Anthony Hopkins, The Rite - Another Monster Success

The Rite, starring Anthony Hopkins has hit the movie box offices big time this past weekend, upon its' release. Hopkins fans will be thrilled to see the resurgence of Anthony Hopkins in another monster role in this slick supernatural thriller, well worthy of being at the top of Anthony Hopkins movie list.

"I am able to play monsters well. I understand monsters. I understand madmen", said the great British actor about his legendary role as Hannibal-the-Cannibal Lecter in the trilogy of Lecter movies, one of which was The Silence of The Lambs, the movie that propelled him to 'A' list stardom and an Oscar for Best Actor, as well as the movie winning the top awards in all five categories, undoubtedly due to Hopkin's possibly unsurpassable performance.

Anthony Hopkins plays Father Lucas in this dark, suspense movie with deep religious overtones. It is claimed that The Rite is based upon a true story (a popular assertion these days to draw movie goers). Father Lucas is a Vatican certified, veteran exorcist, giving Hopkins plenty of scope to develop this character, character studies being one particular skill which he excels at, in all Anthony Hopkins movies delighting audiences with his portrayal of characters to their very souls, such as the quirky Corky Withers in the 1978 movie Magic and as Hitler in the 1981 movie The bunker. Soul is an unfortunate choice of words perhaps, did Father Lucas even have a soul?

Support acting from co-star Colin O'Donaghue, as Father Michael Kovak is OK, as Hopkins would say, but could have been better served with a more experienced actor, playing the young American 'doubting Thomas', a fledgling priest whose resignation from the calling is not accepted, in favour of sending him to Rome to learn the rite of exorcism.

The veteran actor Hopkins certainly gives his all in this role, furnishing us with the necessary suspense,drama, humour and the fleshed out character of eccentric Father Lucas to the hilt. He even ad-libbed his own script, as is usual for Hopkins to bring something of himself to all movies with Anthony Hopkins, which is exactly what makes them such, uniquely.

If you are expecting Linda Blair exorcism antics and gore, look away - this is a far sleeker take on the paranormal.

However, The Rite is deep, dark and exciting, which should appeal well to both exorcism movie fans as well as fans of the monsters Anthony Hopkins continues to recreate, even though the age old story may be rehashed but in an inherently stylish fashion to enthrall and capture a wide, but discerning audience.

Once Upon A Time - Sexy Storybook Costumes

Sexy nursery rhyme and fairytale characters are very popular women's costume choices for Halloween, masquerade parties and even some role-playing behind closed doors. Dressing up in a sexy adult costume based on a storybook damsel, maiden or little girl character brings together the sweet and innocent with the naughty and not-so-nice! Women like to wear these costumes and men like to look at them creates to create a fantasy and escape from the real world - let's just make sure everyone's over 18 years old! Some of the most popular sexy nursery rhyme costumes and fairy tale costumes for adults include:

Goldilocks: You'll look like a seductive home intruder in a sexy Goldilocks costume designed as a pale yellow strapless dress with thigh-high white stockings. After you eat porridge, you can coly suggest that you'll test out all the beds to see which one is "just right." Don't forget to add the storybook wig cascading with curls - everyone knows that blondes have more fun.

Little Miss Muffet: A Little Miss Muffet costume is pretty in pink with a corset style top and a short, flounced skirt. Add a little apron with a spider appliqu? and an old-fashioned mop hat and you'll look like a sexy version of this classic storybook character that sat on her tuffet eating curds and whey.

Dorothy: Follow the yellow brick road and dress up as a sexy Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. With a vamped up version of the blue gingham, white apron dress, you'll be strutting your stuff all the way to Emerald City in your sexy red sequined shoes. Don't forget to add the signature brown-braids wig and a lidded basket holding the plush toy dog, Toto.

Alice: Fall down a rabbit hole and into a land of whimsy and wonder wearing a sexy Alice costume from AliceIn Wonderland. A sexy spin on her simple blue dress and headband will turn you into your own lovely wonderland, especially when you add some saucy black-and-white striped knee-high stockings and a long blonde wig. This is a popular choice in storybook women's costumes.

2011 Oscar Best Picture Nominations - The Best Collection Ever?

The 2011 Academy Awards Best Picture nominees were announced on January 25, 2011 and make up perhaps the best collection of films ever assembled. The list is even more impressive where you consider that this year the field of movies was expanded to 10. The following are the films nominated.

The King's Speech
Expertly directed with a perfect cast, The King's Speech is probably the best movie of the year. Colin Firth gives a performance even more remarkable than last year's A Single Man as he plays King George VI (Bertie), the mild mannered, reserved "spare" to the throne who suffers from a dreadful stammer. The movie begins with Bertie's disastrous and almost incoherent 1925 speech at Wembley and ends with a still hesitant but nevertheless eloquent speech declaring war on Germany in 1939. In between, the movie chronicles the speech therapy that Bertie received from the Australian Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush.). This is an immensely enjoyable and engaging film on all emotional levels as a story of human beings, royal or not, dealing with and overcoming hardships.

The Social Network
Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, The Social Network follows Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg as he creates Facebook, the game-changing social network that has transformed how people interact on the Internet. A movie about the founding of Facebook could have been a very long, tedious film targeted to a very niche audience. But writer Aaron Sorkin fashioned a story that is witty, fast-paced, thrilling and never boring. Director David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) takes you on a frenetically paced ride into the world behind Facebook, with fascinating revelations and disclosures along the way. The Social Network is expert storytelling with beautiful cinematography and a brilliant lead performance by Jesse Eisenberg.

Blank Swan
Black Swan is the story of Nina Sayars (Natalie Portman) a professional ballerina struggling to come of age when she fulfils her lifelong dream of landing the lead part of her company's latest production, Swan Lake. The thrill of this accomplishment is tarnished by the fact that she is unable to deal with her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey), questionably ethical director (Vincent Cassel), taking over the throne of the former star lead (Winona Ryder) and competing with free spirited newcomer (Mila Kunis). The performances in this film are not to be believed. Natalie Portman is amazing. Her performance was nerve wrecking, and she actually makes us feel the horror rising in her character as she discovers that she is slowly moving from the good to the evil side in an effort to hold onto everything she has ever worked for. Black Swan is a dark and surreal ride that takes us down some surprising turns and, like the ballerinas, keeps us constantly on our toes.

The Fighter
A candid and powerful portrayal of a dysfunctional family and how the fighter copes with these issues to achieve success. The movie starts rather unspectacularly but soon builds into a strong, compelling dramatic story about two incredibly strong characters, one of whom is sick, who stick with each other and help each other overcome their personal obstacles. The nature of the family dynamics and how they affect the main characters are presented believably. Instead of being corny or contrived, the story is presented in a straightforward manner that lays out the issues. Mark Wahlberg and Melissa Leo are outstanding, but this movie is a showcase for Christian Bale whose performance is remarkable bordering on incredible. Mr. Bale portrays a character who by any reasonable standard should be detested yet by the end of movie is worthy of admiration. The Fighter is a true knockout.

Inception
Dom Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) leads a highly skilled team, specializing in stealing secrets from people's minds by entering their dreams. When they are hired by a mysterious businessman, Cobb finally has a shot at redemption, but not before achieving the near impossible. Rather than stealing an idea, they must do the complete opposite: Inception. Planting the seed of an idea. The plot of this movie is very pleasingly intricate with a twist-and-turn, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type feel. Christopher Nolan has given us a smart film that is appealing to the eyes as well as the brain. The visuals are used in a way that makes things feel like an amazing dream. The story is interesting, and the actors all do a great job. Leonardo DiCaprio as usual is fantastic. Others like Michael Kane and Ellen Page also are great.

The Kids Are Alright
Stuffed with humor, power and insight, this film helps to remind us what a family is really all about. It's also a cautionary tale: Passionate sex, by its self, does not automatically make for a good relationship. Strong feelings can overpower our better judgment. Being dishonest with those we love causes a lot of suffering, but it can be a forgivable offense. A long-term relationship is a big investment - emotionally, financially and spiritually and it should not be easily discarded when something substantial goes wrong. Same-sex couples can have the exact same problems opposite-sex couples do.
"The Kids Are All Right" proves Hollywood can make an enjoyable film about gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered people without it having to be violent, depressing or insulting. One of the great movies of 2010.

127 Hours
127 Hours is about Aron Ralston struggling to get out of a situation he was stuck in for 127 hours. Aron is an ordinary guy working as an engineer in Intel. One day he decides to get away for a weekend to Utah for mountaineering without letting anyone know about it. He packs up his bag and off he goes on his bike. Later, while mountain climbing, he is involved in an accident where a very large bolder gets dislodged and drops on his right forearm pinning him. This movie details Aron's next 5 days alone as he tries to dislodge his arm from the boulder and save his life. Even though his eventual outcome is known world-wide, the gritty direction, gorgeous cinematography and flat-out brilliant performance by James Franco keep the viewer on the edge of their seat.

Toy Story 3
One of the year's most engaging, laugh out loud funny and deeply moving movies. It unashamedly goes for the heartstrings in the final act as Andy leaves home to go to his freshman year at a US college. And that's what this film is all about, the loss of childhood and what that means to a young man as he comes of age. Toy Story 3 is a true comedy classic full of slapstick, crazy chases and... as usual for a Pixar movie... a brilliant plot. The script sizzles and the acting (by the usual humans - you know them all by now) is universally outstanding. Randy Newman has made the franchise his own with his bittersweet and mostly beautiful music. Perhaps the highlight in this installment is Buzz Lightyear's fantastic Spanish rendition of "You've got a friend."

True Grit
True Grit is an outstanding movie that stands alongside other great westerns such as Unforgiven and Tombstone. A remake, this movie follows more closely the book than it does the John Wayne original film. The story is far richer, and the characters are given greater depth. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job filling the very big shoes of John Wayne in his famous portrayal of Rooster Cogburn. Matt Damon plays Texas Ranger LaBeouf, and is perfect. Barry Pepper plays Lucky Ned Pepper and even looks a little like Robert Duvall from the original movie. But the real star of the film, and the person around whom the story revolves is Mattie Ross, who is played with Oscar-worthy depth and skill by the unknown actress Hailee Steinfeld. Expect to see much more from her after this movie.

Winter's Bone
Jennifer Lawrence delivers an unforgettable performance as Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old living in the Ozark who cares for her mentally disabled mother and two younger siblings. Ree's rural existence is threatened by a legal framework which threatens to repossess her home and woodland if her criminal father Jessup fails to appear for a court date. Determined to track down her crystal-meth-producing dad in order to save her family, Ree is forced to request the assistance of cold hearted relatives who treat her with more than passing contempt. Adapting the story from Daniel Woodrell's novel, co-writer/director Debra Granik takes full advantage of the harsh Missouri landscape in order to examine the cruel mindset of some of the meanest people you'll ever encounter. Winter's Bone is a film that turns over a rock of backwoods American reality and studies the beautiful and ugly things that crawl there.

Farmer Wants a Wife 2011 - What to Expect

Last year's Farmer Wants A Wife finale that aired on the 15th of September 2010, garnered a whopping total of 1.45 million viewers based on OzTAM rankings. This record only proves that The Farmer Wants A Wife Australian edition has got such a strong foothold in the country, making Channel Nine the most popular local TV network especially for the younger audience. Now, brace yourselves for Australia's most favourite reality TV show is just about to come back for its sixth season, still on Nine Network!

Last year, Fremantle Media, the developer of Farmer Wants A Wife, began its search for the show's sixth season, for farmers 25 to 60 years old who are looking for the love of their lives. Interested contestants should of course be working as farmers and can either be male or female. Last year's applications for the sixth season of the show ended on the 24th of September, and the final contestants are now ready to be unveiled!

Only six of the hundreds to thousands of applicants were chosen as the final farmers for the show. After the applications were submitted, the profiles of the aspiring contestants were displayed on the website through a series of events, web chat sessions, speed dating, city trips and country stays. Eventually, these were narrowed to just six final farmers who are now officially one step closer to finding their own soul mates.

To those of you who are avid viewers of the said show and can no longer wait for its debut episode for the year, here is a tentative list of the 6 farmers who will be staring the 2011 Farmer Wants a Wife Australia. The show's website recently revealed who the six lucky farmers are, where they are from, how old they are and what their insights are on love, life and the partner of their lives:

1. Farmer Mark, from Mareeba, Queensland and currently 27 years old. Mark describes himself as a "caring person who enjoys giving."

2. Farmer Ben of Clare, South Australia, aged 33. He sees himself as "outgoing, open minded, generous and easy to talk to."

3. Farmer Charles, from Barraba, NSW, aged 32. Charles says he's "independent, loyal and the sort of bloke who'd rather have one mate than 10 friends."

4. Farmer Nick, from Gordon, Victoria and 26 years old. When asked to describe himself, he said "funny, loyal, always seeking for adventure yet traditional in a romantic sense."

5. Farmer Melia, the only girl among the six contestants, is 30 years old and from Yallingup, West Australia. According to her, she's an "opportunist, witty, realistic, a problem-solver, and down-to-earth."

6. Farmer Kieran, from Young, NSW and 24 years old. He describes himself as someone "very confident, fun and sometimes a little arrogant."

Original Superhero Costume Goes On Auction Block

In January 2011, at least one thousand superhero mementos went on the auction block in Indianapolis, IN. As a result of the American Superheroes Museum closing, items are being sold to the highest bidder. Folks were jumping tall buildings in a single bound just to get a chance to make an offer on some of these one-of-a-kind superhero artifacts.

Some close to the action say that the museum (which was only open for about a year) is thought to have the second largest collection of Superman stuff in the world such as comic books, toys and costumes. Actually, some of the most important pieces of the collection include the Superman costumes worn by actors George Reeves and Christopher Reeve along with a replica of the Batmobile.

Everyone from normal Joes to the folks at Ripley's will be bidding on these great collectable pieces of comic book history. The biggest problem we see with buying a Superman costume or Batman costume actually used on a movie set is that you wouldn't actually want to wear it and therefore lessen the value. Think of how awful you'd feel if you dressed up in a movie costume from filming and then spilled your beer all over it. Yikes!

A great solution is to add a Halloween costume or two to your superhero wardrobe. You don't have to have an original to look like a crime-fighting, justice-seeking guy. Superman, Batman and other superhero costumes are easy to find and quite affordable for any budget. Sized to fit everyone from babies and toddlers through regular and plus-sized adults, you can even find superhero pet costumes for dogs --- and cooperative cats. Wearing a superhero costume is a choice that is not going to go out of style like some of the trendy costumes that come and go - you might just be wearing your Halloween costume long enough that it becomes a museum-worthy relic!

Best Documentary Feature - Spanish Film Goya Award 2011

Not often the subject of full-length films, architecture comes alive in Deyan Sudjic's How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? Debuted in Spain in early October, 2010, it was awarded the TCM Audience Award to the Best European Film at the San Sebastian International Film Festival 2010, and has been nominated for the Spanish Film Academy's Goya Award 2011 for Best Documentary Feature, the most prestigious cinema award in Spain.

All of the positive global press yet there is mysteriously little film news surrounding its official UK release on January 28th.

As one might gather from the title, How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? is a grand documentary on the life and work of Sir Norman Foster, designer of London's very own Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe, from his humble childhood through his rise to genius. The film is full of strikingly beautiful large-framed shots that reflect the incredible architecture of Foster in his never ending quest to improve the global quality of life.

With production lasting over two years, the film dives into the mind of an architect to reveal buildings and projects in a way that many have never dreamed imaginable. Some of the most fascinating scenes arise when Foster speaks of his innovative ideas to help ease the inevitable influx of people living in metropolitan cities after leaving the countryside. This is to include plans for a completely carbon neutral city, already under construction in Abu Dhabi, named Masdar, which is to run fully automated driverless cars and is to be completed in 2030. Alongside commentary from Foster and Sudjic, the film also includes interviews with engineers, architects, and notable artists such as US's Bono.

How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? is the first in what is to become a series of full length films by the company Art Commissioners, which is dedicated to the world of contemporary art, on some of the 21st century's key figures of art and culture, according to a statement made by CEO Elena Ochoa.

The 75 minute film opens at the Institute of Contemporary Arts on January 26 with a discussion between Sir Norman Foster and architectural theorist Charles Jencks to follow the 7:00 pm screening. It is to continue to run at the ICA through February with the last show on the 20th at 3:30 pm. With the hour of the first UK screening so near, it is only a matter of time before the number of film reviews accurately reflects the vision and beauty of Sir Norton Foster.

Few Reasons DVD Rental Is Becoming Very Popular

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These days, with the quick progressing technologies, people are right now open to plenty of choices. Instead of heading all the way towards the local DVD Rental stores, they can right now simply location their purchase in a number of online DVD Rental providers and wait for little in order to watch a common movies. They're either billed monthly actually or annually plus they are free to be lent as many quantity of DVDs they would like to. Besides, the lack of a late fee is much like a topping on the dessert. People will keep the DVD disks as long as they need. Thus, leasing DVDs via online is an extremely viable and versatile option these days.

Apart from DVD disks of films, other kinds associated with DVDs like this of video games, music as well as any TV series can also be found. People may both go to their nearby DVD Rental shops and appear out for that ones that they're looking for or even place their own orders on the internet. In the case video games, renting the actual DVDs associated with games is really a profitable choice on the part of the customer as purchasing them can definitely be extremely expensive. Nevertheless, by renting DVD disks, people cannot only appreciate playing common games but additionally keep them with regard to long and finish playing all of them as per their own wish as well as convenience.

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