Tasty Tagline: WALL-E

 

In space, no one can hear you clean...

Quotable Quote: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

"Maybe you can find yourself a nice antique rocking chair to die in."

~ Kate Winslet as Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 

Cha Ching Cha Ching! Casinos on Film!

Angie here!

When you enter a casino do you get that tingly feeling all over? Do the sounds of the slot machines light a fire in your soul that makes you go “ HERE! Take my money for the infinitesimal chance that I might come out richer!” No? Is it just me? Should I go to some “meetings?” Damn, ok.

I probably go to a casino once a year, if that, but I do get my fix from movies (in fact, movies cater to many of my vices that I don’t dare indulge in in the real world), and the occasional online casino. Stop looking at me like that... I have a slight blackjack addiction. Casinos are akin to their own character in many films, being the perfect setting for many plot devices. They set the stage for financial ruin and success, corruption, greed, social status, crime, business, drinking and debauchery, shenanigans, the list goes on.

So which casino flicks have captured my heart? Which have made the best use of casinos for storytelling? I thought you’d never ask.

Jane Austin’s Mafia! (1998)

Let’s start off with a spoof. All y’all Cin-Obs know we love a good parody, and this one encapsulates almost all of the mafia flicks we know and love with a tone of light-hearted mockery and ricidulousness.

This whole movie is not set in a casino, but there is an unforgettable montage involving one that sticks in my memory. Whenever I lose money gambling, I think back to the scene where people put their money on the table and the dealer just goes “no sorry, you lost” and takes it. Or when people just give up and mail their money in. Or the scene in the back room where the employees are sucking up the money with giant vacuums because they just can’t handle the volume of incoming cash.

When things go bad for the owner, there’s also a great scene that should deter you from cheating. And it involves a cattle prod.

Casino (1995)

I know the real movie snobs will want to bash my skull in for placing Mafia! over Casino (1995) but I just had to. When I think of casinos my brain first goes to fun and comedy, then after to dark depressing real-life scary stuff.

This Scorsese flick is renowned for the actors’ performances, and it also epitomizes the concept of the Casino as a character in the film. It’s an inside look on the life of a casino boss, and you can’t help but feel that this is probably fairly accurate. That’s probably because it’s based on real events and real people. Which blows the mind when you think about the violence and corruption taking place. Even though the Sam Rothstein character (played by De Niro) is a total baddie crime guy, you sympathize with him. You want him to do well. You feel sorry that he has to deal with that putz Nicky (Joe Pesci).

Filming took place in the Riviera in Las Vegas, so you’re not looking at a sound stage. Regardless of the drugs, the mob presence, and murder, you can still feel the glitz and glamour that is the casino experience. After all, no matter who’s running the show behind the scenes, a casino still represents the hope of striking it rich. It can happen to anyone. It usually doesn't, but hey - it could happen.

_________________________________

Chantale here, ready to discuss some classic casino movies. I started thinking about all the flicks I love that involve gambling. My list was long, then I realized that it wasn't so much about gambling, but more about the fact that they were set in Vegas. I've had a love affair with Vegas since I was a child. What? Don't all kids dream about Sin City? Stop looking at me weird. I always had a thing for Vegas growing up - perhaps it was bright lights, or the magicians, either way, I loved it and still do.

One of my all-time faves is Ocean's 11 (2001). 

Now please don't judge me when I tell you that I have not actually seen the original 1960 version with some of the greats. I will see it one day, but for now, my heart pitter patters for the remake. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) rounds up his gang of charismatic, multi-talented crooks for the biggest heist any of them have ever seen. Robbing 3 casinos at once is not easy feat and requires 11 skilled criminals. I loved every one of them! We had Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) - pickpocket extraordinaire, Basher (Don Cheadle) - blower-upper extraordinaire and Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner) - Master of disguise. Honourable mench goes out to Andy Garcia who played Terry Benedict. Well done Andy, you played one very unlikeable arsehole. Such a great flick with a perfect amount of humour sprinkled throughout. SPOILER ALERT - Every time I watch it, I'm so excited and moved that they pull it off in the end. Fuck Benedict.

Another favie of mine is Vegas Vacation (1997). 

Clark Griswold is one effing loveable character I will watch time and time again. Some Cin-Obs may argue that this Vacation flick was a disappointment, but I will have to disagree. I would take Vegas Vacation over European Vacation anyday. I don't care if the Griswold kids change every movie. It don't matter. As long as we have Clark, Helen and cousin Eddie, we're all good.

Where to start? It's an hour and a half of shenanigans in the city that never sleeps. Clark immediately gets the gambling bug and is on a mission to lose all his money from the get go. After losing their life savings, Clark borrows money from cousin Eddie (that they have to dig up all over Eddie's desert property) and they visit the most ridiculous casino eva. Games include 'Pick a Number Between 1 and 10', 'Coin Toss', 'War', 'Rock, Scissors, Paper', and 'Guess Which Hand'. Ahhh classic. We also saw Helen fall for Wayne Newton, and Rusty Griswold (played by Ethan Embry.. swoon) assume his new identity as Nick Papagiorgio. Awesome. This movie, in my mind at least, does not disappoint in the Vacation series. If you haven't seen it, I do recommend.

There are so many great Vegas/casino/gambling movies out there. Are the Cin-Obs surprised by our top picks? Probz not. You know what we like!

Memorable Monologue: The Kids Are All Right

"I need to say something. It's no big secret, your mom and I are in hell right now. The bottom line is... marriage is hard. It's really fuckin' hard. It's just two people slogging through the shit, year after year, getting older, changing. It's a fucking marathon, okay? So, sometimes, you know, you're together for so long, that you just... you stop seeing the other person. You just see weird projections of your own junk. Instead of talking to each other, you go off the rails and act grubby and make stupid choices, which is what I did and I feel sick about it because I love you guys and I love your mom. And that's the truth. And sometimes you hurt the ones you love the most and I don't know why. You know if I read more Russian novels, then... anyway, I just wanted to say how sorry I am for what I did. I hope you'll forgive me eventually. Thank you."

~ Julianne Moore as Jules in The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Memorable Monologue: The King's Speech

"If I'm King, where's my power? Can I form a government? Can I levy a tax, declare a war? No! And yet I am the seat of all authority. Why? Because the nation believes that when I speak, I speak for them. But I can't speak."

~ Colin Firth as King George VI in The King's Speech (2010)

Quotable Quote: Marie Antoinette

"Letting everyone down would be my greatest unhappiness."

~ Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antionette in Marie Antoinette (2006) 

Delightful Dialogue: The Godfather

Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.

Kay Adams: Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.

Michael: Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?

~ Al Pacino and Diane Keaton in The Godfather (1972)

Memorable Monologue: Alice in Wonderland

"I try to believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Count them, Alice. One, there are drinks that make you shrink. Two, there are foods that make you grow. Three, animals can talk. Four, cats can disappear. Five, there is a place called Underland. Six, I can slay the Jabberwocky."

~ Mia Wasikowska as Alice Kingsley in Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Oscar Poll Results!

The Oscars have come and gone, and the Cin-Obs thought Inception deserved top prize of Best Picture! Honestly, we haven't seen any of the nominees EXCEPT Inception, so our opinion was moot on this one. But hey, it WAS amazing, and we're glad it snagged some of the techie awards for its special effects!

Coming in second was Black Swan, which didn't win, but DID get N-Port a statue.

Toy Story 3 got 3rd place, which is not a huge disappointment since it did walk about with Best Animated Feature.

Twas a good year, good year. Now we just gotta see The King's Speech and see what all the f.f...fffuss is about. Haha get it? Cuz he stutters. Nevermind.

What did you think of this year's ceremonies, hosts, winners, losers, and everything in between?

Memorable Monologue: Good Will Hunting

"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, 'once more unto the breach dear friends.' But you've never been near one.

You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms 'visiting hours' don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much.

And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You're an orphan right?

You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are, then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief."

~ Robin Williams as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting (1997)

And The Oscars Went To...

In case you weren't watching last night,

here's a list of the big winners!

Best Picture: The King's Speech

Best Actor: Colin Firth for The King's Speech

Best Actress: Natalie Portman for Black Swan

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale for The Fighter

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Melissa Leo for The Fighter (she dropped an F-Bomb on live TV. Awesome)

Best Director: Tom Hooper for The King's Speech

Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler for The King's Speech

Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3 (Duh!)

Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister for Inception (well at least it nabbed something!.. actually Inception also picked up Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. All the techie awards. Well deserved!)

Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland

Best Make-up: Rick Baker and Dave Elsey for The Wolfman

Best Original Song: 'We Belong Together', music and lyrics by Randy Newman, for Toy Story 3 (we were so happy for this one, as we will be seeing Oscar Winner Randy Newman in concert here in Ottawa on March 28th!)

Tasty Tagline: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

If he's crazy, what does that make you?

29 Oscar Speeches in 2 Minutes

Here's another wicked awesome compilation for ya. It's a great mix of Oscar acceptance speeches that includes a speechless Anna Paquin, a frantic Cuba Gooding Jr., Angelina's incestuous comments, and a streaker. Yes. It happened.

Splendid Speech: Vivian Leigh

In the spirit of the upcoming Oscars, I thought it was time to drudge up (is that a word?) this old segment of ours called Splendid Speeches. It includes speeches given by characters in films, but also a few great speeches from actors, usually accepting some type of honour.

Here we have some classic Hollywood goodness. Vivian Leigh accepts her Best Actress Oscar for Gone With The Wind, in a graceful and yet very un-excited way. She's grateful and all, but this win doesn't have the same oomph as current winners who squeal and cry and thank a million people and get serenaded the hell off stage. It goes to show how much hype has been created around these awards, and how much importance the industry places on them, when in the olden days it was more like "cool, thanks, bye."

Ever the Lady, Leigh keeps it short, classy, and eloquent, eg "Please forgive me if my words are inadequate."

In case you didn't know, Ms. Leigh died young at age 53 of tuberculosis, but not before scoring a second Best Actress Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).

Delightful Dialogue: The Lion King

Zazu: Checking in with the morning report.

Mufasa: Fire away.

Zazu: Well the buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot. And the baboons are going ape over this. Of course, the giraffes are acting like they're above it all... The tick birds are pecking on the elephants. I told the elephants to forget it, but they can't. The cheetahs are hard up, but I always say, cheetahs never prosper...

~ Rowan Atkinson and James Earl Jones in The Lion King (1994)

Tantalizing Trivia: Forrest Gump

Remember when Forrest gets dragged on stage unwillingly at the Vietnam protest rally? And has to make a speech? Then the angry dude pulls all the wires and nobody can hear what Forrest is saying? Of course you do.

According to Tom Hanks, Forrest says:

"Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."

Let's see, shall we?

Oscar Noms Include Every Movie That Came Out Last Year

Here are the major categories of Oscar nominees this year. Most of which we predicted. Cuz we're freakin' brilliant and don't you forget it. Actually that's a lie, most of these came outta nowhere for us. That tends to happen when your favourite type of movie is the flop. We love some shit, what can we say.

Best Motion Picture of the Year Nominees:

127 Hours

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Nominees:

Javier Bardem for Biutiful

Jeff Bridges for True Grit

Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network

Colin Firth for The King's Speech

James Franco for 127 Hours

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominees:

Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone

Natalie Portman for Black Swan

Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Nominees:

Christian Bale for The Fighter

John Hawkes for Winter's Bone

Jeremy Renner for The Town

Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Nominees:

Amy Adams for The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech

Melissa Leo for The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit

Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year Nominees:

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3

_________________________________

Which films do you think stand the best chance? Are there any glaring omissions this year in your opinion? Do you agree that these awards shows are just about celebs blowing smoke up each others arses?

Memorable Monologue: Gangs of New York

"I'm forty-seven. Forty-seven years old. You know how I stayed alive this long? All these years? Fear. The spectacle of fearsome acts. Somebody steals from me, I cut off his hands. He offends me, I cut out his tongue. He rises against me, I cut off his head, stick it on a pike, raise it high up so all on the streets can see. That's what preserves the order of things. Fear."

~ Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York (2002)

We Won! We Won! We Won!

A big thanks to The Movie 411 for bestowing upon us the Special Achievement Award in their annual blog awards!

As some Cin-Obs may know, we were nominated for Best Comedy Blog, Best Movie Gossip, and Sexiest Authors, and those awards went to some very deserving peeps! The Special Achievement Award was a judges choice, and we are honoured to have received it!

Says Movie411:

"Cinema Obsessed is run with shear love and devotion of the movie and entertainment world. Their authors, Angie and Chantale write many reviews, articles, news, gossip and rumours on many different genres with dollops of humour and bags of fun. Having over 500 avid blogger-followers, or as they like to call them ’Cin-Obs’, with thousands more hits per day by visitors, they have become what many other blogs and sites strive to be, a haven for movie goers and readers. Their creative passion adds more fun to their posts with their design work.

With many nominations in this years awards, probably nothing more fitting than for them two wonderful women to walk away with this years Special Achievement Award. Congratulations."

Woowww! How amazing. We will display our badge proudly!

Vote for us at the Movie 411!

Voting ends soon for the blog awards over at the Movie 411, so please head on over and cast your votes for Cinema Obsessed! We're nominated in Sexiest Authors (awww garsh), Best Comedy Blog, and Best Movie Gossip!

Come on, Cin-Obs, let's see some hustle! Help us break away from the pack and take the prizes! Booah!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!