Fangirly Crush of the Week: Gabriel Macht

Posted in Crush of the Week by Whitney Weldon

I don’t always go for bad boys, but when I do, I prefer them to look like this…

Schaaaaaaa-wing

If you’ve been living in an abandoned mine shaft then you might not be aware that Wednesday was the season finale of USA’s Suits. And if for some unfathomable reason you are not a cave-dweller and have still yet to watch this show, you are missing out on a cast with more collective sex-appeal than the entire Winchester Family. Headlining that cast is Gabriel Macht, whose character Harvey Spector took a real hit in this week’s finale. I shall say no more. What I will say is that Pearson Spector Litt’s resident bad boy coming to terms with his abandonment issues made for one of the best performances on TV this year. Not many working actors today can make panic attacks look cool, and for that we salute you Gabriel Macht. Then of course, there’s the fact that you’re absurdly hot. Don’t think we forgot about that.

–Whitney

26Aug2015

10 TV Couples That Are My Relationship Goals

Posted in Choice Picks, TV by Ellen Lloyd

There are many relationships on TV but only few are chosen… by me to someday emulate. Many are fraught with drama and while those are fun to watch, I hope to someday have one that is more like the following:

10. Monica and Chandler (Friends) – These two were my first OTP (internet speak for “One True Pairing”). Shmoss and Shmachel, I only cared about Monica and Chanandler Bong. I like that his amount of dorky is the perfect match to her amount of crazy.

9. Bob and Linda Belcher (Bob’s Burgers) – The Belchers are not only a relationship goal but a family goal. Someday I hope to raise a similar band of weirdos. Bob and Linda stick together and accept each other’s eccentricities amidst all the chaos.

http://olliepestos.tumblr.com/post/127119616890

8. Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley (The Office) – Speaking of chaos, in a different bunch of weirdos, these two found each other. They might have had a few (infuriating) bumps along the way to find each other but they did it. I always loved that their relationship felt real. They initially bonded over shared jokes and stayed together through hard work. Continue reading →

25Aug2015

Get With The Program: Suits

Posted in Get with the Program by Whitney Weldon

Litigation. Corporate buyouts. Company bylaws. If these three words do not turn you on just a little bit, there’s a chance you aren’t watching Suits on USA. If that’s the case, you have my sincere condolences. Not only have you been missing out on the greatest legal drama to grace the airwaves since JAG, but for the last five years you have been living without this unfairly lofty expectation for how a man should look in a suit.

You also didn’t get to witness Meghan Markle demonstrating how to get it done in heels and a pencil skirt.

You completely missed Gina Torres obliterate the competition for Ultimate Corporate Mamma Jamma.

Nor seen the raw, cringe-inducing power of Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt, the stoolie we all hate to love.

And been denied this bromantic buffoonery.

You’ve gone all this time without salivating every time you hear Ima Robot’s “Greenback Boogie”.

Starting to feel a little sorry for yourself? Well, that’s only to be expected. So take a minute, have a good cry. Then you need to dust yourself off and prepare for the binge of your life, because you’ve only got a few hours before the Suits season 5 finale airs on USA tomorrow night. Last one there is a Harold Gunderson!

–Whitney

21Aug2015

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Rob Delaney

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by Ellen Lloyd

During the course of my Summer Binge I caught up on the Amazon/British series Catastrophe. The show focuses on a couple who find out they are expecting a baby after a brief fling they had while Rob, played by Delaney, visited the UK on business. The show is a really great contribution to the romantic comedy genre, while also being more than just a rom com. It is a very funny, sweet, and authentic look at something that feels like a realistic relationship.

Okay, we got all that out of the way. Now onto the swoony Rob Delaney. Would 12-year old Ellen have appreciated Rob? No, probably not. While I may have admired his sense of humor, I was not yet mature and sophisticated enough to appreciate his swarthy manliness, nor his metro lumberjack fashion sense. But guess who does appreciate all of that in a big way? This girl.

In summary, I dare you to watch the show and fall for Rob the Character and I dare you to read the following Twitter conversation and not fall in love with Rob the Man. Such a man. Ooh, boy.

–Ellen

20Aug2015

23 Times Liz Lemon Hit Too Close to Home

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by Ellen Lloyd

Lately, I have been re-watching 30 Rock, just because. It’s like one of those times when you meet up with an old friend and it is as if no time has passed. If anything, you just remember how awesome that friend is and how much you miss them.

While I have always identified with Liz Lemon, I am realizing that age is only bringing me further into my Liz Lemonhood. Let’s explore.

1. Post work evenings are more like this:

2. Whenever I put on makeup and my contacts I feel like this:

3. If ever I have a conversation with a crush without wanting to cringe:

4. Never knowing how to comfort people going through a hard time:

5. Anytime I go to a sporting event: Continue reading →

20Aug2015

Fangirly Presents KNOCK IT OFF HENRY CAVILL!

Posted in Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

Hey. Hey you!

Yes you. I want you to knock it off.

Is that a yes or a no? How about you talk with your mouth, not your piercing blue eyes.

EXCUSE ME?!

Hey, don’t look at the red monster, look at me!

What, you think you’re cool because you have a bunch of Muppet friends? LOOK AT ME!

Better. Now can you please KNOCK IT OFF?

Buddy, you are swiftly approaching my very last nerve.

Is this FUNNY TO YOU?!

OH YEAH?!!?

…whatever…

Oh yeah, it’s like that.

This has been Fangirly Presents Knock it off, Henry Cavill.

–Whitney

19Aug2015

The Reviews Are In: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Posted in The Reviews are In by Whitney Weldon

We’ve gotten to know each other pretty well by now, right? Ellen and I have publicized most of our pop-culture proclivities (ALLITERATION!), and we’ve held very little back. Here’s another confession for the books: we go bananas for 60’s spy thrillers. James Bond, Funeral in Berlin, Notorious. The hairier the chest, the shorter the swim trunks, the happier we are. So when we heard about Guy Ritchie’s new spy thriller The Man from U.N.C.L.E, starring Henry Cavill (he of the chin that cuts glass) and Armie Hammer (he of cartoon eyelashes) we had difficulty keeping our trademark cool (joke).

And believe me guys, this movie did not disappoint. Guy Ritchie understands that a spy movie is only as interesting as it’s
spies, so he gave us three of the most watchable spooks since… ever.

Henry Cavill plays Napoleon Solo, a Bond-type company man who is carrying out a sentence of indentured servitude to the CIA. In an effort to avert a nuclear apocalypse (as per ushe) he teams up with (gasp!) KGB Special Agent Illya (Armie Hammer) and East Berlin refugee Gaby (Alicia Vikander). World saving ensues.

I’ll be the first to admit that the story here is a little light. But the movie is so stylish and fun to watch, I found myself not caring. The dynamic between Nalopeon and Illya is hysterical (you know, typical American-Russian tom-foolery), and Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander have some of the best on-screen chemistry I’ve seen in a while. My only complaint? Resident super-villain Victoria (Elizabeth Debicki) didn’t really strike fear into my heart as I’m sure was intended. More Femme Fatigue than Femme Fatale, if you feel me. Also, Jared Harris should be legally prohibited from doing an American accent. Ever.

I know this movie has snatched some pretty mixed reviews, but I’m begging you to go see it. I promise it will be the most fun you’ll have at the movies this summer.

–Whitney

14Aug2015

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Shiri Appleby of UnREAL

Posted in Crush of the Week by Whitney Weldon

I DEFY you to name one character on TV this summer, male or female, who has brought it quite as hard as Shiri Appleby on the new Lifetime series UnREAL. The show itself is pretty good, and deeply self-referential in a way we really respond to around here. And amidst a sea of blonde, busty babes is Appleby’s Rachael Goldberg, a character who can’t be bothered to bathe, brush her hair, or generally give a crap, yet still somehow manages to make ratchet to so, so right.

I’ve responded to this performance in a way I usually don’t. In fact, I’m almost uncomfortable with how strongly I’ve identified with Rachael. First, I need to mention that I own this exact outfit…

I’m also usually in various states of dishevelment, although I have never managed to pull it off quite like Shiri Appleby can. That’s a gift, people. To take a look that is default for most women and turn it up to ten without lifting a finger. It’s nice to see a female character that is allowed to be sexy on her own terms. I bow to her.

It’s also nice to see a woman in TV who’s admired, not because she’s pretty or charming, but because she’s good at what she does, even if that happens to be mass manipulation. Not that Rachael isn’t pretty or charming (some people just walk in the light) but the people on this show rely on her, and defer to her in a way we almost never get to see on TV. If you haven’t see UnREAL, consider this your call to action. This is the performance to watch this year, and if Appleby doesn’t bag herself an Emmy nom, then we live in a world devoid of justice.

-Whitney

12Aug2015

Ellen’s Summer of the Binge

Posted in Sweet Streams, TV by Ellen Lloyd

Summer gives us some great movies, but the television is bit limited (other than Big Brother and SYTYCD, of course). While some may bemoan this, I celebrate it by using this time to watch a whole lot of shows that I don’t always have the time to get around to during the regular TV season. My bingeing is greatly aided by the fact that I can watch while I am at work.

I thought I would run through the shows that I have been watching this summer, in particular order. Unless, “the order that I remembered them” is considered an order.

Chuck (First Time) – As mentioned in last week’s Crush of the Week, I fell pretty hard for both Zachary Levi and the show itself. It can be a bit corny at times, but overall, I really loved it. Fun, funny, and heaps and heaps of sexual tension.

Buying & Selling (First Time) – I definitely prefer the original Property Brothers or the OG PB as the cool kids call it. Of course, this didn’t stop me from watching a lot of it. I think my main problem with this version is that the buying is my least favorite part of OG PB.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Re-Watch) – Much like the other Fey/Carlock joint, the rewatchability factor on this is high, there is just so many hidden gems that come out on repeat viewings.

Spaced (Re-Watch) – I feel the need to bust this show out every now and then because I just love it so much. This time around, I watched each episode, then again with the original commentary, THEN AGAIN with the guest commentaries for the special edition DVD. Fun bit of trivia: My first post for this site was about Spaced. I just love it that much.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (First Time) – This one may warrant it’s own post, so I may not say too much here. Much like the OG WHAS, the humor here may not be for everyone but I have a major soft spot for David Wain and Co. Even if the brand of humor is not for you, the cast alone may be enough reason to watch.

The X-Files (Re-Watch in Progress) – This show was on every Sunday night in my house growing up because my mom was a huge fan of both the show and David Duchovny. I figured that I should give it a re-watch in preparation for the new series.

Rehab Addict (First Time) – Another show that is not my favorite, yet I watched all of it. While I do like her design style and dedication to restoration, Nicole gets on my nerves and it drives me nuts that it takes multiple episodes to get through one house.

Flip or Flop (First Time) – The reason I don’t like Rehab Addict is the reason I like Flip or Flop. Tarek and Christina are by no means my favorite, but I like that they get through a whole flip from buying to selling in only 20 minutes.

Fixer Upper (First Time) – BY FAR my favorite of the HGTV genre. I love their houses, I love the format, but mostly I just love Chip and Joanna so much. That being said, I wish Joanna was out of the picture so that I could marry Chip and run a renovation company with him.

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (First Time and then Re-Watch) – I lost track of how many times I watched this show because when I was really obsessed with it, I would just put it on in the background. Just because. If you want more of my thoughts on this one, go here.

The IT Crowd (Re-Watch) -I watch a lot of these shows while I am working, so it is nice to have an easy comedy that I can not pay a lot of attention to and still enjoy thoroughly. Very British and very silly but so funny and Chris O’Dowd is so cute.

Love It or List It (First Time) – You might be able to tell, but I went on a bit of an HGTV bender this summer. This is yet another that is not my favorite, but it was mindless entertainment for a couple days at work.

Derek (First Time) – I wrote a lengthier review of this one after I had watched all of it. I’m really surprised that it took me so long to get to this one being the fan of The Office and Extras that I am. It is very sweet and melancholy in the same way as those shows.

Catastrophe (First Time) – If you are a fan of funny yet realistic romantic comedies then this one is for you. The chemistry between the two leads (Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney) is very sweet and grounded and made fall in love with Rob. I dare you to watch and not do the same.

RuPaul’s Drag Race (First Time) – Honey, you better work. This show is just fabulous and eleganza extravaganza. Shantay, you stay on my DVR list because honey, if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you going to love someone else. Can I get an Amen? (This review is brought to you by the catchphrases of RuPaul)

Inside Amy Schumer (First Time) – This has been deemed as the Summer of Amy Schumer by media outlets, so I figured I would get on board and watch her show. I was not disappointed. Like most sketch shows, not all of the skits are amazing, but there is a lot of joy to be had from the good ones (my favorite being her Friday Night Lights spoof)

Game of Thrones (Catch Up) – I had fallen behind on this one and catching up seemed like an insurmountable task, but that’s what summer is for. Some of my experience was tarnished by spoilers I had learned through the grapevine, but this show is still pretty nuts.

Silicon Valley (First Time) – I will always support the comedies that get nominated in the Best Comedy category that are actually, you know, funny. I was happy to discover that this is one of those shows, which is not surprising when considering the people behind it and the cast.

Justified (Catch Up) – This is a show that I love but fell behind on when I didn’t have cable. This one is a really great drama that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Also, I will never be mad at Timothy Olyphant in a hat.

Orphan Black (Catch Up) – If you caught a whiff of the excitement around Tatiana Maslany’s Emmy nomination and wondered why everyone was making such a big deal, watch this show and you will totally get it. I had already watched the first season but needed to catch up on the 2nd and 3rd. I know that the 3rd has gotten some mixed reviews, but I will always love getting more Helena.

Humans (First Time) – There wasn’t a lot to binge here because it is fairly new, but I did watch all episodes one Saturday a couple of weeks ago. I found this show quite interesting and hope that more networks start picking up British imports.

I know. I have a problem.

–Ellen

11Aug2015

Choice Picks: If You Don’t Like These Movies, We Probably Can’t be Friends

Posted in Choice Picks by Whitney Weldon

Making friends as an adult can be fraught with drama and disappointment. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gotten excited about a burgeoning friendship, only to find that the person’s favorite show is Criminal Minds or (heaven forbid) Angel. It’s a struggle to which we can all relate. So to guard myself from forming platonic attachments I’d live to regret, I developed this friendship litmus test. The idea is that I expose this potential pal to the movies that are, essentially, celluloid chunks of my very soul, and if their response is less than enthusiastic, I cut ’em loose. It sounds mean, but I’m really just saving everyone’s time. Let’s dig in.

5. Super 8 (2011)

Super 8 is pretty much everything I ever wanted in a movie: 70’s nostalgia, aliens, Kyle Chandler being a dad, 12-year-olds swearing. This movie came out during the same summer that brought us Bridesmaids, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and X-Men: First Class, and for me, it eclipsed all of them. When I FORCE a friend to watch this movie, I pay close attention to their face during the scene where Joel Courtney sacrifices his dead mother’s locket to help a wayward alien get back home; if they are not weeping without restraint, I don’t see much of a future for us.

4. Wayne’s World

Approximately 90 percent of everything that comes out of my mouth is a direct quote from this movie. Last Christmas, my mother handed me a gift and my knee-jerk response was “If this is a severed head, I’m going to be very upset”. That is a true story. So I’m not saying that people who don’t like this movie aren’t cool (out loud), but if you don’t know this film inside and out, there will probably be an insurmountable language barrier between us. Alas.

3. Scott Pilgrim V. The World

This is a fairly recent addition to the list. I coerced a friend into watching this only last February and TO MY HORROR this schlemiel fell asleep half way through. When questioned, their response was “it was kind of stupid”. I have never been so personally offended by a critique of another persons work in my life. Too irate for words. Scott Pilgrim is a lot of things, and stupid is not one of them. This is one of the densest scripts ever to be committed to film; the jokes are so smart and packed in so tightly that most of them are missed on the first viewing. Haters can kindly step to the left. Right off a cliff.

2. The Orphanage

This movie serves a duel purpose. One, it tells me what kind horror viewer a person is. Do they shriek in my ear? Do they claw at me during the scary parts? Can they conduct themselves with composure befitting a grown-up when the old lady in the goggle glasses pops out of nowhere? Two, is this the kind of person who whines about subtitles? Not that I’m one of those Art-House-Foreign-Film Elitists, but come on. It’s fifth grade level reading. Suck it up.

1. Unbreakable

I caught this movie while channel surfing after school one afternoon and decided, at the tender age of 11, that this was about as good as a movie gets. Its a non-comic based superhero movie about a man (Bruce Willis) who realizes that he can’t be hurt. It’s dark and terse and such a slow burn. If a friend trusts me enough to sit through 45 minutes of character development and backstory to reach this beautiful pay-off, I can see us going the distance. In friendship terms.

–Whitney

10Aug2015

The Reviews are In: Fantastic Four

Posted in The Reviews are In by Whitney Weldon

It would be too easy to join the Fantastic Four pile-on. I will be the first to admit that the amount of vitriol being slung at this movie is beyond excessive; an 8% percent on rotten tomatoes should be reserved for Indiana Jones sequels and Michael Bay movies. HOWEVER, this movie is pretty bad, and I’m ready to tell you how, as tactfully as the crappiness of this film will allow. First, though, lets start with what I liked about Fantastic Four.

The first half of the film is, in a lot of ways, pretty good. Reed Richard (Miles Teller) is a Boy Genius who gets recruited to join a prestigious research institute by Franklin Storm and his daughter Sue (Kate Mara). Reed and Sue, joined by Sue’s brother Johnny (Michael B. Jordan *swoon*) and resident vengeful science nerd Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell), try to crack inter dimensional travel. This is by far the most engaging part of Fantastic Four, watching these five really smart people work to accomplish a common goal. We see friendships form and budding romances emerge. Then… they get superpowers.

I’m not going to give you the rundown on the plot of FF, because we’ve seen three of these things already and everybody knows the drill. Through a series of mishaps the titular foursome are endowed with powers they cannot hope to control. This is the point where the film grinds to a halt. The energy of the first act is lost and we are left with four characters who don’t know how to handle each other or themselves.

It’s really not fair to compare this team to the one that preceded it, but I’m going to anyway. The first FF movies were far from perfect, but at least they interacted with one another in a way that was fun to watch. Chris Evans and Jessica Alba bickered like brothers and sisters should; Michael Chiklis and Ioan Gruffudd bro-ed out; Gruffudd and Alba exchanged furtive glances; Chiklis and Evans verbally eviscerate each other. We just don’t get that from this new team. Sue and Reed’s romance stalls out as quickly as it starts. Johnny and Sue act like two people who’ve never met before but tacitly agree to pretend to be siblings anyway. Johnny and Ben (Jamie Bell) don’t really exchange any dialogue at all until the last thirty seconds of the movie, and the audiences miss out on the antagonistic banter that made their predecessors at least watchable. In the end, what should have brought them together (superpowers) seems to only drive them apart, and they never feel like much of a team.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t seem to matter how bad this movie was because it’s likely that Marvel’s First Family will get a chance to redeem themselves in a sequel. Because that worked out so well the last time.

-Whitney

7Aug2015

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Zachary Levi

Posted in Crush of the Week by Ellen Lloyd

Gather around children, it’s story time. Once upon time, Whitney and I went to Comic Con together. It was magical week of nerds and sleeping in lines. One night, we slept outside to get into a magical land called Ballroom 20. Chuck was having a panel for its last season, so Zachary Levi took it upon himself to walk the line and say hi to everyone. At the time, neither of us watched Chuck, but we are still functioning females who can recognize his patented blend of approachable, adorable, nerdy charm. When he got to us, Whitney told him that he was awesome, he high fived her and told her that she’s the bee’s knees (which she is, by the way). She…did not handle it well. Granted, it was something like 3 in the morning, but she fell back giggling so hard that she whacked her head on the sidewalk. For some reason, we got a good laugh out of that, so Zachary Levi has long held a special place in our hearts.

His crushiness was further solidified by attending some of his Nerd HQ events at Comic Con where he is just all kinds of charming and handsome. That said, it was only until this week that I watched any of Chuck, but I made up for it by watching it hard. Guys, if you are at all like me and devour a show with a good ship then have I got a show for you. I have gotten through almost all five seasons in six days. What is summer for if not binge watching?

Needless to say, my crush is now full blown. I mean, how could it not be? Sure, I have a hard time buying this handsome devil as the repugnant nerd that they sometimes make him out to be, but his journey from bumbling geek to confident but still nerdy super spy is … super hot.

We here at Fangirly will always support a hottie with legit geek cred. Zachary Levi, we salute you. Scha-wing.

–Ellen

(Here’s a gif of him dancing with Tom Hiddleston. Just because.)

7Aug2015

Fangirly Birthday Tribute: The Story of Ellen

Posted in Fangirl Poetry by Whitney Weldon

Her life began, as you might assume,

When she beat a hasty retreat from the womb

Her wit was legend by the time she was six,

No one could ever catch on to her tricks

But Ellen cared not for the praise, not one bit,

Even when it came from her dear cousin, Whit

The girls became buddies, of the rarest kind,

No two more alike in spirit and mind

Whitney cried on the day Ellen left for the city

She was now all alone, and it felt pretty… um, bad

Though their visits were fun, they just weren’t enough,

And saying goodbye became rougher than rough

But Ells was just fine, yes she tore it up good,

Doing the things you WISH that you could

And sometimes, she’d think of her poor lonely cousin

For the good times they’d shared, she could count by the dozen

So the girls reunited, and they did it real fast

And were just as close as they’d been in the past

Just one thing now could complete their bliss,

To each wed a guy by the name of Chris

Which totally happened, I swear that it’s true,

I’d go into detail, but that might get too blue

That’s the end of my story, and I hope you’re all awed

By Ellen, the world’s most spectacular broad.

Ells, I hope this birthday poem wasn’t a dud,

But, just in case, I also got you Paul Rudd

–Whitney

6Aug2015

Early Reviews for Fantastic Four are in…

Posted in The Reviews are In by Whitney Weldon

…And it’s pretty much just as I expected. Reviews have been mixed, but most critics say the reboot hasn’t significantly improved or innovated the franchise. Even before it hit most theaters, the movie garnered a measly 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. A. O. Scott of the New York Times said:

“‘Fantastic Four’, despite the dogged efforts of its talented young cast, has nothing. The special effects are at about the level of the early “Harry Potter” movies — lots of glowing green clouds and ice-blue bolts and force fields. The human drama is meager. Once again, the only real pathos belongs to Mr. Bell’s Ben, who finds himself trapped in a stony new body and weaponized by a ruthless government. Mr. Teller stretches, not as an actor but as a digitally enhanced body. Mr. Jordan burns in the same way, and Ms. Mara disappears. Her character also has the power to make other things vanish. I would say she should have exercised it on this movie, but in a week or two that should take care of itself.”

(Ouch. Here’s a link to the full review in case you enjoy a good crucifixion).

Even though I fully expected to be underwhelmed by this movie, I’m still disappointed. Mostly, I just hope that filmmakers who plan to tackle the superhero genre will take something from this: a story doesn’t necessarily need to be dark and gritty to be complex and momentous. Taking this goofy coterie of heroes and simply mixing in some post-adolescent angst is lazy film-making and, from what I can tell, not very true to the source material. These characters- a stretchy professor, invisible lady, human matchstick, and rock monster- are just too whimsical to be taken so seriously. That’s at least something that the first FF movies, despite their many flaws, understood pretty well.

A full Fangirly review is forthcoming, but in the meantime, tell us what you think in our comment section, on Twitter @fangirly2, or email us at fangirlyfangirls@gmail.com.

–Whitney

5Aug2015

Web Bytes: Deadpool Trailers

Posted in Movies, Web Bytes by Ellen Lloyd

Certainly doesn’t look like it will be for the faint for heart, but any media that utilizes “Shoop” by Salt N Peppa is an A+ in this girl’s book.

Best line: “Please don’t make the suit green. Or animated.” Get it?

-Ellen

For all audiences trailer:

Red Band Trailer (and it is fairly red)

4Aug2015

Cinema Chutes and Ladders: Summer 2015

Posted in Cinema Chutes and Ladders by Whitney Weldon

It’s August and that means that the summer box office has begun it’s inevitable cool-down. We’re here to give you our take on a few of this summer’s biggest releases and speculate on a few late season stragglers. It’s time for another edition of Cinema Chutes and Ladders!

Ladder

Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1)

There’s been a lot of talk lately about Marvel Fatigue and the over-saturation of comic book movies. In response I’d like to say, um, boo hoo? What a bummer for audiences that this production studio is churning out these pretty consistently good films that make people excited to go to the movies. The nerve. I, for one, really enjoyed Age of Ultron. It gave me everything I needed from an Avenger movie, like good character moments, and solid performances, and…

Chris Evans chopping wood. Can’t forget about that.

Ladder

Mad Max: Fury Road (May 15)

I wasn’t sold on Fury Road when it was announced last year; I prefer studios to spend their time developing something original rather than rebooting a franchise that flamed out thirty years ago. So you can imagine my surprise when this turned out to be not only one of the best, but in many way one of the most original, summer release. Fingers crossed for a Nux spin-off, am I right?

Chute

Jurassic World (June 12)

I gave Jurassic World an initial good review that I stand by. But when this movie is taken into context with all the other summer releases, it’s definitely one of the weaker links in the cinematic chain. It was fun, but not much more than that.

Ladder

Trainwreck (July 7)

The alternate title of this movie was How Whitney Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Amy Schumer.

Chute

Ant-Man (July 7)

I had one hope for this movie. I only asked that I could make it though Ant-Man‘s 117 minute run-time without hearing the phrase “why don’t you pick on somebody your own size”. I did not get that wish.

Ladder

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (July 31)

It’s really easy for me to forget what an amazing franchise Mission Impossible has been, until I’m confronted with yet another off-the-chain installment of said franchise. In other news, Rebecca Ferguson is my official Girl Crush of 2015. Crossfit has clearly served her well.

Ladder

The Gift (August 8)

From watching the trailer of The Gift, starring Joel Edgerton, Jason Bateman, and Rebecca Hall, I catch whiffs of Single While Female and Fatal Attraction. Since we haven’t seen too many psychological thrillers this season, I’m interested to see how this one shakes out. For now, I’m calling it a ladder based on casting alone.

Chute

Fantastic Four (August 8)

So Twentieth Century Fox, your plan was to take a quartet of inherently ridiculous superheroes whose attempts at film success has nose-dived not once, but twice, and make them grittier? Good call. Hey, maybe next you could remake The King and I as a raunchy sex comedy.

Ladder

Dark Places (August 8)

Probably capitalizing on the success of Gillian Flynn’s last film adaptation, Gone Girl, is a movie that looks stylistically and thematically very similar. Hey, if it’s half a bananas the trailer implies, you can sign me up.

Ladder

Man From U.N.C.L.E. (August 14)

Henry Cavill, why must we always do this? You insist on looking balls-to-the-wall sexy and I’m sent into a celebrity crush tailspin. Do you know how hard it is to live like this? DO YOU!?

–Whitney

3Aug2015

Fangirly Presents Who Wore it Better: Summer Reboots

Posted in Fangirly Fashion Police, Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

This summer gave us more sequels and reboots than we knew what to do with. Scratch that, we know exactly what to do with them. The Fangirly Fashion Police are standing by to determine who’s hot and who’s not from some of the biggest summer blockbusters, then and now.

Mad Max:

Tom Hardy v. Mel Gibson

I guess this one boils down to preference; do you want your Max dressed like A Guy on a Buffalo or Dystopian Edward Scissorhands? Mel surely gets points for showing us that road warrior couture didn’t need to sacrifice form for function, but I think this one goes to Tom. At least Hardy Boy’s outfit didn’t make me wonder about the chaffing potential of a full leather jumpsuit in a post-apocalyptic desertscape.

Fantastic Four:

Michael B. Jordan v. Chris Evans

This was very close. I wasn’t a dyed in the wool fan of the original Fantastic Four franchise, and I’ve got some reservations about the upcoming reboot. Artistic merit aside, I think I’m going to give this one to Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm. My bias is well-documented, and I like my superhero costumes to look as flamboyant and impractical as can be; Michael B. Jordan’s look is a little too utilitarian for my taste. I mean, look at all that ventilation. A hero should be ready and willing to sweat it out for the sake of fashion. Score Evans!

Poltergeist:

Kennedi Clements v. Heather O’ Rourke

Uh, both? Neither? I’m not sure whether to judge based on respective cuteness or creepiness. Obviously, both of these women know how to work a look. Clements and O’Rourke successfully took these outfits from jammy to whammy, and never have banana bangs looked so on-point. Unfortunately, Heather O’Rourke’s full-length sleepwear is nothing short of iconic, so this one goes to Carol Anne. It’s an ensamble that really says, “I’m hereeeeeeee”.–Whitney

3Aug2015

Choice Picks: The Entertainment Podcasts You Should Be Listening to (According to Whitney)

Posted in Choice Picks, Movies, Music, TV, Uncategorized, Web by Whitney Weldon

My name is Whitney, and I work… in an office.

Everyday presents a new challenge.

And my co-workers are great.

In general, it’s just a really fulfilling way to make a living.

But sometimes, even your dream job can be invaded by occasional moments of tedium and drudgery. I know it’s hard to believe that ennui can set in when you’re making 300 copies of a 90 page, 2-sided insurance document, but it can happen. To combat that, I developed a passionate relationship with podcasts and I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned. Here are the top five podcasts to get you through the workday, according to me (aka The Final Word).

5. The Black List Table Reads

I like to believe that one day, technology will provide me a way to sit at my desk and watch movies all day while appearing only marginally unproductive. The Blacklist Table Reads is the closest thing we have in 2015. It’s essentially a recorded table read of awesome unproduced scripts, performed by some surprisingly big names. Paul Sheer, June Diane Raphael, Rose McIver, and Parminder Nagra are just a few of the many voices you’ll recognize. If you have even the remotest interest in movies, Black List Table Reads should be a safe bet for you.

4. Science V.

Ok, this one isn’t, strictly speaking, an entertainment podcast. It is, however, absurdly entertaining. This show takes popular science fads and pins them against hard scientific data. Before you panic, it’s not remedial Statistics. The format is really engaging and host Wendy Zukerman feels like a BFF waiting to happen. So far, the show has tackled e-cigarettes, race, the female brain, and lots more. Season one just concluded, but that means all of season one is locked, loaded, and ready to binge.

3. Mystery Show

This one is slightly harder to synopsize. It’s sort of like if Veronica Mars were a Wes Anderson movie. It’s a show that ostensibly solves a weekly mystery, but the mysteries are less whodunnit and more “exactly how tall is Jake Gyllenhaal?”. Not kidding about that. It’s laughably addictive. Just trust me.

2. This is Actually Happening

Another entertaining, non-entertainment podcast. I stumbled across this one by accident and became hooked, in spite of myself. It’s people, just ordinary people, sharing stories. The stories themselves can often be hard to listen to, and a few are admittedly very disturbing. It’s sort of like being at a sleep over, post-3 am. You know, when everyone is talking and sharing intimate details about themselves, and suddenly someone tells the most insane, personal, unbelievable anecdote and no one ever mentions it again? It’s like that.

1. Pop Rocket

Pop Rocket is my salvation. Everything I need, I can get from one weekly dose of this show. It’s a round table homage to all things pop culture, hosted by the ineffably charming and hilarious Guy Branum. Every panelist has a particular area of expertise: Guy the Comedian, Wynter Mitchell the Media Strategist, Oliver Wang the Academic, and Margaret Wappler the Journalist. They are all so well spoken, so smart, and so distinctive that they warrant a dedicated Fangirly post of their own (but who has THE TIME?). Point is, you could spend your day trying to make small talk at dinguses with whom you share a work-space, or you could listen to interesting people talk about their passions. I leave it to you.

-Whitney

Fangirly

Where smart girls go stupid for pop culture

Monthly Archives: August 2015

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Gabriel Macht

10 TV Couples That Are My Relationship Goals

Get With The Program: Suits

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Rob Delaney

23 Times Liz Lemon Hit Too Close to Home

Fangirly Presents KNOCK IT OFF HENRY CAVILL!

The Reviews Are In: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Shiri Appleby of UnREAL

Ellen’s Summer of the Binge

Choice Picks: If You Don’t Like These Movies, We Probably Can’t be Friends

The Reviews are In: Fantastic Four

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Zachary Levi

Fangirly Birthday Tribute: The Story of Ellen

Early Reviews for Fantastic Four are in…

Web Bytes: Deadpool Trailers

Cinema Chutes and Ladders: Summer 2015

Fangirly Presents Who Wore it Better: Summer Reboots

Choice Picks: The Entertainment Podcasts You Should Be Listening to (According to Whitney)