Julia Child helped define American gourmet cooking, and lived an incredible life all around the world, Julie Powell worked in a cubicle in New York and didn’t know how to elevate her life into something she wanted it to be. After a suggestion from her husband Julie decides to cook her way through Julia Child’s cook book in one year and write a blog about it. As Julie learns more about cooking & Julia she begins to learn more about herself and soon becomes a sensation across the internet.
I have to start this by saying that I adore Nora Ephron, and while my directorial style is nothing like hers I think she is a great female filmmaker and writer. Julia & Julia is the kind of film that Nora Ephron can take and make it into something special, much more special than what it would be in anyone else’s hands.
Going into Julie & Julia I trusted Ephron’s prowess as a writer & director but I was worried that dividing the film between the beginning of Julia Child’s cooking career and Julie Powell’s modern life would split the films focus too much and as a result it would feel disjointed and we’d never manage to connect with either character. I have to say I was surprised. Not only did Julia & Julie’s stories manage to mirror each other’s beautifully, but I instantly fell in love with Julie and actually came to adore Julia Child.
The biggest surprise in this movie for me was Stanley Tucci as Paul Child. I would have never pictured Stanley Tucci & Meryl Streep as an onscreen couple but they worked perfectly and Tucci was just adorable as the doting husband. If Paul Child was anything like Stanley Tucci’s portrayal of him it is no wonder Julia fell for him and the two managed to stay together until the end of their lives.
One caution I will put out there for anyone that sees this movie is do not go in hungry! You will definitely leave hungry and you may not survive if you go in already wanting to chow down. I honestly want to try some French food now and I have no idea where to go for it.
Director & Writer: Nora Ephron
Julia Child: Meryl Streep
Julie Powell: Amy Adams
Paul Child: Stanley Tucci
Eric Powell: Chris Messina
Sarah: Mary Lynn Rajskub
Paul Child: What is it you REALLY like to do?
Julia Child: Eat!
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Showing posts with label amy adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amy adams. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Ricky Bobby has a need, a need for speed. Since his father told him that anything other than first place is last place Ricky has strove to be the number one Nascar driver and he has succeeded. Until the fateful day that he pushes his sponsor too far and French driver Jean Girard is brought in as his rival. Ricky Bobby pushes himself too far and ends up in a traumatic accident, losing his wife to his partner, and being forced to move back in with his mother while he tries to regain his mojo an be able to drive again.
Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a pretty damn funny film. I kind of regret that I didn’t get to see it with a theatrical audience because I am sure that the jokes were even better with that current of excitement that runs through movie audiences; however, even on my little 13” TV screen, alone in my room, the jokes were still funny.
I have to say that I am a fan of Will Ferrell. I loved the man since he was Alec Trebec and James Lipton on SNL and I am very pleased that his career has continued since he left the show. The best thing about Will Ferrell is that he commits to the absurdity of his character or story situation 100%, no matter what he plays, who he is on screen with he finds the joy, humor and personality in the moment and brings it to life. This makes the jokes play better than they would with another actor in the role because Ferrell is one of the great comedians – a comedian who can make any joke funny, even if it’s inherently unfunny.
Comedy is subjective, and I expect that Ricky Bobby probably has had quite a few people that have watched it not like it, but I thought it was pretty dang funny.
Director: Adam McKay
Writers: Will Ferrell & Adam McKay
Ricky Bobby: Will Ferrell
Lucius: Michael Clarke Duncan
Cal Naughton Jr.: John C. Reiley
Carley Bobby: Leslie Bibb
Susan: Amy Adams
Jean Girard: Sacha Baron Cohen
Cal Naughton, Jr.: Shake and bake!
Ricky Bobby: What does that do? Does that blow your mind? That just happened!
Jean Girard: Is that a catchphrase or epilepsy?
Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a pretty damn funny film. I kind of regret that I didn’t get to see it with a theatrical audience because I am sure that the jokes were even better with that current of excitement that runs through movie audiences; however, even on my little 13” TV screen, alone in my room, the jokes were still funny.
I have to say that I am a fan of Will Ferrell. I loved the man since he was Alec Trebec and James Lipton on SNL and I am very pleased that his career has continued since he left the show. The best thing about Will Ferrell is that he commits to the absurdity of his character or story situation 100%, no matter what he plays, who he is on screen with he finds the joy, humor and personality in the moment and brings it to life. This makes the jokes play better than they would with another actor in the role because Ferrell is one of the great comedians – a comedian who can make any joke funny, even if it’s inherently unfunny.
Comedy is subjective, and I expect that Ricky Bobby probably has had quite a few people that have watched it not like it, but I thought it was pretty dang funny.
Director: Adam McKay
Writers: Will Ferrell & Adam McKay
Ricky Bobby: Will Ferrell
Lucius: Michael Clarke Duncan
Cal Naughton Jr.: John C. Reiley
Carley Bobby: Leslie Bibb
Susan: Amy Adams
Jean Girard: Sacha Baron Cohen
Cal Naughton, Jr.: Shake and bake!
Ricky Bobby: What does that do? Does that blow your mind? That just happened!
Jean Girard: Is that a catchphrase or epilepsy?
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