NEW YEARS EVE ALONE? What to do.

If you don't have any plans for New Years Eve think of it this way, you won't end up being the victim of someone who is drinking and driving, or waking up with a huge hang-over!

But if you want something to do, I suggest a trip to the video store, netflix, itunes or however you rent films.

These are my choices for some little "treasures" for you to watch and get lost in their adventure (while everyone else is getting drunk and kissing strangers). And since I am very ecclectic, these will run the gammet of genres):

MAIDRYN'S NEW YEARS EVE FILM PICKS

• Wait Until Dark (Audrey Hepburn) Thriller (but okay for kids)
• Breaking Away (funny, witty entertainment for kids to grandparents - NOTE: watch for a very young Dennis Quaid)
• Moonstruck (Romance for women & MEN)
• Breaker Morant ( an australian gem and true story for those who are anti-establishment and enjoy a thoroughly well made and interesting movie - your brains and heart will need to be available for viewing this one)
• Aliens (Thrill-ride/Sci-Fi  hang onto your popcorn)
• Gallipoli  (early Mel Gibson - World War I - Tragedy & Friendship)
• Galaxy Quest (a MUST for every Star Trek fan who wants to laugh the night away)
• Fried Green Tomatoes (Friendship/ bridging the generation gap - for ALL ages & BOTH men and women)
• Gone in 60 Seconds (Nic Cage & Angelina Jolie - a total guy flick/ car chases, beautiful women, brothers sticking together, you know " it's a guy thing" (but I like it too. shhh)
• 300 - Gerard Butler, David Wenham, Lena Headly - BLOOD EVERYWHERE but this is not just a "GUY and GUTS" thing. Women & Men will like this movie but it is rated - R for a very good reason! Not a kids' movie.
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - Not only a kids's movie. Beautifully animated with voices by EVERY ACTOR KNOWN TO MANKIND ;-) This is MY personal pick. I "double-dog-dare" anyone to watch this film and not LOVE it. Yes I said LOVE. (see my blog at, http://maidrynsmedia.blogspot.com/2011/06/legend-of-guardians-owls-of-gahoole.html/ for a more indepth review.

So a "Merry viewing to all and to all a good (new years eve) night".

Here Comes " CORIOLANUS "

The new film from Lionsgate, acted & directed by Ralph Fiennes and also with Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave & Brian Cox is going to be in wide release on January 20 (2012). It's a modern remake of the Shakespearean Classic. But don't be afraid of the language, but maybe just the content. It's dark and disturbing and it will stay with you for days. (just like most things worthwhile do)

Be there or be WARE.

STAY TUNED TO THIS SPACE FOR MORE INFO!!!

But for now, here's a sneak peek at the trailer:

The Walking Dead : mid-Season FINALLY!

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If you have been reading my critiques of the second season of the AMC show, '”The Walking Dead”, you will know that I have not been singing it’s praises as much as I did last season. In fact, this season I’m not singing at all! But I am still watching , although for very different reasons and motives (after all everyone needs a good Sunday night gripe session). I usually say most of negative comments to the TV during the broadcast (or should I say broadcasts) of the episode. But there are a few things that have me quite upset and so  must “spill over” into my blog.

1)  I am tired of the people at AMC calling their reruns “an encore presentation”. When one episode has been played over and over so that AMC can wring every inch of advertising revenue out of it, it’s just called plain, old reruns.

 

2)  In all my many decades of watching TV I have never heard of a mid-season finale. What that basically means is that all the people who make the show want to head off for several months of holidays. They simply call it a “finale” so that we won’t realize that it is actually the first episode this season that actually included something HAPPENING. Do you believe that 1 hour TV shows used to actually be shot live, lasted 57 minutes long and included 46 episodes per year. Ah, the gold ol’ days.

 

3) You cannot force something to become a cultural phenomena or have a cult following. AMC feels that by following “The Walking Dead” with a show called “The Talking Dead” they will be able to build this show into another Star Trek or any one of dozens of other movies and TV shows that developed cult followings. I’ll let them in on a secret, “those shows were good”.  If they make great entertainment and do their jobs well, this show will live on indefinitely. This entire direction of PR might actually backfire on them. Simply because the show “The Talking Dead” is more interesting and exciting then the show they are suppose to be promoting. Oops!

 

4) As for Sophia being one of the “Walkers” in the barn … my 70 year old mother had that one figured out the moment it was revealed that there were “Walkers” in the barn. Actually, Mom has come up with some really interesting plot lines for this show. I enjoy her story lines more than the actual ones. Maybe I should send in a resume to “The Walking Dead” on her behalf. I hear there’s good money in TV writing and maybe I’ll be able to get her my allowance re-instated.

 

5) This one will probably meet with the most resistance. We know that the character of Lori is pregnant, took some “morning after” abortion pills and then threw them up. So now her husband, Rick, comes trotting over to “have it out” with her. He’s got his nerve. After all, he’s only the baby’s father ! So after some “Blah blah blah” back and forth Rick states, “Did you really think I would make you have a baby you didn’t want?!”

Lori replies, “Oh sure! Then it would be on my conscience.”

(Now forgive me for being my ‘naive’ little, pro-life self but ) It seems to me that if a woman states that it’s “her body” and “her decision” and “solely my choice what I do with my body” then, yeah, it would be on her conscience! I’ve known about the tenants of the pro-choice movement for a long time, but do they really expect to let no one participate in that decision and then require them to carry the blame AND the consequences for actions they had no say in?

All I can say is, “Beam me up, Lord. It’s getting really weird down here.”