The Large Association of Movie Blogs

LAMB Acting School 101: Joan Crawford

2012-01-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

CS, of Big Thoughts from a Small Mind,here with all the submissions for our LAMB Acting School 101 feature on Joan Crawford. Huge thanks to all the sites that took the time to send in their posts.

Articles

Alexandra, from I started Late and Forgot the Dog, looks at Crawford’s memorable eyebrows.

Alexandra also examines who wins in the feud between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis?

Reviews

Mildred Pierce
Defiant Success
Surrender to the Void
Film Forager
True Classic
Film Actually

Johnny Guitar
Film Forager
Surrender to the Void
Defiant Guitar

Grand Hotel
Defiant Success

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Defiant Success
Film Forager
Cinematic Corner

The Women
Defiant Success
jdbrecords

Dancing Lady
Defiant Success
The Hollywood Revue

Paid
The Hollywood Revue

Humoresque
I Luv Cinema
jdbrecords
The Movie Projector

The Best of Everything
jdbrecords
I Luv Cinema

Flamingo Road
jdbrecords

Letty Lynton
Classic Movies

Forsaking All Others
The Hollywood Revue

Mommie Dearest
Cinematic Corner

Daisy Kenyon
MacGuffin Movies

I Saw What You Did
The Hollywood Revue
jdbrecords

The Damned Don’t Cry
The Hollywood Revue

Our Blushing Bride
Shadows and Satin

Trog
jdbrecords
MacGuffin Movies

Possessed
jdbrecords

Dance, Fools, Dance
The Hollywood Revue

A Woman’s Face
jdbrecords

Berserk
MacGuffin Movies

Next month's LAMB Acting School 101 subject will be George Clooney! If you would like to see your favourite actor/actress highlighted in this series, be sure to add their name to the list in the forum section of The LAMB. or email your suggestion to bigthoughtsmallmind@hotmail.com.

Past actors/actresses featured in this column can be found in the LAMB Acting School 101 Archives.

The Devours the Oscars: Best Cinematography

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Welcome to the sixth of a 32-part series dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Ryan of Lord of the Films

As a lover of films with interesting visuals, Best Achievement in Cinematography has always been one of my favorite categories at the Academy Awards. In this category, we are supposed to see five films that display gorgeous outdoor scenery, a picturesque use of lighting and original uses of camera movement. I think we get a pretty good representation of that with this year’s set of nominees.

The first of this year’s honored cinematographers is Guillaume Schiffman for his work on The Artist. Schiffman is a first time nominee and since he is a French cinematographer, The Artist is his big breakthrough in the United States. Despite his lack of recognition in America, he shows real talent with his work in The Artist. The film is able to completely recreate the style of silent films of old, and this is in large part do to the cinematography. Schiffman is able to find the right use of light to make the black and white style of filmmaking realistic and does the right thing by focusing the camera on the faces of the actors (letting them steal the show).

The second of this year’s nominees is Jeff Cronenweth for his work on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. This is Cronenweth’s second overall (and second consecutive) nomination at the Oscars. He was nominated last year for his work on The Social Network which was another collaboration with David Fincher. Cronenweth seems to really understand Fincher’s style and that contributes to the film immensely. The fact that he is a leader in shooting film with digital cameras is another reason why Cronenweth’s work is so beloved. While I thought Cronenweth’s contributions to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo were a little more constrained than I thought they would be, the cinematography is still unique enough to warrant consideration here. He really does captures the setting well.

Frequent Oscar-goer Robert Richardson is our next nominee. Richardson was nominated for his work on Hugo. Richardson is now a seven time nominee for Best Cinematography. His first nomination came for his work on Best Picture winner Platoon for the 1987 ceremony. He was also nominated for Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, Snow Falling on Cedars, The Aviator and Inglourious Basterds. Richardson actually won for his work on JFK and his last nominated collaboration with Martin Scorsese, The Aviator. Richardson’s work on Hugo may be his most ambitious to date as he uses some jaw dropping tracking shots. However, what really makes the cinematography on Hugo work is how it is actually able to incorporate the use of 3D into the storyline.

The next nominee might be one of the most underrated artists around. Emmanuel Lubezki may only be a cinematographer but it is hard to deny that what he creates with every one of his films is a work of art. Lubezki is a five-time nominee at the Academy Awards. He was first nominated for the 1996 ceremony for A Little Princess and has since garnered nominations for Sleepy Hollow, A New World, and Children of Men. This year he is nominated for his work on Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. Lubezki is somehow able to bring Malick’s ambitious storytelling into break-taking visual upon break-taking visual. It would be such a shame if Lubezki failed again to get the Oscar for this immense achievement after being snubbed for the now famous tracking shots from Children of Men.

The final nominee in the category is frequent Spielberg collaborator, Janusz Kaminski. This time Kaminski is nominated for his work on War Horse. He has previously been nominated for Schindler’s List (which he won the Oscar for), Amistad, Saving Private Ryan (which he won his second Oscar for), and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This is far from Kaminski’s best work as he actually overdoes it in certain scenes (such as the final scene where the lighting is obnoxious), but it is hard to deny there are things to like in his contributions. Kaminski makes it look easy to recreate the visual style from the days of Ford and Lean.

I hope the Emmanuel Lubezki is finally able to win the Oscar this year, but the competition seems fierce. Robert Richardson has received raves for his work on Hugo, and considering Hugo seems to be a better play to the Academy at large (and the entire Academy votes on the winners in all categories), Richardson has to be considered the favorite. Then again Guillaume Schiffman could get the win on the coattails of a sweep from The Artist. This is definitely a category where the winner won’t be known until the winner is read from the envelope.

LAMB #1223 - Two Dude Review

2012-01-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

URL: http://twodudereview.com
Site Name: Two Dude Review
Categories: Reviews,News,Lists, Trailers, TV Show recaps
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
Movie reviews

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?

To express opinions about films, monetize the site, provide another outlet for people to read the "average Joe's" opinions.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?

Interactive community

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?

The site has been active for a little over 7 months; Postings are done an average of 3-5 times a week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Jaws, The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II

How did you hear about the LAMB?

Movie Mavericks

Editor's note: When glancing through this look like a promising site. I'm also a sucker for Boxoffice predictions and they have a section on that.

The LAMB Devours the Oscars: Best Actor

2012-01-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Welcome to the fifth of a 32-part series dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Sati of Cinematic Corner

Demián Bichir for A Better Life (2011)

previous Oscar nods: none

Verdict: A complete surprise despite SAG nomination,completely unknown actor from a movie I have not heard of until it gotmentioned during Tuesday's nominations. Then I looked him up and it turns outhe was actually playing Esteban on “Weeds”. I have not seen A BetterLife so I can't comment on hisperformance, but it proves one thing – SAG nod is almost a guarantee for anactor to get nominated for Oscar.

George Clooneyfor The Descendants (2011)

previous Oscar wins: Syriana

previous Oscar acting nods: Michael Clayton, Up in the Air

Verdict: Clooney's role in The Descendants is perhapsthe only great thing about the movie – if it wasn't for him, the film wouldlose majority of its charm and appeal. As a father of two girls and a husbandof a cheating, comatose wife Clooney channels the kind of strength andvulnerability that we rarely see in his performances. And considering that hewon for Syriana which along with The Descendants is nowhere near hisbrilliant work in two other movies he got nominated for, he is quite possiblygetting his second Oscar this year.

JeanDujardin for The Artist (2011)

previous Oscar nods: none

Verdict: Dujardin's performance in The Artist is perhapsthe most charming performance of last year. As a silent movies star hecaptures that particular kind of magic that allowed people to be stars backthen – great smile, being very polite to his fans, being lovely and all around a genuinely sweet guy.And then when talkies come into the picture – literally – he falls into deepdespair being convinced nobody wants to hear his voice. The movie, for meeasily the most wonderful film that cameout last year, contains many incredible scenes – most notably the dreamDujardin's character has that shows just how much his fear overwhelms him. Fromall the nominees, in my opinion, that is the most remarkable and deservingperformance. Dujardin doesn't act with something many actors use as importanttool in their work – his voice. But still he manages to show much more thanhalf of the actors working today, talking, yelling or whispering. Dujardinmanaged to make the silence his great ally and he is truly riveting to watch.

Gary Oldman forTinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

previous Oscar nods: none.

Verdict: The time has come for one of the most famous andwell liked by many fans actors to have his first Oscar nomination – that isperhaps the most ecclesiastically received nomination of this year's AcademyAwards. Is it deserved? Of course an actor like Oldman deserves to have“Academy Award nominee” added in front of his name. But for me his best workwill always be in The Professional. In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy he playsquiet, focused man who remains unmoved for most of the movie – he listens, heplans, he thinks. I'm not a fan of this performance – I thought Benedict andStrong were much better. But it's nice to see Oldman finally getting somerecognition for his work, especially since so many awards this season omittedhim.

Brad Pitt forMoneyball (2011)

previous Oscar nods: Twelve Monkeys, The Curious Case ofBenjamin Button

Verdict: Moneyball is not only one of the best movies ofthe year – it brings with it career best performance from Pitt who plays a mandetermined to end his losing streak in life with a lot of quiet desperation anddetermination. For a lot of time Pitt plays his character using just his eyes,which express everything that is happening inside his mind. Pitt has many triumphantscenes in the film – most notably the one where his character is listening tohis daughter sing for him. It's one of those performances that is so good youactually forget you are watching someone pretend to be another person. And whenthat someone is a person as famous as Pitt it is truly a big achievement.

To sum up: It's interesting how much irony this year's BestActor in a Leading Role nominations have – the Academy chose to nominatethree people without previous nominations at the same time omitting the most deserving performance oflast year – Michael Fassbender's tortured Brandon in Shame. And yet the Oscarwill be probably be handed to someone who was not only nominated three times butalso has one Academy Award. Ah, how badly I want to shout “For shame!”

LAST CALL: LAMB Acting School 101

2012-01-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

CS, of Big Thoughts from a Small Mind, here reminding you that today is the last day to send in your submission for our LAMB Acting School feature on Joan Crawford!

What we need from you:

Articles on her best performances
Articles on her worst performances
General thoughts (e.g. random articles, top ten lists, artwork, etc) on the actress
Links to podcasts where you have discussed her work
Reviews of the films the actress has appeared in
Any material you have written in the past on this actress

Once you have the material posted on your blog, send the link to bigthoughtssmallmind@hotmail.com.As always multiple submissions are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is today.

The LAMB Devours the Oscars: Best Actress

2012-01-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Welcome to the fourth of a 32-part series dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Candice of Reel Talk

Another year goes by and Oscar fails to recognize some of the more daring lead performances from women on the big screen.

In a year when we were honored to see a collection of bold performances from women in leading roles--from Kristin Wiig in Bridesmaids and Charlize Theron in Young Adult, to Keira Knightley in A Dangerous Method, Elizabeth Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene and Adepero Oduye in Pariah--it's disappointing to learn they each were ignored by an academy so deeply rooted in tradition it's frightening.

This year the Academy reverted back to its old school formula to salute performances of their go-to characters--you know, the downtrodden domestic worker (no doubt a homage to Gone with the Wind), a woman in drag (hello, Shakespeare in Love), and real-life iconic women (Lady Sings the Blues, What's Love Got to Do With It?, Coal Miner's Daughter, The Queen, Frida, etc).

There is, however, the wild card nomination, the one that raises eyebrows, and offers a glimmer of hope that Oscar actually grew a pair and may step out of the dark ages--Rooney Mara's innocently devious portrayal as hacker Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Though Mara didn't truly embody the character as much as her Swedish predecessor Noomi Rapace, she does get an A for effort for taking on such a challenge and giving a solid performance. And the academy gets a high five for at least recognizing a character that's neither whimpering nor traditional, but rather commanding and progressive.

The other four slots, however? So steeped in Oscar status quo, you'd think it really was still 1994. No disrespect to any of the other four nominated actresses in the category, but we could have all called their nominations this year.

Sure, Viola Davis did the best she could with the measly screenplay she was given for The Help, so that deserves a nod in and of itself. Glenn Close has been putting in good work for years and simply disappears into the role of Albert Nobbs, as does Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn. And Meryl Streep delivers an expectantly admirable performance in The Iron Lady, while not her best by any stretch of the imagination, and manages to bring to the role of an aging Margaret Thatcher what many good actresses could not.

But, still, none of these performances are nearly as brassy, as cheerless, or as unexpected as the wonderfully refreshing portrayals of a woman wrangling to come out of the closet (Oduye), a young girl grappling with her identity (Olsen), a loathsome woman on a desperate downward spiral (Theron), a woman trapped in her own hysteria (Knightley), and a hilarious and surprisingly nuanced portrayal of a lovable basket case (Wiig). Any of these performances could have replaced the esteemed yet snoozeworthy four slots on the ballot.

Can the Academy step back into the present and commend performances of women that don't fit into its cookie-cutter mold? Clearly, not this year.

The next Movie of the Month will be...

2012-01-27T17:05:00.002-07:00

The poll results are in - thank you to the 86 voters who took part. The next MOTM will be The Shining, which led pretty much the whole time thanks to a strong push from Fogs' Movie Reviews and finished with a hefty 26.7% of the votes. Here's what goes down from here:

* The first thing you need to know is that February 11th is the big day. You have about 2 weeks to watch the flick (this posting is a few days late - my apologies for that) and to write up something, then send me the link (dylan at manilovefilms.com; posting to the LAMB's Twitter account or to mine does not suffice) to either what you write or something previously written. If you're planning on doing the former, please hold the post in draft until the 11th (you can send a link prior if you have the capability to do so).

* On February 4th, we'll be recording our MOTM-themed episode of the LAMBcast, where we'll dissect and discuss The Shining. If you'd like to get in on it...sorry, that show is full. But keep an eye out at the LAMB Forums to for the future shows schedule, as people often have to bail before the day arrives.

* On the 11th, the LAMBcast will be posted, as well as all of the links to anything written. In addition, I'll include a poll to decide what the next MOTM flick will be. That poll will run for a week, and then there'll be 3-4 weeks until the next event, and so on.

Here are the final results of the poll:

* The Shining, Hackers, and It Could Happen to You will be removed from the next poll.

The LAMB Devours the Oscars: Best Sound Mixing

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Welcome to the third of a 32-partseries dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the LargeAssociation of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up tothe Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, eachcovering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regardingthis event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Hunter of HTTProductions

The Oscars are almost here! It'sthe moment everyone on the planet has been looking forward to since the 83^rdAnnual Academy Awards last February! Well,...maybe not, particularly when(debatable) there were not many mega-stand-out-sure-fire Oscar winners. Usuallythey don't start showing until December anyway. Drive received much Oscar hype but has ended up with just a singlenomination, and for the first time ever Pixar did not receive a Best Animated Feature. I'm here, however, to talkabout the Best Sound Mixing category.

I am not an expert on sound. Infact, it might be what I know the least about, which is something I shouldcorrect being a film production student. I've always been confused by what thedifference between Sound Mixing and Sound Editing is, and Wikipedia only helped so much. Mixingrefers to the interloping of all the different audio tracks within a film:dialogue, effects and score. Sound mixers have to make sure the audience canhear and understand what they hear at all times (i.e. hopefully Nolan hires agood one for Bane's dialogue). Editing refers to the recording of sound,notably where it concerns sound effects and Foley.

It's still a bit confusing to me,but I do know that sound Oscars tend to go to awesome films as opposed to"artsy" films: Inception, The Dark Knight, Star Wars, Jurassic Park.The list of Best Sound Mixing (which is also just called Best Sound) winnersare some great blockbusters. Best Sound/Mixing has been around since the 3^rdAcademy Awards (1929) whereas Sound Editing was picked up in 1963 and notconsistently until 1981. Still, it's one of those awards not many necessarilyfret over but is still fun to keep up with. Let's take a look at the 84^thAnnual Academy Award Nominees for Best Sound Mixing:

TheGirl with the Dragon Tattoo - I would be able to ogle over how awesome this movie sounded more ifthis were the Best Original Score category. As for Sound Mixing, yeah, it'ssolid, obviously. Fincher, teamed with Rinzer/Ross and no doubt the same soundteam as The Social Network know whatthey're doing. Fincher's latest films make sound something both backgroundedand foregrounded. It's almost always playing,but you only notice it when he wants you to notice it. This film sounds like weare in the harsh tundra of northern Sweden solving a tense, sexually chargedmurder mystery.

Hugo - I really, really enjoyed this film, mostly for itsthematic elements. It also has a solid score, but thinking back to its soundtrack (dialogue + music + effects) it's equally great. You feel like you're notonly in a Paris train station but that it is the 1930s, and only Scorsese couldso accurately recreate many of the early film set pieces and spectacles hedoes. The film's theme is the magic of moviemaking, and it's a tad ironic butoddly fitting that it would be praised for its sound design considering it'sall about films from the silent era. Another reason Hugo is a superb blending of old and new tools and techniques ofthe film art form.

Moneyball - I did not see this one (though I'm seeing it 1February), so I can only assume the roar of baseball fans mixed with theemotional intensity of how much we know this team and Pitt and Hill'scharacters have invested in the game is really moving. There isn't much more Ican say, though I'm skeptical towards it being able to compete with the otherfour. Still, it's interesting that it was nominated.

Transformers:Dark of the Moon - Saywhat you will about Michael Bay's Transformers movies but you can't deny heknows how to use surround sound, especially in an IMAX theater. The seatsrattle under the booms as you hear characters move from one corner of thetheater to another. The score is nothing particularly remarkable, and I'llreserve talking about the dialogue, but the massive amounts of sound effects ofgears clinking and epic battles and buildings being destroyed. It's veryimpressive. You may hate Bay and his movies, but you've got to give props to hispost-production sound team for its hard work.

WarHorse - Again, I havenot seen this picture, so I can say very little which means nothing at all. Ihear good things, however, but it isn't really a film that appeals to me tostart with. No doubt it sounds great with the large-scale battle sequences andheroic racing hooves of the horse, but...somehow I suspect the Oscar will go toone of the other films, speaking solely for the audio track.

My pick: Unless there's somethingsurprisingly spectacular about Moneyballor War Horse, I think even withouthaving seen them it still comes down to the three I have seen. Having to pickis difficult without having the opportunity to watch them all again (or withoutreally knowing what I should listen for in great sound mixing). But I willprobably have to go with Hugo. It'sthe most nominated film, so obviously the Academy loves it, and it really ispleasing to the ears. Alas, I would not be surprised if it went to Dragon orTransformers at the end of February. We'll just have to watch and find out!

Hunter F

HTTProductions

LAMBScores: War Horse, Carnage and The Darkest Hour

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Matinee
The Critical Movie Critics
Cinematic Paradox

Kirkham a Movie a Day

Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Love and Squalor Film
Multiplex Slut
Film Actually
Sobriety Test Movie Reviews

Duke & The Movies
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Wide Screen World
Never Too Early Movie Predictions

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Temple of Reviews

Andy Buckle's Film Emporium
Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

Not Just Movies
Lord of the Films

And So It Begins...

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (20 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about War Horse.

Surrender to the Void
Sobriety Test Movie Reviews

The Matinee

The Critical Movie Critics
Film Crazy
Fr. Dennis at the Movies

Inspired Ground
Cinematic Corner
Pick'n'Mix Flix

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
And So It Begins...
Temple of Reviews

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (12 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about Carnage.

Fr. Dennis at the Movies

Kirkham a Movie a Day

Movie Reviews by Tom Clift
Multiplex Slut
Two Dollar Cinema
Sobriety Test Movie Reviews

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (6 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about The Darkest Hour.

LAMB #1222 - The Videovangaurd

2012-01-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

URL: http://www.videovangaurd.com
Site Name: The Videovangaurd
Categories: Reviews,GeneralNews,Humor,Horror,Classic Film, Lists
Rating: PG 13

What is the main focus of your site?
The Videovangaurd prides itsel on giving readers short indepth reviews on both current and classic films. I'm also proud of posting articles about beautiful women both in front of and behind the camera. As well as my other fascinating posts.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?

I want to continue writing about movies. if not on this site than contributing to another one. Audio podcasts are the next step for my blog

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?

I love it when readers post comments on the site, but don't give them much chance to interact with each other.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?

The Videovangaurd has been active for over a year and I update posts at least every week if not more.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
"Pulp Fiction","Requiem For a Dream",& "Heathers".

How did you hear about the LAMB?

I heard the Man I Love Films podcast and greatly admire that show.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
I am very proud to have other critics and filmmakers following the site on twitter and I just love writing and discussing movies. I may need some help from this later. Much much later.

Editor's note: I really enjoyed the Vern's take on the girl with the dragon tattoo (Fincher version).

The LAMB Devours the Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay

2012-01-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Welcome to the second of a 32-part series dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Jason of Invasion of the B-Movies

Ah, the Oscars! The time of year movie geeks orgasm to death. As a guy who watches bad movies and/or horror movies and/or bad horror movies about 360 days a year (I spend a week watching Ingmar Bergman films cause I lost a bet years ago, long story) I don't really have a lot of investment in the Oscars. I might check out some of the movies nominated at some point. This year they surprised the fuck out of me by nominating some movies I've already seen and/or really do wanna see. Of course, those movies don't fall in the category I get to write about.

What do I get to write about? BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY! Now what the hell does "Adapted Screenplay" mean? Well basically it's when some people take a story from somewhere else, either a book, a play, or the drunk ramblings of a drunk hobo, and turn it into a movie. Previous years winners have been, uh...The Social Network? Or, uh, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry? Maybe? Sure, why not?

I'm surprised The Girl Who Played With The Dragon Tattoo's Fire In A Nest wasn't nominated in this category. It is a movie based on some hugely popular children's books, right? I'm guessing they're children's books cause it features girls and dragons and the cover of the books look colorful. Well, I gave it as a gift to my 5-year-old cousin last week, and she seems to LOVE it!

Also surprised? The Hangover Part II based on the first Hangover. THERE DYLAN I SAID IT! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!!

With that done, let's take a look at what's nominated this year shall we? Of course, I haven't seen any of the movies in this category, so I'm gonna do what I did last year and watch the trailer and try to figure out what the movie is about and if it deserves to win. Cool? Cool. Here we go!

Hugo

Ok so Obi-Wan is this kid's dad, and there's a robot. I guess Obi-Wan died in the Clone Wars and of course the kid has to go live with some old guy who'll probably use him as slave labor in some illegal factory or some shit. He simply shows up at a train station and Borat yells at him for no reason. The kid runs into Hit Girl, who has the key to unlocking this robot and we're suppose to be all magical and happy and cry or some shit. Yeah...remember when Martin Scorsese made Goodfellas? And Casino? Joe Pesci stabbed a guy in the kneecap with a pen. A FUCKING pen. Ouch.

Will This Win: I have no idea what this is "adapted" from and it looks too god damn mushy. Plus the people who vote for the Oscars are old guys not bored 8-year-olds. So no. And pass. Next!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

From the people who bought you Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice, The Cook, The Thief, The Wife, and Her Lover and...It comes a movie of British people! Talking! In rooms! Outside! In cars! Hey it's Gary Oldman! He gets to use his accent this time! Will I ever find out what Tom Hardy looks like? No? Ok then!

Will This Win: I'm gonna guess the voters will fall asleep mid-way through so no. Probably not.

Moneyball

So Brad Pitt is handsome and charming and Jonah Hill isn't. Don't they make a wacky pair? I guess some baseball team sucks so badly they told Brad Pitt he can be their coach or something? And Brad Pitt hires Jonah Hill to...coach for them as well? Using numbers? Ok I'll be honest. Sports and math are my two least favorite subjects. I rather talk about anal rape than either one of those, but something about Brad Pitt just makes me want to listen to him, dammit! So anyone who follows sports, did this actually happen? What team is this? Did they win? And doesn't Jonah Hill look weird skinny?

Will This Win? Do sports movies normally do good at the Oscars? Did Major League win? How about Unnecessary Roughness? Bad News Bears? What about The Sandlot? Aw, dude, I fuckin' LOVE The Sandlot cause it was more about the kids being funny than baseball you know? Where was I? Oh right.

The Descendants

Umm...I have no fucking idea what this movie is about. Is it two hours of George Clooney just standing there, looking through bushes? That can be a movie now? And it can be nominated for an Oscar? I mean really? I know George is good looking and all but...come on! Now imagine if he did that shit in Batman and Robin. Would THAT have been up for an Oscar? Wow...

Will This Win? You know, I wouldn't fucking doubt it.

The Ides of March

OH! I get it! It's a neat idea! So Ryan Gosling is the Brutus character, George Clooney is Julius Caesar and I guess Phillip Seymour Hoffman is Marc Anthony? Wow! This is very clever! I love modern retellings of Shakespeare stuff! Very original and fun! I can't wait to see how they kill Clooney's character! Will he be simply stabbed? Or shot a whole bunch of times? Does he actually say "Et tu, Ryan Gosling?" You know what? I should watch this movie! It sounds fucking amazing!

Will This Win? I hope so! It's an awesome idea! Oooh! How about The Tempest? Maybe Michael Cera as Prospero, Selena Gomez as Miranda, and Ellen Page as The Tempest! Look out Oscars 2013!!

-Jason

REMINDER: LIONs for LAMBs Poll

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

We only have 17 votes (out of 1200 members) in the LIONs for LAMBs poll so far. Please go vote, or Transformers 3 might top the "Best" list. Please don't let that happen!

http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/546776

LAMB #1221 - The Blog of Big Ideas

2012-01-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

URL: http://niels85.wordpress.com/
Site Name: The Blog of Big Ideas
Categories: Reviews
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
Film reviews and analysis, or anything concerning the arts

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Share my thoughts on several subjects I feel passionate about. Develop and nurture my writing skills.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive community

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
March 2011. Updated once or twice a week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Amelie, Alien, The Godfather

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Fellow film blogger

Editors note: apparently Niels is doing some kind of IMDB top 250 round-up that is worth checking out here...

The LAMB Devours the Oscars: Best Makeup

2012-01-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

Let's get things started!

Editor's note: Welcome to the first of a 32-part series dissecting the 84th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!

By Rachel of Rachel's Reel Reviews

The make-up category can be a hard one to predict, because the spectrum is extremely wide. Last year's winner was almost a given with a nominee that had previously won the award multiple times (including the first ever in the category) heading up the makeup design for a (terrible) werewolf film. This year is a little tougher with only one nominee having been nominated previously and comparing the differences in a cross-dressing period piece versus the portrayal of a modern historical figure versus magical creatures...and some questionable aging techniques.

Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnson & Matthew W. Mungle
for Albert Nobbs

Have you ever been standing in line at the grocery store and glanced at the tabloid covers that "reveal" stars without their makeup? Unpleasant, isn't it? That's the kind of vibe I get when I see Glenn Close playing a woman pretending to be a man in Albert Nobbs. Harsh? Sure, but looking at the character and the actress side-by-side, I just think she's missing some eyeliner and lipstick. I'm sure the film also received its nomination for other uses of 19th century makeup and hairstyles, but I think it's possibly the underdog in this fight.

Mark Coulier & J. Roy Helland
for The Iron Lady

I was a bit young when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, so I actually had to Google her to get a better idea of what she really looked like around the time The Iron Lady is set. Except for making Meryl slightly more polished, I'd say well done. Meryl has received her 17th Oscar acting nomination for playing Thatcher, and certainly looking the part only helped her performance, so should she win, she should certainly give thanks to J. Roy Helland, who is not only credited as her personal hair and makeup artist on The Iron Lady, but 34 other films as well.

Nick Dudman, Amanda Night & Lisa Tombling
for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Over the course of a decade, the Harry Potter series has produced a number of magical looks and yet this is the first film of the franchise to be nominated for a makeup award. What was so different about the final film that demanded a nomination in the category? Nothing really. Outside of a majority of the cast being smeared with dirt and blood due to battle, the only other noticeable makeup would be the gaggle of Goblins, which have been shown numerous times before. (If you're wondering, Voldemort's snake face is mostly CG.) Perhaps the makeup simply improved over the decade, because surely the Academy didn't nominate the makeup department for the infamous two-decade "aging" on the Trio in the final scene. Surely not.

Despite Harry Potter bringing the fantasy element into the mix, which is often the popular choice, and Albert Nobbs sporting the only makeup artist to have been previously nominated (and won) for the category, my money is on The Iron Lady. Looking back over past winners, the Academy seems to really love a makeup department that can transform a star into a believable replica of a real life character (La Vie en Rose, Frida, Elizabeth, Ed Wood) and that tradition will likely continue this year.

Classic Chops: January 25th

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good news, everyone! We’re back with another expanded version of “Classic Chops”…

Site Name: Commentary Track

Photo Play: Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca

Submitted by: Commentary Track

Site Name: Tips from Chip

Movie – 49th Parallel (1941)

Submitted by: Tips from Chip

Site Name: Defiant Success

Purple Noon

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Site Name: 1001 Movies – Living by the Book

893: Kvarteret Korpen (1963)

Submitted by: 1001 Movies – Living by the Book

Site Name: I Shoot the Pictures

My Deanna Durbin Punishment, Part III: It Started With Eve (1941) – Approach With Caution

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Site Name: Online-Inquirer

Poirot: Murder On the Orient Express

Submitted by: Online-Inquirer

Site Name: The Velvet Café

A case of classic gender stereotyping

Submitted by: The Velvet Café

Site Name: KL5-FILM: For All Your Movie Needs

Blind Spot Series: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Submitted by: KL5-FILM: For All Your Movie Needs

Site Name: My Love of Old Hollywood

The CMBA sponsored Comedy Classics Blogathon: Easy Living (1937)

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Site Name: A Person in the Dark

The Producers: Zero Bats a Thousand and Mel Hits a Home Run!

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Classic Chops enthusiastically welcomes any essay or post you’ve composed on a film classic—and even though I originally set the criterion at films released in 1965 and before, I have “cheated” a little and included films after that date that I don’t think too many people would dispute are “classics.” Simply send your submissions to classicchops@gmail.com by January 31st at 6:00pm EST…and any questions, comments, suggestions and used Sundance Festival passes should be addressed to that same e-mail address as well.

As always…until next time…see you at the movies!

Announcement for Director's Chair #24

2012-01-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Event #24 starring
Dario Argento
February 24, 2012

Submission Deadline
10 PM on February 23, 2012

Submit all articles to...
mattehavoc@gmail.com

Hey everyone, it is D.J. Heinlein from the blog site Matte Havoc. For many of those out there who are not a fan of horror movies might have a difficult time with this next installment of The LAMB in the Director’s Chair series. We will be taking a closer look at the career of Italian film director Dario Argento. He is the artistic figure behind such horror films as Suspiria (1977) and Opera (1987). For those who are unfamiliar with his career have been warned and for those who are absolutely thrilled for all horror films should dive right into participating in the next Director’s Chair installment.

Now for those of you who have never participated in this event before I would like to present the basic list of instructions and rules for participation in the series. The golden guideline would be that all participants must be a current member of the LAMBs or at least on the waiting list for approval to become a member. The second guideline of participation in the series would be for everyone to write and publish an article about the candidate who has been selected for the event. The focus of every article must stay within the arena of the person’s career as a movie director. The third and final item on the list of guidelines is an uncompromising rule of meeting the deadline for submission. Every article that you would like to submit for the event must be e-mailed to DJ Heinlein [ mattehavoc@gmail.com ] by 10 PM the night before the first day of the event. If you would like to submit an article that you published a couple of months or years ago I will accept them for participation in the event. Make sure to include a direct URL link to every article that you would like to submit. There is no minimum or maximum number of articles that can be submitted.

On a side note I usually ignore e-mails filled with explanations and plans of publishing an article for the event. My inbox fills up very quickly with submissions for this event and I might over look a submission by accident if I am spending time deleting e-mails that are filled with explanations about future publishing instead of valid and direct links to articles that are already available online. The best way to get involved in the series is to publish the article and then submit the link by e-mail. No explanations are necessary.

If you have any questions about the event you can e-mail them to me and I will respond as quickly as possible. Listed below are a few promotional graphics that you can post on your blog site to help promote the event. Have fun and knock yourself out with your reviews and editorials.

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Banner One preview (HTML below)

Banner One code (picture above)

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Banner Two code (picture above)

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Banner Three code (picture above)

<a href="http://largeassmovieblogs.blogspot.com/search/label/LAMBs%20in%20the%20Director%27s%20Chair" target="blank"><img border="0" alt="Large Association of Movie Blogs" height="274" width="200" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1XD_6TQX8gs/Tx6NtdxE7AI/AAAAAAAAD3I/wTkj91ctJfU/s800/argento-banner2.png"/></a>

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LAMB Devours the Oscars: Assignments

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

The nominations are here and so are the assignments for this year's round of LAMB Devours the Oscars. In order to finish the series by February 25th (the day before the Oscars), posts will start tomorrow, with one article posted per day. So please get those articles/reviews in ASAP. Thank you to all the volunteers! [EDIT: Best Documentary Short is now up for grabs. If you're interested please email me. Note that you don't necessariily need to have seen all the nominees to write an article. Click here for previous Devours articles on the category.]

Category	Author	Site
Best Actor	Sati	Cinematic Corner
Best Actress	Candice	Reel Talk
Best Supporting Actor	Jess	Insight Into Entertainment
Best Supporting Actress	Andrew	Encore’s World of Film & TV
Best Director	Sebastian	Films from the Supermassive Black Hole
Best Original Screenplay	Dan	Public Transportation Snob
Best Adapted Screenplay	Jason	Invasion of the B-Movies
Best Animated Feature	Stevee	Cinematic Paradox
Best Documentary Feature	David	Never Too Early Movie Predictions
Best Foreign Language Film	Diana	Aziza’s Picks
Best Cinematography	Ryan	Lord of the Films
Best Film Editing	Ryan	The Matinee
Best Visual Effects	Rich	Wide Screen World
Best Sound Mixing	Hunter	HTTProductions
Best Sound Editing	Joel	Deny Everything
Best Art Direction	Kevyn	The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World
Best Costume Design	EFC	Exiled from Contentment
Best Makeup	Rachel	Rachel’s Reel Reviews
Best Original Score	Jeffrey	jdbrecords
Best Original Song	Orrin	The Sophomore Critic
Best Live Action Short	Jason	The Videovangaurd
Best Animated Short	Jason	The Entertainment Junkie
Best Documentary Short	?	?
The Descendants	Joanna	Reel Feminist
Hugo	Andy	Andy Buckle’s Film Emporium
The Artist	Michaël	Le Mot du Cinephiliaque
The Help	Marshall	Marshall and the Movies
The Tree of Life	Dylan	Man, I Love Films
Moneyball	Iba	I Luv Cinema
Midnight in Paris	Nick	Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close	Clarabela	Just Chick Flicks
War Horse	Addison	Philmalot

Good-Baah

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

In October of 2010, Dylan (founder of this lovely community) asked a shocking question on Facebook: Would anybody be willing to take over running the LAMB? What?! It was like Santa was asking one of the elves if they wanted to run the North Pole, which could only result in total chaos.

After emailing Dylan to verify that he must be joking, I found out that he indeed was completely serious. Real life had gotten in the way, and he no longer could give his all to shepherding the LAMB. So after convincing myself I had time, or could find the time, to do it, I took a deep breath and hit reply, saying I'd keep the LAMB going...as best I could.

Jump ahead 15 months and the LAMB has survived. But has it thrived? That's what got me into the this mindset last month. Things have been running quite smoothly, with our regular weekly/monthly/annual features on track, almost 500 new LAMBs added under my watch and no permanent damage done. But I haven't found myself with the creative energy to add any new features or make any significant changes. Or perhaps I was too scared to try. Either way, I realized my heart wasn't in it anymore and this community deserves better.

And so I've decided to step down and hand the reins over to the very enthusiastic Joel of Deny Everything (LAMB #913). If you follow the LAMB on Twitter, that's thanks to Joel. If you've been to the forums lately and noticed a spike in community discussion, that's thanks to Joel. No doubt he is the best man for the job.

Of course, only after I emailed Dylan my "resignation" did I realize that I was doing it at a terribly busy time for the LAMB with the LAMB Devours the Oscars and LIONs for LAMBs underway. So I decided to stick around to see both of those features finished up. Plus I'll still be handling the weekly LAMBScores, so you're not completely rid of me. As of now Joel will be taking over the general day-to-day duties and all contact for the LAMB can still go to largeassmovieblogs@gmail.com.

So that's all I got. It's been a very insightful (and fun) 15 months as your shepherdess, but I'm not the most sentimental girl in the blogosphere, and I'll just end by saying thanks for sticking with the LAMB.

LAMB #1220 - Sobriety Test Movie Reviews

2012-01-22T23:00:00.001-07:00

URL: http://www.sobrietytestmoviereviews.com/
Site Name: Sobriety Test Movie Reviews
Categories: Reviews, General, Classic Film, Lists
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Sobriety Test Movie Reviews is a website that adds a little fun to the world of film reviews. We rate films based on an individual's sobriety. Great films require little or no alcohol, while crappy ones may merit a few drinks. With every film review, we give you a drink pick so that you can get the most out of your moviewatching. We provide insights on the latest films in theaters as well as those flicks you may have missed during their time on the big screen. We also review older films for those who prefer a movie with a little age.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I've always been that guy who loves movies, and I needed an outlet to show my love for film in a distinct way. I was interested in starting a movie website. However, I needed something creative. When the idea of Sobriety Test came to me, I ran with it. It's refreshingly fun and the perfect outlet for me.
My long-term vision for the website is grand. I would like to build a strong, loyal readership and an extensive catalog of reviews that spans all of film history. In the long run, I would also like to add a social networking component to the site that will enable every moviegoer to show the world their love of film.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
While class is definitely in session when a Sobriety Test Team member steps up to the podium, we encourage students to raise their hands and contribute. We're a community, and the readers are the people who make up that community. Without them, there would be no Sobriety Test.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Sobriety Test first hit the web in August 2011, and multiple reviews are posted weekly.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
The Godfather: Part II
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Shawshank Redemption

How did you hear about the LAMB?
I came across the website via Google.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

REMINDER: LAMB Acting School 101 - Joan Crawford

2012-01-22T15:17:00.001-07:00

CS, of Big Thoughts from a Small Mind, here reminding you about our latest edition of LAMB Acting School 101! Each month we will highlight a different actor/actress whose performances, for better or worse, have left a mark on the cinematic landscape. This month we look at...
Joan Crawford

What we need from you:

Articles on her best performances
Articles on her worst performances
General thoughts (e.g. random articles, top ten lists, artwork, etc) on the actress
Links to podcasts where you have discussed her work
Reviews of the films the actress has appeared in
Any material you have written in the past on this actress

Once you have the material posted on your blog, send the link to bigthoughtssmallmind@hotmail.com. As always multiple submissions are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is Sunday January 29, 2012.

LAMB #1219 - Vertigo Falls

2012-01-21T16:53:00.001-07:00

URL: vertigofalls.blogspot.com
Site Name: Vertigo Falls
Categories: General, News, Classic Film, (Other) Specific to Hitchcock and Vertigo
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
Hitchcock's Vertigo, Hitchcock, Classic Film

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Share thoughts, ideas, news on Hitchcock, Vertigo, classic films, new movies, etc that fit thematically.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
More than a year, and generally I do two or more posts per week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Vertigo, Citizen Kane, Duck Soup

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Lady Eve

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMBcast #100

2012-01-21T04:00:00.002-07:00

The century mark has been reached!

For this special episode, we abandon our usual format altogether! We make stunning changes to the structure of the show! We challenge the laws of time and space! Or...I gather as many of the founding fathers of the show as possible and we have an informal interview show, catching up on our lives, blogs, and podcasts (or lack thereof). I was joined by: Nick Jobe of Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob, Jason Soto of Invasion of the B Movies, James Blake Ewing of Cinema Sights and Mike Mendez (aka Big Mike), formerly of Big Mike's Movie Blog. Tom Clift of Movie Reviews by Tom Clift was a hopeful to join us, but sadly, was too busy galavanting across Europe to do so. So sit back and catch up with us, and get ready for the next 100 episodes! Thanks so much for listening and participating and giving feedback - it's been a ton of fun!

Minor programming note: I'm bringing back the reading of feedback on the show; if you'd like yours read, leave it in the comments section of the post on the LAMB. Thanks!

And while we're at it, a LAMB Plug! If you haven't yet, please go and vote in the annual Lions for LAMBs poll, where we look back at the past year and shower it with awards.

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website. Big thanks to Kevin for providing this service. Opening song by Cake. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too - if you'd like yours read on a future show, leave it in the comments section at the LAMB. Please visit and like our Facebook page, and finally, we're on iTunes, and would still love a review, even if it's a bad one.

Thanks for listening!

LAMB #1218 - Anti-Film School

2012-01-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

URL: http://www.antifilmschoolsite.wordpress.com/
Site Name: Anti-Film School
Categories: Reviews, (Other)Film features and spotlighting specific directors.
Rating: R

What is the main focus of your site?
To provide entertaining, unpretentious, knowledgeable, and down to earth evaluations of all genres of film.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Our goal is to make film criticism more accessible. We also aim to point out that even mainstream and trash cinema can be art.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Both. As a graduate of film school and someone who has made films, I enjoy educating our readers on certain aspects of film that they may not be familiar with. We also love interaction through comments and polls. We sometimes will allow readers to vote for a film they want reviewed through our polls.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
We have been active for six months and we update regularly. We try to update almost every day.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
The Dark Knight, Dawn of the Dead (1978), and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Through other film blogs.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
Some critics choose to talk down to their readers and make them feel inferior. We reject this approach to film studies. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that is something we value at Anti-Film School. Plus, the beauty with interaction is that readers can also teach the critic. We should always keep an open mind.

PLUG: Films from the Supermassive Black Hole

2012-01-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Black Hole is at Sundance!!!

For the next week and a half, I'll be reporting on all things Sundance. Tune in for reviews, quick updates, witty anecdotes, and a daily vlog.

It's über important that you turn up and provide feedback, whether it be good or bad. I really want to be part of the press next year, so anything I can do to make my content better this year would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

See you in the black hole.

Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMB #1217 - A Cultured Lad

2012-01-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

URL: http://www.aculturedlad.wordpress.com/
Site Name: A Cultured Lad
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Editorials
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Arts and Culture. Movies, Music, Theatre, Books and art. Whilst that is a big list Film is the number one topic.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I haven't made up my mind yet, It's been doing quite well so I'm really pleased. I think I'd like to put ads up and gain some revenue with the ultimate goal of raising money for charity.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Not so much a teacher student thing but I love when people comment and people discuss their opinions. That's why i love blogging, it's about discussing your opinion.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Since August 2011. I like to post around two times a week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Psycho, Slumdog Millionaire, Citizen Kane.

How did you hear about the LAMB?
From http://iamnotwaynegale.wordpress.com/

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMBScores: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Adventures of Tintin, Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol and We Bought a Zoo

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Films from the Supermassive Black Hole
Fogs' Movie Reviews
PG Cooper's Movie Reviews
Rachel's Reel Reviews

The Matinee
Not Just Movies
Nevermind Pop Film
Maqam's Pop Culture Rants
Cinematic Paradox

The Smoking Pen
Surrender to the Void
Reel Talk
Let's Go to the Movies
Love and Squalor Film
HTTProductions
Kirkham a Movie a Day
Marshall and the Movies
And So It Begins...
themovieblog8
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium

The Morning Thunder Buffalo
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Wide Screen World
The Velvet Café
ThatFellow
Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

The Critical Movie Critics
Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Lord of the Films
Temple of Reviews

Row Three
Duke & The Movies

Never Too Early Movie Predictions

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (33 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The Reviewing Rodders
Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Film Crazy

Filmophilia
The Matinee
Not Just Movies

Andrew Buckle's Film Emporium
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Inspired Ground
Kirkham a Movie a Day
Le Mot du Cinephiliaque
Ianthecool's Movie Reviews
Cinematic Paradox
HTTProductions
Grind My Reels
Marshall and the Movies
Wide Screen World
Film Forager

Duke & the Movies

Film Intel
Temple of Reviews
Lord of the Films
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews

The Velvet Café
Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

The Critical Movie Critics

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (26 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about The Adventures of Tintin.

HTTProductions
Ianthecool's Movie Reviews
Marshall and the Movies

The Great Movie Project
The Matinee
Temple of Reviews
FlixChatter
Fogs' Movie Reviews
The Critical Movie Critics
Films from the Supermassive Black Hole
Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Nevermind Pop Film
Exiled from Contentment
MiNG's Movie Reviews
Brian vs. Mars
Film Forager
Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium
Film Crazy
Grind My Reels

Duke & the Movies
Reel Talk
Maqam's Pop Culture Rants
Row Three
Okinawa Assault

And So It Begins...
MoviesHateYouToo
Aziza's Picks

Two Dollar Cinema

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (29 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

The Critical Movies Critics

Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium
Film Crazy

The Matinee
Awesome Barnhart's Reviews

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews

And So It Begins...

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (9 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

LAMB #1216 - A Potpourri of Vestiges

2012-01-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

URL: http://apotpourriofvestiges.blogspot.com/
Site Name: A Potpourri of Vestiges
Categories: Reviews, General, Classic Film
Rating: R

What is the main focus of your site?
A Potpourri of Vestiges is primarily a movie review blog dedicated to cinema, especially as an art-form. The blog aims to bring to life the cinematic gems that have lost into obscurity.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Cinema is not only my passion, but also my greatest obsession. My favorite movie-makers include Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Luis Bunuel, Andrei Tarkowsky, Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Satyajit Ray, Sergio Leonne, Francis Ford Cuppola, Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan. I also have a penchant for writing, and the ability to metamorphose the mundane into sublime through the use of words comes second to none to me.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
The purpose of the blog is to get people acquainted with the true purpose and potential of cinema, not only as a medium of entertainment but also as a medium of education and enlightenment. Thus, the more interactive the blog becomes the closer the blog gets to fulfilling its purpose.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
The site has been active for about 8 months...I published the first blog in May 2011, but the topics used to be random then. Since October, I have tried to solely focus on cinema as a movie review website. I am fairly active and try posting 2-3 posts every week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Ran (1985), Dersu Uzala (1975) and The Godfather (1972)

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Through search engines

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
I must confess that LAMB is a great initiative, a wonderful opportunity to bring all the movie bloggers under the same platform. I would like to congratulate you for your fantastic efforts. Just keep the juggernaut rolling!

The 5th Annual LIONs for LAMBs

2012-01-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

That's right! It's time for more ridiculous lion/lamb pictures to infest the site because it's time for our 5th Annual LIONs for LAMBs Awards. I want to know what your best and worst films of 2011 were, plus all the extras, like actor, actress, director, and loads more. I've scaled it back to only 10 categories, dropping Best Trailers and Best Posters. With four separate acting awards, I've decided that Best Ensemble Cast is a bit excessive and have changed that one to Best Screenplay, after reading the suggestions from last year's ballots. See, I do care what you guys have to say!

Please rank your lists 1 to 10 for Best Films and 1 to 5 for everything else, as the winners will be based on a point system (1=10 points, 2=9 points, etc.) and when listing your choices for the four acting categories, please specify the film also.

The poll is now up and all LAMBs will be able to vote through February 11th. The results will begin on February 17th, with one category posted every day, and end with the Top 10 on February 26th, the day of the 84th Academy Awards.

Go vote! (Mister Poll has a new feature for a "Safe Mode." If the poll is not approved for all to see, meaning children too, then you have to view it with the safe mode off. Trust me, there is no adult or objectionable content in the poll, but I can't find how to get it approved for "Safe Mode" so just click "Off" to vote in the poll.)

http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/546776

LAMB #1215 - Turning My Head Out

2012-01-18T21:58:00.001-07:00

URL: http://imturningmyheadout.blogspot.com/
Site Name: Turning My Head Out
Categories: Reviews, General, Lists, (Other)Music, Video Games, Comics
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
To give my opinion on media and help broaden peoples interests and likes.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I realized that I talk about the things I read, play and watch alot. So I decided to channel it into my blog. What I'm trying to get out of it is people finding new movies, games, music and comics that they like and want to read.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I'm open for interactive, if someone wants to share if they liked something or not then im okay, mostly though it seems im the teacher.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Since October. I usually post at least once a week, it depends if I have seen/read/played many things that week. For example this past week I reviewed both Sherlock Holmes 2 and Mission Impossible 4.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Shaun of the Dead, The Dark Knight, Hot Rod

How did you hear about the LAMB?
My friend sent me a link to the site.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMB Casting: Taxi Driver (VOTING TIME)

2012-01-18T06:04:00.002-07:00

Andrew here, we're on to the next round of LAMB Casting and eight of you have sent in some fine casting decisions for Taxi Driver. It's now time for the entire LAMB community to decide on which is there favourite.

Which of these casts do you think has the chops to match the original?
READ CAREFULLY before you vote, there's a lot of crossover between casts.

Classic Chops: January 18th

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good news, everyone! You know, I briefly toyed with the idea of writing off this feature for one week in recognition of today’s SOPA protest…but then I got a mental picture of your sad, dejected faces and knew I needed to soldier on regardless. (Awkward pause) So we’re back with another expanded version of “Classic Chops”…

Site Name: Forced Viewing

The Masque of the Red Death

Submitted by: Forced Viewing

Site Name: Tips from Chip

Movie – 42nd Street (1933)

Submitted by: Tips from Chip

Site Name: Immortal Ephemera

Silver Dollar (1932)

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Site Name: 1001 Movies – Living by the Book

backtrack; The seventh seal (1957)

Submitted by: 1001 Movies – Living by the Book

Site Name: Noir and Chick Flicks

Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Site Name: Online-Inquirer

Stop Making Sense: 25th Anniversary

Submitted by: Online-Inquirer

Site Name: The Velvet Café

Will Rosemary’s Baby beat The Exorcist?

Submitted by: The Velvet Café

Site Name: Can’t Stop the Movies

Pre-Code Follies: Iron Man (1931)

Submitted by: Can’t Stop the Movies

Site Name: Cinematic Catharsis

Classics Revisited: Gojira (aka: Godzilla)

Submitted by: Cinematic Catharsis

Site Name: Silent Volume

La Bohème

Submitted by: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Classic Chops enthusiastically welcomes any essay or post you’ve composed on a film classic—and even though I originally set the criterion at films released in 1965 and before, I have “cheated” a little and included films after that date that I don’t think too many people would dispute are “classics.” Simply send your submissions to classicchops@gmail.com by January 24th at 6:00pm EST…and any questions, comments, suggestions and discarded lobbyists should be addressed to that same e-mail address as well.

As always…until next time…see you at the movies!

LAMB #1214 - In Camera

2012-01-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

URL: http://www.incamera.co.za/
Site Name: In Camera
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Horror, Lists
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Posters, Trailers, Reviews and general building of anticipation for upcoming releases.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I love movies more than anything, and started the blog to see where it could lead. If, someday, it allows me to quit my day job, or leads me somewhere else that lets me quit my day job, I would have succeeded. In the mean time, it's an amazing creative dumping ground.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
The more interaction the better.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
The first post went up on 24 August 2011. There have been 127 posts since, making up an average of about 1 post every day. I am still deciding whether to increase post quantity or quality. Unfortunately, I cannot do both at this stage.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Black Swan. Kill Bill Vol 1. The Barbarian Invasions.

How did you hear about the LAMB?
In the most roundabout way possible. I googled a particular polish movie poster (as research for a mini project I'm working on). It led me to another great poster. I clicked on that. In the background, I saw the blog in question had other posters, so I went to the blog. In the right column, I saw various references to the Lammies. So I clicked. The blog is wheredangerlives.blogspot.com.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
I'm still so new to this it's not even a joke. Oh, I am not based in the USA either... South Africa!

LAMB #1213 - Obscurendure

2012-01-16T21:48:00.014-07:00

URL: http://obscurendure.blogspot.com/
Site Name: Obscurendure
Categories: Reviews
Rating: R

What is the main focus of your site?
Reviews of current and old obscure films from all genres.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I'm trying to give people other options of films they may enjoy, rather than just sticking to familiar genres.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I prefer an interactive community where people comment on films they have liked that they learned about from the blog or to give suggestions of other films I might enjoy.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
9 months

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
The Beyond, The Dark Crystal, North by Northwest

How did you hear about the LAMB?
From another LAMB, moviesandsongs365.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

Movie of the Month/LAMBcast #99: The Evil Dead

2012-01-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

The setup here is extremely simple, so let's get it out of the way quickly - the IMDb summary, for those unfamiliar:

"Five friends go up to a cabin in the woods, where they find unspeakable evil lurking in the forest. They find a tome called the Necronomicon and the taped translation of the text. Once the tape is played, the evil is released. One by one, the teens are possessed. With only one remaining, it is up to him to survive the night and battle the evil dead. "

Sam Raimi's first feature (Bruce Campbell's, too) was made for a modest (even 30 years ago) budget of $375,000 and went on to gross close to $30 million, a take not even matched by either of its two sequels, each made for a bigger budget than the last. Aside from spawning those, it's gone on to inspire video games, a remake (coming to a theater near you soon), even a musical! All this from five teenagers and loads and loads of practical, gory effects. Let's see what your fellow LAMBs have had to say about it...

Thanks to all of the LAMBs that sent in their posts for this edition of the MOTM (great turnout this month!).

* 1001Plus
* Bargain Bin Review
* Bonjour Tristesse
* Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
* Forced Viewing
* From the Depths of DVD Hell
* Goregirl's Dungeon
* Invasion of the B Movies
* KL5-FILM
* The Stop Button

It's also time to vote on next month's movie. There are 8/10 choices from last month, so not a lot of newness this time around. I've remedied that by having the new ones be out of left field. :) You have one week to vote. If you have suggestions for next month's poll, let me have 'em.

Online Surveys & Market Research

As we do every month, the LAMBcast is tied in with the MOTM. A comparatively crew consisting of host Dylan, co-host Nick, and MOTM stalwart Steve got together to dig into Raimi's first feature, though we seemed to talk just as much about the entire trilogy as we did just this initial installment.

Also on tap:

* Rants and Raves of the Week
* Last LAMB Standing

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website - thanks to Kevin for providing this service. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too; if you'd like your feedback read on the show, leave a note in the comments sections here. We're on Facebook as well. Finally, we're on iTunes, and would love a review, even if it's a bad one.

Thanks for listening!

LAMB #1212 - Movie Mavericks

2012-01-13T19:22:00.002-07:00

URL: http://moviemavericks.com/
Site Name: Movie Mavericks
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Lists
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Movie reviews and podcasts are our main focus, but we also have news, interviews and articles.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Personally, making connections about movies and talking/exploring film with others. Professionally, making money of course!

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactivity is important for a blog, especially one about film, which is incredibly subjective.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
The site has been online since January 2010. We post once a day in the least.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Predator, High Fidelity, Duel

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Followed a link on Paracinema.net

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMBScores: Young Adult and Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows

2012-01-13T08:18:00.118-07:00

jdbrecords
Can't Stop the Movies
Cinematic Corner
Sketchy Details

Not Just Movies
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Grind My Reels

Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Love and Squalor Film
Film Forager
For the Love of Movies
Surrender to the Void
And So it Begins...
ThatFellow
Never Too Early Movie Predictions

The Matinee

MoviesHateYouToo
Temple of Reviews
Wide Screen World
Reel Talk
The Critical Movie Critics
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Rambling Film

PG Cooper's Movie Reviews

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (23 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

Can't Stop the Movies
Guardians of the Genre

Fr. Dennis at the Movies
MoviesHateYouToo
HTTProductions
Let's Go To The Movies

Love and Squalor
The Matinee
Ianthecool's Movie Reviews
Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

PG Cooper's Movie Reviews
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Films from the Supermassive Blackhole
Nevermind Pop Film
The Critical Movie Critics
The Robot Who Likes Pretty Things

The Great Movie Project
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium
Cinematic Corner

Duke & The Movies
Temple of Reviews
Marshall and the Movies

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (23 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

MOTM Reminder: The Evil Dead

2012-01-13T08:11:00.002-07:00

Reminder: The LAMBcast/MOTM blog-a-thon extravaganza for The Evil Dead happens tomorrow! Send your links for posts/reviews to dylan@manilovefilms.com by 6:00 AM Pacific on Saturday the 17th.

Thanks!

LAMB #1211 - 1001Movies: Living by the Book

2012-01-12T20:13:00.016-07:00

URL: http://1001movies.posterous.com/
Site Name: 1001Movies: Living by the Book
Categories: Reviews, Humor, Horror, Classic Film,
Rating: G

What is the main focus of your site?
Chronicling my way through the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Remembering and sharing what I've seen.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive!

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
I posted 300 times last year, and the blog has been active since January 13th 2009.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Herz aus Glass
12 monkeys
Kvarteret Korpen

How did you hear about the LAMB?
http://1001plus.blogspot.com/

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

PLUG: Film Actually - Oscar Pool

2012-01-12T16:00:00.009-07:00

Hey there fellow Lammies!

This is Shane from Film Actually (filmactually.blogspot.com) and I'm announcing the creation of a Oscar pool just for us Lammies. It has been set up over at Gold Derby (http://www.goldderby.com/), where you can make your predictions for the upcoming Oscar nominations. I know there are many Oscar bloggers among us claiming to be the best predictor, so come on over and prove it! Just click on this link: http://www.goldderby.com/Squasher88/leagues/lammies.html and sign up for a Gold Derby account (or just sign in with your facebook account, it should be easier). Please shoot me an email at: shaneslater88(at)gmail(dot)com if you have any problems joining the league. Hopefully I will be able to sort it out. See you there!

Cheers!
Shane
Film Actually

Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMB #1210 - Make it a Double...Feature

2012-01-12T12:00:00.011-07:00

URL: http://makeitadoublefeature.wordpress.com/
Site Name: Make it a Double...Feature
Categories: (Other) Film-to-film connections
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
Exploring the different substantive links connecting films to each other.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Opening up a dialogue about a "network model" of films (and, more broadly, cultural products in general.)

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive – especially welcoming film-to-film link suggestions to add to the site's "film network map."

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Site has been active since August 2011. I aim to post ~1x/week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
The Spirit of the Beehive
Nashville
The Up! series

How did you hear about the LAMB?
General research...

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

The LAMB Devours the Oscars

2012-01-12T08:09:00.049-07:00

LAMB Devours the Oscars is almost here! If you weren't a member last year, here's a little summary of what goes on: I will take up to 33 volunteers to write posts that will be featured daily on the LAMB from the time the nominees are announced (Jan. 24th) up to the day before the actually ceremony (Feb. 26th). You can do a review of the films, general discussion of the nominees, backstory/history on the category itself, give your predictions, etc. Whatever you like. Click here to check out some previous articles. What we end up with (hopefully) is a diverse, excellently-written daily series celebrating Hollywood's biggest night.

This year will play out differently though. In the past, 23 LAMBs did write-ups for each category except Best Picture, and all the Best Picture nominees got their own post, which totaled 33 LAMBs contributing to this feature. Since there are not a guaranteed 10 Best Picture nominees anymore, I'm asking for volunteers, but clearly stating now that some of you may not get used. So I'm asking for 33 volunteers, but warning that 5 may have to sit out. Please let me know in your email if you're willing to back out if not needed. You may also include the nomination category you would like to cover, but please keep in mind that if you volunteer to contribute a post, you may end up with one of the lesser known categories. Also this is a first come, first served feature and now we're over 1200 members with only 28 to 33 available spots. So if you're interested in taking part this year, please email me at largeassmovieblogs@gmail.com. Serious interest only please, as we can't have empty days.

We will have to wait to see how many Best Picture nominees there are before we know exactly when to start. If there are 10 (unlikely) we will be starting on the day of the nominations and ending on the day before the show. I will need some brave souls to do their write-ups early to make sure we start on time and continue each day.

LAMB #1209 - A Nutshell Review

2012-01-11T20:58:00.014-07:00

URL: http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/
Site Name: A Nutshell Review
Categories: Reviews
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Movie Reviews, with a dedicated focus on Singapore Films

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Promote and garner awareness for Singapore movies both good and bad

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive community please

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Active since 2005, and updates almost every other day

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Sepet, I8 Grams of Love, The Dark Knight

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Google

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

Classic Chops: January 11th

2012-01-11T06:00:00.002-07:00

Good news, everyone! We’re back with another expanded version of “Classic Chops”…

Site Name: Forced Viewing

Mr. Sardonicus

Submitted by: Forced Viewing

Site Name: Tips from Chip

Movie – 12 Angry Men (1957)

Submitted by: Tips from Chip

Site Name: Cin-Eater

The Valiant (1929)

Submitted by: Cin-Eater

Site Name: IantheCool’s Movie Reviews

Film Club Review – Giant

Submitted by: IantheCool’s Movie Reviews

Site Name: Commentary Track

There Will Never Be a Greater Movie than Citizen Kane

Submitted by: Commentary Track

Site Name: Online-Inquirer

Me and Orson Welles

Submitted by: Online-Inquirer

Site Name: The Velvet Café

Everything looks better in black and white

Submitted by: The Velvet Café

Site Name: Film Actually

Oldie Goldies: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Submitted by: Film Actually

Site Name: Where Danger Lives

Unchained (1955)

Submitted by: Where Danger Lives

Site Name: The Lady Eve’s Reel Life

A Month of “Vertigo” – The Schedule (Vertigo blogathon!)

Submitted by: The Lady Eve’s Reel Life

Classic Chops enthusiastically welcomes any essay or post you’ve composed on a film classic—and even though I originally set the criterion at films released in 1965 and before, I have “cheated” a little and included films after that date that I don’t think too many people would dispute are “classics.” (As for this week’s inclusion of Me and Orson Welles…well, it just seems to fit.) Simply send your submissions to classicchops@gmail.com by January 17th at 6:00pm EST…and any questions, comments, suggestions and grape Nehi should be addressed to that same e-mail address as well.

As always…until next time…see you at the movies!

LAMB #1208 - Cinematic Corner

2012-01-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

URL: http://cinematiccorner.blogspot.com/
Site Name: Cinematic Corner
Categories: Reviews, General, Lists
Rating: R

What is the main focus of your site?
Movie reviews and articles.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I have been reviewing movies for many years, mainly because they are one of my favorite things in the world and I want to share that love through my words, hopefuly also making others curious about lesser known movies.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I enjoy discussions, please leave comments!

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
3 months, I update it daily.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Black Swan, Fight Club and Mulholland Drive

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Cinematic Paradox

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
Thanks for considering my blog :)

LAMB Photoshops: And The Winner Is

2012-01-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

After months of participation and waiting, we have finally come to our overall Round 1 winner! Before I announce who it is, I'd like to thank LOVEFiLM.com for sponsoring this contest and providing the awesome prizes the winners are going to receive. Also like to thank everyone who ever participated in this contest because without you, this whole feature wouldn't exist. And even if you didn't win, I'd like to thank you for being mature about it.

With that out of the way, the second place winner is Film Actually! Congratulations! You win $50 in Amazon bucks!

And the first place winner is The Droid You're Looking For! And you win a $75 Amazon Gift Card thingy!

I will be contacting you guys soon about giving you guys your prizes.

Here's how all the votes broke down:

If it means anything, Split Reel, I do thank you for being the only person to submit anything for that week's contest.And that's it! I'm taking some time off from the feature to figure out some new exciting contests and other awesome stuff. Thanks for playing and reading.
-Jason

The Director's Chair #23: John Landis

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

John Landis has made a strong impression in American filmmaking back in the 1970s and 80s in the genre of horror and comedy films. These days he might not be a household name among the younger generation, but they might recognize his films like Animal House (1978) or The Blues Brothers (1980). With a bit of help from several participating LAMB members we have quite a few articles of quality reading material. I hope you enjoy!

CAREER EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES
Brian versus Movies
Film Forager
The Droid You're Looking For [part one]
The Droid You're Looking For [part two]

REVIEWS FOR The Blues Brothers (1980)
Brian versus Movies
KL5-FILM

REVIEWS FOR An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Brian versus Movies
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Forced Viewing
The Droid You're Looking For

REVIEW FOR Innocent Blood (1992)
Forgotten Films

REVIEW FOR Masters of Horror: Deer Woman
Forced Viewing

REVIEW FOR Masters of Horror: Family
Forced Viewing

REVIEW FOR Coming to America (1988)
Wide Screen World

REVIEW FOR Trading Places (1983)
Dan the Man's Movie Reviews

REVIEW FOR Into the Night (1985)
Film Forager

REVIEWS FOR Animal House (1978)
Defiant Success
The Droid You're Looking For

LAMB #1207 - Noir and Chick Flicks

2012-01-08T19:06:00.014-07:00

URL: http://dawnschickflicks.blogspot.com/
Site Name: Noir and Chick Flicks
Categories: Reviews, General, Classic Film
Rating: G

What is the main focus of your site?
To Talk about classic movies.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Just a fun place to hang out and learn about classic films

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
interactive

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
I have been active over 2 years. I update almost every day.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Leave Her To Heaven
Gone With The Wind

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Lamb

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

PLUG: Reel Talk

2012-01-08T14:00:00.001-07:00

Hello!

I'd like to plug a live Q&A with Angelina Jolie that I am hosting on Reel Talk on January 12th at 8pm EST. The Oscar-winning actress will discuss her new, Golden Globe-nominated drama, In the Land of Blood and Honey, the first movie she has written and directed. She will take questions from online visitors.

Readers are invited to post questions for Jolie in the comments section of this post. One lucky commenter will win a copy of the movie poster!

Thanks so much!
Candice Frederick

Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMB #1206 - Sketchy Details

2012-01-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

URL: http://www.thesketchydetails.net/
Site Name: Sketchy Details
Categories: Reviews, General, Editorials, Horror, Classic Film
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
The main focus of Sketchy Details is media criticism. From reviews to editorials, I work to approach film in a unique way with a critical eye. I do have a passion for genre films and try to raise the level of discourse for horror.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I use Sketchy Details as a sounding board and proving ground for ideas I have for larger projects. Additionally, I use it as a calling card for other writing work and a way to interact with like-minded film fans.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I want people to interact more with the site. I love to get into discussions with people about media and film in particular. So far, it's mostly people sending me e-mails rather than posting publicly.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
I've run some version of Sketchy Details since 2006. However, it's current incarnation launched in December 2010.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Rosemary's Baby
Jezebel
Network

How did you hear about the LAMB?
I was digging through the archives at Pro Movie Blogger and saw a link.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMB Acting School 101: Joan Crawford (Jan 30th)

2012-01-07T14:57:00.001-07:00

CS, of Big Thoughts from a Small Mind, here with a new edition of LAMB Acting School 101! Each month we will highlight a different actor/actress whose performances, for better or worse, have left a mark on the cinematic landscape. This time we look at...
Joan Crawford

What we need from you:

Articles on her best performances
Articles on her worst performances
General thoughts (e.g. random articles, top ten lists, artwork, etc) on the actress
Links to podcasts where you have discussed her work
Reviews of the films the actress has appeared in
Any material you have written in the past on this actress

Once you have the material posted on your blog, send the link to bigthoughtssmallmind@hotmail.com.As always multiple submissions are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is Sunday January 29, 2012.

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LAMB #1205 - MostlyMotionPictures

2012-01-06T20:58:00.019-07:00

URL: http://www.mostlymotionpictures.wordpress.com/
Site Name: MostlyMotionPictures
Categories: Reviews, News, Humor, Classic Film
Rating: G

What is the main focus of your site?
Writing reviews and features about films. There is also news, coverage of awards and opinion pieces.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Experience for a carrer hopefully in journalism or writing generally. I want to improve my writing style and I love to watch films.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I like to have interactive viewers who comment and give their opinions on anything I have said.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Site has been active for nearly one year. Post at least once a week, sometimes more.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Fight Club, Memento, American Psycho

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Through LAMB buttons on people's blogs

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

Interview with a LAMBpire: Candice of Reel Talk

2012-01-06T18:33:00.001-07:00

Andrew here to give you some insight into another one of our LAMB members. This time I'm sitting down (in spirit, of course) with Candice of Reel Talk who won the last LAMB Casting episode for recasting Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

Andrew: The lovely Jessica Lange is one of the persons in your recast version of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. When she won the Emmy two years ago for her work in Grey Gardens she remarked how difficult it was for women her age too get plumb roles. What made you think of her, here?

Candice: When I was re-casting Christina, I thought of Katharine Hepburn. So, I began to think of an older woman with tons of class, but someone who is able to stand in a room full of men and not feel the slightest bit of intimidation. Hepburn never really wore flowy dresses in the movie, but was still all woman. She was tough, but diplomatic at the same time. She held her own, but understood her husband's stance as well. I think Lange embodies those characteristics. She also 1) resembles Hepburn, slightly (mostly in her demeanor). I think Lange is the type of actress that doesn't talk about taking a stance or leading a movement, she just does quietly. I though the actress who would step into the role of Christina.

A/N: I never thought of the Kate/Jessica connection, but Candice seems so on point and though I'm not quite sure they look that similar, they do have the same cadence. (There sure is a little of Elinor of Aquitaine in Constance on American Horror Story.)

A: Do you agree with the auteur theory (which posits that the director is the biggest creative force behind a film)?

C: I think a good director can make a good film, better. But I think all the elements have to be there for a film to be great--not just a good director. It takes a good director, good cast, and good material as well.

A: Which directors best embody this theory for you?

C: David Fincher, Stephen Spielberg, Joel and Ethan Coen, Ridley Scott, Tim Burton, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Lee, Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Lumet, James Cameron, Mira Nair, and John Carpenter

A: Do you see films predominantly as art or entertainment?

C: I think films should be entertaining art. I don't think they should just be entertaining, nor do do I think they should merely be art.

A: Oscar season abounds, and people continue to bemoan the fact that the AMPAS wants to get more ratings &etc. Do you think the AMPAS should deliberately try to win younger, "hipper" audiences by pandering, or should they just stick with the steadfast folks who'll watch it year in, year out. I.E. Is the Academy Awards more significant as a "show" or as an event for cinephiles in particular.

C: I think the AMPAS should award talent, regardless of age, race, or gender. The Academy Awards shouldn't just be seen as a television event pandering for ratings, but an event rewarding talent to whom it's due (that just happens to air on TV as well). I understand they want to build an audience, but their first concern should be awarding real talent.

A: Online film criticism and blogging seems to be a predominantly male "career". Why do you think that is?

C: I think it's especially tough for a female critic to offer opinion or analysis in film. They take a lot of critical judgment by their male counterparts, who too often equate their difference of opinion to naivete or misguided bias. Not every woman can take that kind of criticism day in and day out, so they don't try to break into it. Also, I think female critics may be less inclined to break into a male dominated industry of film criticism, to discuss the even more male dominated Hollywood industry. Their opinions are too often times unvalidated or ignored.

A: What's one film you'd like to take credit for? Not necessarily your favourite, but one which you'd like to have your name attached to as writer, director, producer or all of the above.

C: Oh boy...I honestly don't know. But, if I had to choose just one, I think I'd say Closer. If you ask me tomorrow, I'm sure it would be another movie. :)

I'm immediately intrigued by Candice's choice of Closer, so a forgotten gem with fine work from all the principals. What do you think of her thoughts on the auteur? The Oscars? Women and film criticism.

LAMBScores: The Descendants, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and New Year's Eve

2012-01-06T08:00:00.131-07:00

Awesome Barnhart's Reviews
Wide Screen World
jdbrecords
Fogs' Movie Reviews
Surrender to the Void
The Critical Movie Critics

Love and Squalor Film
The Matinee
Not Just Movies
Nevermind Pop Film
Fr. Dennis at the Movies

Never Too Early Movie Predictions
Temple of Reviews
And So it Begins...
PG Cooper's Movie Reviews
Duke & The Movies
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Lord of the Films

Can't Stop the Movies

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (20 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

Row Three
DearFilm

Not Just Movies
The Good Dystopian
Film Actually

The Critical Movie Critics
Film Intel
Maqam's Pop Culture Rants

Phil on Film

Fr. Dennis at the Movies
Temple of Reviews

Multiplex Slut
Wide Screen World

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (13 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews
Let's Go To The Movies

Duke & The Movies
The Critical Movie Critics

Andy Buckle's Film Emporium
MoviesHateYouToo

Fr. Dennis at the Movies

Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (7 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

Submissions for this film are now closed. To submit your rating & review for other new releases, visit the LAMB Forums (must be an existing LAMB to join).

See what our fellow movie lovers at Total Film had to say about New Year's Eve.

LAMB #1204 - The Reel Bits

2012-01-05T20:57:00.019-07:00

URL: http://www.thereelbits.com/
Site Name: The Reel Bits
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Editorials, Classic Film, Lists, (Other) Podcast
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Film reviews and news

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
My primary goal is to share my love of movies with the world. If I didn't have a blog, I'd just be telling people on the street. I'd also like to be whisked away to a high-paying film criticism job one day.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive. Twitter, Facebook and other social networks are essential to my readership.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
The Reel Bits has been around since October 2010, and maintains a daily schedule. It in turn is an off-shoot of DVD Bits, which ran from 1998-2011.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Singin' In the Rain, The Godfather, Annie Hall

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Andy Buckle's Film Emporium and The Lennox Files

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

PLUG: To the Escape Hatch

2012-01-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Tune in to to the escape hatch! every Friday for our recurring Favorite Scene Friday! feature. We'll post one of our favorite movie scenes and provide a little commentary for your reading pleasure. We'd love to hear from our readers - do you like the scene or hate it? Have a personal favorite scene from that Friday's film of choice? Comments are always welcome and encouraged.

And if that wasn't enough, we do the same thing every Monday, only with music videos - Music Video Monday!

It all goes down every Monday and Friday at totheescapehatch.blogspot.com.

Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMB #1203 - Film Gumbo

2012-01-05T12:00:00.004-07:00

URL: http://filmgumbo.blogspot.com/
Site Name: Film Gumbo
Categories: Reviews, Editorials, Horror, Classic Film, Lists, (Other) Cult Films
Rating: NC-17

What is the main focus of your site?
Destroying the divide between cult, trash, mainstream, classic and art house films.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
For Film Gumbo to become a blog in which several articles are published every day by a team of like-minded contributers.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
An interactive community is imperative to the success of Film Gumbo. It's good to get a stew goin'.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
The blog has been active since September. I update the site once or twice a week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Hana-bi
Taxi Driver
Big Trouble in Little China

How did you hear about the LAMB?
http://thewoodenkimono.blogspot.com/ (aka LAMB member Joe Gastineau).

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

Leaderboard Updated for December

2012-01-05T08:00:00.011-07:00

365 Horror Movie came back for No.1 after being knocked down last month by Franz Patrick's Film Archive. Congrats!

We have four new/returning entrants to the board and we're down to 15% of the leaderboard being populated with the generic LAMB Banner. Send me your personalized LAMB Banners to get that percentage lower.

Speaking of LAMB Banners, there are two new ones "hanging" in the Gallery/random banner widget. Want yours in there? Just send it to me. More details on that here.

LAMB #1202 - The World According to Marakovitz

2012-01-04T20:00:00.022-07:00

URL: http://marakovitz.com/
Site Name: The World According to Marakovitz
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Editorials, Humor, Classic Film, Lists
Rating: R

What is the main focus of your site?
Pop culture, movies, music, food and drink.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
Trying to find an audience for my writing and my opinions. Also looking to promote myself as a freelance writer.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactivity welcome and encouraged.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Site has been active since 2008. Have posted sporadically in the past but currently becoming more active- aiming for anywhere from 1-5 posts per week depending on my schedule.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Little Children. Mean Streets. The Apartment.

How did you hear about the LAMB?
Discovered it at Dan the Man's Movie Reviews after he commented on a recent review of "Shame" that I posted.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
Admittedly my site is not exclusively dedicated to movie reviews. And I'm not an around the clock poster. However, I do think my site has some upside in terms of the high quality of the writing that it presents. i encourage you to take a quick glance and out my "Shame" review. I think I can represent LAMB well in terms of the quality, if not the frequency, of my reviews.

PLUG: Wide Screen World

2012-01-04T15:00:00.001-07:00

This month at Wide Screen World, by special request, I've put together a new blogathon that asks the question "Who would play you in the movie of your life?" Details here:

http://widescreenworld.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-movie-of-my-life-blogathon.html

Rich
WSW

Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMB #1201 - Jar Watches Films

2012-01-04T11:00:00.015-07:00

URL: Jarwatchesfilms.com
Site Name: Jar Watches Films
Categories: Reviews
Rating: PG

What is the main focus of your site?
Reviewing every movie I've seen since January 1st, 2011. The qualifications are that it has to be a movie I'm seeing for the first time.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I am attempting to see if I can gain a firmer understanding of the roots of well done cinema.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I would very much like for my site to be more interactive than it currently is and am always looking for ways to do so.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
A year and about seven times a month.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
8 1/2, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Waking Life

How did you hear about the LAMB?
I found LAMB through google.

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

Classic Chops: January 4th

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good news, everyone! It’s the first edition of “Classic Chops” for 2012!

Site Name: Forced Viewing

Hour of the Wolf

Submitted by: Forced Viewing

Site Name: FlixChatter

Weekend Viewing Roundup: The Adjustment Bureau and North by Northwest

Submitted by: FlixChatter

Site Name: Wide Screen World

Design for Living

Submitted by: Wide Screen World

Site Name: Banana Oil

Comparison Shopping: Little Women

Submitted by: Banana Oil

Site Name: The Velvet Cafe

Tap dancing was never lovelier

Submitted by: The Velvet Cafe

Site Name: Online-Inquirer

Taxi Driver: 35th Anniversary Edition

Submitted by: Online-Inquirer

Classic Chops enthusiastically welcomes any essay or post you’ve composed on a film classic—and even though I originally set the criterion at films released in 1965 and before, I have “cheated” a little and included films after that date that I don’t think too many people would dispute are “classics.” Simply send your submissions to classicchops@gmail.com by January 10th at 6:00pm EST…and any questions, comments, suggestions and discarded printer cartridges should be addressed to that same e-mail address as well.

As always…until next time…see you at the movies!

LAMB #1200 - TarsTarkas.NET

2012-01-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

URL: http://tarstarkas.net/
Site Name: TarsTarkas.NET
Categories: Reviews, General, News, Humor, Classic Film
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
My sight? How did you know I have psychic powers? Are you psychic too? No, wait, I'll use my psychic abilities to predict....coming up blank. It's as if you're just some sort of internet form and not a real person. Something strange is going on here. I can feel it! Also I'm buying some tickets for the Illinois lottery. I'm feeling lucky. 3-14-22-23-26 lucky, if you know what I mean! Wait, don't play those numbers, because I'm not splitting the $63 million. It's all mine, suckers!

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
My goals are generally six points, with the option of kicking an extra point (or running a two-point conversion). As for TarsTarkas.NET, we're in this for the hot chicks and hot dudes who swarm to website owners. Because we got a hole in our basement that needs filling, and these eager and naive groupies are just the thing for a few weeks of fun before they become a new coat.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
If anyone tries to say anything, I'll smack them upside their head in real life. I've tracked down dozens of commentors, and it is always a joy to pull up to their house and begin the beatdown. Sure, I'm a fugitive now in 17 states, but most of those states suck anyway.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
TarsTarkas.NET was born on a cloudy day in 2004, shot out of its mother's vagina at speeds great enough to break three fingers of the attending physician when she caught it. Since then, Tarstarkas.NET has feed on a steady diet of B-movies and cult films from around the world, sucking the soul from the celluloid and leaving only burnt out husks. Soon, all cinema will be created just to satisfy TarsTarkas.NET, or the website will turn to devouring human souls...which we haven't done already and no, I have no idea where Jim is. Stop asking.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
A six-minute, 14-second blurry camera movie of a deer in our yard staring at me before running away. I think it's name is MOV-4526.AVI
This YouTube video I saw of a chipmunk who was being all dramatic and stuff. I think it was called "The Rodent who turns and looks at you"
Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel

How did you hear about the LAMB?
This guy who waits outside the bus station each morning continually yells "LAAAAMMMBB!! LAAAAAAMMMBB!!!" every day until you give him three quarters (no more, no less) If you give him the right combination of states on the three quarters (I am sworn to secrecy as to which three states are the key!), he will tell you the meaning of life, the location of the Treasure of Rura Madrea, and the website address http://largeassmovieblogs.blogspot.com/

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Me leaving additional comments, talking about how movies have enriched my life and things like that. Well, I'll tell you. I'll tell you movies haven't enriched my life as much as robbing banks has! Yep, banks pay hundreds of thousands of dollars once you get inside and it's only a quick gunfight with the police and you've escaped. Then you can buy many movies, or spend it on hookers and blow. Mostly hookers and blow, because they play movies for free on TBS (we hijack cable because we're jerks!) And I make sure I get the larger share instead of my partner, Eddie. Because Eddie can't count, he don't know no better. Let me tell you one other thing-

ATTENTION TARS TARKAS!! THIS IS EDDIE! GIMME THE REST OF MY MONEY!

Screw you, Eddie! How about you eat some hot lead?? ::BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM!!::

::BLAM BLAM BLAM!!!::

Argh! He got me! That jerk. But I got him as well. As I bleed out here on the carpett, want to lettt you knowwww I am proud 2 bee a LAMBBBBBbbbbb---**.

Submission Reminder for Director's Chair

2012-01-03T13:45:00.001-07:00

Event #23 starring
John Landis
January 10, 2012

Submission Deadline
10 PM on January 9, 2012

Submit all articles to...
mattehavoc@gmail.com

Hi everyone! I would like to remind everyone who is interested in participating in the twenty-third installment of The LAMBs in the Director's Chair series should have their article links sent in by January 9th before the 10 PM (local time) cut off. We are under six days away from the cut off time and I am sure you will not want to be left behind. If you would like to promote the event you can grab one of the promotional banners from the announcement post by clicking here.

LAMB Photoshops #10 Winner And Vote For Round 1 Winner

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ok everybody, the time has arrived. Honestly, I'm on the edge of my seat. I have no idea how this is going to play out. But before we get to the main event...The winner of Contest #10 in Round 1, "If Jason Statham Made A Disney Film" is:

The Droid You're Looking For

For those of you curious, here's how the votes broke down:

With that done, it's time to vote on a Round 1 winner! What I'm gonna do is post all the previous winners that's allowed to win the prizes (meaning Dylan's and Rachel's wins won't be posted) and the topics that correspond and what you have to do is vote WHO, overall, did the best job. And by best you can go by overall quality and/or funniest. Whatever you want to use, just vote. And try to be fair. Here we go.

#1: If Michael Bay Remade Classic Films

Russell of ManicMoviegoer.com

#2: If R-Rated Films Were Turned Into Children Films(Originally won by Rachel, so I'm putting the second place winner here)

Shane of Film Actually

#3: If Wes Anderson Made A Superhero Films

Anna from Split Reel

#4: If Big Budget Movies Had A Small Budget

Matt from Matt vs The Academy

#5: If George Lucas Kept Messing With The Original Star Wars

John from The Droid You're Looking For

(There was no submissions for #6.)

#7: If Romantic Comedies Were Horror Movies

The Droid You're Looking For

#8: If Every Movie Was Made By Merchant Ivory Productions

Matt vs The Academy

#9: If A Movie Character Ran For President

The Droid You're Looking For

#10: If Jason Statham Made A Disney Film

The Droid You're Looking For

Voting will close on Monday, January 9th at 11PM EST. I will announce the winner. And one final reminder what the prizes are, bought to you by LOVEFiLM.com:

1st prize - $75 Amazon voucher (American only)

2nd prize - $50 Amazon voucher (American only)

(If you're from the UK, we will offer you a UK prize pack, so don't let that worry you.)

Thanks to everybody who submitted 'shops and to those up for the prizes, good luck!

-Jason

LAMBcast #98: Melancholia

2011-12-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

Stunning visuals. Parent/child dynamics. A controversial director pulling an award-winning performance out of his lead. An end result that received wildly divergent reactions from viewers, from the many claiming "masterpiece" to the perhaps-not-quite-as-many screaming "terrible!"

Oh, and Melancholia is probably like The Tree of Life in any number of other ways as well. Bet you saw that coming a mile away, not unlike a certain large blue planet that was hiding behind the sun. (Did you see that one coming, too? Ok, I'll stop.)

Anyway, the LAMBcasters took to discussing Lars von Trier's latest film, which basically amounted to Dylan, Nick, Alan and newcomer Joanna teating it apart while Brian defended it to the hilt. It might not have been that bad, but I think that's how Brian felt, anyway.

Also on tap:

* Rants of the Week
* Raves of the Week
* Last LAMB Standing

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website. Big thanks to Kevin for providing this service. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too. Either here in the comments section or to dylan@manilovefilms.com or to our Facebook page. Also, we're on iTunes, and would still love a review, even if it's a bad one.

Thanks for listening!

LAMB #1199 - Shane's Visual Cues

2011-12-30T19:55:00.005-07:00

URL: http://shanesvisualcues.wordpress.com/
Site Name: Shane's Visual Cues
Categories: Reviews, Lists
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
To express my thoughts and reviews on movies I watch and to have them open for discussion/critique.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
To channel my combined love of both movies and of writing, and to hone my writing skills as well as my skills at movie analysis/reviewing in the process.

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
Interactive community.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
It has been active for about 3 months. I do not yet have a fixed timeline for posts.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
The Matrix, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Saw.

How did you hear about the LAMB?
I found a link to it from another blog: http://mattandmotionpictures.wordpress.com/

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None

LAMBScores: Shame

2011-12-30T08:17:00.046-07:00

Temple of Reviews
jdbrecords
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Average LAMBScore out of five, rounded to nearest half-LAMB: (17 sites)

Median LAMBScore:

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LAMB #1198 - The Narrative Experience

2011-12-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

URL: narrativexp.wordpress.com
Site Name: The Narrative Experience
Categories: Reviews, General, (Other) Analysis/Theory
Rating: PG-13

What is the main focus of your site?
Analyzing the way stories are presented in movies.

What are your blogging goals, personally and/or professionally? In other words, what, if anything, are you trying to get out your blog?
I'm practicing to become a better writer. Plus I want to share my opinions, which I don't often see expressed by other critics

Do you prefer an interactive community for your blog or are you the teacher and your readers the students?
I prefer interaction. Being pedantic is a weakness in my writing I'm trying to eliminate.

How long have you been movie blogging for, and how frequent do you post updates to your site?
Been active since August 2011. Usually post one review a week.

Name up to three of your favorite movies (and no more).
Dark City
The Third Man
Pan's Labyrinth

How did you hear about the LAMB?
From Dan the Man's Movie Reviews

Any additional comments, or give yourself an interview question that's not listed above.
None