Hipster Babies Celebrate New Year's Eve!!

When he yawns, it's so ironically adorable.

Blast From The Past: North Korea

North 'Vin Diesel' Korea

Editor’s Note: Guest Blogger Poticklly occasionally goes back into his old days of online journaling and posts entries that pertain to pop culture.  Given the recent death of Kim Jong-il and the possible craziness that could be going on over there in North Korea, here are Poticklly’s thoughts in regards to North Korea as it pertaines to the classic Vin Diesel film, The Pacifier, and North Korea's WMDs. Just a forewarning, the Poticklly of the past was kind of a little bitch.

I saw the new Vin Diesel movie

I went to see it with [redacted]. This movie sucked hardcore, but, sadly, I enjoyed it. It was

Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!

Guest Blogger Gemma-Fart-a-ton has something to say:

We all love the 'Centipedes? In my vagina?' model.  We love her:

TV Review: Let's Talk New Shows

It’s that time of year again. Stockings are being hung by the chimney with care, Menorahs are being attractively displayed in windows, and I begin the holiday tradition known as the Network Television Holiday Break. Every year, shows abandon me, sometimes for over a month, and I, in turn, evaluate the new programs I have started watching and decide – who will I stay with in 2012?

Amy, Trying Too Hard

Enlightened (HBO)

Awkward, depressing, lonely. Enlightened is obviously one of the best new shows on TV this year. The show, created by Mike White and Laura Dern (and starring Dern), is about Amy Jellicoe, an ‘enlightened,’ self-centered anti-hero. After an emotional breakdown and Hawaiian therapy, Amy returns to her old company with a fresh outlook on life, only to realize that making her way in her new job is rife with conflict (mostly self-imposed, though that becomes tricky as the show goes on). The performances are top-notch. Dern and Diane

Snow White: Fight to the Finish

The past week saw the release of both of the trailers for the competing Snow White epics currently in the works. There is Tarsem Singh's comedic Mirror Mirror, which looks absolutely ridiculous (in the best way) and stars Julia Roberts, Nathan Lane, Armie Hammer, and some pale person whose name I keep forgetting. And then there is Snow White & the Huntsman, the uber-serious film starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, and a slew of other people, including a 7 non-little-people as the 7 Dwarves.

So which to choose? 

Which is the fairest film of all? 

Let's judge solely on the trailers, shall we?

Mirror Mirror certainly has a lot going for it. It's directed by Tarsem Singh, who has made some of the most visually stunning and sumptuous films of recent memory (The Cell, the amazing The Fall, and the not-terrible Immortals).  In terms of fairy-tale magic, his version of

Web Video Review: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Have you ever seen anything this adorable? If you answered yes, I'm going to need you to send me video proof as soon as possible.

Music Review: Ethan Lipton + His Orchestra

Ethan Lipton

Ethan Lipton and His Orchestra had their first of four performances at Joe's Pub as part of the Pub's new initiative to commission works that represent the Joe's Pub audience and the Joe's Pub artists (original, varied, eccentric, amazing). This initiative, sponsored by the National Endowment of the Arts and appropriately titled the New York Voices series, kicked off with shows by Toshi Reagon and Lady Rizo, continues with Ethan Lipton and His Orchestra.

I'm a little biased in this review, as I un-apologetically love Joe's Pub, its director Shanta Thake, and Ethan Lipton and His

Hipster Halloween 2! Oo-oo-oooh

It's Halloween season, and hipster babies are out in full force!

Hipster Halloween!!!!

In anticipation of Halloween, Tableau Your Mind presents the scariest Hipster Baby ever.

You've been warned:

For $35 a day, you can make sure this baby has all the organic formula she needs

ABC's 'Revenge' is So Sweet

Revenge is in the Eye of the Beholder

With so many new and returning shows vying for my attention, it took me a while to make it to Revenge, the soapy drama on ABC. Granted, there was more than just my over-packed TV schedule that kept me away. The marketing, specifically, was pretty terrible, with Emily VanCamp in some sort of thorn dress that was apparently made out of anger?  Also, while I

The Hunger Games: I'm Starving for It!

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

I am a huge fan of The Hunger Games book series. I was late to the game (hah! puns!), admittedly - several years late. Still, being behind allowed me to read the entire book series all at once over the course of a very emotionally intense three days. It was just me, sitting at

Film Review: 50/50

When I first saw the trailer for 50/50, the new comedic drama starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, I instantly thought of another great cancer memoir: Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person, by Miriam Engelberg. In it, Engelberg talks about the awkwardness of cancer, the humiliating situations, and the anger that she felt. Of course, it’s all very funny, but it’s also strange that people rarely talk about cancer in so harsh a light. For every Laura Linney on The Big C, there are countless people becoming better people and rising above the illness on television and in film. It’s a powerful redemption/conquering adversity story, so understandably it’s told all the time.

Male cancer is even less often portrayed (by my count, there is Brian’s Song and, um, that’s pretty much it). That is why 50/50, a by-the-numbers yet refreshingly honest film, is so

A Moment, Please, for Amy Pond

Spoiler Alert if you aren’t caught up on this season’s Doctor Who.

(Seriously, it's a pretty big spoiler)

Amelia Pond Williams, wife of Rory Williams and mother of Melody Williams AKA River Song, ended her two season run in last Saturday’s episode of Doctor Who.

Companions of the Doctor seem to serve a few functions. First, they are constantly asking questions, which makes the exposition in Doctor Who (of which there is a lot) seem less clunky. Secondly, they act as an audience surrogate, providing a relatable entry point into the series. Sure, some companions aren’t exactly relatable, but they’re certainly more human than The Doctor.

What I find to be the most important function for a companion, though, is her own journey with The Doctor and the lessons and character growth along the way. Each of the Doctor’s companions has a story to tell, and Amy Pond’s was always one of maturation, of growing past being ‘the girl who waited’ and into the girl who lived.

This season (or series), however, Amy has seemed, more than ever, to be spinning her wheels. Once she chose Rory over the Doctor, the writers didn’t seem to know what to do with her.  Karen Gillan is absolutely wonderful in the role, but this season has found very little for her to do, especially these second-half episodes. Even her (possibly) penultimate episode, which focused primarily on her, was just rehashing old material about her life and the choices she’s made.

Amy Pond was a wonderful character. She was delightful and fun, which was a nice counterpoint to Matt Smith’s more tortured Doctor 11 (though nobody did tortured Doctor better than David Tennant). I look forward to her return.

But -- for now -- goodbye, Amy Pond, most whimsical of all the Doctor Who companions.  You will be missed.

And goodbye, Rory.

UPDATE: Okay, so I was totally wrong about this. Not only were Amy and Rory back in a small way in the last episode of this season and the Christmas special, they will both be back with the Doctor for another half season. I literally have no idea how their story lines are going to continue any further, but I know better than to look a gift Doctor Who in the mouth.

Hipster Baby: Stoner Baby Edition

Is it bright in here? It feels bright in here. Could we dim something?

How Have I Missed This?

This has existed for over a month, and I'm just now getting around to seeing it?
I'm ashamed. I'm going to buy some Downy Unstoppables to make up for this gaff.
Forgive me, Amy Sedaris. I knew not what I did.

TV Review: The Hour (BBC America)

Why is The Hour, the new BBC mini-series currently running on BBC America (and just finished up across the pond on BBC Two), so amazing?  When the first trailer came out for it this summer, the best thing people seemed to say about it was that it looked derivative of great shows and that guy from The Wire was in it (and he was British). And, honestly, both of those things are true.  However, that doesn’t really paint the whole brilliant picture.

Bel and Freddie, sorting through clues to find the story.

On the surface, The Hour does something that many new shows are trying to accomplish this fall. Cribbing off the success of Mad Men, 50s and early 60s nostalgia has come back in a big way. However, the new slate of shows exploring this era have all added a twist. It

Hipster Babies Get Real, Sad

Hipster Baby Knows How to Bum Me Out

Needing A Lot Less Barrymore

Guest blogger Jennifer Love Bacon is back 

with even more anger and a soupçon of sass.

[Photo Credit]

To continue my trend of writing about mediocre movies released months ago that I’m just now getting around to…

Going the Distance was on HBO Zone this weekend and I just could not resist. Basically, it’s this generation’s Sleepless in Seattle. It was one of those movies that I couldn’t see spending 13 bucks on when it was in theaters, but I planned to watch it one day on TBS. Well, thanks to pay-cable, my plans came to fruition sooner than I thought.

Now, in all fairness, I missed the first 10 minutes, but it really didn’t seem to matter. I joined Drew and Justin after they “knocked boots” (as Kenny from Can’t Hardly Wait would say), and Drew mentions how stressful her internship is. Now, I don’t know how old Drew

The Good Wife: New Poster

Tantalizing... confusing.

So, the new poster for The Good Wife came out a few weeks ago, and it simultaneously invites new viewers and completely turns away old viewers. Sure, a sexy, airbrushed Julianna Margulies sounds like a good idea, but it kind of takes away from what Alicia Florrick (Margulies) stands for. All in all, I'm flummoxed.  On one hand, good for her. On the other hand, it seems like a confusing message. Maybe it's post-feminist. Maybe I'm backward-thinking for not recognizing a woman's right to be sexy and powerful. Why is a poster of a scantily clad lady making me think this much. Agh, brain freeze!

What do you think?!

Film Review: The Help

Hilly, Skeeter, Minny (with pie), and Aibileen

The Help is about a girl named Skeeter (adorable nickname!) who is really, really miffed about losing the maid who raised her (adorable lost youth!) and who wants a job with a big, fancy publishing house (adorable goals!). When she notices that the maids who work for her childhood friends are being mistreated, she decides to write (and I am using that term

Random Observation: The Goonies Edition

I love Martha Plimpton, and I love movies, so I also love The Goonies.

Random observation: Sloth, the eventual hero of The Goonies, is....

Hipster Babies Get Literary

Long-Winded?

Hit or Miss: Quick Movie Reviews!

Let's just get down to it. There are a lot of actually pretty decent movies out right now, and we here at Tableau Your Mind want to take you through our viewing catalog and let you know what you can miss and what movies should instantly make you want to hit up a movie theater. It's called Hit or Miss, and here we go:

Captain America doesn't like 'bullies'

Captain America: The First Avenger

Synopsis: The plot is mostly incidental, but basically Steve Rogers is a wimpy kid with a big heart and a lot of moxie who, when injected with a super serum, becomes the super buff Chris Evans Captain America. He then has to fight another super soldier, Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), who is also a mad scientist who stole a blue glowing cube (the Tesseract) from a dying Illuminati or something and is now using it to create super advance weapons. Also,

Harry Potter and the Difficult BM

We here at Tableau Your Mind were trying to keep the Harry Potter stuff to a minimum, but:

Guest Blogger Gemma Fart-a-ton has got something to say!

Thanks, Tableau Your Mind.  So, I've seen a lot of Harry Potter posters around town, and there was something about Harry's face that didn't quite make sense. Instead of the stoic sadness that usually populates young Dan Radcliffe's visage, there was a new emotion. Was he angry, was he trying to be intense? Was he simply bored of shooting promo photos? 

But then it hit me suddenly, like a bolt of lightning (or like a curse that causes a lightning bolt scar). What Danny Raddy has crafted - brilliantly - on the billboards and posters for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a character study of one man. 

One man who really has to poop.

Let's look at the photos and determine what Harry/Dan might be thinking, shall we?

New 'Two and a Half Men' Poster Reveals All (and Nothing)

[Photo Source]

CBS released the first promo photo for their new version of Two and a Half Men today, which includes Ashton Kutcher as a new, mysterious character (who is hopefully also a jingle-writing cad). What will be revealed on September 19th? Well, from the look of the poster, it's probably either 'what is John Cryer grimacing at' or 'how is Angus T. Jones (age 17) still considered a half-man'. Of course, there are some other possibilities:

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

It still beats Apparition

The eighth film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, starts off directly after the events of Part 1. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley go in search of the last Horcruxes, blindly following the orders of Albus Dumbledore, who has been dead for about a year. It's a bit ridiculous to summarize the events of the film, because fans of the book are undoubtedly familiar with most of the plot contained within the movie. And that's part of the fun. Audience members sit in anticipation, wondering, not what will happen, but how the events will play out. How will Molly Weasley's final confrontation with a particular Death Eater play out? How will director David Yates make the magical battles, which have historically been difficult to film, as exciting and epic as they are in the book? When and where will Neville strike? And how on earth is screenwriter Steve Kloves going to make Wandlore interesting?

Snape, Snape-ing it up

The film acts as a long goodbye. Almost every character gets a farewell, whether it's Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey staring out at the destroyed Hogwarts, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan fighting Death Eaters with verve, or Professor Trelawney (Emma Thompson) saying a quiet goodbye to one of her beloved students. Other characters get

Hipster Baby: Justin Bieber Edition (Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh!)

Little Biebs: Ready to Sing, Ready to Rock a Purple Hoodie

Harry Plotter: Movie 5

Molly Weasley fighting a Boggart: Cut Scene, but not forgotten

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first movie in the series directed by David Yates, and the man wastes no time in making his mark. With Chris Columbus’ childish films HP1 and HP2 fading into unhappy memory, Alfonso Cuarón’s powerhouse directorial work in HP3 unfortunately forgotten, and Mike Newell’s direction of HP4 acting as a filmic palate cleanser, Yates was able to enter the arena on relatively solid ground. Unlike so many franchises that buckled under the pressure of repetition, the Harry Potter films still feel fresh, uninhibited by ridiculous side plots and accepted (and often beloved) by fans.  Still, the final three films represent a dramatic change in the series, shifting from the fun and not too

Harry Plotter: Book 5

Ron and Hermione just don't understand.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out in 2003, three years after The Goblet of Fire. The book follows Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they enter into their 5th year at Hogwarts, encountering a lot more than Skiving Snackboxes. With Voldemort’s arrival at the end of his 4th year hushed by the Ministry of Magic and The Daily Prophet, Harry is once again a student at odds with the world. He is treated the same (if not worse) than he was in his second year when people assumed he was the Heir of Slytherin. In this ridiculously long book, Harry and his cohorts wage battles against the forces of evil, be they at Hogwarts (the delightfully wicked Dolores Umbridge) or elsewhere (the unhinged Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, and Voldy himself). A lot happens in this book, including the formation of Dumbledore’s Army, a battle at the Ministry, bloody detentions, fifth year exams, and the death of a major character, yet the whole thing feels overly long, stuffed with awkward moments. In particular, Harry being possessed by Voldemort is often likened to puberty, a comparison that no one wants to hear. (Spoilers Ahead)

The seven years at Hogwarts, when viewed together, have a reflexive quality. Each

Harry Plotter: Coming Soon

My reviews of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are coming soon! Until they're live, be sure to check out my reviews of Harry Potter books and movies 1 through 4 by clicking on the links below. Happy reading!

Seamus is reading a printout of Tableau Your Mind

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Book and Movie
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Book and Movie
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Book and Movie
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Book and Movie

Hipster Babies: You're Some in a Million

Hipster Babies: Their depth is matched only by their shallowness

Harry Plotter: Movie 4

The fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was released in 2005, a mere 6 years ago. It was directed by Mike Newell, which makes it the last movie in the Harry Potter franchise to be directed by someone other than David Yates. While the book is a fluid, interesting, and captivating read (check out our review HERE), the movie often feels disjointed, rushed, and uninspired. It’s almost as if the filmmakers decided on where the action sequences should go and then just built the rest of the story around them. They don't seem to care when characters are left out or important story lines are dropped, and the reworking of certain events to fit into their specific narrative arc feels clunky. It’s unfortunate that such an engaging book was turned into such an odd movie. Yet, despite its obvious faults, the film does carry with it a certain magic, especially when the action stops long enough to leave room for the smaller, more human moments.

The Four Triwizard Tournament Champions

Flower of my Heart

First, let’s talk, as we often do, about casting. Most prominently

Slow Motion: Slow Your Roll

Guest Blogger Jennifer Love Bacon is as mad as hell, 

and she's not going to take it anymore!

I recently saw Happythankyoumoreplease, and it was good – I totally recommend it. I left with a smile, whatever.

However, I have a bone to pick with Happythankyoumoreplease. In the movie, when the protagonist first lays eyes on his soon-to-be love interest, the girl’s motions are suddenly slowed – way down. This isn’t Never Been Kissed! I was under the impression that this movie was set in the real world.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a good hair-blowing-in-the-wind-confused-eye-contact-half-smile slow motion entrance as much as the next person, but only when and where it’s warranted. Slow motion meet-cutes are great for high school flicks and bubble-gum-pop romantic

Britney Spears: Unlikely Lover of Terminator, Thriller, and Half Baked

I'm nothing if not an occasional fan of Britney Spears. While my totally normal fan/singer relationship has faded away over the years, it's hard to forget that at one time I owned ...Baby One More Time AND Oops... I Did It Again. I committed to a bunch of ellipses for that woman.

Well, now it's time for Britney to pay me back, and she has with this completely bananas music video for I Wanna Go, a track from a CD I haven't bothered to buy. It takes cues from The Terminator, Half Baked, and even Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video. Completely awesome? Almost completely. She still can't help but look a little dead in the eyes. Still, it's hella ballsy. Check it out after the jump:

What Time Is It? Hipster Baby Time!

I don't want to be around when this baby discovers Bokononism

Harry Potter and the Final Trailer

The final trailer has arrived for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and it really packs a punch. Even though the majority of the audience doesn't care about spoilers (since they pretty much know the plot) the trailer contains very few. Fans of the series might notice a dead character who has never been seen dead before (behind Harry, in a couple of frames), but other than that the trailer is more about an emotional journey.

Warner Brothers has stated that this is the final trailer for the film, even though there are bound to be loads more for the DVD release. Still, let's all take in the finality.

Harry Plotter: Book 4

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published mid-year 2000, and I remember it being the first Harry Potter novel that I absolutely needed to have when it came out. I was still reeling from the tour de force that was the third book, and I had heard rumors that a character was going to die. Now it seems silly to anticipate a character death, because Rowling ended up playing fast and loose with the murder card as the series continued. Still, it was a big deal at the time. I'm not sure what I was anticipating, exactly, but I know that this would be a different book, a more mature book, a book that I wouldn't be embarrassed to carry around school.

Sh*t gets REAL

And, well, things really do get going in this book, which represents the beginning of the dark years for young Harry Potter. We get a lot in these pages: the Pensieve, the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, Alastor ‘Mad Eye’ Moody, the return of Voldemort, etcetera. It’s one of the more densely packed novels in the series. While books 5 and 7 tend to luxuriate in teen angst and desperation, respectively, everything in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire moves by at a relatively fast clip, barely pausing to mention the blossoming [blerg] love stories of Ron/Hermione and Harry/Cho Chang.  So, what are some of the more important or interesting moments? Let’s see… (Spoilers Ahead)

In this book we get very quick mentions of characters that become imminently more

iPod Shuffle: You Know My Soul

When I put my iPod on shuffle, the music can be all over the place. Because of my early desire to get as much music as possible on it, I have a ridiculous amount of music I love, but also music that I couldn't care less about. I've got N*E*R*D, Quad City DJs, Nat King Cole (he was a merry old soul, a merry old soul was he) and Sweet Honey in the Rock all smashed together. Some days all I want is blues and all I get is A.R. Rahman.

But some days, my iPod gives me, not just the music I want, but the music I need. And today, as I rode the N Train into work, my iPod gave me what I needed most of all. The following songs played, and buoyed my spirits:

Hipster Baby Alert!

Hipster Babies cannot be stopped. Don't even try.

You would think he invented soft spots.

Harry Plotter: Movie 3

I really want to keep writing and reading about Harry Potter, but writing in great length about the books and movies has gotten a tad tedious. I spend time trying to write and craft a review, only to realize that every thought I have has been expounded upon (at great length) by the Harry Potter Wiki or one of the innumerable blogs dedicated solely to all things Potter.  Thus I came to a decision: I will still be reading, watching, and commenting on the Harry Potter series. My comments, however, will be much more brief, and hopefully will just highlight the series and not over-analyze the series. Frankly, I think it will be good for all of us. (Spoilers Ahead)

Lily, James, and Sirius Black, in happier times

The third movie is such a welcome relief from the first two, which were so tedious. Director

Theater Review: Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark

Day-Breaker: Sassy as all get out

There has been a maelstrom of rumors, delays, injuries and unbridled creativity swirling around the production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. And with each new writer spat, bone break, and opening delay, our anticipation level of the most Crap-tacular musical of all time has risen (like the tide during a maelstrom, if you want to continue the analogy). So, when Guest Blogger Day-Breaker had a chance to attend said musical, we here at Tableau Your Mind couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask her how it went. Here, without editing or restraint, is her review:

Harry Plotter: Book 3

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was published on July 8^th, 1999.  The book is decidedly less childish, and acts as a sort of transition between the wonderment-heavy first installments and the darker, more death-filled final four books. So, how does the book stack up to its predecessors, and how well does it act as the final layer of foundation for the series? Let’s look, shall we? Spoilers Ahead, obvs

(Click to Enlarge Photos)

People should be more worried about Marge. There's a Sirius Black loose.

The book follows Harry as he embarks on his third year of schooling at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He gets off to a shaky start when he accidentally engorges his aunt (which causes her to float away) and flees the Dursleys. However, he’s forgiven for this

Harry Plotter: Coming Soon!

My reviews of the third Harry Potter book and movie (Harry Plotter: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) is coming in the next few days. We will be trying to roll out Harry Potter reviews as quickly as possible leading up to the final film's release on July 15th. We have a lot of work to do.
 

Lady Rizo: Channeling Nina Simone on Rapture Eve

There was no better way to spend Rapture Eve than with Lady Rizo, who, in one of her best shows to date, channeled the 'mash-up queen,' Nina Simone. As with all Lady Rizo shows, it was an ever swinging pendulum of emotions, at one point melancholic, the next filled with laughter.

It's an occasion where the pieces of a puzzle don't make the whole. Any of the elements of the performance - from her rose petal sex to her special guests - stand out as unorthodox, but together they make an amazing whole. There's even burlesque, and not the cutesy

Handling the Apocalypse: A Musician’s Guide

The world is an uncertain place. The only thing we can say for sure (besides that there are both death and taxes) is that, at some point in the not-too-distant future, the heavens will open up and give way to a fiery hellscape that lasts approximately 6 months. Perhaps the end of the world will happen tomorrow, perhaps a year down the road.

We all have ways of coping

Are you prepared? If not, perhaps these musicians can tell you how to get through it in one piece, provided you’re going through the same type of apocalypse they are:

Hipster Babies

It's easy to hate on ‘Hipster’ culture. Hell, a recent episode of ABC’s Happy Endings compared them to zombies! We make fun of these people, because they engage in what seems to be non-human, emotionless behavior. Often, hipsters do act in a very affected manner, wherein they enjoy everything ironically and/or effort is seen as a negative (the word ‘hipster’ has been around for 40+ years, but this is the definition of its current incarnation).

However, it's important to see that, much like The Muppets were at one time Muppet Babies, so too were Hipsters once Hipster Babies. In order to make people realize that hipsters are people too, we here at Tableau Your Mind will be looking back at hipsters when they were just babies, innocent and a teensy bit passive aggressive. Maybe, it will restore the humanity…in all of us.

A Little Hipster Baby

These hipster babies will be popping up in many future articles, as well as on their own, to give their opinions from time to time. Just look for the Hipster Baby tag!

Film Review: Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids needed to succeed. Heck, there was pressure for Bridesmaids to succeed before production had even wrapped.  Even though it’s a comedy written by women (written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig), and starring women (Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, etc.), the movie is ostensibly for EVERYONE.  Romantic Comedies (or Rom-Coms) are often written by women and starring women, but the intended audience is also women. With Judd Apatow and Paul Feig behind your project, the dude factor is increased significantly. This movie had to bring critical acclaim and big bucks.

Click to Enlarge, Cut Out, and Enjoy!

The movie centers on Annie (Wiig) as she deals with the fact that her best friend Lillian (Rudolph) is getting married and moving on with her life. Annie doesn’t want to get left behind, and her feelings of inadequacy and anger are only increased when she meets Lillian’s new friend (and possible Annie replacement) Helen, played wonderfully by

Pan Am Picked up by ABC

Ricci, Rockin' a Pillbox hat

The list of new fall shows for the four main networks are being announced this week (at Network Upfronts). I really wish I was devoting more of my free time to writing about it, but for now I just wanted to take a moment to be excited. Pan Am has been announced as a new show this fall on ABC! You can read all about the show HERE, but it's basically about flight attendants (or air hostesses or stewardesses, whatever is more period-specific) and pilots in the 1960s. It's got all kinds of Mad Men-like fun, plus the added bonus of Christina Ricci - she of the googly eyes, long legs, and tiny waist. The promo clip is promising, and I really can't see anything wrong with more TV time with Ricci, who, in the promo photos, looks awesome and pixie-esque in her tininess. She was great in her two-parter on Grey's Anatomy 3 or 4 years ago, and she was obviously very very in Casper. She alone makes this must-see television.

Once the 'news' from upfronts is fully digested, I will be posting my overall impressions. Still, this is probably the best news that I've heard thus far (besides the Krysten Ritter/James Van Der Beek pilot getting picked up)! After the jump, check out a totally adorable video of Christina Ricci acting like a strange mix of a forty-year-old and a ten-year-old.

Film Review: Thor

So, I am not going to beat around the bush. If you are one of the ten people who has not seen Thor, you need to get to a movie theater and watch it. The blockbuster, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, is pretty much everything you want in a summer movie. It's pure, cheesy fun!

By the Hammer of Thor, these people are attractive!

The film stars Hemsworth as the titular Thor, an angry and boastful heir to the throne who is cast out of Asgard and stripped of his title after disobeying his father's explicit orders (Anthony Hopkins could not be more clear!). He's cast down to Earth, where young and sexy

My Dad Reviews Movies!

Guest Blogger TomTom37, otherwise known as my father, is apparently an amazing and succinct film reviewer.  Enjoy, without edits, his review of Easy A, which recently won Best Comedy or Musical at this year's Golden Globes:

Easy A was average.

Some good parts that made me think.

Strong female personality.

Thank you, TomTom37!

On Rating Mice

I have now been up since midnight, watching a mouse run out from behind my bookshelf, get scared by the light, pivot off the edge of my shoe and run back behind the bookshelf. It's a complicated dance, and it's one that he performs admirably. It's also disgusting, and I probably won't wear that shoe for a while, but it's not all bad. Like my mom always says, when life gives you mice, just pray that those mice don't have AIDS. In that spirit of tepid optimism, I am churning my minor insomnia into pop-cultury goodness, rating the many kinds of mice people have had in their homes in film (and TV) on an annoyance scale from 1 to 10. Just for reference, 1 is basically as annoying as a computer mouse and 10 is like a cigar smoking, wise-cracking mouse who sleeps with your wife. On with the list!

Mice can be varying degrees of terrible

TV: The Best (And Worst) Mothers Around

 I've been watching early seasons of Grey's Anatomy and Mad Men lately, and it's shocking to see the parade of bad mothers marching through television. In many ways, a damaged, not-great mother makes for better television - more room for awkwardness, more room for drama. Still, on Mother's Day, I think it's also good to look at the positive maternal influences that have populated the airwaves for decades, beaming into our homes and influencing our lives. Who are the 10 best and some of the worst mothers in television? Well, check after the jump for my (somewhat biased) opinions.