No Strings Attached

In Canadian director Ivan Reitman’s latest romantic comedy, No Strings Attached, Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman play Adam and Emma, two young and naive professionals who try having a casual relationship.

All relationships have rules, both explicit and unspoken, and friends with benefits are no exception. Adam’s neighbour reinforces this in passing, knowing very well that it’s foolish of Adam to think his friendship with childhood crush Emma is any different. Even Pinnocchio knows that there are always strings, but these two stubborn lovers would rather explore the benefits of their friendship. As if their fate wasn’t predictable from the trailer, Emma and Adam quickly realize that having “no strings attached” is unachievable.

Furthermore, its use of symbolic moments and holidays support critics’ motives for passing it off as another formulaic chick flick. Must there always be a wedding or Valentine’s Day to motivate the characters to make a move or realize they’ve made a mistake? Then there’s the Hugh Hefner like age gap between Adam’s famous father and his girlfriend, as well as the romance between Adam’s roommate and Emma’s best friend. Kudos to them for being entertaining while doing what several supporting actors have done before them.

Nevertheless, there are several witty lines, including a metaphor about an 8-track. Among its humorous scenes are one in which Adam makes Emma a mix CD and lists a number of song titles that can be construed to have a subtext about menstruating. Like many modern movies, there is also Adam’s debate with his friends about the best way to respond to a late night text. As for what first resembled Britney Spears’ ‘Baby One More Time’ music video’, Reitman’s parody of Glee was clever and amusing. Finally, while it may be surprising that a Jewish widowed mother would date a boorish man nicknamed Bones, Reitman subtly references his and Portman’s Jewish heritage a few times throughout.

Most romantic comedies leave room for criticism, but this one is definitely worth renting. If its plot is a topic of interest, then stay tuned for the upcoming summer blockbuster, Friends with Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake. I wonder if there will be any references in it to Nsync’s ‘No Strings Attached’ album.

Update: Re-watched the film, this time recognizing New Girl actor Jake Johnson who plays Adam’s roommate! [January 2013]

January 23, 2011 by

Katy Perry Announces California Dreams Tour Dates

It turns out all that hype about the pop star’s visit to Facebook’s headquarters this afternoon was leading up to this announcement to promote her summer tour.

I suspect plenty of girls will be wearing red lipstick to the show’s 8 stops in Canada and her performances elsewhere. If this tour is anything like the last, then perhaps fans will be tossing around beach balls in the general admission area too.

Canadian dates:

June 30 | Toronto | Air Canada Centre

July 2 | Montreal | Bell Centre

July 3 | Ottawa | ScotiaBank Place

July 13 | Regina | Brandt Centre

July 14 | Winnipeg | MTS Centre

July 16 | Calgary | Saddledome

July 17 | Edmonton | Rexall Place

July 19 | Vancouver | Rogers Arena

Tickets go on sale on Saturday. I recommend visiting Ticketmaster here for more details, as Katy’s website is very slow.

EDITOR’S NOTE: In other news, cast members of Glee just performed “Teenage Dream”. Nicely done, boys.

January 19, 2011 by

Cher Makes Music History

As the only musician with #1 hits on the Billboard charts in the last six decades, Cher clearly knows what she’s doing. Her most recent hit, “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me”, from Burlesque, won a Golden Globe for best original song on Sunday.

Regardless of what Ricky Gervais thinks, Cher is an incredible performer. Seeing her the night before my last birthday made it a magical and memorable evening.

Whether they’re songs suitable for a couple’s first dance at a wedding, breakup, or something sassier for the dance club, I hope she continues recording more hits.

The plot may be thin, but Burlesque offers a great opportunity to see her if you can’t make it to Las Vegas. With supporting performances by The OC’s Peter Gallagher and Twilight’s Cam Gigandet, as well as the always entertaining Stanley Tucci, be sure to check it out if your’re a fan of Christina or Cher. The movie will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 1.

January 19, 2011 by

Arcade Fire to Perform at the Grammys

Arcade Fire will be performing live at the Grammys this year. It’s clearly going to be a fantastic show!

thegrammys:

World-conquering Canadian rockers Arcade Fire are up for three Grammy Awards this year, including the all-important Album of the Year award for The Suburbs. And now, the Recording Academy has announced that Arcade Fire will perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony, which CBS will broadcast on February 13 at 8pm Eastern. That right there is a big TV moment in the making.

– Pitchfork

January 19, 2011 by

Starbucks Super Sizes its Selection

After finishing a grande (or a medium, for those unfamiliar with Starbucks’ use of Italian lingo) passion iced tea within minutes a few years ago, the barista advised me to ask for “light ice” to maximize the serving size. It’s a great tip and one that I’ve used several times since then.

For those who want even more, Starbucks has just announced that they will soon be introducing another size, Trenta, for their iced coffee, iced tea, and iced lemonade. Trenta-sized drinks will be 920 mL, or 31 ounces, depending which metric system you prefer, as the name stems from the Italian word meaning thirty. The new size will be introduced in Starbucks franchises in select U.S. states this month, followed by a wide release in the spring.

So the next time you’re at the grocery store and see a 1 L carton of milk or juice, picture yourself drinking nearly the entire thing in one sitting, or commute. Next time someone says “let’s meet for coffee”, be prepared for it to last a while.

January 17, 2011 by