An American Legend

I found this tribute item of James Dean in a pop-culture filled store at a local farmers' market, which has a mix of produce, restaurants and general shopping. I've seen other representations of this image, stating that he was walking in New York City. Given his background in the city, I read online about a James Dean walking tour of NYC; I'm not sure if it is still active, though. Since my last visit there, I found a lot of interesting old Hollywood history connected to the places I went to or glimpsed while walking through midtown.

Old Hollywood Comedy

I just finished watching the 1938 movie "Bringing Up Baby," starring Katharing Hepburn and Cary Grant on TCM. It is listed on the AFI Top 100 Movies as well as on a Yahoo! list of movies to see before you die. As a fan of classic movies, I'm trying to check off as many of those movies so that's one more down after my first time watching the funny Hepburn / Grant movie involving a leopard.


Another comedy I recently saw was "My Sister Eileen," the 1942 version starring Rosalind Russell. This one seems hard to find on DVD, but since I've only seen it on a couple of times, I'd live to get my own copy. I usually find a different version on DVD when looking around online, but I haven't watched that one yet. In the '42 version, the things that happen to the career-driven sisters in their New York apartment are hilarious!


If you are a fan of classic Hollywood and the comedy genre, check these out on TCM when you get a chance.

Film Beyond the Classroom

My spring semester is over, the grades are in and I received a 'B' in film history. Following that, I am signing up for more English courses, including a concentration in film studies. I'll be making that official when my fall semester starts in late August.


I also decided to join the Bryn Mawr Film Institute as a student member. I thought it would be nice to see movies at a landmark theatre along Lancaster Avenue, besides the usual places I visit for watching movies. BMFI shows indie films, which I'm getting more and more interested in but don't often get to see where I usually go. Becoming a member of BMFI mainly had to do with branching out with my activities and going to film-related events, such as lectures that are held at the theatre, and supporting the work done there.

2011 MTV Movie Awards

This year's MTV Movie Awards are coming up soon and I voted for my favorites online at the MTV website. Here are my picks:

• Best Kiss - "Twilight" Saga, Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart



• Best Fight - "Inception," Hallway Scene



• Best Villain - "Harry Potter," Tom Felton



• Best Jaw-Dropping Moment - "127 Hours," James Franco



• Biggest Bad--- Star - "Inception," Joseph Gordon Levitt



• Best Scared As S--- Performance - "Inception," Ellen Page



• Best Line from a Movie - "Grown Ups"



• Best Breakout Star - "True Grit," Hailee Steinfeld



• Best Comedic Performance - "No Strings Attached," Ashton Kutcher



• Best Female Performance - "Black Swan," Natalie Portman



• Best Male Performance - "Harry Potter," Daniel Radcliffe



• Best Movie - "Inception"

Which actors, actresses and movies are you voting for?

More Movies

Since my last post, I saw trailers for some more movies that I'd like to see. Here they are:

• Thor



• Anonymous



• Apollo 18



• The Woman in Black



• The Three Musketeers



• The Rise of the Planet of the Apes



• POTC 4: On Stranger Tides



• Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows 2
  

Before I see the final installment of the "Harry Potter" movies, I'll have to catch up on a few of the previous ones.

13 Movies I Want To See

There are a lot of new films that I would like to see, varying from literary-based and historical figures and real-life stories to sci-fi, action and animations. I'll probably only go out to see a few of them, and wait for the rest to be released on DVD. Here they are:

• Jane Eyre


• Red Riding Hood


• The Adjustment Bureau


• I Am Number Four


• Rango


• Gnomeo and Juliet


• Dark Shadows


• J. Edgar


• Your Highness


• Mars Needs Moms


• Source Code


• Water for Elephants


• Soul Surfer

Which of the above films do you want to see, or don't want to see?

Next Friday, "Black Swan" will be playing at my college campus. I haven't seen it yet, so I'll probably check it out then.

Film History Class & Celebs in NYC

Yesterday was the due date for our term papers on various films. Next week, we will just have individual meetings with the professor about the papers and how they can be improved. I was working on mine up to yesterday morning, getting some final pieces added to it. There is also supposed to be slideshow presentations to compliment the term papers. However, they aren't due yet.


I've been enjoying this class so far, mostly because I've had to chance to watch some movies that I have never seen before. At the beginning of class, we also discuss any new movies anyone recently went to see. My professor said he saw the movie, "Paul," about two guys who encounter a little space alien.




I was in New York City on March 19 to see the musical, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," starring Daniel Radcliffe. The show was great! The musical was at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, near the Film Center building. A block away is the Actors Studio, although I didn't see it during that visit to the Big Apple. That will have to be for next time, along with a lot of other sightseeing!