After last year's dynamic duo of Steve Martin and Alec Badwin, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will have another pair to host this year's Oscars. Anne Hathaway, the star of this year's Love and Other Drugs, and James Franco of 127 Hours will host this year's awards. The Academy seems to be geared toward a younger audience this year, and the picks are definitely not predictable. I wonder what will happen if Hathaway or Franco win Oscars?
The classic comedian passed away on Sunday from pneumonia at the age of 84. He's been acting since 1956 when he starred in the sci-fi flick Forbidden Planet. He will be missed!
What a way to begin my 11 Movies to Watch Before 2011. I DVR'd The Godfather on AMC's "Thanksgiving With the Godfather." While they cut out a couple of choice words and one or two graphic images, according to my father, for the most part, everything was in there. My only other experience with Francis Ford Coppola thus far was Apocalypse Now. Both were great films, but between the two The Godfather is definitely my favorite. While Coppola's film was rather long, it proved to be worth the wait despite Marlon Brando's obnoxious voice (I said it). 
Marlon Brando did not memorize most of his lines and read from cue cards during most of the film.
The name of the traditional Sicilian hat (worn, for instance, by Michael's bodyguards) is "coppola."
Director Francis Ford Coppola worked with relatives in this film, (making it a family film in many contexts). In chronological order of appearance:
- his sister Talia Shore portrayed Connie Corleone throughout the trilogy
- his mother Italia Coppola serves as an extra in the restaurant meeting
- his father Carmine Coppola is the piano player in the Mattress sequence
- his sons Gian-Carlo Coppola and Roman Coppola can be seen as extras in the scene where Sonny beats up Carlo, and at the funeral
- and his daughter Sofia Coppola is the baby Michael Rizzi in the baptism (she was three weeks old at the time of shooting).
Don Vito Corleone's distinctive voice was based on real-life mobster Frank Costello. Marlon Brando had seen him on TV during the Kefauver hearings in 1951 and imitated his husky whisper in the film.
This was voted the "Greatest Film of All Time" by Entertainment Weekly.
Emily Giffin's first book is becoming a new movie. The basic plot of Something Borrowed is that Darcy (Kate Hudson) and Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) are best friends. Darcy is engaged to Dex (somewhat newcomer Colin Egglesfield) but unfortunately on the night of Darcy's 30th birthday party, Rachel and Dex get together. Suddenly Rachel must decide what she wants. It sounds silly, but the cast seems pretty strong. The film is set to hit theaters in 2011.
Not to be confused with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Daniel Day Lewis will star as Abraham Lincoln in a biography based on the play Angels in America. Originally the role was supposed to be taken by Liam Neeson, but when he dropped out this summer Lewis took over. After the failure of Nine, it's time for Lewis to return to his Gangs of New York glory. We'll see if this is the flick for it. Spielberg will shoot the film next Fall.
Those who know me know how excited I am about this. Warner Bros. has announced that there will be a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. The first film came out in 1992 and was a big flop. Director Joss Whedon then took the film and turned it into a hit (and personal favorite) T.V. show starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show ran for seven seasons and ended in 2003. 
At first I thought it looked good, but then I saw that it comes from the director of Twilight. Shame.
Finally! A medieval movie I may enjoy watching! Starring Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel and Danny McBride. It's directed by David Gordon Green (who directed Pineapple Express) and is set to come out April 8, 2011.
