Yes, No, Maybe So: "Only God Forgives"

Only God Forgives reunites violence-loving director Nicolas Winding Refn with his Drive star Ryan Gosling for the story of a man (Gosling) whose cold-hearted mama (Thomas) urges him to seek vengeance against the man (Vithaya Pansringarm) who killed his brother. The trailer came out a few days ago (many days ago?) but I couldn't bring myself to type about it before now because my finger was too busy hitting "replay". The film opens in July and the wait might be excruciating.

Kristin Scott Thomas. Cinematography by Larry Smith 

The trailer came out a few days ago (many days ago?) but I couldn't bring myself to type about it before now because my finger was too busy hitting "replay". We'll break it down with our Yes No Maybe So™ system after the jump and I promise to say something about it other than "OMGKristinScottThomas OMGKristinScottThomas OMGKristinScottThomas" though I can't promise I won't also say that a few times.

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can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?

Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? Well, can you?

poll by twiigs.com

 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot: "The Wizard of Oz"

A brief preface for new readers: "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is a series in which we invite all movie lovers to share their choice of 'best shot' from a single pre-selected film on their own web space (twitpic, blogger, tumblr, whatever) each Wednesday night. The joy of the series is seeing the same film through multiple eyes. "Best", not just Beauty, being in the eye of the beholder.

I love the sepia opening scenes more than I can say...

So, what is the takeaway image of The Wizard of Oz (1939) for you? How do you define best and does that definition change with each movie? My choice and several others are somewhere over the rainbow after the jump

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Goodbye Glamour! Until Next Season. *Sniffle*

We'll wrap up the Oscar coverage this afternoon with the final podcast in a bit, but for now, please to enjoy some more beautiful dresses that I'll remember forever... (aka until the next awards show several months from now).

Nicki, Halle, Zeéeeee, CZJ, & Charlize

poll by twiigs.com

Did you notice the gold, silver, black & white theme this year. A huge batch of former Oscar winning goddesses and the new Best Actress looked like they'd coordinated their outfits.

Bond GIrl, Cannes Fashion Plate, Captain Kirk, Marcia Gay, Jane

Yikes with that slit Naomie Harris. Carefully of your stride. Who invited Fan Bingbing? (No offense but she is at every high fashion movie event and isn't it hard to get tickets to the Oscars?). Is it too much to ask that Marcia Gay Harden and Jane Fonda get another Oscar caliber role soon? It feels like forever since...

Olivia Munn, JGL, Zoe Saldana, Eponine, Rachel Mwanza

Fresh! Olivia Munn is my prediction for next year's Sci-Tech awards (Nick always makes me guess. I called this one first!). Zoe Saldana wass the only actress who was battling it out with Jessica Chastain for Best Dressed of the night in my head. And I included Rachel Mwanza because she was so colorful and also as apology for not mentioning foreign film nominee War Witch on my CNNi spot -- it was not an intentional slight. We just ran out of time.

I would have loved to have discussed these with special guests but after the nominees with Courtney and the men with Guy we were red carpet convo'ed out. The season has finally ground me down into a powdery nothingness.  I drift away...

It's your final chance to sound off on this year's Oscar fashions. Go!

007 Things That Excite / Concern Me About "Skyfall"

Hi, all. I'm Deborah Lipp, half of the Lipp Sisters team at the Mad Men site  Basket of Kisses and author of six books, including The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book.*

Between today, which happens to be International James Bond Day, and the U.S. release of the 23rd official James Bond movie, Skyfall (opening November 9th!), Nathaniel has asked me to deliver a series on the subject of James Bond. We'll focus on lists of seven things — any seven things, provided they relate to James Bond, agent 007 of Her Majesty's Secret Service. And, because I'm generous to a fault, I'm going to start you off, this first time out, with a bonus list. So, without further adieu, here are 007 Things That Excite Me About Skyfall as well as 007 Things That Concern Me About Skyfall.

*Note: If you want a copy of the book, please, please contact me directly. 

007 Things That Excite Me About Skyfall

001 It's a James Bond movie. Let's get serious: If the buzz for the movie was terrible, if Ebert used both his thumbs to pan it, if it got the lowest rating in history on Rotten Tomatoes, I'd still be there on opening night, and probably the next night as well. And maybe the following week. And there would be vodka martinis chilling at home, and I know how to make them right.

It's a James Bond movie. Bond has been with me through my entire life, a guarantee of adventure, excitement, sex, and escape. I am, frankly, addicted to these movies, they are like a drug to me.

002 The return of Q. Bond movies have a tradition, and repeating certain formulaic aspects is a delight. Sure, some people want Thanksgiving without turkey, but some of us love the repetition of form, and for us, the return of a beloved character who has been there from the beginning matters a lot.

Q Trivia, Judi Dench, and terrible blonde villains after the jump

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