Georges Jeanty Part II, or How Faith is ready for her close-up

Celebrating (but of course always already mourning) the fact that Mr Brian K. Vaughan wraps up his duties as guest-writer in Joss Whedon's Buffy Season 8 comic book series, I am continuining paying tribute to the artist behind the lovely pictures that have brought (with great flare and verisimilitude I might add) the beloved characters from the series. Back are all our original faves (well, almost all - we've yet to see recently deceased Anya, not-so-recently deceased Tara and our favourite werewolf Oz... but, y'know what I mean, why if Amy the witch, Warren the flayed nerd, Brit Ethan and even neat-freak Mayor Wilkins have all gotten the comic-book treatment have we not gotten to see past better-halves of our Scooby Gang? I don't include Cordy mainly cause she would be, I believe now be in IDW Angel canon and not on the Dark Horse buffyverse...) But I digress. Were was I? Oh yes. All our favourite Sunnydale characters are back and have been comic-book canonised by Mr Georges Jeanty and continuing from last week's Buffy post, I give you a post showcasing our (other) favourite slayer: Faith.

"Ms Faith Lehane is ready for her close-up Mr Jeanty"




































Check out:
Georges Jeanty Part I, or How Buffy is ready for her closeup and
Georges Jeanty Part III, or How Willow is ready for her closeup

FYC, or How McEwan's tale seduces

For Your Consideration (A Blog Next Door Style) - Atonement
It's my blog and I'll FYC if I want to, FYC if I want to...

What can I say about this film that I didn't say in my review?
Well, I can stress the fact that the women in the film are fantastic and dreamy James isn't bad (or bad to look at) either. To the list of the FYC I should also add Best Costume Design, if only for Kiera's wardrobe: that green dress is beautiful and actually makes the scene in the library even sexier (albeit still classy) than it was already; and that white bathing suit actually doesn't look dated or old, but sensual and inviting (who knew?)

Check out A Blog Next Door's other FYC campaigns:
Ratatouille
Once
Superbad & Knocked Up
Hairspray
Juno

The Annies, or How Nominations are out!

No, they don't celebrate singing and dancing red-headed girls (Amy Adams would be the 2007 victor if these awards indeed were fashioned after an adult-friendly singing whiz-kid from y'know... that movie).
They do celebrate ANIMATION, which as you may or may not have noticed, A Blog Next Door loves. Check out the full list of nominees here

Nomination(s) which made me savour a certain French dish: all the Ratatouille noms (including Best Animated Feature)

Nomination which gave me as much joy as owning a Spiderpig: The Simpsons Movie for Best Animated Feature (as well as the writing nod for that 24 spoof episode)

Nomination (or lack thereof) that left a bittersweet taste in my mouth: No Peter O'Toole for Voice Acting in a Feature Film (!)

Nomination which reminded me the Whedonverse owns the world: Seth Green for Directing in an Animated Television Production

Award that made me realise I know way too much about animation: Glen Keane getting the career contributions to the art of animation Winsor McCay award. If you don't know who Keane is, he's the guy who brought Ariel, Beast, Tarzan and Aladdin to life (and oh yeah... that Pocahontas chick)

Category that reminded me I'm getting old: Best Animated Television Production for Children (I only know of El Tigre and I've yet to watch an entire episode of that latin-flavoured family superhero series)

Nominations (or lack thereof) that made me as happy as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with Pizza: Beowulf and Shrek The Third getting lone nominations each.

Desperate Housewives, or How Wisteria Lane gets blown away!

"It was supposed to be a beautiful day..."

And yet, a house collapsed (bringing no Dorothy and thankfully killing none of our Wisteria Lane bit... er witches) as a tornado hit Wisteria Lane 'Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton' style. Just as last year's 'Bang' managed to create a drama-heavy episode that showcased both the actors and the production aspects of the Marc Cherry show, this year's 'Something's Coming' managed to give us great one-liners, a good story and impeccable production (picket fences flying? cars falling? Gabi breaking and entering? Awesome!)
I'll let the formulaic aspects of the episode (and Teri Hatcher's storyline, as well as their insistence on giving Felicity all the drama-heavy moments) go if only because as an episode that began with Mary Alice telling us one of the husbands was going to die kept me guessing all the way through (was I the only one who wished [SPOILERS AHEAD] Mike had been the one to go?)And as a D-Hos event, it blew me, along with all its characters away:
Secrets were revealed (a cheating, tattooed Captain Mal?)
Friendships were strengthened (Bree and Katherine: now, double the fun? Edie and Gabi: now, half the bitchiness?)
Characters were developed (will this be the end of the one-note Edie 'I'm-jealous-and-create-havoc-for-Gabi-and-Carlos' Brit as well as the end of the ever so annoying 'Mike has an addiction' storyline?)
And of course, a lot of 'damage' (that is, both figurative and literal) was done:
As if almost losing her husband, getting cancer and well, having six kids weren't enough the writers decided to destroy Lynette's house. How I miss the Lynette from the Pilot whose comedy came from the domestic aspects of being a mom: remember her in full mourning regalia fishing out the twins from the pool? When oh when will Felicity get her comedy back?

I guess we'll have to wait til next year (oh and yeah... til that strike thing is over. Can they just get their money now?)

Favourite Gabi Lines:
"Carlos if you are taking me somewhere where I don't need a boa I don't want to go."
Re: Edie - "Rot in hell you maggotty whore!" and "So do me a favour and don't mention her name again unless it's followed by 'That conniving skank!'"

Enchanted in America, or How I'm Seeing Double

New York City IS a magical place when it can offer the same venue for such different scenes as:'That's how you know!'

A BIG song and dance musical number in Disney's Enchanted

As well as an epilogue in one of the best miniseries/stage-to-screen adaptations maybe ever.

"The Great Work Begins"
The ending scene in Mike Nichol's Angels in America

Golden Satellite Awards, or How Nominations are out!

Tis the season... nominations from that very obscure awards group (I mean when you were formerly part of the Golden Globes and don't even air your awards show you know you're kind of in the dark) are out.
Regardless: short comments on the nominations (which like the Globes cover both TV and Hollywood and do that annoying thing where all the supporting players are lumped together in the same category)

TV
As per usual I find myself enjoying more the Comedy/Musical categories since I watch more of the eligible shows on this side of the categories - [Random rant: When oh when will the Drama categories stop gushing over Whine's Anatomy?]
Love the fact that they showed some love for Pushing Daisies (nominated for Best Comedy Series, Best Lead Actor and Actress), for Ugly Betty (nommed for Best Comedy Series, Best Lead and Supporting Actress) and for both 30 Rock leads (the Emmy-winning show managed to miss a nom for Best Comedy Series how exactly?).
More noms I was happy to see: Felicity Huffman (one of only two noms for D-Hos) and Michael C. Hall for Dexter.

MOVIES
Pretty much all over the place - I mean when you have Ben Kingsley and Seth Rogen (or 300 and Ratatouille) in the same category you know you're in for a motley crew of nominations. Don't know why Sweeney Todd didn't show up at all and why Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood) missed out on a nomination. That said, I was happy to see 3:10 to Yuma represented (though only Ben managed a thesp nomination). The Comedy/Musical category seems lacking (Once anyone? How did Shoot 'em up get there anyways?)
More noms I was happy about: Hairspray, and Lars and the Real Girl for Best Comedy, Amy Adams for Enchanted and the Atonement thesp noms (though no Best Drama?)

So to sum up: Random and probably irrelevant. Check them out here.

30 Rock, or How I'm Gay for Jamie as well

Can I just say I loved last night's cougars storyline? Seeing Liz dating the 20 year old coffee boy was just deliciously funny. [I refrain from commenting on the less than stellar Jack/ Kenneth/ Tracy storyline which read like it came out of a Rick Moranis 1990s movie...]

If 30 Rock does something right is portraying Liz as an insecure woman who seems to go against everything Sex and the City taught us women in NYC should/would be. Her cluelessness when it came to dating younger men, going out later than 10pm and keeping up with current pop culture (including references to the Zeffron and Gnals Barkley's website) were highlights of the show.
But the main reason I loved the episode was Jamie - isn't he beautiful and perfect as the ever-so-adorable 20 year old New Yorker to be preyed upon by Liz? Just like Frank I am Gay for Jamie... anyday!
Also hilarious was Jenna's attempt to one-up Liz and dating a 'sophomore from NYU' who looked right out of Superbad.

Favourite Jenna line:
"These things happen Liz. I had my no sex with Asians rule but then one day you walk into Sharper Image and there's Quan"

Vancouver 2010 Mascots, or How THIS is How First Nations Anime Looks Like

Meet the Mascots for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics!

As if the simplified (smiling and primary-coloured) Inukshuk that the Canadian/Olympic authorities branded as the Vancouver 2010 symbol hadn't sparked enough 'is this Politically-correct?' conversations - most of them directed at the potentially misappropriation of what is so obviously a First Nations symbol to denote "Canadianness" to the (albeit touristy) world Olympic watcher/audience; the Winter Olympic Mascots were unveiled earlier this week.

Let's meet them:
[the following descriptions were taken from the official website]

Miga: Miga is a young sea bear who lives in the ocean with her family pod, out past Vancouver Island near Tofino, British Columbia. Sea bears are part killer whale and part bear. Miga is part Kermode bear, a rare white bear that only lives in British Columbia.

Sumi: Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia. Like many Canadians, Sumi's background is drawn from many places. He wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.

Quatchi: Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends. Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie.

One need not be a doctoral candidate to see the ways in which National symbols lend themselves easily to be analysed and explored as cultural artifacts that instead of creating a sense of National Unity more often than not show us the process through which 'Nation' is a cultural construct...
But before I get carried away in academic discourse I want to just isolate a couple of things in a more direct manner:
- Each mascot tries to evoke 'Canadiana' (Hockey? Check! First Nations totemic art? Check! West Coast mythology? Check! Totemic iconography? Check! - Seriously it's as if they just walked by Granville Island and Gastown and pre-packaged what we portray to tourists what the 'West Coast' is all about, I'm actually surprised Salmons didn't garner any mention...)
- Just as with the Inukshuk, First Nations (if only commodified for the rest of the world) are represented mainly in Sumi (Token FN mascot) who functions as a totem-mascot, who 'just like many Canadians' comes from many places and is a mish-mash of West Coast First Nations iconography - mainly the Haida art in his 'killer whale hat' and his Thunderbird wings.
- The artwork (or cartoon-work) is anime in style: an acknowledgment of the increasingly Asian community in the West Coast? an appeal to 'younger, hipper, manga-reading' audiences?

They are quite adorable, and I'm just sad I don't get to see the media reactions out West which I'm sure will range from 'Where's the political correctness?!' to 'OMG! So Canadian!'
And yet with all their (albeit artificially constructed) 'Canadianness' they manage to epitomize what Vancouver was for me: can't you just see these mascots plastic wrapped in Hello Kitty stores in Metrotown as well as in T-shirts sold at the Bay for them Robson-loving tourists?

FYC, or How Hairspray is Big, Blonde and Beautiful!

For Your Consideration (A Blog Next Door Style) - Hairspray
It's my blog and I'll FYC if I want to, FYC if I want to...

Hairspray (2007) was one of my favourite movies of the summer - it was light, fun, vibrant and had Michelle Pfeiffer playing a bitch. What more does a summer movie need? (a high-octane chase? an action sequence involving helicopters? I don't think so...)
Based on the Broadway musical by the same name, which is in turn based on the 1988 John Waters's Hairspray, this updated version tells the tale of Tracy Turnblad as she becomes part of the Corny Collins Show, fights racism, falls in love with Link Larkin (the beautiful Zac Effron) all the while maintaining ridiculously big hair and keeping the beat going. Smoother around the edges, less sexual and much less queer than the original John Waters film, this 2007 version of the Tracy story works because it so readily embraces its own saccharine, colourful, big-haired style. Adam Shankman (of choreographing Once More with Feeling fame) manages to keep the movie going full-throttle showcasing newcomer Nikki Blonsky, drag-ed up John Travolta, snowqueen Ms Pfeiffer, teen hearthrob Zeffron, dreamy James Marsden and company. But what's the best part is that the entire movie is packaged in bright colours, vibrant sets and wrapped in a beautiful palette. There is really nothing to hate in a movie that so warmly welcomes you to love it. When all is said and done - you really can't stop the beat!

Check out A Blog Next Door's other FYC campaigns:
Ratatouille
Once
Superbad & Knocked Up
Atonement
Juno

Spirit Awards, or How Nominations are out!

The Spirit Awards Nominations came out earlier today. I don't have much to say about them except that I am amazed that Lars and the Real Girl and Away From Her are nowhere to be found (are there some eligibility issues I am not aware of?)
I was also sad to see Keri Russel miss out on a Female Lead nomination (while Ms Sienna-I'm-a-ubiquitous-talentless-actress-Miller got one - wtf?), and Ms Laura Linney be overlooked - I have yet to see The Savages but isn't everyone raving about her performance?
Interesting how warmly the Spirit Awards took to both Lust, Caution (3 noms - They do love Ang don't they? I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd nominate him) and I'm Not There (4 noms) - pics who have been receiving mixed reviews (which obviously won't stop me from seeking them out later this month). Also glad to see Once in the mix as well as Persepolis in the Foreign Language Category.
I'm sure more keen oscarwatchers will be making alot of the nominations - does this cement the chances of Ms Blanchett? strengthen Diablo Cody's nomination/win chances for Juno? create momentum for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly? Only time will tell, right.
Next: Golden Globe Noms Dec 13th

Georges Jeanty Part I, or How Buffy is ready for her close-up

After (re)reading Brian K Vaughan's Buffy Season 8 issue 8 (one of the best issues yet!) I was quite impressed with Georges Jeanty's art. I have been admiring his work from issue to issue, but it was in this one where I realised he's just getting better and better (can't wait for next week's issue!)

I thought I should show some love to Mr Jeanty (recently 'seen' on Dexter) and I decided to showcase what I consider is Georges strength: Close-ups. Since I seem to work on threequel posts (I swear, Spidey, Captain Jack and Jason Bourne have no influence on my blog whatsoever!) I will be featuring Georges' three leading ladies in three different posts: Buffy, Willow and Faith.

"Ms Buffy Summers is ready for her close-up Mr Jeanty"

































Check out:
Georges Jeanty Part II, or How Faith is ready for her closeup and
Georges Jeanty Part III, or How Willow is ready for her closeup

Enchanted, or How Disney is Back

Five Reasons I fell in Love with Enchanted:

5. The Traditional Animation Opening
Because there is nothing more exciting than seeing Disney doing what Disney does best: traditional animation starring a feisty, fun and fearless female protagonist.

4. Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz's Songs and Lyrics
You can't just have great female heroines (Ariel, Snow White, Belle) you have to pair them with great songs. That's how Disney became what it is today and Enchanted surely delivers great tunes that take their rightful place in the pantheon of good Disney music. I am still humming 'So Close' (and wanting to dance to it with a handsome young prince) and will probably make 'That's How You Know' an iTunes favourite.

3. The Disney-related cameos and references
Wikipedia alone lists close to 50 Disney intertextual moments. My favourites:
- The song True Love's Kiss is a tribute to the songs I'm Wishing, A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, and Once Upon a Dream. The construction of Giselle's dream prince with the help of the woodland animals is also a tribute to a similar scene in Sleeping Beauty.
- The song "So Close" is a tribute to the song Beauty and the Beast, from both the moment in the film the song is played, as well as that the song is sung from the perspective of an observer. The camera angles during the song are also a tribute to the same scene.
- The canoe scene is reminiscent of the Kiss the Girl in Little Mermaid.

2. James Marsden as Prince Edward
I love James in all and every of his endeavours (though I am not a big fan of his turn in 24th Day, or of his stale character in Superman Returns). That said, here he is deliciously vain as Prince Edward and even showcases his singing talents, which fans will of course remember not only from the film version of Hairspray but from his stint in Ally McBeal's last season.

1. Amy Adams as Giselle
I have never been a big fan of the man-crazy Disney princesses. Snow, Aurora and Cinderella are probably the least appealing of the Disney girls (I tend to like the feisty Belle, the tiny Lilo and even the rebellious Ariel). That said Amy Adams makes Giselle lovable and makes her ingenuity adorable rather than annoying. Plus, I think other than Mulan she is one of the the few Disney princesses to wield a sword so skillfully.

That said, there were three things that nagged me about the movie, but the whimsical world Kevin Lima created made me forget about them:

3. Patrick Dempsey
McSteamy over Cyclops? Really...?

2. Disney's heterosexism
What can be said that hasn't been said already? We live with it and hope that one day we'll be able to see a young, handsome, singing boy finding his Prince in the same Disney fashion we've seen a mermaid find her prince, a beast find his true love and an ape-man find his mate.

1. The fact that I'll never hear the Idina Menzel-James Marsden titular song 'Enchanted'!
How did we miss out on a Corny Collins-Elphaba duet? Do I need to wait for a great Broadway producer to find Idina and James singing together anytime soon?

Act, Natalie Act! or How Tykwer's Paris est Magnifique!

After moaning about how I missed Ms Portman I got Paris Je T'aime in the mail yesterday and HAD to watch Tom Tykwer's short film (and the rest of the film of course - The Coens Bros short is also good fun). It was so good I thought I'd share and get some interest in watching this collection of short films/love letter to the city of lights:

Like you'll never see me again, or How Alicia Keys goes all Reverse Chronology on us

Taking a page off of Seinfeld's 'The Betrayal,' X-Files 'Redrum' but more likely ER's own 'Hindsight' Alicia Keys uses Reverse Chronology to tell the story of a fateful accident in her new video:

Double FYC, or How 2007 was Apatow's Year

For Your Consideration (A Blog Next Door Style) - Knocked Up & Superbad
It's my blog and I'll FYC if I want to, FYC if I want to...

Everyone might be talking about that Variety ad regarding the upcoming Judd Apatow-produced movie Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox story but I thought I'd highlight two of this year's funniest comedies: the Judd Apatow-penned/helmed Knocked Up and the Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg written Superbad:

I know comedy is sometimes avoided by the Academy (when they do embrace it they tend to steer away from R-rated comedies and prefer the 'indie' films with dysfunctional families) but I do think that the screenplays for both the films are hilarious and offered the best laughs of the summer.
While the overall story of the Katherine Heigl/Seth Rogen vehicle was not as realistic as one could hope for, it still delivered rambunctious laughter and an amazing comedic performance by Leslie Mann as Heigl's bittersweet sister. Raunchier, and much more homoerotic, the Jonah Hill/Michael Cera buddy movie proved that the Trojan Wars-like genre is not yet dead, but on the contrary quite alive and well.

Favourite moments:

Knocked Up: Any scene at the E! studio including Alan Tudyck and Kristen Wig:
"Oh, no, we're not asking you to lose weight. That would be illegal. We just want you to be healthy, by eating less. So go home, weigh yourself on a scale, write than down. Then subtract 20 from that number. And weigh that. Yeah. "

Superbad: The penis drawings scene (and the credits at the end of course) and any scene with awkward Michael Cera:
Becca: Your cock is so smooth!
Evan: Yours would be too... if you were a man.

Check out A Blog Next Door's other FYC campaigns:
Ratatouille
Once
Hairspray
Atonement
Juno