DC MOVIEGIRL'S TOP 20 BLACK SCI-FI ICONS

Still coming down from the Presidential high. ....And we're back to (mostly) movies.

Once again, I have to correct a lazy, poorly researched, list from a mainstream source.

Now, I have NO PROBLEM with Entertainment Weekly. I read the magazine often while perusing bookstores, but this list?...

Is a big-time FAIL.

Look, I'm a Browncoat too, but three black people from the SAME source? Come on, now, that smacks of "I don't know that many sci-fi black people, so I'll just put all the ones I know from my favorite movie/TV show".

On some random blog like mine? That would be acceptable. In as big a mainstream publication as Entertainment Weekly? NO.

I'm a sci-fi head and I'm black. So, many of these characters really mean something to me. Believe it, a LOT of us are into sci-fi. Non-defaults understand other non-defaults, O.K.?

So, here you go. Here's my proper top 20 Black Sci-fi Icons list. Those who weren't mentioned on the EW list are italicized with an asterisk:

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MARTHA
The first black companion on Dr. Who was shorted writing-wise, just like a good chunk of the black characters on this list, but we take what we can get.

It took a long time for fandom to come around for her *cough*racistmofos*cough*, but Freema made the best of her character.

Optimistic, smart, and fearlessly loyal. She managed to amass a nice following by the time she left the show.






*MR. EKO
Micheal was a punk, point blank. Okay, not in regards to his son, but still... I NEVER forgave the writers for offing the coolest mofo to ever be on that show.

Him and his Jesus stick. He's my Lost icon, dammit.

I'll just take him and Sayid, please, thanks.









JULIUS P. CARRY
He's an icon in many a black household. Ask many a black Gen Xer to quote his inner-city samurai Sho' Nuff and they will. Between The Last Dragon and Brisco County Jr., the man deserved more attention than he got, in life.

R.I.P. Mr. Carry.









FRANK
"Look, you crazy mother...!"

Look, I love Keith David too, especially in John Carpenter movies (and as Goliath on Gargoyles *hee!*), but really...They Live is the proper choice. Why? Because despite not living through to the end, this scene?..:



...was A+.

*AUNTY ENTITY
She is Tina Turner.
She built a town out of pig-poop and for that, she deserves her place on this list. Plus, she was damn cool in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Cheesy an 80's classic, as that movie is, everybody remembers her lines:

"Bust a deal, face the wheel!"
"You're just a raggedy man!"

and more...

And of course, what's been captioned on the photo.











*KEVIN PETER HALL
Yes, Carl Weathers is cool and all, but for my money? If you're picking the coolest black character from that series, you go with the Predator himself, Kevin Peter Hall. He went from this to playing Harry in Harry and the Hendersons. He was also on the short-lived cult, Mistfits of Science show.

Before Doug Jones, he was the go-to"man in suit" who brought much heart and dignity to his roles.

Him being left off the list was the biggest FAIL of them all.

R.I.P. Mr. Hall.


ZOE
Like I said, I'm a Firefly fangirl too. But if you're gonna pick one black character from the show, Zoe is the one.

Why? Because she's only one who completely transcends the black sci-fi character archetype. She was neither neutered *cough*Book*cough*, killed, nor the villain. In fact, despite being the "tough woman" she actually *gasp!* had a life beyond just being a sidekick.

Plus, it just tickles me pink that in a Hollywood where far too many call-lists ask specifically for somebody white, that Zoe was written for the talented black woman, who played her.





*THE BROTHER
MASTERPIECE metaphor for that point I was making earlier. Yup. A lot of us love sci-fi because, we can relate. John Sayles' Brother from Another Planet demonstrates this oh, so well.

Also, Joe Morton is awesome. That they would pick his role in Eureka over this?! ...is just nuts.







*GUNN
Five seasons on Angel and not even a mention? EW, how could you? Especially with as many Joss-heads as y'all have on staff.

WTF, ya'll?

I loved that he had a decent normal relationship with a white woman on the show...Well, as normal as you could be fighting demons. But still no abuse, no OMGEVILRAPISTBLACKMENS!! Like far too many movies.

Again, he was shorted, mainly being the most minor of the main cast, but he still managed to be cool.


*TIA DALMA
You could argue that her character was more fantasy, but this is my list, I stretch the definition as I please, thank you, very much.

If you'll remember, I very much had a love-hate relationship with this character, when she was first introduced. Here we go again, with voodoo equaling some scary, boogie-man, Afro-mystic, mumbo-jumbo. Of course, there's the magical negress element as well, even as her role expanded as Calypso.

...But oh boy, talk about working with your character. Naomie Harris took a stereotypical mish-mash and made her magnetic, seductively entrancing, and infinitely more interesting smeared in grease and dirt, than Elizabeth, in all of her finery.





WORF
Everybody knows the Klingons are supposed to be *ahem*"ethnic".

Translated through the reliably solid Micheal Dorn, you get Worf, the ultimate in stiff cool, metal beauty pageant sash, and all.










*STORM
I had to include her, despite the gross miscasting, handling, and writing of her character, because she is an icon of color, in comicbooks and comicbook movies.


I'll just pretend Iman is in that costume as she should have been.









*RIDDICK
Oh, say what you will about Vin Diesel, Riddick was, is, and always will be the ish.












SISKO
As captain of the the most underrated Star Strek installment, ever, Sisko was shorted, but his character is significant just by virtue of the being the black lead on a dramatic show, a rarity even today.

It was a huge step in the trend of true diversity in the ST shows. Because the white human male in charge all the time, kind of goes against that.







GEORDI
Oh Geordi, with his silver banana-clip visor and so very little in the way of development, he too, was pretty well shorted.

It was, however, in his friendship with the other "other" stand-in on the show, Data, where he really shined. Being the caregiver of the ship with his incredible engineering skills didn't hurt either.








*BLADE
Before Spiderman, Marvel tested it's first property, with this risky R-Rated venture.

And oh boy, was it badass. Black vampires, without irony, yet another (accidental?) take on the struggle of oppressed "others" for respect. It's success insured that Spiderman, X-Men, and most recently, Iron Man would be made.

If for no other reason, you need to thank Blade for comeback of the comicbook movie.




*GRACE JONES - Let's forget the craptastic Vamp and Conan The Destroyer (she was so underused, back then). The woman herself, IS a sci-fi character.

She doesn't just play one. And that's awesome.









MORPHEUS
Oh Morpheus, how many ways can I count your cool? #1 The handle-less shades, #2 the unquestioning faith in what you believe to be true #3 The fact that YOU WEREN'T SACRIFICED in the first movie.

Believe me, that was a big one. Our heroes actually cared enough to go back to SAVE their black mentor and *gasp!* succeeded. Talk about avoiding the cliché .

Even Tank's crazy behind was shocked.



LANDO
No black sci-fi icon list is complete without Lando.

I've heard that Lucus originally intended Han Solo to be black (it all makes sense, now!) but the powers that be didn't think it would sell, and so pressured him to go white. So, Lando was the comprimise.... Billy-Dee Williams in all his Colt 45 smoothness.

I'd include Mace in here as well, but for the fact that he was in those awful prequels.

It makes me almost forgive him for Jar-Jar. ...I said, almost.





UHURA
Of course, Uhura is #1. The original. Often imitated but never duplicated. For so many black boomer black women, hers was the first positive futuristic reflection of themselves they saw on TV, and played with so much class.

I truly hope that tradition is carried on in the new Star Trek film, but the fact that her only clip in the trailer is of her removing her top is less than promising.

Yeesh.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

*RUBY ROD - He's not on the list because he annoyed the crap out of me. But I know many people love The Fifth Element and so, here he is.

Enjoy.



DUALLA - I don't watch Battlestar Gallactica.
Now, don't revoke my sci-fi card just yet...I have watched a good chunk of the first season, but quit when it got too depressing for me.

Still, I see Dualla as a new-aged Uhura. She has the respect of the crew, but she was relegated to the background and/or mainly involved to propel other (white main) characters' stories forward. She's not on the list because she's too recent and because I need to watch more Battlestar.



*MYSTIQUE - I don't care that a white woman was playing her. Mystique is an honorary black woman, as far as I am concerned. That bad-ass "slave-name" line cemented it for me.

If Magneto is pre-Mecca Malcolm X to Professor X's Martin Luther King, than Mystique is Angela Davis.









*TEAL'C
I never watched SG1. I thought the movie was pretty lame. Great music, though. And I hear this guy was pretty cool.

What was he, the Worf for Stargate?








Now, I have to admit, a few of the people listed on that EW list, I definitely agree with and or am curious about.

Neverwhere? Hmm, *netflixes!* ...But I could not find a place for them, here.

In other words, I'm lazy too, but I loved that Enemy Mine was included.

OFF-TOPIC: NEW DAY

I am, so full right now guys.

I've just allowed myself to take a breath and fully realize the magnitude of the past 24 hours...

My mother sharecropped, had to purchase items from the back, used colored fountains.
She did this less than fifty years ago. My mom remembers the threats, the openly-proud hatred for black folks.

She told me last night, that she was so glad I could be here for her, representing the just how far we've come, in less than a generation. She said, it took us getting to the point of such desperation, to look beyond our prejudices for the exceptional human being we need for our country, right now. We finally had the courage to give ourselves what we deserve.

She was at the March in '63. It's so humbling that I had the privilege of being there for this, to carry it on.

The current Nation cover was what made it finally snap fully into place for me, specifically the young people in front of President Obama. That's Emmett Till, Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins.

We've gone from brutally murdering children for simply existing with dark skin, to electing a black man as president.

I'd been afraid to fully feel this, lest I REALLY feel it, but that realization forced it out of me and I had a good cry.

I am a natural optimist, people. Life has made me cautious in that optimism and even cynical at times.

...But moments like this?

Cynicism, even of the healthy variety doesn't enter into it. This is just so far beyond it. Hope is more than just a slogan, people.

The first black president is actually the right man, at the right time. It would not have happened any other way. Even this fact can't lay a fingernail on this moment.

I am grateful, I am hopeful, I am proud.

I can't wait for the future.

NOTORIOUS

I thought it was preachy and melodramatic, which might've been O.K. had it not been tempered with so much hypocrisy sold as moral evolvement into "a man."

...Christopher calls his child's mother a bitch within earshot of his daughter, then tells her never to allow any man to call her that, to much thoughtful head-nodding and "mm-hmm's" in the audience.

I wanted to take a bath after that, it felt so gross...Seriously, people. What is WRONG WITH YOU?

So, to Biggie "They're all bitches except mine," and that made perfect moral sense to the people in the audience.

Even the preachiness was done wrong. It felt like a VH1 original movie, with BET values.

Jamal Woolard as Biggie, was the sole natural, in a sea of overacting!. The story itself, however, brought nothing new to the table. We already know all the behind the scenes stuff. There were no new revelations, here. Nothing made the making of this feel worth the effort.

I say, catch it on cable.

Now. I have a few rants I need to get off my chest.

I'll start with Angela. Bassett.

*sigh*

What in the world, happened to her? She's always been over-rated as an actor to me, but it seems like the older she gets, the more affected she gets. She plays EVERYTHING too broadly. It was to the point of making me feel like I'd wandered into a chitlin'-circuit play!

Angie, when it looks like you might permenantly injure your eyes and neck? "It's too much" is an understatement. PLEASE, for the love of your career, just.... take it down a few notches.

For those who are fans of hers, I do give her much props for having such a regal carriage and for turning down Monster's Ball, but I dare any fan to come here and name one movie, in which she didn't overract. Just name one subtle, nuanced, performance, people. I dare you.

My other rant is about this trailer, shown before the movie:



You know, I watched Laura Linney on Inside the Actor's Studio before I went to see this. I remember her saying she goes for scripts/movies that aren't "...written to be greenlit."

Obsessed was written to be greenlit. And worse yet, using a demographic that really doesn't need to be exploited any more than it already is, unashamedly using stereotypes saturated with very old racist and sexist beliefs.

It sickened me to hear all the young black women whoopping, hollaring, and telling their girlfriends that they couldn't wait to see this.

..Really, ladies?

It's Disclosure for the angry jealous black woman, and you can't wait for hollywood sell you MORE of the same sterotypical b.s. they've been inflicting upon you for decades?

REALLY?!

...The director's name is Steve Shill, no joke. And y'all wonder how BET lasted this long.

Coming back to Notorious for a second, I'd LOVE see some filmmaker honestly tackle all the esteem-damage black women have to go through, ultimately destroying the most vunerable, to the point of disrepair...



I could go off on a whole other tangent on why folks who think her music is sexually empowering are wrong... (It's the sexually-abused/discarded woman who's fierce in her assertion that she's nothing more than the best at sex as a defense mechanism, that's weakness not strength) but this post would be very long.

As I said, I didn't care for the film. I'm tired of thin characters, soap-opera stories, and TV-style film-making being given a pass because it's one of the few "black movies."
...We can do better, dammit.

PARENTS: Keep the kids away. Unless you want them to idolize this mess.

P.S. Want another reason why I blog about movies? Ebert and Roeper's replacements loved Notorious. *shudder*

P.P.S. The Wolverine trailer was quite nice. :)

OFF-TOPIC: WE ARE ONE...BIG, FROZEN, HOPEFUL, MOB

DCMOVIEGIRL WATCHES THE GOLDEN GLOBES

Welcome to my first ever live-blog of the Golden Globe Awards. YEAH!!

I'm routing for Dexter, Slumdog, In Bruges, Wall-E, Mickey, Meryl, and Kate. Though, True Blood is delicious trash, the choice actor to nominate from that show should have been Nelsan Ellis, foreign press.

...AID's burger, for the win.



I'm disappointed by the overlooking of Pushing Daisies. Canceled after one season, and yet Heroes limps along. *sigh*

...And commences watching E!

6:03 PM

-Ryan Seacrest's hair looks better than usual.
-Ricky Gervais wife is funny too. Sure, you got the clothes from the laundry.
-John Rhys has crazy eyes, but I do love the accent.
-I do love Mr. Jay, but the silver hair...

...and first commercial.

6:10 PM

-Who dis? Oh, somebody from something I've never seen, Entourage. All I know is one guy is based on the hot new White House Chief of Staff's brother.
-Yeah, Taraji. Oooh, I didn't know she was from S.E. DC. And um, "roughness of the area" depends on what PART of S.E....Just saying.
-Love her, but her dress is ugly
-Now THAT's a nice dress...but the earrings are ugly.

commercial...

6:22 PM

-Love Jenna Fischer (from The Office), but it looks like somebody puked up her dress.
-Hey, it's that guy from House! ...Needs a haircut.
-Texting, nobody cares (just like this blog).

...and next commercial.

6:31 PM

-OH HAI! Nepotism. Ms. Golden Globes *snicker* is Rumor Willis.
-YEAH!! Slumdog! Frieda's dress color looks nice.
-No...Don't make them dance.

...commercials.

Defiance: would be interested for Daniel Craig and guerilla-fighting Jewish refugees, but I haven't heard good things about it.


6:39 PM

-Yes, Mr. Jay. I'm gagging too. I HATE PINK. And too. many. ruffles.
-Alec Baldwin, greatest actor on Earth, according to some and a big meanie to his kid.
-Bubble gum on the red carpet is tacky.

...commercials.

Oh, you KNOW Inkheart is right up my alley, with the fantasy/fairytale thing. It looks pretty bad, though.


6:46 PM

-Love Eva's dress, but the color blends in with the carpet.
-Mmm, Aaron Eckhart.
-I'm sure they are tired of hearing that sadness over Heath question, over and over.
-Debra's ponytail looks like a weave ponytail I spotted on the DC streets, the other day.
-Simon Baker has such a caricaturish face.
-The Jonas Brothers are so bland. And that's probably a good thing for kids these days. We had Bobby Brown.

commercials...

Revolutionary Road: Nick Drake's music being used in a movie, yet again...How surprising!

6:55 PM

-Can't decide if I like Evan Rachel's dress. It fits well, but I think the tiers may be a bit much.
-Anybody wearing that jacket should not be criticizing fashion.
-Debra's dress is okay, but I think the straps are a bit too close together.
-Oh, the guy who made Kevin's tux is gonna be pissed.
-Aww, Susan's son got his daddy's height. :)
-Miley's face = ALL circles. Round eyes, round head, round nose....
-Amy Adams, nice dress. Now, THAT's how you do black. I do wish the hair were a bit more neatly coiffed, though.
-OH HAI! BILL!! :) ..."SUKEH! SUKEH!!"
-Oh, Drew.... The hair is AWFUL.
-Anna looks classy. And she came with Bill. *hee!*
-That color doesn't do anything for Christine and once again, the hair is messed up.
-Elizabeth looks very "Mary Sue." Donna Reed.
-Somebody else I don't know...But I like his humility.
-Oh, it's that guy that looks like a chipmunk. Adrian Grenier.
-What's with all the ugly back-combed bouffants?!
-Rainn Wilson. Nice tinted nerd-shades.
-Tracy's getting his flirt on. :)
-Well, my potato salad rocks.
-STOP ASKING ABOUT HEATH. And Maggie's dress is very Maggie. :)
-You'll always be Fox Mulder to me, David.
-I miss Jessica Lange. She was the ISH in Titus.
-Hayden's dress is very safe, but I love the hair.
-The Jonases seem like sweet (boring) guys.
-Miley and family: Those dresses are ugly.

..commercials. (that was a long one)
Last Chance Harvey looks so cute. :)


7:29 PM

-KATE AND LEO TOGETHER!! :D
-Now, America's bouffant is nice.
-Kate Winslet is such CLASS.
-Let us see Beyonce's dress...!! (she always looks so very Vegas)
-FINALLY Anne gets a gown right. Nice.

...commercials.
The Reader. I might've seen that last night, but EVERYTHING @ E Street was sold out. Just speaks to the crap that's in mainstream theaters right now.

Speaking of E Street, Stella Artois always makes me think of the movies there. :)

7:38 PM

-Marissa Tomei looks like she's about to Tango with someone.
-Zac Efron... I would love for him to come out, WHILE he's still popular.
-Beyonce do the stage for awhile first, EARN your acting stripes.
-Okay, Eva's hair isn't quite as bad as it was when she was getting out the car...but she looks like she's headed to her wedding, in all that white.
-Penelope's accent is STILL so thick.

...commericials
The International: Mmm, Clive.

7:48 PM

-Was that Renee? While Miley is circles, she's lines and circles.
-P. talks with his hands a lot. Hands, head-wagging, and eyebrows.
-Is that...Megan Fox?? Wow. She looks very classy. And the self-deprecation is cool. :)

...commercials
I keep hearing good things about Gran Torino, but Clint as Dirty Harry in "Get off my lawn" mode doesn't really grab me, ya' know?


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and on to NBC with a Pussycat Dolls themesong... REALLY?!

-Best Supporting Actress - Didn't see any of these, but I'm guessing Amy Adams
-YEA!! KATE!! That's okay, girl. Have your moment.
-And another decent bouffant, BTW
-Best Song - Just judging from the clips, I liked Gran Torino and The Wrestler best.
-YEA!! Hopefully the first of a few...And hey THE BOSS is there. :D

commercials...

-Okay, it's a little odd seeing the Punk'd guy giving props to his stepdaughter, Rumor Willis.
-Best Supporting Actor in a Series or Miniseries - Neil Patrick Harris!! Of course. *crosses fingers*
-Oh. Well, I do love Tom Wilkinson, as well.
-Best Supporting Actress in a Series or Miniseries - Gonna guess Diane Wiest
-I wanna lengthen Laura Dern's dress. Oh, she got happy-political.

commercials...

-Love The Cheadle. The Coens will hire you, Don, don't worry.
-Interesting facial hair, there Brad.
-hahah! Salma didn't look like she was feeling the dress...Also, the camera guy had to get the reaction from a fellow Latina, huh?
-The generic Latin music theme is also HILARIOUS
-Best Actor in a Drama Series - Come on Micheal C. Hall, barring that, Hugh Laurie.
-...dammit. The audience seemed disappointed too. Though, Gabriel Byrne ain't bad. He always has my love for Miller's Crossing.
-Oh god, Trek 90210.
-Best Actress in a Drama Series - Gonna guess Janauary Jones, because I love her name. but Anna winning would make me LOL.
-OH, SHE WON!! *hee!* (It should be Lafayette, dammit!!)

commercials...

-Oh boy, Ricky's doing the charming awkward British thing, that so many comedic Brits do.
-Folks don't seem too excited to see the Jonases. Also, the cameraman finds the other tween star, Miley Cyrus, for a reaction shot.
-Best Animated Motion Picture - DEFINITELY Wall-e
-Depp is Dorian Gray, y'all. NO JOKE.
-Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy - I'm routing for Emma.
-Hmm, never heard of her or the movie. I love when unknowns get it.
-Aww... :)


...commercials...

-Oh boy. The Persian, Jake Gyllenhaal. :P
-Benjamin Button. Good, but not all that.
-Best Original TV Movie - Oh P.'s acting in that clip was cringe-worthy. I think John Adams will get it.
-Oh, Tom Hanks did this one?
-Best Actor in a Motion Picture - DO, I even need to say?
-I think that had Heath had lived, he'd have lingered in underrated actordom. But yes, he did deserve this one. :)

commercials...

-WTH is Tom Brokaw doing here?
-It boggles my mind that the Frost/Nixon guy was also the head werewolf from Underworld.
-Best Foriegn Language Film - I'm going with Waltz With Bashir, because the trailer rocks.
-Can't wait to see that one.
-Best Actress in Series or Miniseries - Okay, gonna guess Judi Densch. Didn't see any of these, BTW.
-Okay, looks like John Adams is going for the sweep. Laura Linney got it.

commercials...
(Can't believe I missed Colin's cocaine joke...I'm slipping y'all.)

-Whenever I see Gerry, I have to bring out this nasty gif:
-So, happy to see In Bruges getting such late attention.
-Ooh, Seth cleans up well... He's looking kinda' good. Really good actually, like sexable good.
-Best Screenplay - Slumdog should win.
-YEA!!
-Best Actor in a TV Series Musical or Comedy - I think Alec's got it.
-You ARE old Alec.

...commercials.

-Oooh, fashion miss, Renee.
-Terrence in Fighting. XD!! Also "the aaahctahs." = the actors, I think.
- Best Actor Drama Series or Miniseries - I have no idea.
- Oh Paul. His manner is so easily impersonate-able.
-Best Series Comedy - I think 30 Rock is gonna get it.
-Okay, Tracy. :) Just spit out the cookie before you talk, next time.

..commercials.
Okay, NBC, so what is this 1,254,090th Cop drama called?

-Oh hey, ex-James Bond
-Best Original Score Motion Picture - Slumdog has it.
-The first actual Indian to win for Slumdog, and probably the last. *sigh*
-David sounds so bored. Best Actress in Comedy Series - Tina Fey of course.
-That's right. He can also suck... yea. :)

commercials...

-Oh, who is getting the Cecile B. DeMille award, tonight? Aww Speilburg, :) My childhood.
- First movie that made me cry was E.T.
-Yeah, Speilburg montage! My friend thinks Scorsese looks like a muppet. It's the tiny eyes and gigantic eyebrows.
- Munich was the ish. Aww, old-school Indy. :)
-I remember Amazing Stories. :D That theme-song was epic.
-Thirty-nine years?! Wow. I should be so lucky. :)
- DinoSARS.

commercials...

-Short man tall woman pairs = so cute. :) Especially those two. Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.
-Best Director - OF COURSE Danny Boyle.
- Will always get props from me for producing such widely divergent work.
-Aww, he got choked up when he mentioned his kids. :)
-Sigourney looks very classy.
-Sandra Bullock's dress looks like an ugly wedding cake.
-Best Actor Comedy - COLIN FERRELL, WHUT?!
- Yea!! But if they were going to pick one of the actors, I would've gone with Brendan Glesson.
-But he was very humble about the win. :) Cool.

commercials....

-Loving the goddess dress, Salma.
-Mmm, Sacha. But he needs a haircut.
-OUCH!
-Best Motion Picture Comedy - I think In Bruges has it.
-...Oh, guess not.

commercials...
*yawn* Getting sleeping y'all. You know you're getting old when past ten o'clock feels way too late for you. :P

-HEY, IT'S INDIANS!! YOU GUYS!! INDIANS!! LOOK!!
-That was awkward.
- Best Actress - I think Angie has it.
-OH MY. KATE SWEPT BOTH AWARDS. O_O.
-Aww, Kate, I love you. :)
-What?! I love my friends, too.
-Screw the haters, Kate. Guess they don't have real friends. :P
-Blake looks a lot like Kate Hudson.
-True Blood... Okay, yes I know it's trash, but still... YEA!! Mad Men. I need to catch up with that one.
-I see YoSafBridge!!
-Best Actor If Leo gets it... But of course Mickey.
- YEA!!!
-Can't WAIT for his speech.
-...he said *balls*...twice! *isscandalized*
- He was also flipped off, according to a friend, but I missed it. :P

Here it is:





commercials...
My bed is calling to me...So, sleepy.

-Tom, you're crazy but you look good.
-Best Picture Slumdog.
-YEA!!! Awesome. :)
-Ooh, f-bomb!

....and that's it? Yes. Time for bed. Goodnight, kids. Thanks, for hanging. :)
I may be adding some fashion pictures to this post later.

OH! Best Dressed for me, tonight:

Salma Hayek, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet



I'm a big fan of clean, tailored looks without a lot of gaudy jewelry. It's best when you don't need to try too hard. ;)

I'M LIVBLOGGING THE GOLDEN GLOBES TONIGHT STARTING @ 6

What the title says.

THE UNBORN

So, this isn't a proper review people, because I didn't stay for this thing. That's right, I walked the frack out. And no, I wasn't expecting an amazing film, nope, not even a good film.

...But I did hope it would be awesomely bad.

The Washington Post Express lied to me!!! It was just boring, not the stupid-funny, I thought it would be, people. I was actually getting sleepy, even with the chatty, PDA-heavy couple beside me *shudder*. I didn't even have the energy to be annoyed at them.

As the thing opens, you're just dumped into this random chick's life, without the benefit of an intro or knowing anything about her. She's just jogging and sees a blue glove, a kid, and a bulldog wearing a mask, prompting several aloud "WTF?"'s in the audience. But again, the audience doesn't even know who she is...

So, you're asking yourself, why should you even care?? Because she looks like a supermodel?

...That's the impression I got here.

Is it because she's the star and not her black friend (Megan Good get a new agent and stylist, STAT!) who actually has more acting clout? *-ding!-ding!-ding!*

...And so does Gary Oldman, Idris Elba, and Jane Alexander. What are they doing in this gawd-awful, B-movie?! And more importantly, who is Odette's agent? She lacks both charisma and acting chops, and yet....She's the star?

Oh, Hollywood producers, if you're looking for a new starlet, please find one who can actually act, pleasethanx. Or hire the ones you already know can *cough*Meganwasinthemovie*cough*.

The one notable positive about this horror movie is it's basis in Jewish spiritual mythology instead of the usual Christian one. That was refreshingly different. But everything else was stolen from far better fare including, The Ring, The Exorcist, and Prince of Darkness, to name a few.

If I'd had the endurance to stay through the whole thing, I could snark this thing better, but I apologize...I just couldn't take it.


It's just bad.


PARENTS: It's not-even-veiled T&A, with lame jump-scare attempts. Don't make your kids dumb. Leave 'em home.

P.S. This was the first time an usher actually stopped me from going into the theater with food, at Regal Gallery Place. I'm guessing he saw me sneak a fry on the way up. Good work?
Now, how about working on these people??

P.P.S. Okay, I have to speak a bit more about Megan, because the thought-process of this chick, is just wow. The girl can act. If you haven't seen Eve's Bayou, do pick it up. And she was also a stand-out in Brick, another worthy rental.

So...my question is this: WHY DOES SHE COMMIT CAREER SUICIDE BY STYLING HERSELF LIKE A BROKE-ASS, CARMEN ELECTRA??...And get this, all while claiming a deep Christian spiritual connection?



I'm just... Seriously, head-scratching at this conundrum.

P.P.S. The trailers included two horror remakes: Last House on the Left ("Hey! It's that guy from Ghost!") and Friday the 13th. ...And the good original horror movie drought, continues. Oh, how I miss you, 70's film-making.

A PROPER WATCHMEN TRAILER, THANK YOU, JAPAN

Yes, I know I posted the American trailer, already...But the Japanese one? WINS.

If you don't you know anything about Watchmen and watch the U.S. trailer, you might think "OH! It's just another comicbook, super-hero, thing."

But then you watch this...



And yup, you see it's definitely a bit different from that. We advertise SLO-MOFIGHTS! SEX! HERO-POSE! ROCK MUSIC! They go for the ideas and themes.

So, Japan? I ♥ U, for this ...and Voltron, Tranzor-Z, Robotech, Miyazaki...

EDIT: I just realized Rorschach sounds exactly like Bale's Batman...damn, now he's ruined, for me.

THE WRESTLER

FINALLY, a movie that is simply, an exceptional piece of film-making, through and through. ...FINALLY!! I've been waiting all season, no, all year for this.

Everything that you've heard, is true. This movie ABSOLUTELY lives up to the hype.

They need to just give Mickey Rourke that little golden naked man, right now. He is seriously, THAT. GOOD. Just pitch perfect in every scene. The movie itself is gut-wrenching, thoroughly real, and just soul-rending. I LOVED IT.

Now, I must warn you, this movie is about as far from "movie-as-escape" as one can get. This is the anti-fantasy film. It's just real people dealing with real problems as best they can, but not in the melodramatic "movie" way where you can safely distance yourself. No. You feel like a voyeur, an interloper in these people's lives.

You will get caught up. At least I did. I'm haunted by this movie, y'all. I had to go home and watch a cartoon to shake it off, before I started to type this.

Mickey took every last scrape life's put him through and put all of that into the playing of this part. Now, ordinarily, I would think of that as cheating, but wow....Mickey just opened himself up and laid it all out there for the world to see, so it's the exact opposite of cheating.

This is just...hard-core pornography of the soul, people.

Here's what speaks to this movie's success. It never feels like Oscar bait. It doesn't feel like they were playing for the awards. It just felt like they wanted to do damn good work. And MY GOD, they succeeded. They succeeded. Everybody. Marissa Tomei and even Evan-Rachel Wood, whom I usually don't care for.

Just...

GET YOUR ASS TO THE MOVIES AND WATCH THIS MAN WORK.




It really is that good, people. Now, I loved Requiem for a Dream, (Ellen Burstyn was robbed, robbed, ROBBED, that year) but Aronofsky just topped it easily with this.

It is a travesty, that this movie isn't more widely available.

PARENTS: Adults only. Leave the kids home.