Alvin and The Chipmunk Squeakquel Giveaway

I have a copy of Alvin and The Chipmunk Squeakquel to giveaway. It is released today on DVD.
While I can't say I enjoyed this that much, my daughter LOVES it, especially the Chipettes and their Beyonce song All The Single Ladies.
Just leave a comment on this post with your email to enter. Follow my blog for an extra chance to win.
Entrants should live in the contiguous United States. I'll announce the winner Tomorrow Wed, March 31st.
Good Luck



WINNER:
Random.org picked #10 Raquel. There is no contact info for her so I will give her 24 hours to contact me or I will draw another name.

Netflix Instant Streaming Movies

I just got my disc from Netflix, now I can instantly stream movies from them through my Wii onto my television. Of course I can't stream their entire library, but there is a large selection of films and TV shows. For example if you, like me, have never seen an episode of Lost, it is all there and waiting. As I type this I am watching Julie and Julia. I will say the picture quality is not perfect. But it is very good and for those of us who are not HD zealots it is just fine.
Anyway, I'm missing Meryl as Julia Childs, so I must go. I just want to make sure that all of you with a netflix account and a Wii get hooked up.

Mad Men Season 3 DVD/Bluray

Lionsgate sent me a copy of Mad Men Season 3 on DVD/Bluray today, and boy am I happy. I've been watching Matt Weiner's commentary of the episodes and loving it. There are lots of great extra features, about the civil rights movement, smoking advertizing, and commentary from various other cast members for each episode.
The greatest thing, though, is just having all these episodes. I've been watching season 1 and 2 on On Demand, even though I have them on DVD too. Now I can rewatch season 3 too!! Yeah!!
Short of the new season starting this is nirvana.



Here's one of the great scenes from last season. The two most capable people, Don Draper and Joan Halloway, in the Mad Men world in one of their rare shared scenes. I've developed quite an involved story about Joan's past with all my watching and rewatching of these episodes. But, I'll save my predictions for the start of the new season.

Get your own copy here

Robert Culp RIP

RIP Robert Culp

Eat Pray Love

I just got the trailer for Eat Pray Love from Sony and I'm so excited. The movie doesn't come out till August, but this is a lovely little amuse bouche. If you somehow haven't read this book yet, get on it.

The movie is spectacularly cast with Julia Roberts, James Franco, Javier Bardem, and Billy Crudup. I can't wait to see this one.

The Bounty Hunter

Last night I was invited to see a preview of The Bounty Hunter at the Sony Lot. I LOVE going on the lots. Especially Sony, because it's so close to my house.

I gave the movie a solid B. It's a romantic comedy with a little action movie thrown in. My only problem with it is Gerard Butler. I feel bad to point him out but something about him just oozes Misogyny. Which I don't like. Also I would have liked to have seen more of Christine Baranski, who played Jennifer Aniston's mother. Jennifer Aniston was wonderful of course, she can do no wrong for me.

On the way out I did hear a girl in her 20's say she loved it and thought Aniston and Butler had great chemistry. I also talked with two women in their 70-80's and they said they liked it too, but it was a bit confusing. There were some men there but I didn't ease drop on any of their conversations.

So what I'm saying is, it's a very entertaining movie particularly if you don't mind the He Man type. Just watch The Good Wife if you want more Baranski I suppose.

It opens Friday till then here's the trailer.

Victor Mature and Chris Noth

I was watching Red Hot In Blue the other day, which stars Victor Mature and I was struck by how much he looks like Chris Noth, who I watch every week on The Good Wife.



What do you think?

Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day

Woo Hoo! Ben and Jerry's free cone day is March 23rd. Make sure to get your cone.
Go to the Ben and Jerry's site to find the shop near you.

Chicago at The Pantages Giveaway

I've got 2 tickets for the opening night, April 20th at 8pm, of Chicago at The Pantages in Hollywood to giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win. I'll draw a winner on Friday March 19th.

One comment per person, if you want and extra name in the drawing, you can get one by following my blog. Please mention that you've done so in your comment.

Thanks for participating and good luck

Winner
Our winner is David Moreno. Congratulations, the tickets will be at the will call window the night of the show.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Last night I went to see the Swedish film The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, AKA Men Who Hate Women, that's what it's called everywhere but English speaking countries. I gotta say it was way too violent for me, but then CSI is generally too violent for me. So I'm kind of a baby. But there was a lot of violence, sex, and sexually violent scenes. With all of that said, it was a really good film.
This is the most viewed swedish film ever. It is the first of a trilogy based on the best selling books. Since I haven't read the books I can only tell you what I saw last night. Lisbeth is an emotionally damaged person, hacker, and great in a fight. She joins forces with a discredited journalist to discover the truth behind the 40 year old disappearance of a girl.
I hear that there will be an American version of this film made by Sony. With interest being shown by all the likely suspects.

I should thank KCRW, my local NPR station,and Matt's Movies who hosted this event for KCRW members. Supporting NPR is not an all together altruistic endeavor, when you get these kind of perks.

You can check out my whrrl on going to the movie at my new blog with Mar Vista Mom and Yvonne in LA called Women Who Whrrl


Here's the trailer for the English realease. Honestly they have a subtitled one from the swedish release but even the trailer was a little too intense.

LA Mom's Blog and ABCnews

I have a post up today at LA Mom's Blog and a quote in a story on ABCnews.com today.
I'm feeling very popular.
Hope you're having a good day too. Come back later this week for a great theatre tickets giveaway.

Hot Tub Time Machine

I hope John Cusack had some hellacous(I've said it all my life, and I have no idea how to spell it) gambling debts that motivated him to take part in this movie. All I can say is Hot Tub Time Machine is the first movie that has inspired me to write a negative post. I haven't even seen it but I feel comfortable in saying unless you are on some mind altering substances this is a MISS. If you doubt me, or just want to use some mind altering substances it opens March 26.

My Oscar Picks

I love The Oscar. Sadly, I'm sick this year so I can't go to my mother's Oscar party which is where you would normally find me. So I'll share all my picks with you. Let's see how I do.
Mo'nique-supporting actress
Christoph Waltz-supporting actor
Sandra Bullock-Best actress
Jeff Bridges-best actor
Hurt Locker-best picture
Katherine Bigelow-best director

Here's a link to Hugh Jackman's opening number I'd have posted it hear but they won't let me. Anyway, for my money this was the best ever opening number. Even if you're not an Oscars person check this out it will crack you up!

The Fantastic Mr. Fox DVD giveaway

I have watched my preview copy of Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox, I don't know how many times in the weeks I've had it. I love it, the kid loves it, and every person we show it to loves it. It's a great movie. You can definitely feel the Wes Anderson vibe.
One of my favorite things is all these little samples of other movie in it. There are so many familiar scenes, you can try to place. It took me several viewing to place the few I have, and I'm still working on it. I tried to cheat and look it up online, but everyone was being very vague and unhelpful. If I ever find myself in a room with Wes I will grill him. Until then I will give you this one when the handyman/hedgehog comes in and finds Mr. and Mrs. Fox fighting and yells at them to stop. That is James Dean's lines in Rebel Without a Cause at the beginning of the film to his parents. You see how they make it hard to place by having a hedgehog in place of James Dean.

The Contest:

The people at 20th Century Fox have given me three copies of the DVD to giveaway. SO just leave a comment on this post. Include your email address. I'll draw a winner on Sunday March 7th. Entrants should live in the contiguous United States
Good Luck!




WINNERS
Thanks so much for all your entries. I've drawn the winners and they are Shooting Stars Mag, Madison Craig, and Suezette. Congrats!!!

Parenthood on NBC

Have you seen the commercials for Parenthood on NBC? I love Lauren Graham, and she looks brilliant in this part. It premiers tomorrow March 2 at 10pm. I'm hoping this will be a winner. Sometimes second times a charm. Here's the previous cast of the show. Let's all hold a good thought!

TCM's Road to Hollywood Film Screenings

I just found out from TCM that they're taking their classic film festival on the road and it's free. Check below to see if they'll be in your city. New york is so lucky, their getting All About Eve with Elaine Stritch. Oh and Chicago gets North by Northwest. They should all be great. If you go please come back and tell us about it in the comment section.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is taking its love of great movies to five cities nationwide with the Road to Hollywood tour, a slate of special free screenings building up to the launch of the first-ever TCM Classic Film Festival. In the weeks before the festival, which will take place in Hollywood April 22-25, TCM will travel to Boston (March 18); New York (March 23); Chicago (March 30); Washington, D.C. (April 8); and San Francisco (April 21) for presentations of five outstanding films, each set in the city in which it will be screened.

Below is a complete schedule of TCM’s Road to Hollywood screenings. Although the screenings are free to the public, tickets are required for entry. Tickets will be available beginning March 1 at http://www.tcm.com/roadtohollywood.



The Brattle Theatre in Boston – Thursday, March 18, at 8 p.m. – The Verdict (1982)

Ben Mankiewicz and Boston Herald film critic Jim Verniere will introduce this emotionally powerful legal drama directed by Sidney Lumet and written by David Mamet. Paul Newman earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as an alcoholic lawyer who is having difficulty keeping clients. He lands a dream case, however, when he is hired to sue a hospital for negligence.



The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York – Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. – All About Eve (1950)

The legendary Elaine Stritch (Company) will join Robert Osborne in the Big Apple to present one of the greatest films ever made about life in the theater. Anne Baxter stars as a young actress determined to weasel her way into the world of top Broadway actress Margo Channing, played with gusto by Bette Davis. Celeste Holme, Thelma Ritter, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Marilyn Monroe and an Oscar-winning George Sanders add relish to this outstanding comedy-drama by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.



The Music Box Theater in Chicago – Tuesday, March 30, at 7:30 p.m. – North by Northwest (1959)

Robert Osborne will by joined by Oscar and Emmy winner Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront) in Chicago for this presentation of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s biggest and most enduring hits. Cary Grant plays an everyman mistaken as a double agent and chased across the country by people on both sides of the law. Saint plays the woman unwittingly roped into helping him. James Mason, Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau co-star.



The Avalon Theatre in Washington , D.C. – Thursday, April 8, at 8 p.m. – The More the Merrier (1943)

Ben Mankiewicz and producer George Stevens Jr., founding director of the American Film Institute, will introduce this highly entertaining film directed by Stevens’ father. Jean Arthur and Joel McCrea star as a pair forced to share a D.C. apartment during a wartime housing shortage. Charles Coburn won an Oscar for his deliciously comic performance.



The Castro in San Francisco – Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. – The Lady from Shanghai (1948)

Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show), who is an expert on the films of Orson Welles and was a close friend of the director, will be joined by popular San Francisco film critic and show business reporter Jan Wahl of KRON as they introduce this memorable thriller. The story involves a fake murder plot that turns out to be all too real. Welles stars along with Rita Hayworth, Everett Sloane and Glenn Anders. The film’s extraordinary imagery includes an exciting hall-of-mirrors sequence that remains a cinematic masterpiece.