Tommy / Love

I don't know what it is about vintage trophies, but I like 'em.  I picked this one up from Mechanical Stag on Etsy.  It's a prize for tennis prowess.  And there's a little surprise....

Tah dah!  It's bright blue inside! 

It was about a year ago that I bought my other trophies.  Maybe it's something about this time of year that makes me semi-wistful for any type of athletic ability.  Oh well.  Pointing and clicking are more my speed.

Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol - Official Trailer

Thoughts?

The Trailer for War Horse is here.

Thoughts?

More Like This, Please

Restoration Hardware should really consider more ads such as this one.  It's graphic and slightly witty without being too cute-sy.  I like it. 

Now...if only they'd come down about 85% on their prices....

John's DVD Pick of the week (June 28th 2011)

Hey guys it is Tuesday again and it's time for my pick of the week. This week it's a small film that is better than all the wide releases this week its

Barney's Version

That's right The all star cast dramady about life and marriage is my pick this week. Other films out this week include Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch (the first film I reviewed for this blog), The modern day take on Beauty and The Beast called Beastly, The supernatural thriller Season Of The Witch, and the poorly visualized The Warrior's Way. Those three films I have not and will not see.

My vintage pick is: In honor of this week's release of Larry Crowne I'm recommending a previous collaboration of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, it's called Charlie Wilson's War. It's not the best film but it's still worth watching.

Trading Up

I may have mentioned before, but I love Trader Joe's.  Just love it.  I took today off and treated myself to a little TJ sweep.  Yum.

Here are some of my Trader Joe's all-stars. 

1. Chicken drumettes.  They're like frozen chicken nuggs but way tastier.

2. Dark chocolate peanut butter cups.  Smooth and creamy.  And antioxidant-y.

3. Organic peanut butter sandwich cookies.  Imagine Ritz Bitz but with flavor.

4. Gone Bananas! Frozen, chocolate-covered banana bites. 

5. Fudge and/or Caramel Sauce.  ...

Sorry.  I'm back.  :)  Trader Joe's is just so beyond.  Everything is so neatly packaged and extremely well priced.  Most of you know that I'm not a big veg-eater, but they have such a nice selection that it's almost tempting.  

If you're into fresh flowers and plants, they have you covered, too.  What are some of your favorites?

Brave Trailer is here

Footloose has a trailer

John's two cents: this looks bad thoughts?

Megan Fox, John C. Reily to appear in Sacha Baron Coehn's Latest

   
Via The Hollywood Reporter

Megan Fox and John C. Reilly are making cameos in Paramount’s The Dictator, the latest Sacha Baron Cohen comedy currently in production in New York with Borat director Larry Charles at the helm.
The movie has been described as "the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed." Cohen is said to play dual roles of a goat herder and a deposed foreign ruler who gets lost in the U.S.
Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley and Jason Mantzoukas are also in the movie, set for release May 11, 2012.
The Fox and Reilly roles are being kept under wraps.
For Fox, the part continues her entry into the comedy world. The Transformers star, who is the only actress in the top 20 of Facebook fan pages with more than 21 million followers, has made a shift away from the action world, recently shooting the ensemble comedic drama Friends With Kids, directed by Jennifer Westfelt and starring Kristen Wiig and Adam Scott, and booking a role in Judd Apatow’s latest project, This Is Forty, which shoots this summer.
Reilly recently co-starred in the indie comedy Cedar Rapids and the Cannes drama We Need to Talk About Kevin, which is expected to be a player during Oscar season. The actor will be heard next year as part of the voice cast of Disney’s animated feature Wreck-It Ralph.

The New Trailer for Puss In Boots is here

The Trailer for A Dangerous Method

John's DVD Pick of the week (June 21st 2011)

Hey guys it's Tuesday therefor it's time to pick my dvd choice and this week is a small film that came out of Sundance this year it's

Cedar Rapids.

That's Right The Ed Helms comedy about a business trip is my pick this week. Other films this week include The Matt Damon Emily Blunt Sci-fi romance The Adjustment Bureau, the Liam Neeson action flick Unknown, The Channing Tatum epic The Eagle, the indie Happythankyoumoreplease, and the kid flick Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. The first and last two are worth rents and the other two are just poor excuses.

My vintage pick this week is in honor of this week's release of Bad Teacher I'm recommending a trio of films previously done by the cast of this film they are Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Gangs Of New York, and The Social Network, especially the last one  because it's a huge masterpiece.

Penn Badgely to play Jeff Buckley

Getty Images

Penn Badgley, left, and Jeff Buckley

Via The Hollywood Reporter

The actor is set to headline "Greetings from Tim Buckley."

Gossip Girl star Penn Badgley will play singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley in the feature Greetings from Tim Buckley, which Dan Algrant is directing.

our editor recommends

Written by Algrant, Emma Sheanshang and David Brendel, the film will tell the true story of the days leading up to Jeff Buckley’s 1991 appearance at his father’s tribute concert in St. Ann’s Church. Through a romance with a young woman working at the concert, he comes to understand the father who abandoned him and his cathartic performance launches his career
“In its purest form this is a father and son story, a rite of passage that is made possible by a romantic journey Jeff finds himself on. We see Jeff accepting who he is to become and laying to rest the ghost of his father while ultimately finding his voice. We had been searching well over a year for an actor that can come close to Jeff’s spirit while also having the serious musical chops required to authentically tell this story. Penn’s audition blew us away and we knew we found our star,” Smuggler Films' Patrick Milling Smith said in an officially announcing the casting on Monday.
The project will be produced by Smuggler Films, A-Z Prods. and Second Chance Prods. Producing are Milling Smith, John N. Hart and Fred Zollo. Exec producers are Brian Carmody, Jill Footlick and Ben Limberg.

John's two cents: Not bad casting Thoughts?

Review: Green Lantern (**)

Green Lantern is the latest DC comics superhero to get a movie adaptation. It starts with Hal Jordan (Ryan Renyolds) taking off in a fighter pilot when he thinks of a memory that haunted him in his childhood. His memory was his father getting killed after his fighter plane blew up with him in it. He releases the plane from the air causing it to crash. At first he gets fired from the job but thanks to his childhood friend Carol (Blake Lively) he is suspended pending an investigation. One night he is dragged by the lanterns power to a purple alien that crashes on Earth and dies shortly after. A doctor (Peter Sarsgaard) performs surgery on the alien and gets some slime and turns him into the main villain. On the other planet, Hal is trained by Sinestro (Mark Strong), Kilowog (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan), and Tomar Re (voiced by Geoffry Rush).

Overall I thought the first half was awful but got better in the second half. I hated the opening scene, and the credits scene was confusing.   

Review: Mr. Popper's Penguins (**1/2)

Mr. Popper's Penguins is Jim Carrey's new movie. He plays a successful real estate agent who is divorced with two children (Madeline Carroll, Maxwell Perry Cotton.) One day he receives a penguin that his father put in his last testament. He can't accept it so he calls all animal and wildlife offices and cant take it either because of certain licenses. He asks for a crater to ship the penguin back to Antarctica. However the crater actually has four more penguins and he and his kids decides them to raise them in a winter wonderland. However an evil zookeeper (Clark Gregg) is on the run to get them.

The movie was starting out good but it went downhill halfway through the movie.     

The real Trailer for The Muppets

What I Know For Sure

I guess Oprah inspired this new series of posts.  When the inspiration strikes, I'll share some of my life lessons so far.  The first is one that I stand by.

People will make time and money for whom and what they want to make time and money for. 

I mean this in a fairly general sense.  I don't mean that if someone wants a Mercedes, they will have a Mercedes, although they could.  I'm talking more about the day to day stuff.

Yet another Muppets Parody trailer

Behold the trailer for Moneyball

Russell Crowe as Jor El?

According to Variety:




Ever since he agreed to oversee the franchise reboot of Superman, Christopher Nolan had been seeking a star for the role of Jor-El, Superman's biological father.
Nolan now has his man: Russell Crowe.

Crowe is in negotiations for the key role in "Man of Steel," which has Zack Snyder on board to direct for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Brit thesp Henry Cavill is set to play Superman. Warner Bros. declined to comment on the talks with Crowe.

Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane and Michael Shannon are already set for the pic. David Goyer penned the script and developed the story with Nolan, who has kept plot details under wraps, as usual.

Charles Roven will produce along with Emma Thomas, Nolan and Deborah Snyder. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips will exec produce for Legendary.

With production set to start next month, Jor-El was one of the last roles to cast, though they also are looking for a name to play Superman's biological mother.

Marlon Brando played the part of Jor-El in Richard Donner's 1978 rendition of "Superman." Other thesps who were pursued for the "Man of Steel" role included Sean Penn and Clive Owen.

The 'SLIFR' quiz, part 3

1) Depending on your mood, your favorite or least-loved movie cliché

Favorite? When the guy gets the girl.(Even if it's thematically correct for the guy to lose the girl so he learns some valuable life lessons, it's still a gyp, in movie terms.) Least loved? When the plucky misfit underdog gets the girl/scores the winning point in the big game/beats up the bully/shows up the stuffy establishment types AGAINST ALL ODDS! ( You'd think the secret to success in life is to be a plucky underdog type. Why those 'life coach' professions don't give lessons in plucky underdog-ism is beyond me...)

2) Regardless of whether or not you eventually caught up with it, which film classic have you lied about seeing in the past?

Visconti's The Leopard. Don't know why I not only felt compelled to lie about that, but actually recommended it to someone! Then I got the blu-ray Criterion version, got fifteen minutes in, and realized, "Hang on. This is the Visconti that directed 'Death in Venice', right?" I'm at zero for two at staying awake during this movie. Molasses in January, that Visconti, is...

3) Roland Young or Edward Everett Horton?

Pass.

4) Second favorite Frank Tashlin movie

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (to be honest, I've only seen two of his films...)

5) Clockwork Orange-- yes or no?

An unequivocal yes. Kubrick's really gaining ground for me as one of my favorites. I'm still afraid to see 'Eyes Wide Shut', though.

6) Best/favorite use of gender dysphoria in a horror film (Ariel Schudson)

Psycho. It's the obvious one, but it works for me.

7) Melanie Laurent or Blake Lively?

Laurent, obviously. What a Basterd...

8) Best movie of 2011 (so far…)

Exit Through The Gift Shop. Well, I saw it this year...

9) Favorite screen performer with a noticeable facial deformity (Peg Aloi)

I want to say Tina Fey, but that's too mean-oops.

10) Lars von Trier: shithead or misunderstood comic savant? (Dean Treadway)

After his 'Hitler' stunt at Cannes this year, I'm now convinced Von Trier is a real-life version of Larry David, Euro-division.

11) Timothy Carey or Henry Silva?

Silva. Even when he's playing a 'good guy', he still gives me the creeps...

12) Low-profile writer who deserves more attention from critics and /or audiences.

Why Christopher McQuarrie isn't getting more 'props' these days is a true mystery.

13) Movie most recently viewed theatrically, and on DVD, Blu-ray or streaming

Haven't seen a theater film this year, and the year's half over. On DVD, 'Scott Pilgrim'.

14) Favorite film noir villain


Harry Lime.

15) Best thing about streaming movies?

Netflix Canada seems to have the type of movies that I'd buy, watch once, then feel bad for buying, even if I only paid five bucks for 'em. It's guilt-free trash!

16) Fay Spain or France Nuyen? (Peter Nellhaus)

Pass.

17) Favorite Kirk Douglas that isn’t called Spartacus (Peter Nellhaus)

Paths of Glory. Douglas can act with his neck!

18) Favorite movie about cars

I want to be cute and say, 'Cars', but I'd be full of shit. So I'll go with the original 'Gone in 60 Seconds'. 'Gumball Rally' works, too. Funny thing about them is, they're movies that were'nt made by real film directors, but by professional stuntmen back in the 70's. So they aren't real movies, in that the plot is simple-minded, there's no character development, and more thought was put into the stunts than anything else. It's car porn, actually.

19) Audrey Totter or Marie Windsor?

Pass.

20) Existing Stephen King movie adaptation that could use an remake/reboot/overhaul

Frank Darabont remakes 'Salem's Lot'.

21) Low-profile director who deserves more attention from critics and/or audiences

I'm biased because I'm in the middle of his latest 3 part series for the BBC, but Adam Curtis. Given his penchant for using licsened movie clips and sound tracks, there's a snowball's chance in Hell his stuff will ever be broadcast over here in the Colonies...

22) What actor that you previously enjoyed has become distracting or a self-parody? (Adam Ross)

Robert DeNiro. 'Analize This' was the nail in the coffin for me.

23) Best place in the world to see a movie

Ideally, Paris in the spring. Best place I've seen movies? Vancouver.

24) Charles McGraw or Sterling Hayden?

Hayden, naturally.

25) Second favorite Yasujiro Ozu film?

Pass. I've never seen an Ozu film. (I'm now afraid that Ozu might be like Visconti, above.)

26) Most memorable horror movie father figure

The Stepfather in The Stepfather.

27) Name a non-action-oriented movie that would be fun to see in Sensurround

Perversely, 'Irreversible'. Well, I wouldn't see it, but it would be fun to see an audience puke their guts out in unison. Not just because of the violence, mind, but also mainly due to Noe's disorienting soundtrack. Care of that Bangalter fellow from Daft Punk.

28) Chris Evans or Ryan Reynolds?

Ryan Reynolds.

29) Favorite relatively unknown supporting player, from either or both the classic and the modern era

Vincent Schiavelli. Aw, you know, that guy. The crazy ghost from 'Ghost'. Or one of Salieri's handlers from 'Amadeus'. Go look him up.

30) Real-life movie location you most recently visited or saw

Literally a block from my house. See, they were shooting a movie called, 'Boot Camp' with Mila Kunis, and I bummed a cigarette off her. I honestly didn't make the connection because, why would Mila Kunis be in Calgary? Then again, if you're making a low-budget thriller and shooting a scene in Denver, Colorado where the movie is set is too expensive, why wouldn't she be, in retrospect. Also, I drove by the location where they shot the 'Snow Fortress' scene in 'Inception'. Chills did not go down my spine.

31) Second favorite Budd Boetticher movie

That one with all the bullfightin' in it.

32) Mara Corday or Julie Adams?

Pass.

33) Favorite Universal-International western?

Pass.

34) What's the biggest "gimmick" that's drawn you out to see a movie? (Sal Gomez)

Ironically, this '3d' thingy that all the young people are talking about. I saw 'Avatar', and thought it was ok. I then saw 'Tron Legacy' and realized that putting '3D' at the end of a movie is a sure-fire way to keep me from seeing a film ever again...

35) Favorite actress of the silent era?

Mary Pickford, America's Sweetheart! (Even though she was from Toronto...)

36) Best Eugene Pallette performance (Larry Aydlette)

Pass. You know, I'm starting to feel a littl inadaquate in regards to my understanding of Classic Cinema, here, folks...

38) What could multiplex owners do right now to improve the theatrical viewing experience for moviegoers? What could moviegoers do?

As grim as this sounds, I think multiplex owners are doing everything they can to get and keep viewers. Including the above-mentioned 3D gimmick which has the opposite effect. (Well, for me, anyways.) What could moviegoers do? SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP. AND. TURN. OFF. YOUR. GODDAMNED. CELLPHONES. And get off my lawn! Damned kids. Grumble, mumble, mutter.

On that topic, The famed Alamo Drafthouse just released a PSA mocking a jackass who left a whiny voice-mail to their phones. The moral to all this? The world doesn't revolve around you, especially in a movie theater, 'tard. So maybe theater franchises need to take a tip from the Drafthouse.

Quentin Tarantino's next film to be released next Christmas

Yes, his next film is due next Christmas, according to Collider:

How cool is your family? For instance, if the new Quentin Tarantino movie opened on Christmas Day, would you have to ditch the folks for a couple hours, or could you bring them along? The Weinstein Company will put these family ties to the test with a December 25, 2012 release date for Django Unhcained [Box Office Mojo]. The supporting cast is mostly set: Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio are all on board or about to be barring any sticking points in negotiations. Much less certain is who will play Django, the freed slave taught the tricks of the trade by a German bounty hunter (Waltz) to liberate his wife from an evil plantation owner (DiCaprio). Will Smith was the early frontrunner, though a deal has not come easy. More recently, Idris Elba, Chris Tucker, and Jamie Foxx came up as possible Djangos. Showbiz 411 hears Foxx is the closest to the role, but all is heresay until it’s in the trades. Production is scheduled for later this summer or early fall — with the finish line in place, we’ll meet our Django soon enough.

Christmas Day is a Tuesday in 2012. As of this writing, Django Unchained has the holiday all to itself, but Hunter Killer, Life of Pi, The Lone Ranger, and This is Forty open the Friday before, December 21.

Academy Builds Surprise Into Best Picture Rules

Beverly Hills, CA – The governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted on Tuesday (6/14) to add a new twist to the 2011 Best Picture competition, and a new element of surprise to its annual nominations announcement. The Board voted to institute a system that will now produce anywhere between five and 10 nominees in the category. That number won’t be announced until the Best Picture nominees themselves are revealed at the January nominations announcement.
“With the help of PricewaterhouseCoopers, we’ve been looking not just at what happened over the past two years, but at what would have happened if we had been selecting 10 nominees for the past 10 years,” explained Academy President Tom Sherak, who noted that it was retiring Academy executive director Bruce Davis who recommended the change first to Sherak and incoming CEO Dawn Hudson and then to the governors.
During the period studied, the average percentage of first place votes received by the top vote-getting movie was 20.5. After much analysis by Academy officials, it was determined that 5% of first place votes should be the minimum in order to receive a nomination, resulting in a slate of anywhere from five to 10 movies.
“In studying the data, what stood out was that Academy members had regularly shown a strong admiration for more than five movies,” said Davis. “A Best Picture nomination should be an indication of extraordinary merit. If there are only eight pictures that truly earn that honor in a given year, we shouldn’t feel an obligation to round out the number.”
If this system had been in effect from 2001 to 2008 (before the expansion to a slate of 10), there would have been years that yielded 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 nominees.
The final round of voting for Best Picture will continue to employ the preferential system, regardless of the number of nominees, to ensure that the winning picture has the endorsement of more than half of the voters.

Other rules changes approved by the Board include:
In the animated feature film category, the need for the Board to vote to “activate” the category each year was eliminated, though a minimum number of eligible releases – eight – is still required for a competitive category. Additionally, the short films and feature animation branch recommended, and the Board approved, refinements to the number of possible nominees in the Animated Feature category. In any year in which eight to 12 animated features are released, either two or three of them may be nominated. When 13 to 15 films are released, a maximum of four may be nominated, and when 16 or more animated features are released, a maximum of five may be nominated.
In the visual effects category, the “bakeoff” at which the nominees are determined will expand from seven to 10 contenders. The increase in the number of participants is related to a change made last year in which the number of films nominated in the visual effects category was increased from three to five.
Previously, the Board approved changes to the documentary feature and documentary short category rules that now put those categories’ eligibility periods in line with the calendar year and thus with most other awards categories. The change means that for the 84th Awards cycle only, the eligibility period is more than 12 months; it is from September 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011.
Other modifications of the 84th Academy Awards rules include normal date changes and minor “housekeeping” changes.
Rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors for approval.
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

John's DVD Pick of the week (June 14th 2011)

Hey Everyone it's Tuesday therefore it's time for my pick of the week. This week is one of the most mediocre films iv'e ever seen. But it's better than other films out this week It's

Battle: Los Angeles.

That's right the alien tale about destroying Los Angeles is the pick this week. Other films this week include The Owen Wilson Comedy Hall Pass, the decent crime drama Kill The Irishman, and The horror take on Red Riding Hood.

My vintage pick is in honor of this week's release of Green Lantern, I'm recommending probably one of the greatest films of all time in my opinion and has the DC Comics connection, It's The Dark Knight, it's a film everyone will have to see once in their life.

Mini Bulk Reviews

I don't feel like writing full reviews so I'm writing mini reviews for films I missed writing about.

X Men: First Class (**)
In 1962, Charles Xavier (James Mcavoy) starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), his best friend... and future archenemy. The plot and storyline are perfect, but there were arts of the film that were terrible.

The Hangover: Part II (**1/2)
Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.I thought it was the same movie, same characters, in a different place.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (**1/2)
Jack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too. I went to see this in D-Box (which I'll write about in a future article.) But the film was just ok for me.

Jesse Eisenberg and Jake Gyllenhaal to star in Now You See Me.

The Hollywood Reporter has the details on what the talented young actor is doing with his new-found clout in the business:


Casting for Summit’s magic heist movie is heating up, with Jesse Eisenberg of Social Network fame in early talks to star in Now You See Me, Summit's heist movie being produced by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Louis Leterrier is directing.
Jake Gyllenhaal, who just starred in the Summit techno-thriller The Source Code, is being courted for another lead role.
See Me, per Summit, pits a crack FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists, who pull off a series of bank heists during their performances, showering the profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

Thoughts?

My Friend Roth

A Roth IRA is for me.  And you.

I have been reading about Roth IRAs since my days of working at a bank, and I meant to open one then.  It's one of those things that can easily get away from you.  I'm telling you that right now is the time.  It's a breeze.  Please bear with me in this post; I only share what I feel is valuable information.  Wink!

Starting my own was part of getting my financial house in order over the weekend.  The gist is this: you save money for your retirement, and this is money that has already been taxed.  Ideally, you would want to practice that whole out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing, but if you do need to access it, you can always take what you deposited (not the earnings) tax-free.  There are fewer rules than with a traditional IRA, and you can access the money at a younger age (59 1/2).  You can also pull up to $10,000 for the purchase of your first house.  Bonus!

Consider this as well: taxes will most likely be higher when you and I retire because, much like the mercury in a Tennessee summer, they rarely go down.  Also, you could make bank and be in a higher tax bracket when you retire.  Good for Uncle Sam, bad for you.

The current maximum amount for the year of 2011 is $5,000.  You can open one at places like Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Vanguard.  Depending on which place you choose, you can generally start small and work up to the maximum amount if you are so inclined.  Remember that if your company offers a match for their 401(k), you'd want to contribute first to that account, at least up to the amount that they will match.  That is what's called free money, which is a rarity in this day and age.

If you're interested, there's a lot more information here and here.  Someone once said that you should pay yourself first, and I definitely agree.

Shady In The Best Way

Warby Parker is coming out with a line of sunglasses.  And just like their regular specs, for every pair sold, they'll donate a pair of glasses to someone in need.  Plus, soon enough they'll have prescription shades. 

I can't wait.  It will be the first time I've ever been able to wear sunglasses.  Ok.  That's a bit dramatic because I've always had options.  But they have not been up to par.  Not the case with Warby Parker.

John's DVD Pick of the week (June 7th 2011)

Before I pick my film I just wanna say sorry for the lack of updates on the blog. School has kept me busy, but it's out for the summer. In the meantime all my top ten films are now available with my pick of the week it's

True Grit.

That's Right the Coen Brothers remake of the 1969 John Wayne film was my pick of the week. It was #8 on by best movies of last year. Other films out this week include The esamble cast The Company Men, Mike Leigh's Another Year, Adam Sandler's Just Go With It, and The James Cameron produced Sanctum.

My Vintage pick is: In honor of this week's release of Super 8 I'm recommending a trio of alien films that had involvement from J.J Abrams and Steven Spielberg. They are Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, ET, and Cloverfield. The first two are must sees and the other is not a strong recommendation, but still worth a try.

Money Talks

I spent a chunk of the weekend getting my financial house in order, as it were.  Not that it was out of hand, mind you.  But it was time for me to take control.  Remember my resolution?  My first stops were LearnVest and Money Under 30, which are great resources for financial information.  Then it was on to Mint.

Mint is this totally free, totally awesome site that allows you to securely see all of your money matters in one place.  There are charts, graphs, text alerts...oh my.  You can set a goal, track spending trends, and learn tons of information.

Then it was on to annualcreditreport.com.  This is the place that Suze (and the FTC) recommend.  It's the only legitimate and free place to see your credit report.  You can view your report with each of the three major agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) once a year, per the government.  There's also information about disputing false information.  Sorry--there's a lack of flashy graphics here, but that's sort of for the best.

My last stop was Credit Karma.

Similar to the last link, this place provides your actual credit score instead of the report.  For free.  And you can check your own score as often as you'd like.  For free.  They also give tips about dealing with debt in all of its incarnations.

Note: I do not purport to be any type of financial expert.  I'm simply telling you how I spent several hours of a Sunday afternoon.  My point in all of this is that the information is out there for us.  And it's free.  (Have I mentioned that?)  And secure.  And no one is going to do this stuff for you.  If you take some time on the front end, I promise you that it will be worth it. 

Don't wait too late to pay yourself.  The time value of money is a very powerful thing.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trailer 2011 HD

thoughts?