Tag Archives: Jennifer Lawrence

The biggest problem with ‘Joy’ is its own director

“Joy” had scenes. And while some of them were very good, I’m not sure that it’s actually a movie, though.

“Joy,” the latest film by David O. Russell is a biopic that proudly displays a big asterisk on the “bio” part. It tells the true story of Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence), an overworked, single mother who created the Miracle Mop and became a millionaire.

Now this is the kind of story David O. Russell loves: somebody who is constantly held down by their insane mess of a family. And that is what ultimately hurts Russell at certain points: he is constantly standing in his own shadow.

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Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

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Mine’s bigger. Image via Mockingjay.net

As I settled into my seat for a late Sunday afternoon showing of Mockingjay Part 1, I looked at the crowd seated around me and realized how much power this franchise really has.

Young Adult is typically associated with “screeching sixteen-year-old girls.” That is essentially what the Fault In Our Stars screening I went to looked like. Instead the Mockingjay audience was mix of screaming sixteen-year-old girls, fathers bonding with their sons, couples on dates, and chatty older ladies. So, it is possible to make a blockbuster without pandering to the lowest common denominator.

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Movie Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past

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Professor X, or rejected member of Creedence Clearwater Revival? Image via Total Film

“Must be some kind of…hot tub time machine.”

Most prequels are not necessary, because a lot of stories are a lot better if you know a lot less about the characters and the world. As Patton Oswalt said, “I don’t want to know where the stuff I love comes from. I want to love the stuff that I love.”

Enter X-Men: Days of Future Past, a cross between a sequel and a prequel that justifies its existence by being the most consistently entertaining blockbuster released so far this summer. It succeeds in bringing back the feel of the original X-Men movies while expanding the universe greatly. I have always been a big fan of X-Men, partly because its built-in allegory works so well. It is one of the darkest of all superhero stories yet as a movie franchise, it does not try too hard to be gritty.

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Weekly Roundup of Movie Memorabilia on eBay: Right Movie, Wrong Prop Edition

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According to scientists, about 95% of the world’s ocean remains unexplored. One could say the same about eBay.

Some elements of a film become so iconic that they transcend the film itself. You don’t even have to see the film in order to know what it is.

And then, there are other items from those same films that are rightfully forgotten because they are ordinary and fairly forgettable. My friends, these are the kind of items you can find on eBay.

This week’s selection includes many of those, plus an amazing item from a James Cameron film not called Titanic and something sort of involving Jennifer Lawrence.

Once again, come down the rabbit hole with me for this week’s roundup of movie memorabilia on eBay:

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The Reel Deal Presents: The Oscars 2014 Drinking Game

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What I found when I Googled “Oscars Drinking.”

Now that I am 21, I am officially old enough to condone drinking. It’s about time.

Nothing improves an American past time quiet like alcohol. Since tonight’s Oscars could go on for over four hours, drinking would definitely help make the show go by faster. Given the predictable nature of awards shows and Hollywood celebrities in general, a fun drinking game isn’t hard to come up with.

Here is The Reel Deal’s official drinking game for the 2014 Academy Awards. For even more alcoholic fun, check out the last one I put together back in 2012. In order to win The Reel Deal Oscars 2014 Drinking Game, you must drink every time:

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Golden Globes 2014: I Liked Some Things, I Didn’t Like Some Things

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I miss these guys.

Last night’s Golden Globes ceremony was filled with surprises. Frankly, a night of surprises is much better than a night where everything goes according to plan.

While a lot of talented people and deserving films and TV shows went home empty handed, it was a pure joy to see Matthew McConaughey take on his Wooderson persona while finally being awarded for his recent career renaissance. In just a few seconds, all of those years he spent in rom-com limbo were virtually forgotten.

While Tina Fey and Amy Poehler might not have been as good as they were last year (though that Clooney line from the opening monologue killed it), they are still Tina Fey and Amy Poehler so their presence alone makes me happy enough. The Globes are not as exciting as the Oscars, but it sure is fun to see Emma Thompson stand on stage barefoot while many winners actually looked genuinely surprised when their names were called.

Read below for a detailed breakdown of some of the highlights of the night. Here is what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I still don’t have definite feelings about:

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