Photo Updates for VISIONFEST 11 and New Madlab Post Header Unveiled #NaBloPoMo

It was a long time coming but I finally got around to adding photos to the VISIONFEST 11 film festival post from earlier this month. If you are reading this and have not read the post or were waiting for the photos, you are welcome to go and read the post (or read it again), check out the photos and leave a comment or two. Also, here is a new blog header for The Madlab Post that a graphic designer made for me that I've had sitting around for a few weeks. What do you think?

Current Madlab Post Blog Header:

New Madlab Post Blog Header:

Your feedback is welcome on these blog headers. I think that it is time to make some upgrades to the Madlab Post blog and the blog header is among these upgrades. So......

Should I keep the current one, use the new one or get an entirely different one designed so you all can choose from two different options for a new header?

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My Favorite Year to Date Film

Favorites are the topic of choice for this week’s Monday Movie Meme as The Bumbles says to share on your blog a favorite year to date movie, as suggested by Sandy at You’ve Gotta Read This. After reviewing my Netflix streaming history, DVD rentals and trying to remember very movie that I watched in a movie theater since New Year’s, here is my favorite movie of 2011.....so far.

Blue Valentine
Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

I waited in excitement while anticipating the release of “Blue Valentine” on New Year’s Eve and then found out that it wasn’t going to be showing in my city until early January. This movie was well worth the wait.....it is sweet, funny and emotionally gripping because the characters and story seems so real. The relationship between Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams) is fun and carefree until some unexpected news changes the direction of their lives in a way that causes both to re-evaluate their priorities and also compromise on their long-term romantic and professional goals.

“Blue Valentine” is made in a non-linear fashion, showing how their relationship started and progressed while simutaneously chronicling the ups and downs of their marriage. I plan to buy “Blue Valentine” on DVD and add it to my movie collection because it is a film that I would not mind watching again.

While I love “Blue Valentine,” my favorite year to date movie may change by the end of 2011 since there are 5 more months left during which I plan to watch dozens of more films. I still do not like the fact that Ryan Gosling got snubbed out of an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in “Blue Valentine” so if I find a later movie to be more of a favorite, he’ll be “Best Actor” in my book for 2011!

Gofita's Pages calls 'Blue Valentine' "A very well done but depressing unlove story" and no one could have described this movie any better.

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Leonardo DiCaprio opposite Beyonce in New Film? PLEASE Don’t! #NaBloPoMo

Our favorite actor, Leonardo DiCaprio seems to be on a roll this year making Quentin Taratino movies and saving tigers. None of this is a surprise but the latest news about one of his upcoming roles are a cause for concern. It isn’t even the roles that worry me, but the casting choices for fellow headliners that seem out of place. Clint Eastwood is set to direct a remake of “A Star is Born” with superstar singer Beyonce in the lead role.

According to The Telegraph, Eastwood is trying to convince Leonardo DiCaprio to star in this movie, opposite Beyonce and while everyone involved in this project so far are great talents, the current and possible cast makeup seems just all wrong. Beyonce’s performances in movies such as “The Fighting Temptations” and “Dreamgirls” were good but many of her roles were centered around music....something that she already knows how to do. “Obsessed” aside, her acting skills seem to be limited, or at the very least....unconvincing.

Something needs to happen for me to want to go buy a movie theater ticket and watch this.....Clint Eastwood giving a smaller role to Beyonce in favor of a more seasoned actress or Leonardo DiCaprio turning down this role or Clint Eastwood deciding to go with another actor for the role he plans to give to DiCaprio. One of the three would work and now that I think about it....why would Leonardo DiCaprio star in some rock and roll movie, playing a singer? The film actually seems more suited to the kind of work that Beyonce does, based on her singing talents and top position in the music industry as well as her previous film work. So, maybe Beyonce is the ideal choice after all and Leo is the one who may not fit. Hmmm. Where did Leonardo DiCaprio come in during all of this?

I don’t know about this one, Leo!

Also, it would be nice to read or watch an interview with Clint Eastwood where he discusses what made him choose these particular actors.

How do we go from Barbara Streisand and Judy Garland to Beyonce?

I just don't know about this one. Maybe, however, he's on to something magical that will wow audiences and cause people to actually like remakes.

Would YOU watch a remake of “A Star is Born” starring Leonardo DiCaprio AND Beyonce?

I probably wouldn’t, or at least, I wouldn’t want to watch such a movie but if you think that it would be entertaining or worth watching, your reasoning for supporting this casting lineup is very welcome....maybe you could convince me to watch it just as Clint Eastwood is convincing Leonardo DiCaprio to star in it.

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