Seen at the cinema:

Slumdog Millionaire
Seven Pounds
Valkyrie
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Franklyn
Watchmen
The Boat That Rocked
The Damned United
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Star Trek
Terminator Salvation
Public Enemies
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince
Moon
Inglorious Basterds
The Time Traveler's Wife
Passchendaele
District 9
Blind Dating
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Nowhere Boy
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Men Who Stare At Goats

Trailer:



I had high expectations of this. I mean look at the cast - George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. What's not to like? I enjoyed it a lot, and it is funny but I can't say I busted a gut. Clooney is the star of this. And yay for a return to comedy for him! Jeff Bridges really made me laugh with his LET THE DANCE OUT! and I really enjoyed the tension between Clooney and Spacey's characters. Also the many Star Wars references and with McGregor in the cast made it funnier :)

Oh I laughed loudly, this looks great. Loving the casting also :)

Seen at the cinema:

The Good Night
In The Valley Of Elah
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
No Country For Old Men
The Edge Of Heaven (Auf der anderen Seite)
Grindhouse double bill: Planet Terror + Deathproof
Vantage Point
Lonesome Jim
Son of Rambow
Leatherheads
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Mama Mia!
Wall-E
The Dark Knight
Tropic Thunder
How To Lose Friends & Alienate People
W.
Burn After Reading

Trailer:




Yay! Coen Brothers doing what I like the most from them - comedy. No Country For Old Men was good but I missed the wacky comedy, and its back with this movie. Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins (who I love in Intolerable Cruelty also) and Frances McDormand steal the show IMO. To reveal anything of the plot would spoil it.

stolen from norton_daily. I can has Norton-centric Hulk poster please? Is this official? or fan made? Never saw one over here:



Also, swankyfunk alerted me to the fact that Norton's playing two characters in his next movie yay!, and this poster pretty much establishes that:



And Norton aside, how fab a cast is this:

George Clooney, Kevin Spacey - awesome! but there's more... AND Ewan McGregor and Jeff Bridges are all in The Men Who Stare At Goats. Plot details here.

Seen at the cinema:

The Good Night
In The Valley Of Elah
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
No Country For Old Men
The Edge Of Heaven (Auf der anderen Seite)
Grindhouse double bill: Planet Terror + Deathproof
Vantage Point
Lonesome Jim
Son of Rambow
Leatherheads

Trailer:



This movie was, ok. Being based around the subject of American football this was never going to appeal to me that much (George, wish you'd chosen basketball - now *that's* a sport I can get excited about and you play it well apparently). There was some great visual, goofball comedy moments but I actually didn't think that much of the script (sorry George). I liked the story idea and again if I was a fan of the sport I'd probably have enjoyed this more. The problem is I've seen George in much better comedy (Intolerable Cruelty) and the fact that parts of the look and feel of this movie reminded me of a better movie (O Brother Where Art Thou?) didn't help either. Also, I've seen Renée Zellweger in a better sports movie (Jerry Maguire) and a better movie paying tribute to a different movie era (Down With Love). I will say that Leatherheads is a much more enjoyable homage to a era than The Good German was for me. But it's not in my Clooney top 5 which at the moment would be:

1) Solaris
2) Goodnight & Good Luck
3) Intolerable Cruelty
4) O Brother Where Art Thou?
5) Michael Clatyton

Anyone on my friends list a gamer? I got myself a Nintendo DS for my birthday. Haven't actually picked it up from my parents house yet but shall be doing so soon. I've not really played many games since the 90s when I was the proud owner of a Sega Megadrive and Sonic the Hedgehog ruled. So any game recommendations for the Nintendo DS? I'm a fan of logic/puzzle, and platform games but open to anything really...

Other stuff... I agree with zauberer_sirin that the winners of the What's On Stage Awards are ?!?! I'm talking mainly about the fact that John Simm lost out on Best Actor. But at least the play Elling won best comedy :)

Also, bought and watched Michael Clayton on DVD today. One of my favourite films of last year. Wonder if it will pick up any Oscars tomorrow...

Well, this is slowly growing on me despite having no interest in American football whatsoever. If it wasn't for Clooney I doubt I'd pay any attention. But I just noticed he has directed this as well as starring in it and that makes me hopeful. Coupled with the fact that Empire are waxing lyrical about it and calling it screwball comedy ala the Coen Brothers. I hope so, that I love. And that includes Intolerable Cruelty which critics gave a hard time - why? It's hilarious!

For anyone that cares, here's the US Leatherheads trailer:



And according to IMDb, for once the UK won't have to wait ages to see it after the US, out here in April also - yay!

And for good measure (and because I'm bored) here's a great clip from Coen brothers directed Intolerable Cruelty:



I can't *wait* for Burn After Reading :D (and must also watch No Country For Old Men)

were announced today! Pleased George Clooney got an actor nomination as I think its a better performance than Syriana and as good as Solaris which never got nominated anyway.

bold = one I'm rooting for to win
* = haven't seen, want to see, may end up rooting for to win.


BEST PICTURE:
Atonement
Juno*
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men*
There Will Be Blood

BEST DIRECTOR:
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men*
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTOR:
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah*
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

BEST ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno*

^ not seen any of these performances, undecided.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

^what no third nomination for Cate for the role of Janine in Hot Fuzz ?! Shame!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James...*
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Beaufort, Israel
The Counterfeiters, Austria
Katyn, Poland
Mongol, Kazakhstan
12, Russia

^ not seen any of these, undecided.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men*
There Will Be Blood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno *
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages

^has a comedy screenplay ever won an Oscar? Hot Fuzz should be in this catagory :(

BEST MUSIC (score)
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma

^ No preference.

BEST MUSIC (song)
Falling Slowly - Once (performed by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova)
Happy Working Song - Enchanted (performed by Amy Adams)
Raise It Up - August Rush (performed by Jamia Simone Nash and Impact Repertory Theatre)
So Close - Enchanted (performed by Jon McLaughlin)
That's How You Know - Enchanted (performed by Amy Adams)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War/Dance

^ that said, I'd like to watch the other nominees,but Sicko is a return to form after Farenheit 9/11 IMO for Moore.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
Freeheld
La Corona (The Crown)
Salim Baba
Sari's Mother

^ not seen any of these, undecided.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford*
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men *
There Will Be Blood

^ undecided.

BEST ART DIRECTION:

American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*
There Will Be Blood

^ undecided.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT:
I Met the Walrus
Madame Tutli-Putli
Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)
My Love (Moya Lyubov)
Peter & the Wolf

^ not seen any of these, undecided.

BEST SHORT FILM:
At Night
Il Supplente
Le Mozart des Pickpockets
Tanghi Argentini
The Tonto Woman

^ not seen any of these, undecided.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:
Across the Universe
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

^ undecided.

BEST MAKE UP
La Vie en Rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

^ Undecided, but Norbit - its got far more Raspberry nominations!

BEST SOUND MIXING:
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers

BEST SOUND EDITING:
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

^ undecided.

BEST FILM EDITING:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men *
There Will Be Blood

UPDATED:
Notes on a Scandal
Back in Business (don't ask why.)
Spider-Man 3 (really really really really can't wait for this *excited*)
Oceans 13
Bourne Ultimatium
Harry Potter (whatever no. we're up to now)
The Science of Sleep
Hot Fuzz
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Good German
The Good Shepherd
Fantastic Four 2 (because the first one was good fun I don't care what the critics say)
The Illusionist
The Fountain
Bobby
Pirates of the Carribean 3
Sunshine
Run Fat Boy Run
Transformers - the trailers are the best I've seen this year. It looks stunning.
Michael Clayton

ahh good to see Clooney back on form. I really didn't like The Good German, pleased to say I really enjoyed Michael Clayton. To reveal anything about the plot would spoil it so I say watch it - and you'll be rewarded at the end. Thought Tom Wilkinson and George Clooney worked well together. Tilda Swinton was good also.

UPDATED:
Notes on a Scandal
Back in Business (don't ask why.)
Spider-Man 3 (really really really really can't wait for this *excited*)
Oceans 13
Bourne Ultimatium
Harry Potter (whatever no. we're up to now)
The Science of Sleep
Hot Fuzz
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Good German
The Good Shepherd
Fantastic Four 2 (because the first one was good fun I don't care what the critics say)
The Illusionist
The Fountain
Bobby
Pirates of the Carribean 3
Sunshine
ADDED:Run Fat Boy Run - another Simon Pegg movie yay! Out in September apparently :)

Saw Ocean's 13 tonight. Much better plot than Ocean's 12. Enjoyed it. Saw a trailer for Clooney's latest movie beforehand called Michael Clayton Looked interesting. Don't know when it's on release though but no doubt I'll go see it ;)

Great to see Nick Frost on Johnathon Ross tonight :) Enjoyed listening to his stories on how to get good tips when waiting tables - the spare ribs comment, "Well I don't like to complain...but it's got bones." ROFWL! The comic relief clip of Nick and Simon was funny - how on earth Simon kept such a straight face playing serious Nicholas Angel in Hot Fuzz I do not know! We'll soon find out with the extras on the DVD - not that I'm counting the days down or anything ;) Talking of which missy_manic sent me a picture message to my phone of a poster that stopped her in her tracks on the way to work this week:



:D easily excited.

Am at home with my parents for the weekend now, back in the country and tomorrow is our village fete! If I get up in time I may go and try and win a cuddly monkey ;) Going to see Oceans 13 to get a Clooney fix tomorrow with Lorraine and her brother. Hope its better than Oceans 12.

Didn't have the energy to go to kickboxing tonight. Instead I joined my flatmate and sat with a glass of wine and laughed my head off at Shark Attack 3 starring Torchwood's John Barrowman. God awful, but funny to watch. Why? See clips below:



It makes Mr. Clooney's Return of the Killer Tomatoes look like a work of art! :P Speaking of which, Clooney's latest movie The Good German is out on Friday in cinemas. Want to see that :)