And the oscar goes to…

Hey everyone,

Did you catch the Oscars this past Sunday?

I sure did! The Oscars are like Christmas to me; they come once a year, I get super excited, and then they are gone before I know it and I have to wait a whole year until they come again. Oscar night is one of my favorite nights of the year. The laughs, the tears, the drama, the ingenuity of a loser’s smile and applause, the strange male set designer with hair longer and more illustrious than mine, and of course…

Who doesn’t love celebrities eating it on live TV? Just kidding Jennifer you are amazing.

So in honor of my love for this fine American institution, a beautiful ceremony where rich and beautiful people give other rich and beautiful people accolades and tell each other how amazing they are, I thought I would compile a list of some great classics that also won best picture for their year. Below I give you a list of a few winners with a link to their http://www.imdb.com page, and I may dedicate a post to some of them in the future. Hope you enjoy!

1. It Happened One Night

2. Gone With the Wind

3. Casablanca

4. Going My Way

5. An American In Paris

6. From Here to Eternity

7. Gigi

You want the moon?

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if you were never born?

This is the question that George Bailey gets answered in Frank Capra’s 1946 classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, is a small town kind of guy who is a big fish in a little pond. He has dreams of traveling around the world and becoming an architect. As we watch George grow into a man, we discover all of the obstacles that keep him from leaving his town, Bedford Falls. George gets into a huge bind and tries to take his own life, but an angel from heaven saves him and then gives him the opportunity to witness life as if he was never born.

If you want to check out the scene where the angel, Clarence, saves George, click here.

The main plot of the story, in my opinion, is a narrative of the life of a good man. The lesson to be learned is that anyone’s life, no matter how insignificant it may seem, touches and influences the lives of countless others. Without George Bailey the town of Bedford Falls and everyone in it is drastically changed.

If this movie seems like a downer I assure you it is the complete opposite. This story has a happy ending and leaves you feeling like you have purpose. You find that once you have watched this film it really is a wonderful life.

I mean honestly, have you ever seen more pure joy in one picture?

Although the film is about how one life effects the lives of others, there is also a touch of romance. If you are wondering what my title means check out this video.

I recommend watching this film during Christmas time, as it is festive, and it reminds you of the importance of family and friends. You don’t even need to buy it! It is played on basic cable every Christmas Eve.

Enjoy, guys! Have a great week!

“I’m singin’ in the…..snow”

It’s been an interesting week in New York City in terms of the weather, what with the blizzard and all…

that I figured I would pick a film where weather plays a key role. I am, of course, speaking of Singing in the Rain, starring the extremely talented Gene Kelly. My sister makes fun of me and says I am attracted to older men, but she’s right…about 50% of my celebrity crushes are deceased. Yes, I have problems. Of those deceased crushes, Gene Kelly is at the top of my list. He not only is(was) a grade a hottie, but he also used to direct, choreograph, and star in his films.

Anyways, back to the movie. Singing in the Rain is considered the greatest movie-musical of all time. What’s funny though, is the rain really has no importance in the movie. It is not a symbol of any sort; Gene Kelly just happens to love singing in the rain. Now that scene is considered a masterpiece of cinema, go figure!

The jist of the movie is that Don Lockwood(Gene Kelly) is a famous silent film actor who must make adjustments when the “talkie” is born. The transition proves to be anything but smooth and Don finds himself in a rut. With some help from his friends, however, Don finds a clever way to stay on top.

Sound familiar? If any of you saw The Artist this plot may seem identical. It is almost exactly the same, but The Artist is cleverly done as a silent film.

Musical numbers from singing in the rain have been done time and again in shows and movies such as Glee, and it has now made it’s way to the stage.

I love this film because it gets me in a great mood every time I sit down and watch it. The songs are catchy, the dancing is cool(watch this!), and the comedy is hilarious. If you are looking for a light and fun film that doesn’t take much effort to watch then try Singing in the Rain. I promise you it will not disappoint!

Hyped for Hitchcock

This week I will be discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much, filmed in 1956. This is probably my favorite Hitchcock film mainly because Jimmy Stewart is in it (and obviously the cinematic qualities and camera techniques…….) Alfred Hitchcock is often described as the master of suspense, with good reason. His films aren’t necessarily “scary”, but they all leave you with a creepy and eery feeling at the end.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is set in Morocco and involves and American couple’s little boy being kidnapped. In the movie, Jimmy Stewart and his wife, played by Doris Day, frantically search the foreign streets of Morocco to find their son. I don’t think any other setting besides Morocco would have worked for the film seeing as Morocco is so exotic and, in a sense, dangerous. Why is it called The Man Who Knew Too Much you ask?! (or maybe not) Welllll, that is the title because at the beginning of the movie, Jimmy Stewart is approached by a man (who just got stabbed by the way) and tells him some information that means nothing to him, but leads to the eventual abduction of his son!

This film can be compared to more recent versions such as Man on Fire and Taken, both of which have the child gets abducted motif. No, Jimmy Stewart is not a retired government worker who acquired a special set of skills and he doesn’t go around killing every human-trafficking Albanian in Paris, like that of Liam Neeson. BUT, he still is pretty badass and has a funny accent so you should definitely watch this film.

Not convinced? Check out the trailer and give it a chance…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft2smpFxJgY

Have a great week guys. Check you later.