Gigi or Oh That's What Fille de Joie Means.

Musicals for me are either hit or miss. Sound of Music definite hit. My Fair Lady...I would rather be hit over the face with a bag of bricks before watching that train wreck again, so yeah miss.

Based of Gigi's Netflix description, I wasn't exactly thrilled. French waif being groomed as the fille de joie of handsome man...yawn. Or so I thought. This is what happens when you don't know French.

Just FYI, fille de joie=prostitute.

Hmmm besides this creepy detail Gigi is full of seriously witty and saucy dialogue. Who knew the zingers in 1900 were as fresh as they are today?

Gigi (played by Leslie Caron) is a young uncultured girl who is being "taught the ways of the world" by her Aunt Alicia, a courtesan of years past. Her aunt is tirelessly grooming her to be a useful (aka profitable) mistress should a man take interest. Gigi has no interest in these lessons and prefers to march to the tune of her own drum.

Gaston (played by Louis Jourdan, yum) is a family friend of Gigi's family and is extremely rich from his family's sugar company. In the beginning of the movie, the dynamic between Gigi and Gaston is very much brother and sister, with Gaston bringing Gigi sweets and trinkets from his travels. However, as Gigi's lessons with her aunt continue (and after a weekend trip to the beach together), Gaston starts to see Gigi as more than a child.

Gigi is a cute story with creepy undertones (what if your aunt was trying to pimp you out!) laden with catchy songs ("Thank Heaven for Little Girls", "She's Not Thinking of Me", "Gigi"), interesting fashion choices (does Gigi know those are actual birds on her dress?) and zingers galore (see some of my favorites listed below).

To me Gigi shares similarities with The Princess Diaries. Both young girls are being groomed for responsibilities they aren't exactly prepared for (although Mia's is definitely much more kosher). They make several goofs but in the end they hold their own. Also I think Gigi and Mia share the trait that they might seem totally clueless but people should give them more credit. What plays in their favor is their uniqueness.

Because goodness who doesn't agree with Gaston that life in general can be such a bore? Espeically in the upper sects of society when everyone is trying to be like everyone else, and behavior that lies outside social convention is considered taboo. When you do the same thing every day and surround yourself with people who all act and dress the same, it would be near impossible to keep your eyes open!

Gigi = breath of fresh air.

Gaston approves and I approve of the movie. I give it a 4 because I was entertained by the story and appreciated the timelessness of it. No matter the year or how twisted (again Aunt pimping out niece) it seems like love stories can always be related to. Also I always approve of a female protagonist who wants more out of life than to be the "it man's" current play thing. You go Gigi. And you go Leslie Caron. I liked you stupendously more in Gigi than An American in Paris. Those seven years did you some good.

And even with the prostitute undertones, the love story between Gaston and Gigi is so sweet. You can't deny that. 

Favorite Moments
 

• Zingers 
• "It makes you look like a giraffe with a goiter." (Gee thanks Gaston!) 
• "The only people who make love all the time are liars." 
• "Bad table manners have broken up more households than infidelity."

• "Instead of getting married at once, it sometimes happens we get married at last." Wise words Aunt Alicia, even though everything else about you is a little a lot backwards. 
• I want to go ice skating at this rink. So fancy! 
• I love that Gaston's father has diabetes and he's in the sugar business. See even back in 1958 we knew an unbalanced diet could lead to diabetes!
• I think Gaston and I are kindred souls. I would totally fall asleep at a raging party and would find a socialite's life a total bore. 

Boo Moments 

• You know "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" is a pretty creepy song when you think about it. Especially since it's sung by an old man...hmmm...
• I think a man's priorities are a little a lot skewed when a former lover's suicide attempt is considered a victory. Not cool Uncle Honore, really not cool. 

• Speaking of Uncle Honore...I'm just not a fan. You're actually kind of sad. Get a life. 

Did You Know?

• The cat used in the movie hated Leslie Caron so much, he had to be heavily drugged so she could home him. (Poor thing!) 
• Gigi won all nine Academy Awards it was nominated for. 
• The movie was written, cast and filmed all in the span of four months. 

Around the World in 80 Days or I'm Sure it Blew the Socks Off People In 1956

 Throughout my little movie project I've found I need to constantly remind myself that these movies won an award for a reason. I might find the story incredibly dull or the ending so infuriating I want to launch my TV out the window, but that doesn't matter. Of course I'll still tell you all the honest truth BUT I also need to appreciate the movie for what it was "at the time."

One such example is Around the World in 80 Days. I was a little weary when I received the movie from Netflix because it came on 2 discs. As I've mentioned before I really can't get behind movies that long, but I did my best to keep an open mind. I wish 175 minutes I could say it was worth it.

The story revolves an eccentric millionaire Phileas Fogg (played by David Niven) who decides to bet his friends he can travel around the world in 80 days. He bets his life fortune and leaves that day. Accompanying him is his jack of all trades valet, who was hired that very same day. His valet Passepartout (played by Cantinflas) is a total goof and is constantly on the hunt for the ladies.

Fogg is the opposite of Passepartout, the typical Englishman for that time, very serious and proper. And pretty one dimensional when it comes to character development. The two embark on a journey that takes them to Spain, Suez, India, Hong Kong, San Fransisco and several other stops along the way.

The movie takes place before planes were invented so travel options are somewhat limited for the men. They try their hand at ballooning, taking the train and hopping aboard several ships both on sea and land. There might have even been an elephant and an ostrich along the way.

The story in and of itself is pretty basic with no major plot development or ares of palpable suspense. I assume what the movie is known for is it's use of widescreen, the different types of shots utilized and the ability to transport viewers around the world. It is one of only a handful of movies shot in the Todd-AO format. Todd-AO competed with the Cinerama widescreen format, with its main appeal being it only required one camera versus three. Todd-AO fell out of favor after the sudden death of founder Mike Todd in 1958. Also Todd-AO films were shot in 70mm versus 35mm which is used today.

So while I could knock the movie for its lack of story I give it a 3 out of sheer appreciation for how it changed how movies looked and utilized really impressive camera shots. Usually when I watch older movies it's embarrassing how bad some of the shots look. But Around the World in 80 Days uses a lot of uncommon camera shots including widepan, traveling shots on front of trains and behind character shots while on bicycle or elephant. Visually impressive indeed.

Favorite Moments 

• "Extraordinary. How does one take the temperature of toast?"
• Oh Mr. Fogg, you're such a ladies man ::cough cough:: not.
• Can I please take a ride on an elephant and ostrich? I wouldn't mind taking a trip in a dumb waiter either.  

Boo Moments 

• TOO MUCH BULLFIGHTING!
• I'm not sure the American Indians were fairly represented in this movie... 
• Um, the ending. Seriously. That's it?  

Did You Know? 

• This film used the most costumes of any film every made (74,685) 
• The film crew and cast flew over 4,000,000 miles and all the shooting took place in 75 days
• 8,522 animals were used during the film!

Admission or I Miss 30 Rock

Tina Fey really can do no wrong.

Two words. Mean Girls.

And of course 30 Rock. My Thursday nights are certainly a little less bright without Fey and the other whacky members of the Rock cast. When I heard Fey was coming out with a new movie I knew I wanted to go to there.

Admission is a cute romantic comedy that tells the story of a Princeton admissions counselor, Portia (Fey) who is asked to visit an alternative high school by founder John (Paul Rudd). John wants Portia to see a student named Jeremiah who is a unique prodigy attending the school. John is extremely persistent because he wants Portia to know Jeremiah is her son. The story unfolds from there, with Portia hitting several bumps along the way.

Fey takes on a more serious role which is different for her. There are still more than enough laugh out loud moments but instead of eating too many Mexican cheese puffs or encouraging a gym full of girls to share their feelings, Fey deals with real topics like adoption, parent problems and disillusionment with life. It was a little strange, but I think Fey shows her flexibility as an actor.

Admission is definitely not an award winning movie, nor do I think it will make big at the box office. But it is a great movie if you're looking for a light movie that gives you a few laughs and leaves you feeling optimistic. Plus Rudd and Fey have pretty good chemistry. But I have to admit I miss the ridiculousness of 30 Rock. How could you not?  

I give Admission a 3 since it was decent but didn't offer any particularly memorable moments. But if anything it's always nice to see Paul Rudd in a movie. He's so adorable!

Favorite Moments 

• The meeting of Portia and John's mothers. Love it. 
• Go cry in the pantry and of course, the shelf would fall down. Perfect. 
• "Do you have an extra toothbrush?" Oh Thomas the Train.

Boo Moments

• "My mom's a hairdresser." 
• Man Gloria Reuben, you're as cold as ice! 
• Come on Paul can't you read a birth certificate??

An American In Paris or Goodness Gene Kelly is a Good Dancer!

It's taken me over 2 years to watch an Oscar winning movie from the 50's and I guess An American in Paris is as good as any to get me started.

If you are feeling down, An American in Paris is one of only a handful of Oscar winning films that can lift your spirits. It is based by a Gershwin musical and includes the iconic songs "I Got Rhythm", "S Wonderful" and "Our Love is Here to Stay."

The story revolves around the very handsome Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) who is an aspiring artist living in Paris after World War II. He is friends with fellow artist wanderers including a piano prodigy Adam (Oscar Levant) and famous French singer Henri (Georges Guetary). Jerry befriends a rich American Milo (Nina Roberts) who is interested in promoting his art.

The beginning of the movie is a bit off the wall with the men constantly singing catchy jingles and Kelly dancing the hell out of his tap shoes. I've always found tap dancers to be pretty incredible and Kelly is no exception.

The story gains a bit more substance after Jerry runs into a young french woman Lise (Leslie Caron) at a party and falls madly in love with her. She doesn't exactly share the sentiment and Jerry has to work extra hard to get her to agree to a first date. From there starts a twisted love story including Jerry, Lise, Henri and Milo.

I was thoroughly enjoying the light story until the end when they decided to attach a 17 minute difficult to understand ballet at the end. I can't deny the cinematography is nice and the costumes and dancing are beautiful, but when it comes to ballet I'm a total dunce. I try to understand it, but am always left scratching my head.

Please, if you have seen this ballet and can explain to me what's going on, by all means go ahead. Maybe you can restore my interest in this movie.

Because like a good meal ruined by a bad dessert, An American in Paris left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I thought the ending (ballet aside) was really weak, unbelievable and way too predictable. Maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't agree with who ended up with who.

I decided to give the movie a 3 because I really did enjoy the cute songs, several comedic moments and Kelly's tap dancing.

If only he was still around to give me a lesson!

Favorite Moments

• Jerry: Honey, believe me. I'm no enemy...Lise, I don't know whether you're a girl of mystery or just a still water that doesn't run deep (Bahaha! I love it!) 
• The scene where Adam is trying to keep it together when Henri and Jerry are talking about the "girls" they are in love with. The double smoking, double brandies, match after match. Poor guy!
• Jet Propelled New Year's Eve?? No kidding!! Btw awesome outfit Gene Kelly 
• Really any scene with Gene Kelly dancing. I mean not a lot of guys could pull off those tight pants. 

Boo Moments

• Ugh. Lise's dress on her first date with Jerry. Is she a waitress or parking vallet? 
• The look on poor Jerry's face the last time he meets Lise down by the river. 
• The look on poor Milo's face at the New Year's Eve party

Did You Know?

• Screenwriter Alan Jay Lerner finished the script in a 12 hour stretch the night before his wedding. 
• The ballet itself cost $500,000, the sets took six weeks to finish, with 30 painters working nonstop and took a month to film.
• During filming Nina Roberts came down with the chicken pox, so makeup had to cover all her scars. 

The Godfather Part I & II or How 375 Minutes Slipped Through My Fingers

It's impossible to talk about critically acclaimed movies without mentioning The Godfather. It's referenced in nearly everything, including one of my favorite fluff movies of all time.

That being said my interest in seeing The Godfather has been nil for the first 25 years of my life. But my little movie project, tiramisu and promise of spaghetti and "meatballs" was enough to change my mind.

Plus it's just something you do. Everyone has to watch Schindler's List just like everyone has to watch The Godfather.

Part I (and Part II for that matter) tell the story of the Corleone family, a mafia family living in New York post World War II. Marlon Brando plays the patriarch "The Godfather" of the family, Vito. Al Pacino plays his son Michael who has just returned from the war and has no interest in his family's business. However his future has other plans for him and Michael finds himself involved in the family in a major way.

Part II is the long drawn out story of how Vito became "The Godfather" and how Michael is now taking his place. I wish I could tell you more, but honestly all my attention was spent trying to keep myself awake after eating carbs, carbs and more carbs.

Which brings me to the bottom line. I absolutely hated The Godfather Part II. I thought the story too dry, far too long and put me to sleep. Even if I hadn't gorged myself with pasta and garlic bread I think I still would have fallen asleep. Major fail part II, major fail. For now, I give you a 1 out of 5.

However Part I had it's charms and kept me interested, although I still think it was far too long. I don't think any move should be longer than 2.5 hours. Past that point my mind slips away. But Brando puts in a solid performance and Pacino is just downright bad ass. I give Part I a 3 out of 5.

Would I watch either again? I think I have to. The Godfather movies need to be watched more than once. I'm not even sure if I understood Part II at all and it's unfair to judge a movie when you can't follow the story.

Maybe in another 25 years I'll work up the energy to give them another try. 

Favorite Moments 

• Uh, remind me to stay on Al Pacino's good side. Yikes!
• Appolonia's days of the week.
• When Part II ended. (Harsh, I know)

Boo Moments

• Poor Sonny :( 
• Poor Appolonia :( 
• Poor horse :(

The Departed Or How I Discovered My Inner Southie

For two years The Departed has been sitting on a bookshelf in my living room, sandwiched between The Dark Knight and Despicable Me. I had plenty of opportunity to watch it but for some reason had this preconceived notion that I would hate it.

I mean shoot em up crime movies aren't really my cup of tea. More often than not I can't find a plot in crime movies. It's just a race to see who can blow each other's head off the fastest. Yawn.

But The Departed has since restored my faith in crime movies. Impeccable acting, a little romance, a truckload of F-bombs and plenty of blood splatter to please the whole family. Plus who knew that Matt Damon could be such a prick? I didn't know he had it in him.

The basic plot of the movie centers around two Boston policemen who are acting as moles inside the Irish mob. The twist is the police knows about one mole, Billy Costigan (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) but are unaware one of their top detectives Collin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon) has been working with the mob Frank Castello (played by Jack Nicholson) since Sullivan was a kid. The movie revolves around the police trying to pin a major crime on Castello and discover the mole. It is a gripping movie that leaves you glued to the screen to the very end. While I was totally disappointed by the end, I understand it had to be that way. What do you all think?

I quite frankly am shocked that Leo didn't get nominated for his performance. He got a nomination for Blood Diamond, but not this? Really?? I thought he did a phenomenal job playing Billy the scared sh*tless, vulnerable and volatile undercover cop who never let his hands shake. The whole movie he looks like a deer caught in the headlights but still manages to fool everyone.

Matt Damon also gave a stellar performance but goodness was I so glad to see Mark Wahlberg in his apartment in the end. Got what he deserved. And all I can say is I pray that Madolyn's baby is Billy's for her sake. I was so terrified that Sullivan was going to kill her in the end. I mean he's that crazy that he would kill his unborn child.

I give The Departed a solid 4 out of 5. It is definitely a movie I will watch again especially when I'm in the mood to let my inner Southie out. Isn't it fun to curse at everything in your path and pretend like you're a big shot when you're really not?

Favorite Moments

 

• Any time Mark Wahlberg was on screen putting someone down. Classic.
• Scene when Madolyn and Billy first meet. 
• Mark Wahlberg's get up in the end.

Boo Moments 

• What the heck was in the envelope??? 
• Can those elevator doors just stay shut? Do they have to open? 
• Martin Sheen + Building.