Yes, we love the movies and we sort of, kind of don’t mind hearing the acceptance speeches (especially when someone cries or drops an F-bomb!). But really, when it comes down to it, we’re there from pre-show to wrap up to lust after the gorgeous Oscar gowns. And George Clooney, of course…but that’s another story.

After much deliberation on who was the best dressed at the 2012 Oscars…the envelopes please…

Best Dressed, Oscars 2012 Edition

We admit to having a bit of ADD when it comes to Oscar Red Carpet Fashion. Seeing all those beautiful  gowns sashaying around gives us a bit of style overload, so it’s good to take some time and mull over our pics.

Having done so, here’s our top 5 (click to enlarge):

Jessica Chastain. Hair, check. Makeup, check. Dress that blows away anything else that she has worn all awards season, definite check! Jessica Chastain looked natural and lovely, effortless even. She may not have one an Oscar, but she wins best look of the night in our books.

Gwyneth Paltrow. Maybe it’s because we get cold easily, but the fact that Gwyneth was sporting a cape had us yelling “Sold!” Elegant and classic with a twist…we love it. ‘Nuff said.

Natalie Portman. Natalie got some thumbs down for her polka dot vintage gown (which sounds awful in description form, we admit), but we think it was the perfect choice for last year’s Best Actress winner. It said “Hey, I’m still here, I look phenomenal and adorable, but I’m not out to steal anyone’s thunder.” At least that’s what it said to us…is it weird that the dresses talk to us?

Michelle Williams. Obviously, we were keeping a close eye out for Michelle Williams, who typically travels the red carpet with BFF Busy Phillips these days. Our first impression was Busy stole the show, until we got to her dreadful pink shoes (not pictured here, we didn’t want to take away from Michelle). Sorry Busy, that blew it for us. Michelle, you win this round.

Ironically, it was a touch of pink that saved Michelle Williams in our opinion. We were just a bit ho-hum on her red dress, finding it a bit furry looking and a bit cutesy with the pin. But throwing in the quirk of a pink clutch saved the day and brought the “twee” to a comfortable level that we grew to love. Good on ya, Michelle!

Sandra Bullock. Sandra’s was the first dress that had us thinking on the red carpet. At first, the gold adornments on the front of the dress (and the whole look overall, really) came off a bit matronly, but somehow, it worked for Sandra. It’s impossible to think matronly when she’s talking about hooking up and making sexy faces at the camera on her red carpet interview, and that is why we love her. You can put a girl in a dress, after all, but you can’t make her be a lady!

And the Oscar for Best Breakout Performance….

Goes to Angelina Jolie’s thigh! What was going on here???? We get it, on the red carpet you want to show a little sumpin’ sumpin’ so you might dislocate a hip a time or two while you’re mugging for the cameras.

But woman! Get down to business when you get on stage! Watching you pop that thing out on cue while presenting an Oscar made us spit out the bite of Hero sandwich we were eating (because that’s what we do during Oscars, obviously…eat Heros and cry). It was seriously just awkward for all of us. A word of advice, save that kind of hamming for when you’re nominated, please.

And while we’re making up fake Oscar catogories, Best Performance in a Suspense Film would have to go to Jennifer Lopez’s left nipple.

The hint of “is that…or isn’t it?” kept us curious all night and the forthcoming nipplegate coverage has kept us entertained all week. We’re not saying this is the best way to get people talking, but kudos just the same.

Well, that’s it for our coverage of this year’s Oscars! We’re already prepping for next year by promising ourselves, this time, we’ll actually watch the nominated films in time for the big event so we’ll have more to rate than just the Best Dressed List. But till, then, we’re going to have another Hero sandwich and fantasize of ways to introduce Michelle Williams’ tiny pink clutch into our work wardrobe!

Look at us, all shamefaced. We’ve been terribly negligent of Oscar films this year, so much so that we’re embarrassed to admit just how much.

But we will – of the nine films nominated for Best Picture, we’ve seen only one. (The Tree of Life, it’s a stunner, expected a review soon, we promise).

But while we didn’t see all the films, we did happen to see some of the show, and as such, feel totally qualified to offer some opinions. Here’s our thoughts!

On The Winners

If you were to judge based on the amount of face-time George Clooney and Brad Pitt got at the show, you would have to think one or the other was a shoo-in for Best Actor. But not so! Jean Dujardin, first-time nominee, scoops in for the win! Take that Brangelina! Oh yes, we said it.

This win, along with The Artist’s Best Picture win has solidified the film as first-up on our belated Oscar films to-do list.

Best Actress was an equal surprise. After seeing Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, we thought Rooney Mara might pull off an upset, but also thought Michelle Williams might get her day in the sun.

But no, they were both ousted by veteran Meryl Streep, who’s portrayal of The Iron Lady is said to be unmatched. (We haven’t seen the film yet, but our love for Meryl’s increasing wackiness meant we couldn’t be disappointed).

On Billy

Thoughts on Billy Crystal, anyone? As expected, he was good – no controversy, not a lot of sideslappers, but the safe, modest Oscar humor you’d expect year after year.

Personally, we miss Hugh Jackman. He looks better in a tux and can handle the makeup better than Billy.

And Finally…On The Dresses!

Yes, the Oscar fashion is our favourite part! It’s why we sit through the Red Carpet Pre-Show, listening to the awkward banter between the stars and the interviewers.

Well that, and to hear Sandra Bullock talk about how she’s going to get her freak on at the show…that woman is priceless!

Head over to our Oscar Fashion post to check out our pics for who shined on the big stage.

Starring: Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Landon Pigg, Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden
Director: Drew Barrymore
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Media Release Date: Jan. 26, 2010
Rating: PG-13
Length: 111 minutes

Movie

Whip It (based on the novel “Derby Girl” by Shauna Cross) is the story of Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), a beauty pageant queen by force and a broody teenager by choice. She and her friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) are desperately biding their time till they can bust out of small-town Bodeen, Texas, try new and exciting things and meet new and exciting people – all of which have Bliss jumping on an invitation to try out for tough-chick Roller Derby team The Hurl Scouts.

After passing the tryouts and signing up with the likes of Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore), Bliss attempts to live up to her new team moniker “Babe Ruthless”, taking on not only rival Derby team the Holy Rollers, but also standing up to her parents about where she wants her life to go.

A fresh plot? Certainly not (except for the whole Roller Derby thing). But for the directorial debut of my much-loved Drew Barrymore (who also co-produced the film and had a role in it, thank you very much!), I think the movie was pretty darn good.

It’s a Date!

One odd quirk of note about Whip It (and I would likely have never noticed this on my own, but my co-critic and husband is sharp as a tack on these matters) is that it was really difficult to determine the time frame the movie was set in.

The cars and clothes seem to indicate a bygone era, such as the late 70s or 80s, but techie references to GPS mean it just can’t be so. But then again, there’s not a cell phone in sight (Bliss even uses a pay phone, if you can believe that!), which makes it pretty hard to believe the movie takes place post-2000.

Needless to say, we were puzzled – but fortunately, I’m totally happy ignore the problem and focusing once again on the hilarity of the Derby competitors names – Bloody Holly, ha! I’m still working on my roller derby name, but trust me…it’s going to be good.

Kids These Days
Sigh…as another tiny criticism, I must be getting older because I found it a little hard to identify with 17-year-old Bliss and her plights and passions.

First off, she spends much of her time sporting a t-shirt for ’80s Christian metal band Stryper, which completely circumvents the “so uncool it’s cool again” theory and virtually smacks of slick movie production cool.

Second off, Bliss falls for a musician (Landon Pigg) who is very much into his cool army jacket and vinyl records, but is very much not into cutting his hair (or so I spent the whole movie thinking).

It appears I’ve gotten too old to moon over the broody love of high school seniors (whom I’m thinking are the target audience for this movie), because I really just thought of Bliss’ love interest as ho-hum and even a trifle annoying as a leadng man.

Audio

• English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
• French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Whip It’s audio quality was a little-front heavy, which you didn’t notice so much in the dialogue scenes but which really stood out in moments of intense Derby action – here, you’d expect strong use of the surrounds for the cheering crowds, the wheels clacking on the track, competitors taking tumbles and throwing body-checks, etc., but unfortunately, it’s all a little subdued.

One place where the audio does succeed is with the soundtrack, which along with more modern alt-rock bands like The Raveonettes, consists of punk-rock bands of yore like the Ramones and The Breeders. And while I’m still hard-pressed to believe any 17-year-old listens to that kind of music on a regular basis (see our above rant on Kids These Days), I did appreciate how good the music sounded in this movie.

Video

• Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
• Video resolution: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Whip It had a nice-looking video transfer – details were clean and sharp, which really helped enhance the rough, run-down feel of both Bodeen and its rugged inhabitants.The palette was full of heavily saturated colors that popped against deep blacks and gave the film depth. The roller derby scenes were the best example of this, where the girls’ uniforms set a stark contrast to the shadowy, dimly lit arena.

Special Features

(High definition and standard definition)

There wasn’t much to get excited over in the Special Features for Whip It. I was hoping for a mini-documentary on real-life Roller Derby chicks, but no such luck. What you do get is:

• Alternate Opening. This one-minute scene does help explain the opening blue-hair sequence, but that’s about it.
• Deleted Scenes. Nine in total amounting to roughly 15 minutes of extended footage.
• Featurette. “Writer’s Draft: Shauna Cross of Whip It” is a quickie insight into Cross’ experience with roller derby, her book and the screenplay for Whip It, which she wrote and pitched to various studios, including Drew Barrymore”s Flower Films.
• Whip It Soundtrack Spot. The commercial for the soundtrack to the film.
• Bonus Digital Copy. A separate version of the film in standard definition that can be played on your computer or loaded onto other digital devices.

Overall

Whip It really was a fun little movie. I was nervous at first, fearing (like many other movie watchers, no doubt) that we’d end up with “Juno on roller skates”; but despite the fact that Bliss Cavendar does have her fair share of Juno-isms, Ellen Page really manages to give her a life of her own.

It also helped that the other major players in the film also did a great job breaking free of their type-casts – Kristen Wiig showed more depth and emotion than her SNL roles usually allow her and Drew Barrymore temporarily traded in rainbows and sunshine for smackdown on wheels, which I thought was pretty cool.

All in all, from Babe Ruthless to Iron Maven and from Pash and Birdman to the Cavendar parents, I enjoyed watching all of the characters in this film. I didn’t love them quite like I loved the cast of Juno, and I didn’t get immersed in them like I did for many characters in another Drew Barrymore production, He’s Just Not that Into You, but I had a good time with them.

So I say, settle in on the couch with your best bud and enjoy the film for what it is…a cute, funny, borderline-moving coming-of-age story that will have you wanting to don your roller skates and hit the rink.

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Anniston, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Justin Long
Director: Ken Kwapis
Studio: Warner Home Video
Media Release Date: June 2, 2009
Rating: PG-13
Length: 129 minutes

Movie

“He’s just not that into you.” Why can’t we face that one small truth instead of filling our minds with platitudes on why he didn’t call? That’s what the film He’s Just Not that Into You explores, revealing the neuroses we all have and the games we all play in relationships through the interwoven lives of nine beautiful people.

If Love Actually and Sidewalks of New York had a baby, it would be He’s Just Not that Into You. In fact, I would have bet my entire chick flick Blu-ray collection that someone involved with Love Actually must have worked on this film. But unless it was a craft services guy dropping hints to director Ken Kwapis that, “Hey, chicks really dug Love Actually, you should totally do your movie like that,” I couldn’t find the connection.

I can tell you though that the film was inspired by the Sex and the City-coined catchphrase “He’s just not that into you”, was executive-produced by Drew Barrymore and was written by two of the writers on Never Been Kissed, so you know it’s got some decent chick flick credentials.

Star-Struck…
The film is also stacked with leading ladies across the acting spectrum. Drew Barrymore herself plays a role (Mary), joining dramatic heavyweight Jennifer Connolly (Janine), romantic comedy alum Jennifer Anniston (Beth), sex bomb Scarlett Johansson (Anna) and the comically cute newbie Ginnifer Goodwin, who according to the bonus features “would have done anything” for the role of romantically challenged leading lady Gigi.

Though heaven knows we can’t all be Jennifer Annistons or Scar-Jos, all the actresses in this film do a great job of portraying “normal” women – just with better hair, wardrobe and comedic timing. From their girlfriend chat sessions to their embarrassing love blunders, you can’t help but think as you watch them, “Phew, I’m not the only one who’s spent half a workday secretly cyber-stalking my blind date or who’s done a day’s worth of recon just to casually “bump into” the guy who hasn’t called in a week. Thank you for making me feel like less of a complete emotional basket case.”

But let’s step away from the ladies for a minute and get to the good stuff – the men. Bear with my tangent: I remember a time when every woman loved Ben Affleck (Neil). And then (coincidentally enough about the time the term “Bennifer” became a part of our daily vernacular) every woman began to hate Ben Affleck.

Well I would just like to go on record as saying I stuck with Ben through thick and thin, through his highs and J-Lo’s, and no matter how cute Justin Long (Alex), Kevin Connolly (Conor) or Bradley Cooper (Ben) may be or how well they played their varying roles, Ben was the guy who did it for me in this movie. His role was small, subtle and pretty low-key, but if your heart doesn’t flutter just a little bit over him in this film, you’d better see a doctor and get that looked at. Tangent over.

All You Need (to be) is Love (Actually)

Getting back to the Love Actually similarity. This film also handled the multiple story lines and the many takes on love and relationships that compose them with finesse.

It explored how and why things go South between two people, how difficult it can be to go out on a limb for love and how pathetically – but also how rightly – we cling to the hope that we will find what will make us happy, whether it’s a relationship or just finding out who we really are.

Kudos to He’s Just Not that Into You for ripping off a brilliant chick flick and making an almost equally brilliant chick flick.

Audio

• English: Dolby TrueHD
• English: Dolby 5.1
• French: Dolby 5.1

There isn’t really much you can comment on in a dialogue-driven movie like this one – except to say that I didn’t even pause to think about the audio, which is good. The dialogue stayed clear and at a comfortable volume whether the actors were whispering sweet nothings or throwing powerful tantrums, so there was no need for constant adjustment.

Video

• Video codec: XviD MPEG-4
• Video resolution: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: 2.4:1

No complaints on the video quality in this film. It was clear, colors were consistently rich and vibrant. One interesting note I will make is that the high definition format takes no prisoners when it comes actresses who have passed the age of 25. It’s definitely an adjustment to see the notoriously fresh-faced Drew Barrymore with a few more laugh lines than we’re used to and to see Jennifer Connelly’s awe-inspiring beauty up close and personal, in a more “real” way than you’ll get on a photoshopped magazine cover (if you can count the handiwork of a professional makeup artist or two as “real”).

Personally, I like it and I think it’s going to be a step forward in Hollywood glamour – these are still gorgeous women, but ditching the phony flawlessness that airbrushing and fogging add makes it more relatable.

Special Features

(High Definition)

High definition special features?! Yes please! Automatically these special features are more enjoyable to watch, but I actually liked the ones on this film. They were quirky, informative and mercifully…short.

• Featurettes. Baltimore Blade: The Relationship Issue, six “Where are They Now?” shorts about the happy couples and the starting-over singles; Six Words That Inspired a Movie, an investigation of the phrase “He’s just not that into you” and how the book of the same name became the movie; and Duet for Telephones, look at the staging techniques that create chemistry between the actors.
• Deleted Scenes, with or without commentary from Ken Kwapis, most of which revolve around Scarlett Johansson’s character, Anna.
• Additional features via BD-Live.

Overall

While this film may not have quite reached the bar that is Love Actually, it was definitely one of the best romantic comedies I’ve seen in a long time. Even Scarlett Johansson who I’m just not that into – ha, get it! – couldn’t spoil this movie for me. It was frank yet comforting, realistic yet with that touch of hopefulness that allows a girl to tell herself it’s okay to sit by the phone waiting for it to ring after a first date. Even if you know, he’s probably just not that into you.

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop
Director: Emile Ardolino
Studio: Lionsgate Films
Media Release Date: May 8, 2007
Rating: PG-13
Length: 105 minutes

Movie

Dirty Dancing isn’t so much worthy of a four-star rating based on the film itself, but more because of the iconic status it holds in the minds of women (and maybe even some men).

I won’t waste much time on plot synopsis – we all know it’s a coming-of-age love story set against the backdrop of a foxtrot-dancing, talent-show-holding retro resort, where the staff and teenage daughters of the guests attempt to curb their raging hormones with some after-hours bumping and grinding.

Instead, I’ll recount my new take on a movie I’ve seen more times than I can count or should even think about – watching it with a group of three guys who all agreed to give it a chance (while reserving the right to make fun of it unmercifully) honor of the passing of the great Patrick Swayze.

“I Carried a Watermelon?”

I thought that maybe the more serious issues in the plot – abortion rights, class stereotyping and father-daughter dynamics, to name a few – might at least stem some of the ridicule that was sure to come from those bearing a Y chromosome, even if Baby’s (Jennifer Grey) struggles to be taken seriously as a grown woman didn’t quite hit home.

Alas, these underlying messages seemed to be lost to them during moments like the watermelon scene and any time Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) made an appearance in his tank-topped, tight-pantsed glory. I’ll admit, the door was wide open for criticism of the cheese factor.

But watching the film again, even after a few year have passed since the last time, I had to wonder, is it really deserving of such criticism or is it just engrained in us to dole it out in light of the massive over-hype and over-exposure that has followed the film over the two decades since its release?

I can’t speak for everyone, but from my own perspective, after seeing this movie at least 20 times spanning over nearly as many years, it still gets to me somehow. The passion, the black leather jacket, the “No one puts Baby in a corner,” flash me right back to when I was 17 and experienced the same emotional upheaval that Baby does as she tries to cross the line between Daddy’s little girl and a mature young woman.

The Proof is in the Lift

If there’s one clincher that proves Dirty Dancing is as iconic as ever, it’s this:

Even while enduring the testosterone-laden Peanut Gallery’s falsetto renditions of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”, and between picking up the pieces of my broken heart when they dubbed Patrick Swayze “Captain Dance Pants”, I still got chills in the scene where Johnny gives Baby the look.

You know the one – right before she gives him the nod, and he lifts her off the stage so she can leap into his arms and they can perform the lift in front of everyone, then slowly fall into each others’ gaze, so completely in love that the whole room disappears.

That look.

The chemistry and peak of emotion in that scene is still is as nostalgic as ever – and that’s gotta be saying something.

Audio

• English: LPCM 6.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

The uncompressed soundtrack included with the film may seem like a bit of overkill for this movie, but who cares? Hungry Eyes has never sounded better! All kidding aside, though you probably don’t get the full impact out of the soundtrack like you would from other, more speaker-intensive (is that even a term?) films, there is sufficient use of the surrounds – particularly in musical sequences – to draw you in and create the right atmosphere. Dialogue remains clear throughout, no problems there.

Video

• Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
• Video resolution: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Dirty Dancing is a 22-year-old low-budget movie, which means not only are you getting a restoration, but one of a film that was made with less than stellar film stock in the first place. There is a fair bit of graininess and lack of detail in many outdoor scenes, and the color palette is noticeably washed-out. But still, this version beats the heck out of the standard definition one, and there was one little bonus I can’t resist passing on: If your screen is big enough, keep your eyes open for a small fly ruining Baby and Johnny’s romantic moment in Johnny’s cabin. We saw it, and though it basically killed the mood, it was hilarious!

Special Features

(High Definition)

Though it’s pretty well known that I don’t have a high tolerance special features – a short attention span and a desire not to ruin the film generally keep me from examining them too closely – I often give a recap of all the bonus material included on the disk. In the case of Dirty Dancing, however, I’m going to have to hit the bench.

There is simply too much stuff here to even begin to chronicle it all. Maybe because it’s the 20th Anniversary, Lionsgate felt they had to include 20-years-worth of footage – screen tests, deleted and extended scenes, tributes (to Jerry Orbach and Emile Ardolino, both of whom have passed), trivia and so much more, and this is on top of the commentaries included on the original DVD. I tell you, a girl could exhaust herself.

If you’re up to the challenge, pore through these babies, by all means. I certainly will, though maybe in small doses. In the meantime, I’ll give them a 5-star rating, for sheer volume alone.

Overall

If you haven’t seen Dirty Dancing in a few years, or you’re a die-hard fan who watches this movie every time it comes on TV and every time you need to indulge the part of you that is still 17, my advice is to pick it up on Blu-ray. It’s still everything you remember it being, it just looks and sounds even better.

I should note that when I polled the men in the room after we reached the dramatic dance sequence ending in the film, reactions ranged from “dull and kinda fluffy” to “a complete and utter load of [expletive deleted]”. These reactions were expected of course, and only served to reinforce my belief that men – who never had the pain and privilege of being 17-year-old girls – will simply never get this movie.

But the good ones, the Johnny Castles we all hopefully have in our lives, will watch it with us anyway.

Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons
Director: Jason Reitman
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Media Release Date: April 15, 2008
Rating: PG-13
Length: 92 minutes

Movie

Oh to be 16 and knocked up again…well, at least half of that.

Not long after this film was released, there was controversy over a gaggle of teenage girls who thought it would be a good idea to get pregnant in high school, just like the teenage star of the film Juno. But it seems if there is one message this film is definitely not trying to send, that would probably be it. Maybe you just have to be over the age of 16 to understand it.

In a nutshell, Juno is a film about an intelligent yet slightly apathetic teenager, going through what all teenagers go through – a struggle to find out who they are. Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) just happens to be doing it pregnant and with a sharper wit than the average 16-year-old.

Knowing without a doubt that the baby, the result of a first and awkward foray into sex, is not meant for her, she copes with the bizarre situation of choosing adoptive parents and the very normal emotions of heartbreak, love and growing up faster than you might want.

Girl power!

Not that Michael Cera (as Paulie Bleeker), Jason Bateman (as Mark Loring) and J.K. Simmons (as Mac MacGuff) were chopped liver, but what a stellar cast of women in this film! Ellen Page’s portrayal of 16-year-old Juno is certainly credit to a smart casting director. Kudos to him or her for not casting a real 16-year-old in the role, who likely wouldn’t have the wisdom and experience to add the level of depth to Juno’s character that Page did – we cringe to think of a Miley Cyrus in the role…

Allison Janney, another standout female in the film, plays her role as Juno’s stepmom Brenda “Bren” MacGuff with fantastic comedic sense. But if you look closer, you’ll also see that Bren is pure loyalty as a mom, wife and stepmom, who’s strength is a reserve and a model for her teenage stepdaughter. In this writer’s opinion, Janney took her role from secondary character to centre stage.

But far and away, the greatest female role in this film belongs to Jennifer Garner. On the surface, Vanessa Loring has everything, but Garner captures the intensity, sadness and desperation that her character goes through as she gives up everything she supposedly has for the one thing she truly needs – to be a mom.

If you’re going to buy this film, buy it for Garner’s role. And prepare to have your heart wrenched.

But Dude, the dialogue is like so…whatever.

Be warned, Juno is not for the faint of teenage vernacular. This film is a hybrid of youthful slang and massive intellect you don’t generally find in most high school hallways, and it’s a bit of a culture shock when you’re first exposed.

Though some may find it off-putting, we blog to differ (hah!) – after the first 10 minutes it will seem like the most natural dialogue in the world and you’ll be speaking it yourself long after the film is over (we’d bet our hamburger phone on it).

Video

• Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
• Video resolution: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Juno is no blockbuster action flick, with car chases and helicopter explosions, so it’s no surprise the video quality isn’t a “wow” in the film. It’s respectable, don’t get us wrong – deep colours, accurate skin tones, etc. There is, however, a trace of graininess that pervades the film and that once you notice it is a bit hard to let go of. It may have been by design, to help Juno retain its indie feel, but intentional or not, it can be a bit annoying. Best advice: just ignore it, there’s plenty of other good stuff to focus on.

Audio

• English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• English: Dolby Digital 5.1
• French: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

The soundtrack to Juno is heavy on music by a particular folksy artist, Kimya Dawson (of the Moldy Peaches). Needless to say, you won’t be rockin’ the surrounds or the subwoofer, but both the dialogue and the music in the film come across clean in the lossless 5.1 soundtrack, with the latter supplying a low-key backdrop for the former that is fitting of the laidback nature of Juno herself.

Special Features

(Standard Definition)

Yet again, a case of no high definition special features for an HD film, but there certainly is no shortage of bonus material for Juno – which is something to smile about, if you’re into that sort of thing.

• Audio Commentary. Screenwriter Diablo Cody (now notorious for her sex-blog, her stylized script and her wardrobe choices) and director Jason Reitman take turns breaking down the film from a technical and a behind-the-scenes perspective. They make a good duo, actually, and aren’t bad to listen to.
• Featurettes. Four in total, all with Diablo-styled titles like “Honest to Blog! Creating Juno” and “Jason Reitman for Shizz”. Mixed together from on-set interviews and promo footage, you get the gist on how the film was made and how the characters were shaped with input from the big players.
• Deleted Scenes. Surprisingly good, though the film easily carried on without them. They’re good for a double-dip if you need a little more Juno.
• Outtakes. High on humor, you get a gag reel, screen tests and a bizarre cast and crew music video that are more watchable than most outtakes.

Overall

See this film. Buy this film, then see it a million more times. It just gets better the more you watch it. Relive the glory and horror of being 16, fall back in love with a guy like Paulie Bleeker and realize that though your parents drive you nuts they will always have your back when you need them. Watch this film to revel in the fact that, whether you faced Juno’s situation or not, you made it through those years living, breathing and (hopefully) unscarred, and are a better person for it.

Watch it, you’ll love it – honest to blog.

David to Sabrina: “We could build a raft and sail on the Pacific Ocean, like Kon Tiki. Or we could climb the highest mountain like Annapurna.”

- From Sabrina, 1954, starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden.

Whether you’re being transported with David and Sabrina across an ocean or you’re taking in the breathtaking view of the New York City skyline at night, no source can bring it to you like Blu-ray. If you own an HDTV and a sound system, Blu-ray is the only way to watch movies with the highest visual clarity accompanied by the best possible sound.

We live in magnificent times! Advances in electronics mass-production and digital technology mean your favorite movies can now be viewed at home with picture and sound quality that rivals anything you’ve ever seen at the theater. And better still, there is no need to spend big money on electronics to bring home the complete movie-viewing experience. The latest technology is affordable and easy to use – let Chick Flicks on Blu-ray help you to not only select a great movie, but also to assemble everything you need at an affordable price.

No other source compares to Blu-ray for sound and vision because only Blu-ray brings to your HDTV the highest definition video possible:  1080P resolution. If you’re not watching on Blu-ray, you’re missing the full capabilities of your new HDTV.

It’s an unsightly truth: other hi-def video sources fall short, including your satellite or cable TV receiver. Both may offer high definition images, but at best you’re only getting 720 progressive lines of resolution, compared to the 1080 lines of resolution on Blu-ray. But that’s not all – satellite and cable also compress their signals so they can fit more and more channels into a single pipe. This compression robs both your picture and sound of quality.

Uncompromising visual quality is not the only thing Blu-ray has going for it: Blu-ray also offers high resolution audio that’s a perfect complement to the breathtaking beauty of a true high definition image. No more muffled voices or overpowering sound effects! Even a modest sound system can capture the immersive quality intended by the director of your favorite films.

Like what you’re hearing? We’ll have more great articles on home theater electronics and the Blu-ray format coming soon.

Sabrina to David: “Keep talking David, keep talking.”

Just like Juno started with a chair, my adventures in cable-land started with a bookshelf. Or rather, they started with a bookshelf that was about to morph into a buffet in my living room / dining room.

A simple switch, you might think, but actually it meant rearranging the entire room layout, which lead to a long-overdue showdown between me and the tangle of wires that have taken over the area around the computer and sound system in our living room.

The wire situation wasn’t pretty to begin with, but I knew things were going to get even uglier before the night was out and that I had some work ahead of me. To show you what I was up against, here’s a little taste of the many cables that meet in our master power bar:

True Love = Living with Cables

I’m sure I don’t have to tell my female audience out there this one enduring fact about men – they come with cables. It doesn’t matter if they have a home theater system, a video game console, power tools or any other number of electronic devices, there will be cables, they will be in plain sight and they will drive you insane if you have to share your space with them for too long (the cables we mean, not the men).There will also come a time where you can stand it no longer. But love means compromise, and so you decide to find a way to live with the cables that not only makes your living room look prettier but that also helps you keep your sanity.

Which is exactly what I did.

Navigating the Cable Jungle

In deference to my techie husband-to-be, I wanted to approach the cable-straightening project with extreme caution, knowing that a single misguided input could cause the whole system to explode in a spark-laden mushroom cloud (at least in my mind, that’s what would happen – in reality, something just probably wouldn’t turn on right, but that’s not nearly dramatic enough).I began by painstakingly disconnect one wire and device at a time, carefully extracting each one from the tendrils of the other devices and taking note of where they connect so I could put them back to right. I’m by no means an electronics expert, so in my mind, the process went sort of like this (think of it in the tune of Dem Dry Bones as performed by The Wiggles):

“The grey cord’s connected to the…computer,
The computer’s connected to the…black thingy,
The black thingy’s connected to my…foot bone …
Uh-oh, that’s not right.”

You can no doubt guess that there was a lot of running up and downstairs with questions like, “Honey, the grey cable poking up from the floor, exactly where does that go again?” and “Refresh me on which two cables will electrocute me if they touch each other, again?”

Yup that’s me – I know enough about wiring and cables to know that some of them don’t belong together or you could die, but I’m just not entirely sure which ones!

Despite my ongoing questions, I have to give major kudos to a very patient man who not only lets me fiddle with his electronic stuff – and we’re talking every piece of equipment unplugged and moved around here, people – but who also comes to the rescue at 9:30 pm when, thinking I was just about finished, I plugged in the master power bar and absolutely nothing turned back on.You could say we make a great team!

The Final Result

Had I been thinking, I would have taken shots of exactly how our wiring set-up looked before I set out on my quest…but then again, I want you all to sleep well tonight with no nightmares. So instead, I’ll just show you an after picture of what the project is looking like now that it’s almost done:

Emphasis on the almost, you see. Unfortunately, we still need a longer phone cable, the speaker wire still needs to be run along the floor and hidden behind the bookshelves and there is still some work to be done straightening the cords behind the computer, because even though you can’t see it, I know what’s back there and it still makes me hyperventilate.

But given after all this work it was nearly 10 pm and I had to work the next day, I decided to pack it in for the night and save the rest for another day.

And besides, after hours of slaving over tangled wires and deciphering inputs and outputs, I was definitely going to need a drink…Because the rest of my living room still looked like this:

In less time than it took Julia Roberts to finish her Best Actress speech in 2000 – and we quote, “Everybody tries to get me to shut up. It didn’t work with my parents and it didn”t work now!” – Oscar season is once again upon us.

So many categories, so little time, and so many pictures I haven’t even seen yet! Up for Best Picture are Avatar, District 9 and Inglourious Basterds, to name a few I have seen, and The Blind Side, Precious and Up in the Air, as a few I haven’t, and many more.

You can check out full coverage on the Oscars website, but for now, let’s cut to the chase on two major categories: Best Actress and Best Actor.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
• Helen Mirren, The Last Station
• Carey Mulligan, An Education
• Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
• Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

I’ll shamefacedly admit that I have yet to see any of these movies, despite my oft-repeated “Oooh, I want to see [insert the title of any of the movies listed above] when it comes out!”. But hey, it’s Chick Flicks on Blu-ray people, which means it’s no surprise I don’t get out to the theatre much!

Regardless, I shall offer my completely uneducated, unsubstantiated pick for this year’s Best Actress, and that is…

Ms. Sandra Bullock!

Sandra Bullock is one of those actresses who hums along quietly in the background making movies that make you laugh and feel good. She doesn’t necessarily do anything boldly dramatic and she certainly hasn’t pulled a Charlize Theron and uglied herself up for a film in the hopes of bringing home an Oscar. However, she seems to have really struck a chord with the public with The Blind Side and has eased herself quietly into the Academy spotlight.

Based on the above facts and the fact that Hope Floats is still one of my favorite chick flicks of all time, I am picking Sandra for Best Actress (and also for Celebrity I Most Want to Be Friends With, though that’s not an official category. Yet.)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
• George Clooney, Up in the Air
• Colin Firth, A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman, Invictus
• Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

It wouldn’t be right to pick a leading lady and not a leading man. It also happens that I have actually seen one of the films listed above, which makes my opinion on the subject slightly more valid (though not much). So let the critique begin:

While I was impressed with The Hurt Locker, it didn’t exactly wow me enough to make Jeremy Renner my choice for Best Actor – so that’s one off the list. Having not seen the other films, logic dictates I make my prediction solely on celebrity crush-worthiness and say George Clooney or Colin Firth. But I think I’m going to go rogue on this one and say…

Mr. Jeff Bridges!

Crazy Heart has been getting some serious underdog press. In a plot that’s reminiscent of The Wrestler, it’s the story of a hard-luck, downtrodden country singer looking to turn his life around.

Though Bridges recently played a role in the sleeper-hit The Men Who Stare at Goats, we’re willing to extend the Wrestler-Crazy Heart comparison to say that this film will do for Bridges what The Wrestler did for Mickey Rourke, and usher an under-the-radar actor permanently back into the spotlight.

Your Picks

You’ve got my choices, but if you’ve got your own picks – and heaven forbid they’re based on actually seeing the movies – we’d love to hear them!

Alexis Bledel’s latest movie is out on Blu-ray?!

AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
 

While the Post Grad news is exciting, it’s not the only chick flick to be released this week. See what other movies were released on January 12, 2010.

Blu-ray Releases: January 12, 2010

• 8 ½
• The Brothers Bloom
• The Burning Plain
• Cliffhanger
• Fame
• Halloween II (2009)
• The Hurt Locker
• I Can Do Bad All By Myself
• IMAX: Volcanoes of the Deep Sea
• In the Loop
• Last Action Hero
• The Matrix (Non-digibook)
• Moon
• Post Grad
• The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season
• Whiteout

Chick Flick Pick of the Week

Charlize Theron rarely disappoints, so we’re looking forward to checking out her performance in the emotionally-charged drama The Burning Plain. However…there is also a small part of us that really wants to see Post Grad, just for the fact that it has Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls in it, whom we loved…in seasons 1 through 5, that is (okay, and maybe 6).

Let us know your pick in the Comments!