The Endings Blog-a-Thon HQ

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Endings Blog-a-Thon, running (slightly belatedly) from 12/28 to the 31st here at Valley Dreamin'! I announced it back in October, and all the info on what it's about is there. If you'd like to see last year's entries @ JMC, go here.

Here's what we've gotten so far...

~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Day One The Anti-Climactic Ones
TRACTOR FACTS thinks Pin... is a great example for what the '80s were all about... for some reason

Day Two The Slick and Steady
films takes on Short Cuts
Electronic Cerebrectomy incoherently beautifully lists his favorites
Rants of a Diva thinks Billy Elliot's climax sucks major ass
1416 and Counting has issues with multi-endings in general, but because Clue's are "deliberate" it's alright I guess

Day Three The Ones You Didn't See Coming
Because I Saw The Film posts the last scene of Roman Holiday because she thinks she can't do it justice (I personally doubt that)
My New Plaid Pants makes a guessing game out of some of his fave final shots, because I shrewdly forced him into participating. JA = awesome
my life in film finds emotional satisfaction in Garden State
Victim of the Time examines the allegoric brilliance of The Truman Show
itsamadmadblog2 laments for the underseen Laws of Gravity
misomania! goes absolutely insane over Casablanca's "ambiguity"
RacsO Ledger gets all teary-eyed over multiple films from 2005

Day Four The Bold and Triumphant
From the Front Row argues: does Silent Light have the greatest final shot ever? I wouldn't know - it still hasn't gotten a real U.S. release [/bitter]
The Rural Juror tells us all to see Murder of the Orient Express - why not listen to him?
All About My Movies finds common ground between Shark Tale and Starter for 10 [ed note - see the latter; it's amazingly charming]
My New Plaid Pants does it again...
The Culture Kid is in love with the histrionics of There Will Be Blood
Stinky LuLu offers Fame's ending's beginnings
Vera's Big Gay Blog wants to sock Oz's Glinda in the jaw
Culture Kills... wait, I mean Cutlery is bewildered by Samuel L. Jackson's bare ass in Formula 51... but then again, who wouldn't be?
Valley Dreamin' thought he [I] heard "I love you" in Love Songs.

Day Five+ "Too Little Too Late" comes to mind... ;)
He Shot Cyrus is pissed at Identity for stealing his dreams
Blog Cabins goes all PEOTFPVCCOCM on your ass
A Blog Next Door poses why 9 to 5's end title cards are such a hit

~@~@~@~@~@~@~
If you'd like to participate in this blog-a-thon, just write your post, post it to your blog/site, and send me a link via e-mail or in the comments section of this post -- simple as that! And thank you to everyone that has joined so far! [/makes more sense in the future, I hope]

UPDATE - Okay, so now the blog-a-thon is technically over, but not officially. I know of a couple bloggers who have yet to participate due to time constraints and other logistical matters, and I am in no place to discount their entries when they send them in. SO, I guess I'm leaving it open for anyone to still contribute! Just follow the instructions in the above paragraph and your post will be included if you wish to. Cool? Cool. :)

LAST UPDATED: 1/3/09, 12:26 am est.

J'ai Cru Entendre "Je T'aime."

Part of the Endings Blog-a-Thon, going on now here @ Valley Dreamin'. ---> Spoilers.

It's a common courtesy for people who start blog-a-thons to participate in it themselves. But until, literally now, the last minute, I honestly couldn't think of a perfect enough ending to do. Don't fret, readers, I DID think of one, perhaps my favorite ending of the year -- Christophe Honoré's Les Chansons d'Amour. First off, I'm not gonna pretend that a neo-New Wave musical drenched in street lights, melancholy and gayness wouldn't immediately be attractive to me, because it seriously was, but even then it was surprisingly altogether and one of my favorite films of 2008.

The plot basically (or, not - this gets long-winded) revolves around Ismaël (the gorgeous Louis Garrel) and his girlfriend Julie (the gorgeous Ludivine Sagnier) entering a ménage à trois with Ismaël's co-worker Alice (the gorgeous Clotilde Hesme). Ismaël and Julie are constantly fighting, and Alice works as a nullifier and a bridge between them. But then Julie goes into cardiac arrest and dies at a night club.

After Julie's death, Ismaël is completely disillusioned and confused. So then enters Erwann (the C-U-T-E Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet), the little brother of a guy Alice met and had casual sex with for a while. He sort of starts stalking Ismaël, and it's desperately apparent that he has a crush on him. Ismaël doesn't want anything like that, but over time his resistance starts to wane... and one night, he lets Erwann go home with him. Well, they fuck. And Julie's sister Jeanne (the untypical but still gorgeous Chiara Mastroianni), who's staying with Ismaël, walks in on them in bed together, and they get into an argument. Fun times.

From then on, you can really feel Ismaël's conscience trying to decide what to do. He goes to Julie's grave, which he had yet to visit, and her ghost laments to him how she had waited so long for him to show up, but had given up. He gets drunk. Alice finds him on the street and takes him back to Erwann's place - she knew by then that they may or may not be together. It's then that she really proves herself as a bridge between lovers, guiding Ismaël back to him and happiness. As the ending plays out in the apartment, she waits outside spying on them to see if everything's alright. She walks away.

But back to the two lovers. The finale's song - "J'ai Cru Entendre" - is basically Ismaël trying to rationalize their relationship in anything else but love, and Erwann stating that love is inevitable, whether Ismaël wants him to or not. He never says that he loves Erwann, but you can tell he's more important to him than as just a rebound fling.

Honoré set out to make something that takes the cinematic ideas and style of the French New Wave and morph them into something utterly modern, and he succeeds. He's probably one of the more ambitious filmmakers in the world, and I love him for being so free and unafraid. His films are wonderful, thought-provoking enigmas that you can't stop thinking about. Love Songs is definitely not an exception, and it truly is the final note of the film that defines it.

"Love me less, but love me a long time."

F@#K

Okay, so, like, hi! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I fucking suck. Endings was supposed to start yesterday, but I couldn't. Why? Because my internet went out. Wanna know what I JUST figured out as to why it went out? I ACTUALLY TURNED IT OFF FOR TWO DAYS. I don't even understand why idiocy most times.

SO, I'll be officially starting it in a little while, and if you've already done your contribution, please inform me, okay?

*bangs head repeatedly into desk*

Merry Freaking Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We of the Valley recognize that this is the season of giving and goodwill towards mankind and yadda yadda yadda. But I think I'm growing more and more cynical towards the whole thing. Maybe it's the economy or the state of the world or the death of my grandfather a couple months ago, but I couldn't find a lot to look forward to besides the symbolist materialism. Usually I'm all about the whole Christmas atmosphere, you know? Especially snow. But there's really none left here. Except the snow. There are LOADS of that. And I don't like it?!

I know, Nausy. I'm very confused. I'm not used to being like this!!! :(

But I shall soldier on. It may be tough - I have to deal with a lot of family tomorrow - but damn it, I'll do it. I've got my own things to do. Stuff to see. Mothers to annoy. And I. will. not. fail.

Also, just to remind y'all, Nausicaä is basically Japanese Jesus allegory.

Anyway, I'm rambling. And you're sexy. [/too much 'nog]

My gift to YOU, my beloved readers, is this vid of Joe Hisaishi conducting a suite from Nausicaä, keeping in tune with the post. Ugh, I can't think of anything I wouldn't do to see something like this live. If I had any musical ability he'd totally be my idol.


I hope you enjoyed that! Lord knows I did. Now...

The Ballad of an Idiot

Hi! Remember me? I'm J.D. Remember? The weird teenage slut? W/e. I'm still here. Technically. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything to blog about. Plus, I'm sick and snowed-in here. Plus-plus, I keep watching depressing human dramas that weigh on my conscience like Hummers falling from the sky. And I can't choose what color iPod Nano I want "Santa" to get me. I'd go with pink (the only color I really want) if I wanted to, like, come out, but I don't think that'd help right now. So I REALLY don't feel up to yanking stuff out of my ass for you to digest. I just threw up a little too. You can deal, right? Till at least Christmas, I mean. Well, knowing me, I'll probably post before then. BUT WHATEVER. I'm unique.

Obviously Endings is still happening. But I've got SO. MUCH. to watch before next Wednesday ends. I mean, Benjamin Button, Doubt and The Reader open here Thursday, and I've STILL got Slumdog and Milk to see. I'd also like to see The Boy in the Striped Pajamas before it leaves the area (but that probably won't happen). Add to that the commercial crap I wanna see like The Spirit, Yes Man and The Tale of Despereaux -- AND all the stuff I'm planning on watching from Netflix, Blockbuster, my local library and TCM -- and I am about to fucking explode. Or, rather, I'm caught in a flooding avalanche. Because the metaphor is fitting.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

So in my mental absence, what's up with y'all?

New Demi Lovato Video OMG!

Watch it here.
She's so loverly and awesome. I swear, I'm gonna marry her. I don't care if I'm gay or that she can't wear hats well, OUR MARRIAGE WILL WORK.

And the Oscar Goes to... That's Better!

Yesterday, AMPAS released the official submissions list for the Best Original Song category. And guess what? The entire soundtrack for High School Musical 3: Senior Year, totaling eleven songs, is eligible. As everyone should know by now, I loved it (and profiled it). What I don't love, tho, is all the h8 being thrown it's way. Now, I mean, I can understand it -- the h8rs are just bitter septuagenarians who get angry at any sign of youth and want Clint Eastwood to win his eightieth Oscar this year instead -- but not when it transfers to "I Want It All".


It's the best song in the film, in the trilogy, and possibly one of the best songs Disney has ever produced. And I, a child of the Disney Renaissance of the 1990s, saying that is something. It's a brilliant, absolutely show-stopping song that deserves your respect. Plus, having it performed live on the Oscar stage, with Ashley and Lucas and a full orchestra and tons of dancers, would be fucking A-MAY-ZING. Some people can't get that, tho. But I know, had it not been written for HSM3, those people would actually admit to it's greatness. But y'all h8rs are allergic to tweenness, so you ignore it all and label it 'evil,' don't you? Well...

FUCK YOU, OLD PEOPLE.
That.is.all.

The 12 Days of Christmas Waiting

Yup, we've only got twelve days till the 2nd Annual Endings Blog-a-Thon here in the Valley -- which, FTR, starts on Sunday the 28th and runs till the 31st. Of December. In 2008. Lest ye be confuse-ed. I went there.

You're participating, right? It'd be awfully sweet if ya did. Are you not sure 'cuz you can't think of anything yet? That's your problem, not mine. So start thinkin', my typewriter monkeys! ... Sorry.

And yeah, that's a new banner to your upper left. I put up a couple more the other day, if you wanna see/publicize. I'm a very bored little boy.

(Note to self - watch Marie Antoinette again soon.)

Baby Steps

2008 is easily the most depressing year I can remember. Everyone's dying or close to dead, gay rights was smacked down a few pegs, I did an emotional 180 at the start of the year that later turned completely around, and the cinematic year ain't all that better. At least, in theory. Because I haven't seen a lot yet. I've seen a lot of notable films so far, of course, more than this time last year I can tell ya that. Maybe that's because I'm older, and so are my tastes and wisdom (if I have any). But we're not through. Of course, I fully expect the Chloes not to be suitably finished till March at least, but y'all can give me that much time, right? I also promise to actually finish them this time, AND put up a complete listing for the '07 Chloes by then. For karma. But I digress. What's still in the future for me?

Slumdog Millionaire, which has a critical monopoly thus far for some reason, finally opens in my area Friday. I just want to see it and get it over with, you know? Seeing it as the BP of at least half of the critic's groups has been frustrating as hell, and I just DON'T want to find it overrated. Danny Boyle is amazing filmmaker (see Millions!) and each time I see the trailer, which has been a lot lately, I want to see it more. I can't believe it could actually win Best Picture, tho? It just seems so... not Best Picture-y. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT YET.

Milk is also obviously a huge blind spot for me. And it's actually been here since Friday! Hopefully, if there is any justice in this world, I'll see it this weekend -- because, yes, I am seeing it. My mom genuinely wants to! Victory, thy name is J.D. Ugh. Also actually within reach: Synecdoche, New York, which I should see Wednesday. W00t.

Now, add to those (and others I didn't mention) all the December Oscar movies -- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, Doubt, The Wrestler, Waltz with Bashir, Nothing But the Truth, Defiance and Frost/Nixon -- all of which I want to see. But I'm truly most excited for The Reader. Stephen Daldry's other two films, Billy Elliot and The Hours, are utterly perfect, and anyone who can bat 1.000% with me is someone I take seriously. Plus, it features what honestly looks like a potentially career-best performance by Kate Winslet, is the 53rd in-credit collabo of Bruno Ganz and Alexandra Maria Lara, (David Kross' apparently huge...), and emotional and moral disenfranchisement in post-WWII Germany. I mean, that's like a near-perfect storm to me. I have no clue when it'll actually open here, naturally, but DAMN IT I can't wait.

Gran Torino can go fuck itself.

What're you anticipating on the horizon that you think may explode you?

This is Why I Don't Want to Die

Because if I did, I'd never see that^ commercial ever again. And I don't know if I could live with that. Damn you, hot guys in deodorant commercials! And MTV for airing it during EVERY. SINGLE. COMMERCIAL. BREAK. Seriously, I've been obsessed with it since it came out, like, three years ago, and now... gahhhh.

Birdcage Theatrics

^ The post title would probably make sense if I explained it, but I'd rather not.

I am fucking obsessed with Wong Kar-Wai. It's a fact of my existence at this point. I don't know when it crossed the threshold of love into obsession, but I'm here now. Watching My Blueberry Nights three times in a row may have been the starting point. I only saw Chungking Express a couple months ago and it's already one of my all-time favorite films. For whatever reason, I didn't really get In the Mood for Love, but I'm sure it's brilliance will become apparent to me when I re-watch it, just like what happened for 2046. I just saw Fallen Angels last week and loved it, too. And I plan to finish up all his other films within a couple months.

So color me surprised when, at the to-that-point height of my burgeoning obsession, the re-do of his 1994 martial arts epic Ashes of Time Redux came to my area. I was like, "WTF?" because I didn't even think it got a big enough release to get here, and then I exploded. Then I imploded, because I realized it was rated R. Like my mom would ever agree to see it (and it's 30 miles away!) I thought. Tonight was it's last night here after only a week, so we (I) had to take action. She drove me. And then, I lied about my age! TAKE THAT, MPAA!!!! I was really desperate to see it on the big screen. I mean, it would HAVE to be orgasmic, right?

'Twas.

Christopher Doyle would be God if Emmanuel Lubezki wasn't already. Every single film photographed by Doyle that I've seen have given me an aneurysm 'cuz of the visual incredibleness. And seeing this in theatres? I was almost a fucking wreck. My jaw literally hurt. Add to that the utterly perfect score (a common trait for WKW films), and you have a film that very much overwhelmed me.

BUT... it's a bit hard to follow. Just like every single one of his films, it features random, overly existential narration by multiple characters. Though it's to be expected, SOMETIMES it was weird. And the plot itself? I couldn't really explain it to you. It blended between fantasy and reality too freely, and while I realize it was the point (for the most part), I was damn confused for long stretches of it. I mean, the Murong guy/chick played by Brigitte Lin? I'm still scratching my head over that shit. Though, I'll admit naming them Yin and Yang was clever, and the water fight against herself was genius -- but that's the whole thing; no matter the lapse in sense or rationality Wong could throw our way, we're too high from the visuals to really care. They're, like, sorcerers.

And then there's good ol' Maggie Cheung. Playing in the confines of what is basically an extended cameo is something that an actress of her caliber could do in her sleep. But even if she had actually done that, it would have been incredible. Her character is just an unrequited remembrance, who only really becomes a part of the story towards the end -- and in about three scenes of heartbreak, monologues and staring, she totally made the film for me. One line, and the immediate aftermath specifically, made it apparent: "You're too honest." Combined with the composition of the scene, and especially the music, it destroyed me. I love you, Maggie. *sniffles from the MEMORY omg*

Though the flaws in it's story remain troublesome, it is truly a visual extravaganza among the best of Doyle's career. And while it's perhaps far from WKW's best work, it is not worthless whatsoever. It ruminates on some very important subjects, and even enlightens as it stuns. I don't know how well it improves on the original version, but I will say this much: if you ever get a chance to see this on a big screen, for the love of god, TAKE IT.

VD Grade: ★★★★ (out of five)

The "Make Rebecca Hall Famous" Initiative Succeeds

GOLDEN
GLOBE
NOMINEE.
OMG THAT IS THE GREATEST THIN IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE OMG OMG OMG SOMEBODY HOLD ME I THINK IM GONNA EXPLODE OH FUCK GAWWWWD LOL OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG *HYPERVENTILATES*

Some other thoughts on the Golden Globe nominations:

-- The Reader did surprisingly well! Come on, Daldry, I know you can get that third Director nom! It HAS to happen. Also, yay Kate!

-- Lack of Milk = sadness. Also, it opens in my area tomorrow! Also-also, I've talked about it with my mom! AND she genuinely wants to see it! *eeeeee!*

-- JAMES.FUCKING.FRANCO.PINEAPPLE.EXPRESS.

-- Tom Cruise, really?

-- LMAO, I can't believe people thought Melissa Leo would be nominated. That's just sort of retarded.

-- Frances McDormand! Weak field, but I loved her in Burn After Reading.

-- Has anyone even seen Last Chance Harvey?

-- Still not sure on Benjamin Button.

-- SHUT UP ABOUT SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, MEREDITH VIERA. Overhyping it makes you and everyone else disgusting and intolerable. Ew.

-- Am I the only person who wasn't impressed by Javier in VCB? I'm just wondering.

-- Wow, In Bruges?! Sexy. As is Colin. Ugh.

-- The HFPA are starfucking whores. Even if Jolie was great.

-- Ralph Fiennes for The Duchess?

-- Ugh, I've seen nothing. And yet, I've seen a lot. What's up with that?

-- Sally's name is already engraved. No contest.

What are your thoughts?

My Thoughts on the LAFCA Winners

<--- YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, can somebody tell me why I don't care about this awards season in general? I feel really disenfranchised/disenchanted/discombobulated. :(

J.D.'s 20 "All Time" Favorite Actresses

Nathaniel de Film Experience created this simple yet awesome meme today, which is about whomever is doing it's twenty all time favorite actresses. And he tagged me for it! I seriously always feel honored whenever he says my name. So yayzers. He didn't really list rules, so I just followed his example and made a graphic. I tinted it blue, tho, to make it "my own." So, ta-da:

[ es wird größer ]

Kelly / Julianne / Tilda / Julia / Annie
Ziyi / Emily / Scarlett / Rachel / Kate
Barbara / Sarah / Cate / Li / Laura
Nicole / Juliette / Naomi / Keira / Alexandra
That was surprisingly... not hard to figure out! Obviously it wasn't easy, and of course it's not in any order or ranking (thank you random.org!), but it's nice. 'Twas fun, as well. Though hard as FUCK, though. Finding good pictures of my favorite actresses should be easier, no? A-las. On a slightly critical note, it's concerningly modern. I mean, Stanwyck really sticks out like a sore thumb drenched in b&w and cigarette smoke. I wanted more classic actresses in, but considering generally what I've seen, she was the only one I was able to fit in. Yes I love her. The Lady Eve really synched it. The rest of them probably aren't very surprising if you know me. Especially Jentsch.

*ahem*
Now, because it's a meme, I'm supposed to tag people. I always seem to tag the same people, so I'm shaking it up a little. If you're insulted that I didn't tag you or whatever, you can just do it, of course. This isn't exclusive. And since Nat tagged four, I guess I am too.

Emma @ All About My Movies
Fletch @ Blog Cabins
k @ Inside the Gold
Dave @ Victim of the Time

Just to Be Clear

OKAY? We got it? Good.

While Everyone Was Actually Doing Stuff...

...I was too busy wondering why Rihanna's music videos are so excellently shot. Honestly. Even if they're not the most thought-out videos, they're always at least visually attractive. Take "Rehab", for instance. I still can't believe it's actually a single - and Good Girl Gone Bad's eighth - but that's sort of irrelevant now. And maybe a little worth it? I mean:

Right?! It's stunning. I've been tricked into hearing the song a lot lately because I can't tear my eyes away from the screen. Plus:

Omfg.
I really hope I'm not the only one who thinks all this? [...] Okay then.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRITNEY!!!!!!

Happy 27th, you fucking goddess.

And Circus kicks so much ass!!!!