Character of the Week: Lisbeth Salander

Lisbeth Salander is a computer hacker with a troubled past and a photographic memory. I loved the Millenium Trilogy and am really upset that Steig Larsson is dead and can't write anymore novels featuring Miss Salander. My favorite book in the series is the first one, where Lisbeth becomes a research assistant to a journalist who is trying to solve a really old murder case. I know that everyone is crazy about Noomi Rapace and the Swedish films and was really annoyed by the American remake, but I actually liked David Fincher's version better. I loved Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth and think that she was great, but I really didn't think that the Swedish films were that great. The first one was good, but the film version of The Girl Who Played With Fire was actually kind of boring to me. I knew that the American version would be great with Fincher directing and with Daniel Craig and Christopher Plummer. What I was really curious to see was Rooney Mara as Lisbeth, and she was GREAT! My favorite moment in the whole film:

She really looked the part, and really just became Lisbeth Salander. I am really looking forward to the next two films (which will hopefully also be directed by David Fincher).

And just because I love this so much:

My Favorite Movies of 2011

One of my favorite things to do is to go to the movies. I went to a shitload of movies this year and really enjoyed writing my little movie reviews after I got home. This year I only gave one movie a 10/10, which is my number one movie on the list. (Check it out below...) The five movies that I gave the lowest scores to were Sucker Punch, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Breaking Dawn Part 1, The Rum Diary, and Your Highness. Anyways...here is my list of the 10 movies that I enjoyed the most in the year 2011.

10. The Muppets

This movie was totally cheesy, but I loved it anyway. I've always loved The Muppets and this movie just put me in a really good mood. When ever I leave the theater after seeing a movie that I really like I end up walking on sunshine all the way home, and that was definitely the case with this movie. It was made even better by having the always adorable Jason Segel. I was bummed that I didn't get to see this movie with my little sisters, but they probably already know all the words to Man or Muppet because that song was stuck in my head all through Christmas break so I was singing it all the time.



9. Like Crazy

This movie stars Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones as two young people who try to make a long distance relationship work after the girl overstays her visa and is no longer allowed in the United States. This movie has lots of really cute and sweet parts, but also a lot of parts that are really sad. They have to deal with jealousy, breaking up and then missing eachother and getting back together and trying to lift the ban on her visa while they are both leading really separate lives in their different countries.



8. Fright Night

This movie really surprised me. I love the original Fright Night, so I was really curious about how they would update the movie (since the old one is VERY 80s). I think that Colin Farrell makes a very sexy vampire, and I liked the way they changed the character of Peter Vincent. He went from old school vampire hunter in the original to a Criss Angel-type magician in this one. I just think that this movie is really fun to watch.



7. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil

This was definitely one of the funniest movies that I saw in 2011. It is about these two rednecks who this group of college students think are serial killers. In reality, they are just on vacation while the students accidentally kill themselves one by one. I just love it because you see so many movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre where this group of kids get murdered by random rednecks who live in the middle of nowhere, and this movie is a comment on those.



6. Young Adult

I absolutely love Charlize Theron and I think that she was amazing in this movie. She plays a YA novel writer who goes back to her hometown to try to get back together with her ex-boyfriend (who is married with a new baby). The best scenes in the movie were definitely the scenes with Theron and Patton Oswalt, who plays a guy she never really talked to in high school, but confides in about her mission to get her ex back.



5. Jane Eyre

I loved this book so I was super excited when I saw that this movie was coming out. I think that the casting for this movie was perfect and that Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender were both really great as Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. In the book Mr. Rochester is described as unattractive, so casting Fassbender wasn't staying true to the novel, but I really don't care! Fassbender is soooo sexy as Mr. Rochester and he is definitely the best part of this movie.



4. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I never thought that a CGI monkey would make me cry, but when Caesar draws his window on the wall it just got to me! Anyways, I always think that prequels are a rediculous idea, but Planet of the Apes was a good movie to make a prequel to since it takes place after so much has happened. It was really cool to see the beginning of how apes take over the Earth. While I love me some James Franco, the real star of this movie is Andy Serkis as Caesar. You see him become more and more human as the film progresses and (SPOILER ALERT!) when he finally talks it is NUTS! I just love how I can watch a whole movie of apes talking and think nothing of it, but when he shouted NO! I just went "WHHAAATTTTT!?!?!?!"


3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

I know that a lot of people were really annoyed about an American movie version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but I was always super excited. Although I love Noomi Rapace and thought that she was great as Lisbeth Salander, I just did not care at all for the Swedish films. I think that Daniel Craig was the perfect choice to play Blomkvist and that Rooney Mara did an amazing job as Lisbeth. It also has one of the coolest opening sequences ever! I really hope that David Fincher directs the movie versions of the next two books as well.



2. X-Men First Class

There were a shitload of superhero movies that came out in 2011, and X-Men First Class was by far my favorite! I thought that the casting was perfect for all of the characters with the exception of January Jones as Emma Frost (I'm sorry I just don't like her). The star of the movie was definitely Michael Fassbender as Magneto and I'm not just saying that because I love Michael Fassbender. Magneto is one of the more interesting X-Men characters and he is just a badass in this movie! I am bummed because I can't find a Youtube video of that scene where he kills those German guys in Argentina...Whatever...here is another cool scene. I loved the parts with Magneto and Mystique and am hoping that we see lots more of them in the sequel!


1. Bridesmaids

Fooking hilarious! I saw this movie in theaters with my mom and we were both laughing our asses off the entire time! I thought that the entire cast was brilliant, even the people with smaller parts. This is one of the funniest movies to come out in a long time. I laughed my ass off the first time I saw it, laughed my ass off again when I saw it at the movie theater in Coffman with a full crowd of people, and continue to laugh my ass off whenever I watch it on DVD. Love this movie!

My Review: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Super cool!!! While I loved Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander, I have to say that Rooney Mara did a great job. Mara is a pretty girl, but not so pretty that it distracts from the character. Even though she does have plenty of nude scenes, Lisbeth isn't supposed to be a sex object. She is supposed to be tough, crazy, and super smart, and Mara does a great job with that. Daniel Craig was the perfect choice to play Blomkvist, and I also really loved Robin Wright and Christoper Plummer in their roles as well. A lot of people really didn't see the point of having an American version of this movie, since the Swedish ones were so popular. Although I do slightly agree with that, it doesn't change the fact that this movie was incredibly cool. I was sucked in right away, especially after that opening sequence with the Karen O/ Trent Reznor cover of Immigrant Song. The fact that I read the book and knew the entire story didn't take away any of the suspense for me. It was just a great, interesting film to watch, and it didn't even feel like 2 1/2 hour long movie. My rating: 9/10

New Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Trailer!

YES YES YES YES YES!!!!! The teaser trailer was really cool, but I have been waiting patiently for a trailer that shows more story. Granted I have read this book, so I know the whole story, it is still really cool to see Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig as their characters. It seems that they've all got their Swedish accents down, and Mara has her Lisbeth Salander look. I liked the Swedish film version of this book, but I have to admit that this one looks REALLY COOL!!!

My Most Anticipated Movies for 2011 (Part 2)

My last list only went up to July, so here are the movies that I plan to see from August through December.

August

I am a huge fan of the original Planet of the Apes movie with Charlton Heston, and I didn't think that the Tim Burton version was as bad as everyone says it was. Also, I adore James Franco, so this is a movie that I am really excited to see. What I am really curious about is how the timeline of this fits into the timeline of the original film.

I really like all four of the leads in this movie, and after seeing the trailer, I think this movie looks really funny.

I loved the original Fright Night, and am really curious as to how they will update the story, since the orginal was very 80s. Plus, what beats Colin Farrell as a sexy vampire?

I had this movie on my first list because it was supposed to come out a long time ago!!! I was pissed when they changed the release date, but now it is only a month away!! It is a rarety that a movie trailer can scare the hell out of me, and this one made me scream the first two times I saw it. (Once on my laptop, and once before I saw Let Me In.)



September

Two reasons I want to see this. 1. I'm a sucker for boxing/ fighter movies. 2. Tom Hardy

This is another movie that was supposed to come out a long time ago. I think that this movie looks super cute, and I really like Mia Wasikowska. Plus, I'm curious if Henry Hopper is as good of an actor as his father (who is one of my favorite actors)



I actually haven't seen the trailer for this movie (and can't watch it right now because my speakers are broken), but the cast alone is enough to make me want to see this movie. I heart Joseph Gordon-Levitt!



October

This is supposed to be a prequel to The Thing, so I don't know why they would give it the same title. I guarantee that this is going to be nowhere near as good as the original, but I plan to see it out of curiousity. I'm hoping that it's not all CGI, and that they use practical effects like they do in the original.

I've read both good and bad things about this movie, but I like Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy is one of my favorite movies!), and I am curious about how he does directing a film in my favorite genre...

I am really excited to see In Time, which looks like a modern day version of Logan's Run. Justin Timberlake plays a man who tries to run away from a society where you can't age past 25. Interesting...

You put Johnny Depp in a movie, chances are that I'm going to go see it. Here he is starring in The Rum Diary, which is another Hunter S. Thompson story, which is really cool since I love Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

November

My Week with Marilyn should be pretty good, I think that Michelle Williams will be a great Marilyn Monroe. What I am most curious about is how Kenneth Branagh will be playing Laurence Olivier. 

Hugo is a Martin Scorcese film. 'Nuff said...

Love The Muppets!! My favorites are the Swedish Chef, Professor Honeydew and Beaker, and Animal. I know I'm just going to love this movie! Plus, it was co-written by Jason Segal, so it should be good!!

December

I thought that the first Sherlock Holmes movie was just okay, but I still want to see the sequel. I'm curious to see Noomi Rapace in something besides  the The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movies...

Speaking of the The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movies...This is my number one most anticipated movie that I want to see for the rest of the year. It looks amazing! While I was skeptical about Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander at first, I have decided that I think she is going to be great. Can't wait until December!!!

Movie I Want To See: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

No movie coming out this year looks as cool and amazing as David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I read this book last summer and loved it to death, so I am just super excited for this film. I have to wait 6 months, but I have a feeling that it will be worth it. Fincher was a great choice for director, it has an amazing cast, and one of the coolest movie trailers I have ever seen (that has a kick ass song.) I thought that the Swedish version was good, and Noomi Rapace was great as Lisbeth Salander, but those films just werent as great as they could have been. I think that Fincher's film version are going to be mindblowing.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Teaser Trailer!!!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! This movie is going to be so amazing!!!! I was checking my Twitter on my phone a second ago and the very first thing I saw was something about a Girl With The Dragon Tattoo teaser trailer, so I went running back to my computer!!!! It looks so awesome! I can not wait until December!

Lisbeth Salander in W Magazine

WOW! Normally I don't buy fashion magazines, but when I saw the cover for this one, I of course had to get it. I'm gonna be totally honest, I haven't read the article yet but my goodness, the photos are amazing!!! I am actually really excited about this movie now. I was a little skeptical about Fincher casting Rooney Mara at first, but she looks just WOW as Lisbeth Salander!

More Girl With The Dragon Tattoo News

Here is a more recent picture of Rooney Mara on the set of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011.) As you can see, she has gotten some facial piercings, and I read online that she also got her nipples pierced for a topless scene in the movie. She definitely looks a lot different than Noomi Rapace's version of Lisbeth Salander (whose look I like better,) but she does look a lot more like a badass than she does in other movies. More casting news: Joely Richardson has been cast as Harriet Vanger. Personally, I think shes a bit too young to play her, but I'm not entirely unhappy with this choice.

Photos of Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander

Here are some photos of what Lisbeth Salander will look like in the remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I'm really excited for this movie, but I'm not really sure if thats a good look for her or not...

Also, some more casting news: Christopher Plummer has been cast as Henrik Vanger. This cast just keeps getting better and better with Plummer, Daniel Craig, Stellen Skarsgard, and Robin Wright. So, the deciding factor for whether this movie will be good or not, from an acting standpoint anyway, is Rooney Mara. Will she make a good Lisbeth Salander?