For as long as I could drive, I’ve gone to see a movie on Christmas Day.

It’s kinda a tradition.

This year was no different.

Well, it was sorta different, I went to see “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”.  The English Language version, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.

Imagine if Criminal Minds was made into a feature film.

Imagine Captain Von Trapp as the head of an evil family.  Christopher Plummer plays a conflicted man;  half good, half evil, and all bad.

Daniel Craig is awesome.  Like Russell Crowe and Al Pacino –  I’ll go see anything they’re in.  They never fail me.

Craig kept UP his standard of great performances in this gritty, sexually charged, beyond creepy film.

I read the book, I should have known.

Frankly, while reading the book, I thought, “How are they going to put this on the screen.”  I mean, after all, there are just some things that you can barely read, much less watch.

But, alas, they did put it on the screen.  Graphically, vividly, realistically, inyourfaceally.

For the faint of heart, I’ll warn you, it’s more disturbing than “Black Swan”.  Much, much more.

But, as far as screen adaptations go, it’s great.  There are few changes from the book, ok, the ending is totally different, but for the most part, you feel like you’re reading the book when  you watch the film.  One very positive change is that the 1st 84 pages of the book are condensed into about four scenes.  It’s a pity that Steig Larsson didn’t do that.

Honestly, I almost quit reading the book before I met the girl with the Dragon Tattoo!  And the changed ending is much more clear, shorter, and makes more sense.

Rooney Mara is Lisbeth Salander.  And Daniel Craig isn’t just James Bond in this.  He’s even better.

So, if you’ve read the book, think you can watch the book on screen, and have no problem with murder, mayhem, rape, torture, near pornographic sex…shell out the $10, buy some popcorn, sit back and…relax isn’t the word…enjoy…again, no…watch…yeah, that’s it, watch!

I’d go back.

I went to see “The Help” on Saturday.

I was pleased.

Now, usually when Hollywood gets ahold of a really good book, they screw it UP in a big way.  Take Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil for example.  It was so bad, I was compelled to write Clint Eastwood a letter and ask him to please read anyother book he planned making into a movie.  It was glaringly apparent he’d not read Midnight! 

That movie was a disaster.

Not so with “The Help”.

There were a couple of changes that I wasn’t all that happy with.  Constantine’s story wasn’t brought out correctly, and Cicley Tyson played it like she was back in “Roots”.  And I think Skeeter’s dad was totally miscast.  But, other than that, really not much.

I gave it 2 thumbs UP!

I gave it an A+.

Not that too awful many people care what I think, but I really, really liked it.  As Sally Field would say.

When I heard that Emma (Easy A) Stone was to play Skeeter, I was worried.  Skeeter isn’t at all pretty in the book, but Emma Stone is. 

She was perfect!

And Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of Ron Opie Richie Cunningham Taylor Howard is a great actress.  Either that or she is a terrible person, because she WAS Hilly Holbrook.  And Hilly Holbrook in the book and movie is a major BE-Atch!

Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer killed as Abie and Minny, and brought the characters to life.   If I were part of the Academy, which BTW, I should be, they’d be UP there!

And of course, Sissy Spacek…I don’t know why anyone agrees to be in a movie with her, becasue they pale in comparrison…stole the show!

Go see it.  It has something for everyone.  A great story, joy, humor, sadness, thought provoking dialog that doesn’t get preachy, and even though it’s the “Chick FlicK” of the year, there’s something in it for the guys.

Jessica Chastain,

and the cars.  OMG, the cars are AWESOME!

As a car nut, and a movie perfection nut (I don’t like to see the mike, think bad editors should be shot, and hate it when things are out of sync) I always look at the cars in a period piece to make sure they’re right.

And they were!

So, guys, man UP and take TLW to the movies this weekend, you’ll enjoy it too!  And spring for the big bag of pop-corn!  The light bill can wait!

Today is Alfred Hitchcock’s 112th birthday.  He died in 1980. 

One of the greatest movie makers of all time, he gave us 39 Steps, Family Plot, Notorious, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder,The Birds, Psycho,  and my favorite, Rebecca!

What’s yours?

It’s Saturday, rent a Hitchcock movie tonight and celebrate!

The Smurf movie is being panned by the critics.

photo by Columbia Pictures

One reviewer gave it a D+!  (And he wasn’t talking about Smurfette’s cup size!)

That’s a little harsh.

The Hollywood Reported called it “numbingly generic.”

E. Online’s reviewer said, “it’s the epitome of cynical studio cash grabs that it appears to be.”

I thought movies were supposed to make money?

And the cruelest cut of all comes from Alonso Duralde of The Wrapl. He calls “The Smurfs” “a film that does for children’s entertainment what lead paint does for children’s toys.”  He said that the kiddie flick is “too moronic and cringe-worthy for adults,” though kids may find Azrael the cat amusing.

Well, who doesn’t love a cat?

Uh, me!

I’ve not seen it, and I probably won’t go, but since Neil Patrick Harris is in it, it has to have some worth.  He’s hilarious. 

I’ll wait for video.

Plus, I’ve always had a thing for Smurfette!

Either way, it’ll make a boat load of cash.

Micahel Rechtshaffen who writes for the Hollywood Reporter said, that “Hollywood seems to have no intention of leaving any ’80s pop culture touchstone unturned.”

“What’s next?, he added,  ”Where’s the Beef: the Movie”?

Ok, I think tha movie’s already been made, and I don’t think kids can get in to see it!