Zac Efron no longer Footloose

Obviously, Zac Efron reads my blog. Only a week ago, I wrote I wouldn't support 17 Again or any other Efron related project until he leaves Footloose alone. Et voila!

Said Paramount, in a statement to TheWrap: "Footloose is a project we've longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise."

Okay, so apparently Zac said something about not wanting to be 'just a cute song-and-dance man', but we know the truth. So I will go watch 17 Again once it gets released here in The Netherlands. Yes, I'm taking one for the team. And you're welcome.

Rest in peace, Natasha Richardson

I'm sad to post that the wonderful Natasha Richardson has passed away at the age of 45. My heart goes out to her family and friends. To quote my favorite movie Elizabethtown: "This loss will be met by a hurricane of love." Rest in peace, Natasha!

Review: Confessions of a Shopaholic

I've heard many bad things about this movie. I, however, liked it. It helps to belong to the target audience, to like shopping and fashion and to adore Isla Fisher.

Fisher plays Becky Bloomwood, a shopaholic with a huge credit card debt. She dreams of working for a fashion magazine, but ends up working for financial mag Successful Savings. Becky becomes an overnight success giving people financial advice that she herself has trouble following.

Shopaholic the movie is based on Sophie Kinsella's first two Shopaholic novels: Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. I've read them both and I enjoyed them very much. They're fun reads! I know people are disappointed that the movie didn't follow the books more closely. Or they are disappointed that they used material from the first two books for one movie. While I would've liked to see two seperate movies for the two books that both followed the books more closely, I ultimately didn't mind the changes too much.

Two things I didn't like: Luke working at Successful Savings and the moving mannequins. While I liked this Luke and Hugh Dancy as Luke, it's not the Luke from the books. Turning Luke into Becky's boss is rather convenient. And that's just lazy screenwriting. And the mannequins? OH MY GOD! How did that get past test screenings? Seriously? I want to know! Awful, just AWFUL! What is wrong with using voice over?

I liked the elements they used from the books. At beginning Becky looks at her bill and says 'OK, don't panic', followed by her assumption that her creditcard must have been stolen. I liked that Luke gave Becky money so she could buy her Denny & George scarf. I liked that Becky had to sell all her stuff at the end, and that Luke ended up buying her scarf back. That was AWWWW.

I read the books with Fisher in mind as Becky and she was perfect. Exactly the Becky I imagined her to be. I liked Krysten Ritter as Suze. I know she looks nothing like book-Suze, but since I read them knowing Krysten would play her, I didn't mind. Leslie Bibb doesn't have much to do as Alicia. I don't know why they put so much make up on her face. Leslie is a naturally gorgeous girl! Dancy was perfectly charming as Luke, but again, his character wasn't like book-Luke at all.

Overall, it was an enjoyable movie, mostly thanks to the undeniably charming Isla Fisher. A 3,5/5.

West Side Story Revisited

I love Vanity Fair. The magazine tends to bring actors together for photoshoots, who you normally wouldn't see together.. for a photoshoot. To celebrate its Broadway revival, VF has recreated scenes from the 1961 film version of West Side Story. It's like spot the celebrity. You can't really tell in the small picture below (the VF website has bigger versions), but that's Camilla Belle as Maria, Jennifer Lopez as Anita, Rodrigo Santoro as Bernardo, Chris Evans as Riff and Prince Caspian himself Ben Barnes as Tony. Not to forget that the Sharks include Minka Kelly and Jay Hernandez, while the Jets include Drake Bell, Ashley Tisdale, Sean Faris, Brittany Snow and Robert Pattinson.


For more images of this fantastic shoot, visit vanityfair.com.

Trailer Park: Confessions of a Shopaholic

I don't watch a lot of trailers online, so this feature will mostly feature (hee!) trailers that were attached to movies I've recently seen. Keep in mind that I live in The Netherlands, and that the trailers attached wont necessarily be the same as the ones in your country. In this post I'll review the trailers that were attached to Confessions of a Shopaholic.

My guesses: He's Just Not That Into You, Bride Wars, 17 Again

Sunshine Cleaning
This was unexpected! I didn't think a little movie like Sunshine Cleaning would get a theatrical release here. I mean, the movie is doing well in the US, but in limited release. Isn't that usually code for direct-to-DVD here in The Netherlands? Guess they are wising up. Anyways, loved seeing the trailer on the big screen. Amy Adams is adorable. I want to see this movie now!
To be viewed: probably on DVD cause it will end up getting a limited release here as well and no one I know wants to see it.

17 Again
Except for the Zac Efron factor, this movie looks pretty entertaining. But the scene where Leslie Mann abuses Zac's face, made me cringe. He looks exactly like her husband, played by Matthew Perry? Yeah, right.
To be viewed: on DVD. I will not support Zac Efron projects until he leaves Footloose alone.

He's Just Not That Into You
I'm just not that into this movie anymore. The more I see this trailer, the more it bores me. How is that possible when the cast includes Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, and Kevin Connelly? Did I mention the Bradley Cooper factor?!
To be viewed: on DVD

The Proposal
Poor Sandra Bullock. Poor Ryan Reynolds. Okay, not poor Ryan Reynolds. He gets to be married to Scarlett Johansson. But they both deserve better than this. The Proposal doesn't look bad, it just looks awful. Nothing we haven't seen before. I'd rather see Bullock's other romcom, All About Steve. Not that that movie looks like a winner, but at least it has Bradley Cooper in it.
To be viewed: on TV

Happy birthday, Emile Hirsch!

Happy birthday to the wonderfully talented Emile Hirsch!


Two thoughts:
1) I can't believe you are only 24 and that I'm older than you (sure, only three months, but it still counts)
2) Why wasn't he nominated for a Golden Globe and Oscar for his role in Into the Wild? He was fantastic. Emile deserves more appreciation.

Fave Movie Moments... My Best Friend's Wedding

My Best Friend's Wedding has been one of my favorite movies for over a decade. While the 'Say a Little Prayer' sing along has been my favorite scene for a long time, I recently started favoring the following sad and touching scene. The score is heartbreaking.


"Kimmy says if you love someone, you say it. You say it right then. Out loud. Otherwise the moment just passes you by."
I know what it's like to realize the moment has passed you by. *sniff* This scene also features Dermot Mulroney.. SINGING! *squee* Yes, life is greater with more Dermot in it.

Fave Movie Moments... Elizabethtown

Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown features many moments that I love. This is one of them.

Prince of Persia eh?

The male Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia. Why can't I shake that sinking feeling that this movie is not a good idea? The plot is, via IMDB: An adventurous prince teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. Suddenly I miss Brendan Fraser and a certain mummy (hey, I liked the first one!).

I used to play the original videogame when I was 10 years old. That seems forever ago. I never played the fancy remake, so maybe that's why I'm not on board with the movie.

I have to say, this Prince of Persia Jake is making me miss...

this Jake..

and this Jake..

and even this Jake.

Picspam: 30 Days of Night

Credit: Home of the Nutty

While I'm not a fan of 30 Days of Night, I have to admit it's beautifully filmed.

Review: 30 Days of Night

Barrow, Alaska. The inhabitants prepare themselves for thirty days without sunlight when a stranger (Ben Foster) ventures into the small town. Not long after his appearance, when the sun has set, Barrow gets attacked by a group of vampires. A small group of survivors, led by Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett) and his ex-wife Stella (Melissa George), try to survive the thirty days of night.

I was excited about this movie at some point. Then I sorta forgot it existed until I spotted it in the videostore. Now that I've watched it, it's even less memorable to me. It was hard for me to keep my interest in this movie, because how many times can I watch people change location, really? And not get attacked by the vamps?

Ben Foster's in this movie and I don't know why. Don't get me wrong. He's an amazing actor and his presence is pretty much the best part of the movie, but what is the point of his character? I was intrigued until he was killed off. What a waste of opportunity.

The rest of the film we get to follow Josh Hartnett around. When you compare it to watching Ben Foster be amazing, Josh is kinda a bore. And that's not really his fault, because Eben is written that way. But still, we have to stick with him and root for him. Which for me proved difficult. Melissa George was lovely, but seeing as I have a big girl crush on her, she can do no wrong in my book.

The movie technically looks great. Snow pretty! I don't know what else to say about this unmemorable movie. A 2,5/5.