This is Hallowe'en...

I am a complete wimp and cannot withstand proper horror movies. Sadly i didn't have time to watch a movie as it's also my gran's birthday so i shall post the movies i would have watched. My theme was psychos!

American Psycho

Based on the satirical cult classic by Bret Easton Ellis (not one for the squeamish) the charismatic and ever so superficial Patrick Bateman (played scarily good by Christian Bale) leads a blessed life as a rich yuppie by day, but kills for no apparent reason at night. As he tries to earn the unique respect he craves, he thinks of more and more horrific deaths for random people. The film manages to be a fantastic satement of our superficial commerical world, a sick psychologial thriller and a wickedly funny black comedy at the same time. Christian Bale is an amazing actor and embodies the role to the point where i get scared! Why he was never Oscar nominated is a shock!

Misery

Annie Wilkes is Misery Chastain's biggest fan. When the creator of the books she adores crashes his car it's the perfect opportunity for her. But he's killed off Misery and she wants her back! Misery was the first Stephen King book i ever read and i still consider it his best. Annie is a completely unsympathetic character with no good points which is a rarity nowadays for movie killers. Kathy Bates needs to act more nowadays because this Oscar winning role is one of the best bad guy/gal's performances i've ever seen. She has fun with Annie's quirks ("You dirty bird!") and manages to keep it real, no OTT crazy act (not until the end anyway...). The 'hobbling' scene will stay with you long after you've seen it!

The Silence Of The Lambs

"Have the lambs stopped screaming Clarice?" utters Dr Hannibal Lecter, an extremely intelligent and charming man who just happens to be a cannibal! Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee is sent to question him regarding Buffalo Bill the serial killer (Ted Levine is terrifying) and she gets a lot more than she bargained for. The book really had an effect on me (i was 11 or 12) and got me into thrillers. This movie probably stands as one of the best thrillers made in at least the past 20 years. Anthony Hopkin's iconic role may be parodied often but it's still a powerful performance. Even with the goddess-like Jodie Foster, you crave for his presence on screen (he only appears for less then 25 minutes). The atmosphere in this film is so tense you can almost see the sweat dripping from the cast's faces. There may be a sequals and several prequals but this is the unbeaten best!

And lets face it, it wouldn't be Hallowe'en without a little Tim Burton!

Happy Birthday Mr Phoenix!

Today is the 33rd birthday of my favourite actor (and object of obsession) Joaquin Phoenix. I've been a huge fan of his for a while now and since this year sees the release of 2 of his movies, We Own The Night and Reservation Road, and a new one starting filming on November 5th called Two Lovers with Gwyneth Paltrow, it's a great time for me to discuss my top 5 favourite performances by him...

1. Walk The Line

His performance as country legend Johnny Cash will surely he his most famous and most popular performance in years to come, although i think it's unfaire to call it a piece of acting. He is transformative in the role and i couldn't believe this was the same guy i had seen in Space Camp (to be fair, he was 11). The singing and guitar playing is all his own which just adds even more depth to the role and the soundtrack just rocks (check out Jackson). This could have gotten so messy but he pulls it off with blood, sweat and tears. A real tour de force and totally deserving of hundreds of awards.

2. Buffalo Soldiers

A rare but fantastic chance to see Joaquin doing comedy, albeit very dark comedy, he plays the anti hero role with such charm and charisma it's hard to dislike him even though the character is a pretty horrible cheat. I wish more people would watch this film, it's an underrated gem and nice for people to see that the so-called moody serious actor does have a sense of humour.

3. Gladiator

The first of 2 Oscar nominations and the role that ot him noticed by the mainstream, Joaquin has the most interesting and most complex role in the film of Commodus, the corrupt young emperor. It's a difficult role to pull off without making him seem to cartoonish or hammy but Joaquin does just that and actually makes Commodus quite sympathetic (my parents refuse to believe this though). In a movie full of fantastic performances, Joaquin fits right in and shows that the bad guys are always more fun!

4. Quills

My favourite actor in a cassock with my favourite actress telling the story of the world's most infamous pervert, the Marquis De Sade? This film was made for me! Quills is my favourite film of all time with Joaquin playing Abbe De Coulmier, an idealistic priest with a big heart who begins to lose his grip on reality. Joaquin does his adorable English accent also displayed in Gladiator and displays fantastic chemistry with both Kate Winslet (check out the very weird sex scene) and Geoffrey Rush (also doing a career best performance). It's been overshadowed by Gladiator which was released in the same year but i love this film so much.

5. To Die For

In his first adult performance as a white trash teenage slacker who lusts after crazy Nicole Kidman (my favourite performance of hers) Joaquin is good. Too good in fact, you begin to worry that he actually might be a bit dim for real. Another black comedy and scathing satire on fame and the obsession to get it, Joaquin wears his mullet with pride and fits into the role so well, a fantastic early demonstration of just how good he could be.

Favourite Joaquin Films:

1. Quills

2. Gladiator

3. Signs

4. The Village

5. To Die For

I know i'm not likely to get any comments on his, but i'd love to hear others views on their favourite Joaquin performance/film. And Happy Birthday Joaquin! Not that he's reading this...

That time of year again...

I adore For Your Consideration Ads, the Atonement one is gorgeous...

Zodiac is simple but effective, much like the film's poster.

Shh...Shh...

My favourite music video...

Quote of the day...

My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

Doctor Who Exhibition...

During the October holidays, i went down to Wigan with my friend Rob who i met on Empire Online forums. We went to the Doctor Who exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. I love being a geek!

My friend Rob with K9!

Rob inside a Dalek.

Me with the face of Boe...can't figure out who is the uglier one hehe...

Things you should know about me...

1. My room is a mess but i keep my DVDs and books ridiculousl organised, usually by size and alphabetically for books. My DVD organisational system is a complicated mix of actor, director, colour and alphabetical order. Only i fully understand it.

2. Neighbours is one of my favourite TV shows.

3. When it comes to books, nothing scares or shocks me, but visual medium can leave me emotionally disturbed.

4. I can't eat anything before 11am.

5. Sometimes i'll buy things for my sister because i'm afraid she'll hate me one day.

6. School terrifies me, as does failure. One of the reasons i refuse to drop a subject even though i'm desperately stessed out is because i'm afraid that people will view me as a failure.

7. Without the internet i would probably have no life.

8. I am completely obsessed with all types of award shows.

9. 80% of the time i can predict the winner of the Oscars - it's usully the last person i want to win.

10. My IMBb screen name was Franzfire4orty2wo.

11. The only poetry i enjoy is that of Burns, Plath and Poe. Everything else is torture for me.

12. I love the movie of Tomb Raider.

13. Emotionally, i am a complete mess. I am a hysterical wreck.

14. Sometimes i fear i'll die alone. Other times i think it wouldn't be so bad. I don't cope well with constant attention from people.

15. I want an Oscar!

16. I've seen every episode of Futurama, Doctor Who (the new series) and Sex and the City.

17. My favourite character on TV is Temperance Brennan from Bones.

18. I like to take fake flowers and paint over them.

19. I am addicted to Coca Cola. I actually get withdrawels from not drinking it.

20. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my family happy.

Going to a town with Mr Wainwright!

The concert was everything i could have hoped for and more!

I wish i could go into details but i'll just start blubbering hysterically about how god-like he is and nobody wants to hear me talking out of my arse! I'll just say the highlights...

Rufus entered the stage wearing the most outlandish technicoloured suit that glittered in the spotlight. Later on, he changed into lederhosen and even said the kilt was too manly for him. As soon as i saw him i screamed my head off, as did the remainder of the sold out crowd of the Clyde Auditorium. Listening to him sing live is even more mesmerising than it is on his albums. His voice filled the hall and it felt like he was singing to just me. Every note contained as much passion as he could fill it with. At one point he sang an Irish folk song without his microphone and even us at the back could hear every word, his voice sang to the rafters! His band looked like they were having as much fun as him. Rufus is definately a showman, as was demonstrated by his closing number. Wearing a dressing gown, he went on to put on lipstick and earrings with black heels to reveal a Judy Garland inspired outfit with his band providing back up dancing! Forget your troubles, come on, get happy... definately applied to the crowd - except for 2 guys Rufus pointed out who left midway through his number! Gits. Sadly he didn't sing California, my favourite song of his, but every song was a joy to listen to, from Cigarettes and Chocolate milk performed with a piano solo (he forgot the words which was so sweet for some reason) to Tulsa (it IS about Brandon Flowers but the first line is the only untrue bit!) and Going To A Town. I just did not want the night to end and would sell my legs to see it again! He really cemented his reputation as the best solo artist of the moment. The bets gig of my life!

Just pure fantasising...

These are who i would like to see win the acting Oscars of 2008 based solely on the fact that i love them all. I'v only seen one film out of the four so, yes this is pure speculation, but what the hell i might as well...

Your thoughts?

One day to go!

Just over 24 hours until i see Rufus Wainwright in concert live!



Reasons i love him:

1. His voice - A mixture of gravelly roughness and a romantic dream-like quality has me completely entranced every time i hear him. I actually think his cover of Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah is the best version out there.

2. His lyrics - He writes very emotional songs, many with very confessional lyrics. He's had a tough life and it resonates in many songs, like Going To A Town. Other songs are very sweet - Beauty Mark is about his mum - and some even quite funny - Tulsa is apparently about Brandom Flowers fron The Killers!




3. The music - Poses is probably one of the best albums i have ever heard. Not one bad song is on that CD and there is a song for every mood, from the upbeat California to the sombre The Tower Of Learning. Poses is perfection!

4. His dress sense -




5. His Judy Garland covers - it might be a cliche to say that gay men love Judy but Wainwright's love has gone to a whole new level. He actually recorded a re-inactment of her Carnegie Hall concert which is fantastic (waiting for the CD release!).

6. The song Grey Gardens -

But beware my heart can be a pin

A sharp silver dragonfly

Trying to get my mansions green

After I've Grey Gardens seen

7. He's gorgeous!

Better pray for your sins, 'cause the gay messiah's coming.

I burn, I pine, I perish...

Last night my sister and I watched one of my favourite teen movies and the best romantic comedy made in recent years, 10 Things I Hate About You.



Based on Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, the film moves the setting to an American High School where new boy Cameron (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is desperate to date the beautiful Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). But she is completely off limits to dating because her father (the absolutely hilarious Larry Miller) has imposed a rule which says Bianca can only date when her sister, the tempestuous Kat (Julia Stiles) does. Unfortunately, Kat is a complete psycho and detests most of the high school population. Not put off, Cameron formulates a plan to set Kat up with the equally rebellious Patrick (Heath Ledger).

This film may contain every high school stereotype seen in recent years but it plays those to it's advantage. They work surprisingly well with the original Shakespeare play. Of all the rom-coms i've watched over the years, this is the only one that feels just as fresh and funny as it did when i first watched it.

It's amazing to see Heath Ledger looking so young and cute. He said once that he deliberately made bad movies to try and destroy his career before he was taken seriously in Brokeback Mountain but i think his talent was obvious here. He adds the right amount of charm and charisma to the typical bad boy role and makes him genuinely attractive. I can't be the only girl who swooned her head off when he started singing Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You. Ledger may be a serious actor with an Oscar nom and countless projects but i love him too much here to care about those films. The rest of the cast fares equally as well, such as Levitt (now an indie icon) and Stiles (soon to be the lead in the adaptation of The Bell Jar - coincidentally, she is seen reading the book in the film.) The grown ups have stand out roles, such as Alison Janney and Larry Miller who have some of the best lines in the film - his testicle retrieval operation went quite well, in case you're interested.

What really makes this film stand out for me is it's charm. Most people look upon modern day Shakespeare adaptations as bastardisations but this one keeps things fast and funny. The wit is unbeaten in most teen trash made these days and no matter how many times i watch this, i find something else about it i love - the acting, the script, the music, the jokes, the ending! I may be a complete movie snob nowadays but i'd take this film over Citizen Kane anyday!


I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme. I hate it, I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

Lists...

Top 11 favourite songs:

1. Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie
2. Dancing In The Streets - Martha and the Vandellas
3. Sympathy for the Devil - Guns N Roses (yes i do prefer this to the original, don't kill me)
4. It's The End Of The World As We Know It - R.E.M.
5. Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
6. Do You Want To? - Franz Ferdinand
7. California - Rufus Wainwright
8. Hyper Ballad - Bjork
9= Down Town - Petula Clark
9= Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
11. Town Called Malice - The Jam

Top 11 Favourite films:

1. Quills
2. Amelie
3. Gladiator
4. Moulin Rouge!
5= Mulholland Drive
5= From Dusk Till Dawn
7. Signs
8. The Empire Strikes Back
9. Phantom of the Opera (2004 - stop giggling)
10= Some Like It Hot
10= Stand By Me

Top 10 Favourite books:

1. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
2. Perfume - Patrick Suskind
3. Wicked - Gregory Maguire
4. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
5. Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
6. Lullaby - Chuck Palahniuk
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
8. Dead Beat - Jim Butcher
9. Northern Lights - Philip Pullman
10. The Princess Bride - William Goldman