‘The Blind Side’: I Smell an Oscar

At first glance, this sports drama is another football vehicle in the vein of Facing the Giants or Remember the Titans, where the main characters have internal or team challenges to overcome in order to beat the opposing team and succeed in life. After all, the term “blind side” is a football term.

But this movie is really more about two things: believing that you can have a better life if you can apply yourself through hard work and believing in the goodness of humanity. Actually, in the end, the film is really about change, change for the better.

Sandra Bullock not only looks amazing in this film, but she also really does a wonderful job of portraying a very different type of woman than we have seen her play. Bullock’s typical comic or anal idiosyncrasies fall away and suddenly you aren’t watching Bullock on screen anymore. Instead, you are pulled into the life of strong, Southern socialite Leigh Anne Tuohy as she rallies around her new cause, a young and talented athlete from the projects called Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron).

Stalkers, Road Trips, and Pits!

Liz Lane from The Current and I enjoy chatting on the topic of All About Steve. As part of that radio discussion, we talk about stalkers, crazy road trips, and what lessons we learn when we fall into a literal and figurative pit (like Mary Horowitz –  aka Sandra Bullock – does in the film ).

Hope you will listen in now…

Audio Commentary:

— Laura J. Bagby

Radio Review of ‘All About Steve’

Just wanted to say thanks to my friend, Liz Lane, for the enjoyable discussion of All About Steve on The Current FM this morning.

And if you want to check out that other blog I mentioned to all those radio listeners on the broadcast, it’s called Manna For The Moment.

OK, here is the run-down on the new romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, and Thomas Haden Church – in audio format.

All About… Mary

Don’t let the title All About Steve fool you.

Yeah, sure, Steve (played by Bradley Cooper – of the unfortunate The Hangover buzz) is the hot blind date who happens to have a cool job as adventuresome news videographer and also happens to be the obsession of one crazy, red-boot-wearing word meister called Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock, who also happens to be the film’s producer).

But, after viewing this new PG-13 20^th Century Fox comedy, all I can say is , “There’s something about Mary.”

Quick Thoughts on ‘All About Steve’

I just saw a matinee for the new 20th Century Fox comedy All About Steve, starring Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper, with a respectful nod to Thomas Haden Church. I am actually writing the official review for Blue Ridge Christian News, so I can’t share all my thoughts with you just yet.

But I will say that I did think the film was generally funny, and I liked the overarching message, which is the fact that what you think you are looking for externally is really something you need to find within yourself. You can’t look to the outside world for internal validation. That’s what Bullock’s character, Mary Horowitz, was trying to do in her crazy chase of handsome camera man, Steve (Cooper).

Upcoming September Movie Releases

Hi, Celluloid Critic Fans,

Just wanted to give you a list of the movies coming out this month, so you can get out to the movie theatre and enjoy yourselves.

— Laura

‘The Proposal’: An Engaging Comedy

Beautiful but hard-nosed editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is about to get shipped back to Canada at the height of her career at Colden Books when she gets the brilliant idea of wedding her hardworking, faithful male assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), so she can stay in country.

But there is just one problem. Margaret’s immigration office, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare), is bent on proving the wedding is a sham and threatens a stiff prison sentence for Andrew and instant deportation for Margaret should the engagement prove fraudulent as he suspects.

Despite the obstacles, the couple decides to continue the farce as planned by telling the engagement news at the 90^th birthday celebration of Andrew’s Grandma Annie (played by Betty White).

Ryan Reynolds Featured in Entertainment Weekly

Hello, Fans of Ryan Reynolds (me included),

Just thought I would let you know that Ryan is featured in the June 26/July 3 issue of Entertainment Weekly. He is on the cover and featured in a four-page cover spread. There is an article about him, and he seems like a nice, down-to-earth guy. But don’t get your hopes up; he’s married. Sorry! Yep, his wife is Scarlett Johansson (since last September).

And here is another tidbit of interesting news: He is Canadian. Funny that in his new movie with Sandra Bullock, The Proposal, it’s Bullock that plays the Canadian. Nice reversal.

Well, carry on, Ryan. We hope to see you again in those leading man roles. 

— Laura J. Bagby

Upcoming Reviews: ‘The Proposal’ and ‘Transformers’

Just wanted to let you guys know that I just saw The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and one of my personal favs (that would be  — and I am going to waiver just a bit from my journalistic professionalism here — Ryan “Hottie” Reynolds). I will have a complete review for you soon. This is the movie that will be featured on Friday’s Positive Hit Radio The Current movie review segment on Friday, June 26. So be listening! And I will get those audio clips up as soon as I can just in case you miss it live.

Also, I am excited that I will be seeing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at a pre-screening event next week. It opens Wednesday, June 24. I read a review with the film’s starlet, the young Megan Fox, in Entertainment Weekly recently. She is quite a beauty, but unfortunately also very mouthy if the interview is any indication. Hope that fact doesn’t spoil what I see on screen. 

— Laura J. Bagby