forward to seeing Hugh Jackman host. I was skeptical but I've seen him do the Tonys and he did a great job for the three years that he did it. Plus he is so damn sexy so I can't argue the eye candy aspect of it.

Speaking of sexy, I am looking forward to seeing Robert Pattinson (of Twilight) present.

Watching ABC's Red Carpet coverage and whatever right now. I am not going to comment as I am not much of a fashionista. All I care about is the awards.

I've made my predictions as did my brother (or he has at least until Hugh Jackman opens his mouth) and we also have this list that appeared on the Internet of the purported winners. We will see if it matches the actual winners (and I won't change any of my predictions because of this list).

Ok, I need to comment on this Red Carpet on ABC. It is so obvious that it has been edited down to 30 minutes. It's so choppy that it is a bit disconcerting.

I have to say that now that I've been to LA and to the Kodak Theatre, I can now envision how the Red Carpet works. It is amazing that they close down the whole road (Hollywood Blvd.) for the Oscars.

It's almost showtime. Just saw my brother's predictions and we have disagreed on some categories so we will see who comes out on top. I have to say this year I really did my research. We will see if it pays off. If I win I get Twilight on DVD. If Justin wins I can't make healthy/vegetarian stuff.

5:30pm PST Here we go...That's quick. Here's Hugh Jackman.

Orchestra on stage. Means a musical number is up. 5:32pm He is singing about Slumdog Millionaire.

Did he say your Craigslist Dancers?

Yeah, my brother just said I don't know what to make of it. And I don't know either. It is kind of a homage to Billy Crystal.

5:36pm: The Anne Hathaway bit was a definite set-up that was planned. Yes lame but funny.

5:37pm Jackman hasn't seen the Reader and he can't even sing that with a straight-face.

5:38pm Don't know what he is going to do now. But it was funny if somewhat lame.

5:39pm The crowd seem to love it. The stuff with Frank Langella was funny. He did this stuff with the Tonys and I did like it then and I like it now.

5:40pm What is going with this. Are we only going to see curtain? This means supporting actress is coming. I guessed Penelope Cruz for Vicky Christina Barcelona and Justin guessed Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which Justin kept on wanting to call it Curious George).

5:42pm Eva Marie Saint, Whoopi Goldberg, Tilda Swinton, Goldie Hawn and Angelica Houston. They are going to announce supporting actress, usually it is last year's best supporting actor winner. Producers did say they were going to do things differently.

5:47pm Finally they are going to announce the winner....Penelope Cruz. Me: 1 for 1. Justin: 0 for 1.
Actually I am glad that she won. I was so close to picking Viola Davis. I've heard her 12 minutes in Doubt was amazing. The woman who played the part on Broadway won the Tony so that was a consideration.

5:52pm This is funny Tina Fey and Steve Martin doing screen directions. Big applause for Tina Fey. Screenplay award now. Steve Martin is so funny. Best Original screenplay. We both guessed Milk. I like how they are presenting this award. The winner is: Milk. I am two for two so far. Justin is batting 50 per cent. A prop 8 shout out of sorts.

5:58pm A Charlotte Bronte shout out. Now screenplay adaption. The Don't fall in love with me statement came of of nowhere. We guessed Slumdog Millionaire. The winner is: Slumdog Millionaire. So far I am three for three and Justin is 2 for three.
I've never seen the screenplay award be presented this early. But they are making this year's ceremony different.

6:03pm Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black are doing Animated Feature. I guess not. First of many montages for the evening. I guess this is a 2008 movie scrapbook. So are we doing Animated Feature? Okay, we are. So we both guessed Wall-E. The winner is: Wall-E. I doing well so far tonight. I want a commercial break so I can make the sauce for dinner. But I have to say Wall-E is a beautiful film. So that's why Hello Dolly is an important part of Wall-E.

6:08pm Aniston and Black are doing Animated Short. I guessed: La Maison en Petits Cubes. Justin: Presto. The winner: La Maison en Petits Cubes. That was a total guess but based on advice from EW. So thanks Entertainment Weekly.

6:15pm What's next...Art direction. I do like how they present this award too. We both guessed Button. Winner is Button. I think this is the category where a Canadian was nominated (and now won). I don't think there is going to be a Marketa Irglova moment if the second person doesn't get to speak.

6:20pm Costume design. We both picked: The Duchess. Winner: The Duchess.
6:22pm Now is Make-up. Both of us picked: Button. The Winner: Button.
6:25 Robert Pattinson and Amanda Seyfried. Hello Robert Pattinson. I think they are introducing love in film for 2008.

6:31pm So they are going through the process of making a film and Stiller is looking like Joaquin Phoenix. They are doing Cinematography. We guessed Slumdog. Stiller was doing something we didn't see. He is just wandering around. Winner: Slumdog. So far I am 100%. Justin has only got one category wrong.

6:39pm Jessica Biel doing the Tech awards. Looking a bit livelier than past people.
Then they cut to another commercial break.

6:42pm Now they are doing comedy in 2008. Seth Rogen and James Franco are laughing as if the Reader was a comedy the same with Doubt. This is funny.

6:45pm It was a Judd Apatow short so no wonder. Short Film now. We both guessed: Toyland. Winner is Toyland.

6:52pm Hugh Jackman is doing another musical number but more like a Broadway style number. Well, it's Beyonce. Maybe she is going to sing all the Best Song nominees too. These songs are from Broadway musicals and not movies. This would work if this was the Tonys. There is Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried. This is lame. Really lame.

7:01pm This is it Best Supporting Actor. We both guessed Heath Ledger for the Dark Knight. There is no doubt that he will win. If he doesn't then that will truly be an upset. Who are they going to get to do this category? Christopher Walken, Kevin Kline, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alan Arkin and Joel Grey that's who. No Javier Bardem...interesting. Arkin just mixed up Philip Seymour Hoffman's name. The guy behind Michael Shannon can't see. I am getting teary-eyed with what Kevin Kline was saying about Heath Ledger. The winner is: Heath Ledger. It is sad that he isn't here to accept the award. I don't think they will cut Heath Ledger's family off. Everyone is crying.

7:10pm That was moving. Now Documentary in 2008. I do like how they are doing this. The filmmakers talking about it than just showing their faces in the audience. Justin just said that this year's Oscars is all about context. I think he's right (as usual). I chose: Man on Wire. Justin: Trouble the Water. Bill Maher is presenting this category. The Betrayal's guy's teeth is distracting. The winner is: Man on Wire. The guy who walked the two twin towers is here. The guy just balanced the Oscar on his chin. Best Doc short. Both picked: The Witness from Balcony Room 306. Winner Smile Pinki. There goes my perfect game. Crap!!!! I was so hoping 24 for 24.

7:23pm I think they are going to post-production stuff. So in this section we will get Visual effects, sound editing, sound mixing, score and song.

7:25pm Will Smith is doing Visual Effects. We both guessed: Button. Winner: Button. So far I have 12 right and Justin has 9 right out of 13 categories announced so far. Sound editing. I guessed Wall-E. Justin guessed Dark Knight. The Winner: The Dark Knight. So I got two wrong so far. Sound Mixing. We both guessed: The Dark Knight. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Wow. Got three wrong. I am stunned.

7:33pm Film editing. We both chose: Slumdog Millionaire. The Winner is Slumdog Millionaire.

The only other category we guessed differently is Foreign Language film. So basically, I win the Oscar bet this year as we agreed on the rest of the category.

7:42pm Jerry Lewis getting the honourary Oscar for his charity work. Presented by Eddie Murphy. That was a short video. They are really trying to get the show done by 8:30pm. They still have Best Song and Score and Foreign Film, Best Actor and Best Actress and Best Director.
I thought he was going ramble but it was nice and short.

7:50pm Best song and Best score category. Wanna let us know what we are listening to? I do love the score category. The score for Defiance sounds emotional but Schinder's List-esque. Most of the music on my iPod are of scores. Milk sounds sombre. I guess Zac Efron and Alicia Keys are going to announce the winner. We picked: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

7:55pm Best Song now. Are they going to perform it? Yes they are. Why are they mixing them together. That doesn't make sense. I really think they should go back to having each song sung individually and not part of a medley. I really like Jai-Ho my choice and Justin's too. The winner: Jai-Ho. The winner AR Rahman wins best score, performs in Best Song then wins for Best Song. I've never seen anything like this before.

8:05pm The performances of the songs could have been better. Frieda Pinto and Liam Neeson. Foreign Language film. Me: Waltz with Bashir Justin: The Class. The winner: Departures. That was one of the three possibilities and I didn't think that would be the winner. So far I got four wrong.

8:09pm Four categories left. They might just finish on time for me to see the Amazing Race.

8:10pm Queen Latifah doing the Dead Person's Montage. Queen Latifah is singing during the dead person montage. I can't see who they are honouring and it hard to tell which person will get the most applause because Queen Latifah is singing but of course Paul Newman got the biggest applause.

8:18 Sid Ganis, the president of the Academy is not going to make a speech YAY!!!!! Reese Witherspoon is doing Best Director. We both guessed: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

We are getting close to Best Actress...If Kate Winslet doesn't win, I am seriously going to be devastated.

8:24pm Now it is Best Actress. Who are they going to get? Sophia Loren, Shirley Maclaine, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cottilard. We both picked Kate Winslet for the Reader. The winner: Kate Winslet. Finally!!!!!!!! Six nominations and finally she gets one. I am very happy. She deserves it. Cute how Kate's Dad just whistled.

8:35pm Best Actor and they are 5 minutes over. So who is going to present? Robert De Niro, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Adrian Brody and Michael Douglas. Our pick: Mickey Rourke for the Wrestler. Robert Pattinson is over Mickey Rourke's shoulder. The winner: Sean Penn. I did debate long and hard on that one but chose Rourke because of the comeback kid type of thing. So I got five wrong so far.

8:47pm They should just get into Best Picture and they are. Our pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Even without showing clips of the film. They are still over. Best Picture montage..... this late in the game.....mixing it with past winners and nominees, not a bad idea. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

Now I can say I've seen every single best picture winner since 1996 as I saw Slumdog Millionaire last weekend.

This is the best showing I've had since Return of the King's year where I got about 22 out of 24 right. So 19 out of 24 isn't so bad. Justin got 17 out 24. So I win. Thanks for Twilight on DVD.

Well the Oscars are over for another year. Hugh Jackman was a charming host but wasn't really present that much. See ya next year.

Movie Review - Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire hits the jackpot

By Vanessa Ho

Slumdog Millionaire is not your typical Oscar-nominated movie. It isn't an epic like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or deals with heavy subjects like those depicted in Doubt and The Reader but it is a feel-good movie in a sense that is clouded in desperate, tragic and depressing circumstances.

The movie opens up as our hero Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is on the cusp of winning it all on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire but questions abound as to how he got here. Did he cheat? Is he a genius? Or is it written? The film explores how Jamal gets to this point by intercutting with his childhood experiences in the slums of India as he and his older brother, Salim, struggle to survive after the death of their mother. Tagging along is Latika, a young girl also orphaned who would pretty much become the love of Jamal's life.

Director Danny Boyle's depiction of the slums of India is heartbreakingly real and the experiences of these three young Indian youths as they struggle to survive are also quite emotional and hard to watch.

At the heart of the film is essentially the love story between Jamal and Latika (played as an adult by the lovely Frieda Pinto). Jamal goes on Millionaire in hopes to be reunited with Latika.

Patel is also winning as Jamal. You can see his desperation in his face as he tries to find Latika and as he tries to defend on why he knows the answers on Millionaire. The three young people that play Jamal, Latika and Salim are adorable and in the scenes depicting life in the slums their cuteness against this backdrop is heartbreaking.

But despite some of the bleakness, as I said, this is a feel-good movie in that you won't leave the theatre feeling sad over some of these characters fate but a sense of hope.

2008 Oscar nominations are out

The Oscar nominations came out on Thursday. There were a lot of surprises and some nominations that were as expected. Click here for the complete list of nominations.

The most shocking thing to me that happened while I was watching the nominees being announced was the exclusion of Kate Winslet (my favourite British Actress of all time) wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Reader.

Now I didn't really hear the nominations as I was in the middle of listening to Microsoft's second fiscal quarter 2009 webcast for work when they were being announced but when Best Actress came up I was unpleasantly shocked that Melissa Leo snagged a nom for Frozen River. I haven't seen the film and I've heard that she is great in it but I was hoping to see Kristen Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long. Thomas was amazing in that film but alas she got snubbed. Also snubbed was Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky. I've seen this film and while most critics praised her optimistic and sunny character, I found her annoying and her sunny disposition grating. So I was not too disappointed that she didn't get nominated. Now seeing Kate Winslet nominated as Best Actress was no surprise but because I wasn't listening to the nominations but seeing it, I assumed she was nominated for Revolutionary Road (which she won the Golden Globe for) so when later I found out it was for The Reader, I was truly shocked. As Revolutionary Road being pretty much shut out for major categories was surprising.

Another surprise came in Best Actor with Richard Jenkins getting nominated for The Visitor. I've seen this movie and did think he did a great job and am happy that he was nominated but I know he won't win.

Now I know there are other snubs but I didn't watch that many Oscar-bait movies to say they were snubbed and they were only considered snubs because critics were saying they were.

But I was surprised that Rachel Getting Married only earned a Best Actress nod for Anne Hathaway, which was expected but didn't get one for Jenny Lumet's original screenplay.

Seeing Slumdog Millionaire getting 10 noms and hearing other people that I know that has seen it praising the film really makes me want to see it.

A few years ago, I vowed to myself that I would try and see every Best Picture nominees before the Oscar telecast, alas the only year I did that was when Million Dollar Baby one. Since then, I have either only seen one or none beforehand. Though usually, I end up seeing the Best Picture winner afterwards but I haven't seen all of No Country for Old Men. I saw like an hour of it on a plane but haven't seen the rest since and I don't know if I want to. If I don't, it breaks my streak of seeing every single Best Picture winner since The English Patient.

Out of the five Best Picture nominees this year, I've seen only The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I've no desire to see Milk but I do sorta want to see Frost/Nixon and most likely will see The Reader since I am a big fan of Kate Winslet.

There are two categories that I can call right now and that is Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor and WALL-E for Best Animated film. Those two are sure things that me saying it here is not giving too much of my predictions away. I am not going to post my predictions before February 22 just in case my brother, whom we have an annual bet, should read my thoughts. I have the DVD of Twilight riding on this if I win. If I lose, I apparently can't argue about us trying to eat healthy for the next three months. My dad said I will win this year's bet because I know more about movies than my brother so I am hoping he is right.

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Pitt and Blanchett shines in Button

By Vanessa Ho

Clocking in at almost three hours long, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button didn't feel like you were clocking watching but rather soaking in the story of a man, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who ages in reverse and the ensuing love story.

Button is born shortly after the end of World War I. His mother dies giving birth to him and his father (Jason Flemyng), after seeing his son, abandons him on the steps of a nursing home, where he is found by Queenie (Tarajil P. Henson) who becomes Benjamin's surrogate mother. What is unusual about Benjamin is that when he is born he looks like a man well into his 80s will all the ailments of a senior citizen.

As he starts to grow younger, he meets Daisy (first played by Elle Fanning as a child, then Cate Blanchett as an adult). As they grow up together, they fall in love and finally meet in the middle in their 40s where their love really blossoms.

The love story is the heart of the film and where it truly flourishes. Pitt and Blanchett had undeniable chemistry and every scene they are in together is powerful and emotional.

Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and screenwriter Eric Roth really did an excellent job in shaping the story and giving it more heart and emotion.

Part of that heart goes to the performances, especially Henson as the no-nonsense Queenie. She truly seems to have formed a nice mother-son bond with Pitt. And Pitt is a true revelation here, giving great depth to Button in his various ages and proves that he is an actor with more than a pretty face. Blanchett of course is always amazing, in particular towards the end of the film, when she encounters a younger Benjamin; a truly heart wrenching reunion.

But there were times that I wished there was more of Daisy and Button. Too much of the movie is spent focusing on Button's adventure after he turns 17 and leaves for adventures at sea and during World War II. The romantic in me just wanted more scenes with Pitt and Blanchett. Their love story is one for the ages. Their story was of the most interest to the film.

Be prepared to cry as you the inevitable conclusion of a love story where one lover moves into old age and the other goes towards infancy.

The year that was

2008 brought some interesting life changes for me as I moved back to Vancouver after living in Toronto for four years. I am glad to be back home with friends and family again but I do miss my friends back in TO.

Aside from still being astounded in watching my niece able to grow up, 2008 brought some great adventures. I traversed the Maritimes in May and realized a childhood dream of going to Prince Edward Island to see the land where Anne of Green Gables came from and seeing things like Green Gables and Dalvay-by-the-Sea (aka The White Sands Hotel) with my own eyes.

While work travel didn’t take me places like Shanghai this year, I did get to go to Los Angeles for the first time and realize another dream: seeing the taping of The Price is Right!!! You can catch my show on January 8, 2009.

This year I also volunteered for the Vancouver International Film Festival. While not quite like volunteering for the Toronto International Film Festival, it was still an awesome experience and I got to see 11 movies out of it. My personal favourites were: I've Loved You So Long, I am Good, Rachel Getting Married and Summer House (despite that last 10 minutes).

Speaking of movies. I didn't see many first run movies in theatres this year. Now that I live near a second run movie house, have seen some double headers. But I digress.

The biggest disappointment in 2008 was the fact that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie was moved from November 21 2008 to July 17, 2009. I was so looking forward to that movie last year but now I have to wait another year to see it. The trailers make the movie look awesome.

Among the highlights of movies I did see include WALL-E, Prince Caspian, Get Smart and Mamma Mia. This list actually sums up all the movies I did see in theatres this year.

I am saving the Twilight movie for last. It was a movie that I had no desire to see in 2008. It was the movie that took over my beloved Harry Potter spot. But that was before I read any of the books. As mentioned in a previous blog, I only read the book to see what the big deal was and the big deal was the epic love story between a teenage girl and an impossibly handsome vampire. After reading all four books, I really wanted to see the movie. My review is posted but the movie still lingers with me especially when I listen to Carter Burwell's Bella's Lullaby. It takes me that that scene in the movie and I remember Kristen Stewart's and Robert Pattinson's chemistry.

I would say Twilight was a surprise for my in 2008. I didn't expect to love it.
2008 was also a great year for me reading wise. I've read like about seven books in the last two months. I haven't read that many books released this year but the highlight was Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling. At least 2008 gave me something Harry Potter related.

Also let's take a moment to mourn the cancellation of shows that I loved in 2008: Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone. TV this year was a bit of a disappointment too as I am not interested in any of the new shows that were introduced for the 2008-09 TV season.

Things to look forward to 2009 movie wise. Well I am currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife and I am looking forward to seeing that movie as the book so far is very intriguing.

I am also eagerly anticipating The Lovely Bones, the movie based on the book by Alice Sebold. The book was amazing and I cried during some parts of it. The cast of the film is good too (Rachel Weisz and Mark Walberg) so I am hoping the film will be faithful to the story.

Of course I am looking forward to July 17, 2009 for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and November 20, 2009 for New Moon (the second film in the Twilight Saga –although the book sucks). They are filming New Moon in Vancouver in March so maybe I will get to see Robert Pattinson milling about Vancouver.

Happy New Year and see you in 2009.

Twilight vs. Harry Potter: Which one do I love and why?

If I had to choose between these two book series, easily I would have hands down have said the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. How could I not chose this, after all it is my literary love. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone was the book that started my love of reading.

As my brothers could attest, I never liked reading. Even I am surprised that I survived high school. I think with a couple of exceptions (like Hiroshima and A Farewell to Arms (which by the way, I really had to slog through that to even finish)) I don't think I ever read a novel all the way through. I mostly relied on the movie version to get through tests. As an aside, I remember when I used to work at a video store, I would always laugh as I saw high schoolers come in to rent Hamlet, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights as I knew that they were only watching those because that is what they were studying at the time.

But back to the issue at hand, as soon as I read the first Harry Potter book, I became hooked on his tale. At first, I didn’t want to read Harry Potter because I thought they were children's books but there was so much hype about it that I was curious but didn't want to fall for the hype. However, I joined an online book club and they recommended the first Harry Potter. After all, this same book club recommended The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery and I really loved that book. So I gave them the benefit of the doubt and walked into a book store to buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

I couldn't put the book down. What surprised me the most was that it didn't read as a children's novel. Adults could totally get into it and I loved the fact that it wasn’t predictable as most kids books are. You think one person is the villain throughout but then Rowling puts in a twist you don't see coming.

This became the same thing through books 2 to 7. And as the books grew in size and became darker, it was evident that Harry Potter could be enjoyed by all ages. I love the suspense that Rowling created as the series progressed. I wanted to know the outcome of the saga. I read Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (the last book in series) in 24 hours. The fastest I have read any book. I wanted to read it fast so I wouldn't be spoiled by people talking about in the streets or the Internet. I needed to know how it all ended. I was on tenderhooks and worried throughout. It didn’t help that Rowling said that at least two characters would die and I didn't put it past her that one of the two could have been one of the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Reading Harry Potter lead me to read more and more. Since May 2008, I've read almost 10 books. I think the most I've ever read in one year.

Four of those books where the Twilight Saga. And if it wasn't for Harry Potter, I would have never read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. I was so biased for Harry Potter that when I saw a local bookshop having a midnight release party for Breaking Dawn the last in the Twilight series, I wanted to see if it was to the grand scale as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows midnight release party. This is the same bookshop that held that party at Van Dusen Gardens and not at the store. I went to a midnight release party in Toronto for HP7 and it was an awesome experience. Anyways, I went there at around 11:45pm and saw that the line-up wasn't large and I laughed and knew there would be no line-ups that stretched a good portion of West Broadway and knew that Harry Potter would always be more popular than Twilight, which still holds true today.

This was all before I even read the Twilight Saga. As with Harry Potter, I was curious to see why teenage girls and their moms loved this story about the love story between a human teenager and a vampire. And since the movie was coming out soon (taking over Harry Potter and the Half –Blood Prince's old release spot) I decided to borrow the book from the library.

And I do have a literary policy. I seem to read books knowing that a movie version is coming. I did that with Atonement, Howard's End, Remains of the Day, The Lovely Bones, etc…

So I read the first book in the Twilight Saga and as I was reading it, I did get a sense of why people love it. The reason why I didn't want to read it at first was because a) it was for teenage girls and I haven't been a teenager in a long time and b) it was a horror story and I don't do horror.

But how wrong I was, the elements of horror weren't scary at all and the appeal of it is the love story. And I am a romantic and I really love a great love story especially the one that Meyer depicted in Twilight.

Twilight does remind me a lot about Jane Eyre (my classic literary love) and I read that one of the influence's of Twilight is Jane Eyre and I can see that. Bella sees herself as ordinary while Jane calls hers "small, obscure, plain and little." The Edwards that they love are handsome, beautiful and rich. Both women don't think that their Edwards could ever love them in return as they love them. The Edwards on the other hand see themselves as monsters, damaged good, unworthy of Bella's and Jane's love.

If you ever read the first 12 chapters of Midnight Sun, the retelling of Twilight from Edward Cullen's perspective, you see that Bella and Edward were totally in synch with each other in terms of their feelings. Both pretty much fell in love with each other at the same time, felt the same insecurities until they were finally able to profess their love in the meadow. It actually melts my heart as I write this.

I also thought it was romantic that it was the first love for both and considering that Edward is a 108 year old vampire, it is quite sweet. And I love that sometimes the first love you feel for that person is the ONE.

While Harry Potter has elements of romance in it, it wasn't the overriding dominant theme. After all, it was all about defeating Voldemort. But I loved that Rowling brought together Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione and I really loved the epilogue as we got to see a happy ending happen to these couples. I was less thrilled that she killed off my other favourite couple in the series: Tonks and Lupin. No good Rowling, not good at all.

But those romances don't hold a candle to the intense love that Bella and Edward feel for each other and as you continue reading the other books in the series New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn you can feel their love grow (just ignore the Jacob parts) and you get to see them live and be a couple. Another influence of Meyer was the Anne of Green Gables series because you get to see Anne and Gilbert's life after getting married. Breaking Dawn, while ridiculous in places, really showed what I wanted to see in the Saga: Bella and Edward after they got married. To me, it seemed that their love story got more complete and even hotter. However, unlike HP7, I wasn't on tenderhooks because I somehow knew there would be a happy ending while the ending to Deathly Hallows was mixed with joy and sadness. It was a more of a bittersweet ending.

So I can I chose which I love better? I think I can and that would be Harry Potter. As I said, if there was no Harry Potter, there would be no Twilight. I remember after HP7, I was telling a friend while we debriefed over HP7 that I would never read again. Harry Potter got me into reading and didn't see any books that interested me but she said I should give Twilight a try, A year and half later, I am glad that the old adage of never say never is true.

What do I read next? I don't know. I am waiting for Midnight Sun to actually get published and then after that, who knows.

Twilight movie review

Twilight doesn't quite shine

By Vanessa Ho

Don’t get me wrong, I really wanted to love Catherine Hardwicke's adaption of Stephenie Meyer's widely popular vampire romance Twilight. After all I fell in love with the books that depict the epic love story between ordinary high schooler Bella Swan (played how I imagined her to be by Kristen Stewart) and an impossibly beautiful vampire named Edward Cullen (the perfectly cast Robert Pattinson aka Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter).

But alas, I didn’t. Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg has been very faithful to Meyer's first book in the Twilight saga and even cribbed a lot of the dialogue from the novel but certain scenes just didn't translate well to the screen as they did on the page. For instance, the first moment that Edward sees Bella in biology, he is repulsed by her smell because he is overwhelmingly attracted to her human scent but the scene just comes off as unintentionally funny they way Pattinson held his mouth and nose as if he is about to throw up.

But I am getting ahead of myself, Twilight starts with Bella moving away from sunny Phoenix to

dreary Forks, Washington to live with her father (Billy Burke) after her mother (Sarah Clarke) remarries and wants to travel with her new husband as he tries to make it as a professional baseball player. Soon after starting at the new school, she attracts the unwanted attention of many of the boys at the school but she is immediately intrigued by Edward and his family. At this point, she doesn’t suspect them to be vampires. Edward constantly avoids her and I guess that makes him more attractive to her. Eventually, she figures out who he is, thanks to some help from childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and confronts him with her theories, which he confirms by showing her various things.

Edward takes Bella to meet his vampire family and explains that they aren't like other vampires. The only hunt animals. However, Bella's life becomes endangered after another vampire called James (Cam Gigandet) smells Bella and wants her blood, thus setting up a battle to save her life or doom her to become a vampire.

The most important aspect to me of any adaptation of Twilight is chemistry. Do Pattinson and Stewart have chemistry? From the trailers and photos I've seen, I inferred that they did and when I finally saw the movie, I agree. It was a very slow burn chemistry (much like how the characters in the book slowly fall in love) and culminated to a very hot kiss in Bella's bedroom.

Stewart has to carry the whole film as Bella is the central character and she does a great job but at times, especially near the end after the climactic battle, she was a bit over the top in her line delivery.

And you can tell that this film was made for only $40 million. The special effects weren't great, especially during a pivotal scene between Edward and Bella that I won't spoil to those that haven’t read the books. Here's hoping that New Moon, the next film in the Twilight Saga will have a bigger budget and better special effects.

But at the heart of this film is the love story between Bella and Edward and after being away from the film for a few hours, that is really all I can think about and what I think about after I've read the novels so in that sense, the film succeeded in my expectations of capturing their love. After all, I am quite the romantic.

VIFF 2008: The Stone of Destiny

The Stone of Destiny received a standing ovation from the audience at the opening of the Canadian Images portion of the 27th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival and I don't it wholly deserved it.

Director and writer Charles Martin Smith tells the true story of a group of Scottish university students from Glasgow as they plan and steal the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone from Westminster Abbey but his story telling is filmed with so many clichés such as the "don't fall for me" line leading lady Kate Mara throws to leading man Charlie Cox knowing that they eventually will and the shy Alan (Ciaron Kelly) coming out of his shell at a crucial moment, that it is hard to truly enjoy it.

The film begins winter 1950 in Glasgow and culminates to Christmas 1950 when Ian Hamilton (Cox), Gavin Vernon (Stephen McCole), Kay Matheson (Mara) and Alan Stuart (Kelly) succeed in stealing the stone but without some hiccups along the way.

A little back story about the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone is that it’s a oblong block of red sandstone weighing approximately 152 kg. It was used for centuries during the coronations of the monarchs of Scotland, England and Britain. Back in 1296, the Stone was captured by Edward I as spoils of war and taken to Westminster Abbey. Hamilton wanted to do something for Scottish pride as back them Scotland was being referred to North Britain and wanted a symbol to represent Scottish independence, hence stealing the Stone.

However, when the quartet finally does steal the stone, the celebration on the streets of Scotland just ring false and I just didn't get the sense of pride and excitement that the people felt over their feat. Also ringing false was when Hamilton was initially planning his heist with his friend Bill (Billy Boyd). All the books, maps, floor plans and casing the joint just rang like a false version of Ocean's Eleven and this point was really hammered home when Bill left and Hamilton recruits Matheson who then recruits Vernon who then recruits Stuart.

The only true bright spot of the film is McCole as Vernon. He not only provides comic relief but was also endearing when he told of his reason for wanting to steal the Stone and I loved the part where he affects a snotty British accent to glean information off a priest on how to better access Westminster Abbey. Truly wasted was Robert Carlyle as someone who secretly finances the theft and Oscar winner Brenda Fricker as Carlyle's maid. Her role was pointless, just serves tea, eavesdrops then leave scene. Also, what really bothered me was the celebration between Carlyle and Fricker when the Stone was stolen really rang false.

Mara was fine as Matheson (even with her uneven Scottish brogue) but the fault of the film lies with Cox, he isn’t charismatic enough to care about why he wants to steal the Stone, which in turn makes me not really care.

The Stone of Destiny is next showing on October 8th at 11:30 am at Empire Granville 7 Cinemas. The Vancouver International Film Festival runs now until Oc

Movie Review -Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! Frothy and fun

By Vanessa Ho

Mamma Mia! the movie is just as exuberant on screen as it is on stage. Having seen the stage production seven years ago, I had some trepidation as to how well that story can translate to the silver screen.

I needn't worry.

What works in the film's favour over the stage is the fact that it was actually filmed in Greece and the audience doesn't have to rely on their imagination to believe that they are in Mediterranean; you are there in all its beautiful and wonderful glory.

Mamma Mia! the movie and the stage musical have crafted a story around super 70s group ABBA to glorious effect. I found it amazing when I originally saw the show that they took songs like the title song and Dancing Queen and somehow made its lyrics work with the story.

But what is the story that the ABBA songs fit so nicely? Well, Mamma Mia! is about Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, TV's Big Love) who is about the get married to Sky (a very hunky Dominic Cooper) and wants her Dad to give her away. The only problem is she doesn't know who her dad is and after reading her mom's, Donna (Meryl Streep), diary, she discovers that she has three possible fathers: Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) and Harry (Colin Firth). Hilarity ensues when Donna discovers all three men are at the resort that she runs and gets all emotionally confused upon seeing them again, especially Brosnan's Sam. Good thing her two best friends (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) from their singing group days are in town for the wedding to offer emotional support.

The performances from all the actors are surprisingly good, especially Streep who sings with great gusto especially on The Winner Takes it All and Walters (Harry Potter's Mrs. Weasley) offers great comic relief in particular with her wooing Skarsgard's Bill during Take a Chance on Me. Another highlight is the end credits, which I won't spoil here but if you've seen Mamma Mia! on stage then you know what I am talking about.

However, the real star of the film is Seyfried. Her singing voice alone is stupendous. I love her renditions of Lay all your love on me (one of my favourite songs from the stage version) and I have a dream.

The same can't be said for Brosnan, whose singing voice is just atrocious, more than over during SOS. I wanted to yell S.O.S so someone could save me from his singing. Firth and Skarsgard do decent jobs with the songs they are given to sing (Our Last Summer and Take a Chance on Me, respectively).

The film version also benefitted from having the original creative team on board with the stage production's director Phyllida Lloyd helming the film version and the book writer, Catherine Johnson, writing the screenplay. And unlike, The Producers movie, this didn't seem like a reproduction of the stage version because of the fact that it was filmed on location.

Mamma Mia! is one of the better recent stage to screen musical adaptations of recent years and a must see for all ABBA fans; just plug your ears when Brosnan is singing!

Movie Review: WALL-E

WALL-E: A feast for the eyes and soul

By Vanessa Ho

Pixar has another hit on their hands in WALL-E. First it started with the playful Toy Story and continued with last year's delicious Ratatouille.

WALL-E is about a robot named, well, WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class and "voiced" by Ben Burtt) that was left behind on Earth to clean-up the mess we humans made when we took off for space after the planet became uninhabitable. It has been 700 years that WALL-E has been doing his job and he is endearingly curious, finding everyday mundane things wonderful and keeping them as souvenirs like a bra, a lighter and a Rubik's cube. Also cute is how he sets out every morning for work with lunch box in hand and comes home every night to his pet cockroach.

His only source of entertainment is his love for the movie musical Hello Dolly! And he constantly watches two musical numbers from the film: "Sunday Clothes" and "It Only Takes a Moment" the latter features scenes of the two romantic leads holding hands that affect WALL-E throughout the film. Then one day, while toiling away, a ship lands on Earth and out pops EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator, Elissa Knight). WALL-E falls in love with her and is very cute as he tries and court EVE, especially when he is hesitant in wanting to hold her hand.

As a romantic gesture, he gives EVE a potted plant that he finds while working. But as soon as EVE sees it, she grabs it and goes into lock down. This was what she was sent to Earth to discover. Here WALL-E tries all he can to wake EVE up and does various things to protect her. Eventually, EVE's ship comes back and gets her and brings her back to the Axiom, a space cruise ship that is home to Earth's former citizens that because of years of being in space and inactivity (due to relying on hover chairs) have become morbidly obese. Adventure ensues when the plant goes missing and WALL-E and EVE must rescue it in order for the ship's captain (Jeff Garlin) to fulfill his mission of finding sustainable life on Earth so humans can go back home. I was definitely tearing up near the end of the film.

The blending of live-action clips of Hello Dolly! into the animated sequences are marvelous and seamless. As well, Fred Willard plays the only live person in the movie as Shelby Forthright, CEO of the Buy N Large, a company that features prominently in the film. His blending into the action was also seamless.

The animation is visually appealing in particular the scenes with WALL-E travelling from Earth to the Axiom and WALL-E himself was drawn very well and loved how he expresses emotions through his eyes.

While the film features very little dialogue except for the sounds created by sound designer Burtt (who also created some of the legendary sounds in Star Wars such as the lightsabers' distinctive noises), the story was very effectively told through the animated emotions of the two leads as well as using the music from Hello Dolly!

As well, the messages of the film: global warming and inactivity leads to obesity were never in your face and told well through the use of humor. As with all Pixar films there was definitely something for everybody young and old.

Looking forward to see what Pixar brings in 2009. If it is anything like their past nine, then I expect nothing but greatness.