Houston TX

I am in Houston Texas working for a market/sales firm for mostly the oil and gas industry.

Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S.A and is home to hundreds of fortune 500 companies, second to NYC.

Houston is an entrepreneur town. I haven't gotten a real vibe for the city and the people yet. As far as business goes, people/clients expect the best. No exceptions. This is a very competitive, savvy, international city. The O/G companies keep Houston in a bubble as far as the recession is concerned. It doesn't exist here. Homes and property are dirt cheap. People drive fancy cars, wear fancy clothes and eat at fancy, high-end restaurants. It's similar to L.A. in many ways. It's L.A. with more than one profitable industry.

I'm attending my first Houston Filmmaker event this week. Not sure what to expect but looking forward to meeting some folks who enjoy movies as much as I do.

I miss California but being in a city unaware of the recession is pretty cool too.

I'll be back in Los Angeles to catch the midnight premier of "Breaking Dawn part 1" with my flask filling ladies. CAN'T WAIT!!!

Until then....

9 Full Moons

Principal Photography begins on 9 Full Moons Saturday July 30, 2011.

Starring Amy Seimetz, Bret Roberts, Donal Logue, Harry Dean Stanton, Dale Dickey and James Duval.

I'm producing with Urban Tales Productions & Clever Creatures Inc. I'll be M.I.A until early September.

Enjoy the summer, see great movies and sip delicious wine for me.

Check the project out here

http://9fullmoons.blogspot.com/

All the Best, Joy

Super 8

I saw this movie 10 days after it came out because I had been traveling with "The Off Hours" to film festivals.

It was enough time to hear all the negative reviews and remarks that were really bumming me out.

Come on now, it's Steven Spielberg and J. J. Abrams, how could this film go wrong? It wasn't making any sense to me and I thought my friends and the critics had become a group of haters blinded by retardation or alcoholism.

So finally, I went. Monday June 20Th, my neighbor and I used free passes I had gotten for Christmas, loaded up our arms with popcorn, candy and soda (no flask at this one because I needed to pay close attention) and sat down ready to hate the haters.

WTF? Super 8 is a sad excuse for a movie. The characters are so trite, the camera moves are abrupt and the creatures climactic scene was pathetic. REALLY?

What in the hell were J.J. and Steven drinking when they were working on this film? The kids are some of the worst actors I've ever seen, the adult characters are merely tools to add conflict, and I'm talking 90210 conflict. Many of the scenes and dialogue are just over to top, soap opera plots.

I mean, come on, it's Steven Spielberg. I have a birthright to expect greatness, we all do.

To be fair, I did jump a couple of times and I did laugh a couple of times. My neighbor liked it and gives it a rad. I give it a SAD, straight up.

I don't blame J.J. for wanting to work with Steven, but next time, if you're gonna rip off Close Encounters & E.T., you better write dialogue and create characters just as good, if not better, or do the damn movie by yourself.

Bridesmaids

I'm in Seattle for the Seattle International Film Festival premier of my feature, The Off Hours. My greatest female friends are definitely in the Emerald city and I was lucky enough to see Bridesmaids with four of them.

Mel, Michelle, Megan, Tanya and I grabbed candy at 7 Eleven, mini bottles at the liquor store, filled our flasks and picked our word for the movie flask game. It seemed fitting to pick "Wedding" as our swig word, so we did.

We get to the theater, find our rad seats, sit and wait for the greatness that is Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Judd Apatow to start.

Kristin and Maya are hilarious. The ensemble cast is great and I'm a huge fan of Rose Byrne since I watched her in Get Him to the Greek. She's fabulous and insanely gorgeous and yet, able to pull of comedy like a knife slices through fruit.

I'm not sure who to thank for the John Hamm eye candy but he's the arrogant hottie in the film and he is a hottie. Chris O'Dowd is adorable. All the ladies fell in love with him by the end of the film including me.

Meanwhile, the word wedding is only said five times in the 2nd act of the film. We weren't swigging from our flasks and that isn't much of a drinking game, now is it? We immediately changed the word to "Lillian" which got the party started. I nearly choked to death at one point and had to spit my swig on the floor. Mel finished her flask before Wilson Phillips (who looked amazing, BTW.) made it to the wedding.

Good times.

The comedic moments are stellar and the cast is amazing. (can we talk about people shitting in the sink and puking on another persons head, who is also puking?)

Bridesmaids is RAD. You should see it. You can wait for Netflix or DVD, but you must see it with close friends. That's the most important ingredient.

Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi657366297/

Fans of Wilson Phillips go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9w_aaF34U

Pirates, On Stranger Tides

Hello captain Jack Sparrow aka Johnny Depp.

Honestly, I've only seen the first Pirates and now the fourth of the franchise. I'm a huge fan of Ian McShane, Geofferey Rush, Penelope Cruz and I absolutely love Johnny Depp.

I grew up on 21 Jump Street and I noticed him straight away in Nightmare on Elm Street and Platoon. "who is that total fox"? I asked my mom. We watched the credits and paused the VHS on his name and he has been the foxiest guy on earth to me, ever since.

So, back to Pirates, ok, this movie was a blast. I liked the characters and the chase. There is some weak character development in the script, but I think it will pay off in Pirates 5 and because I saw the movie in IMAX 3D, it could really do no wrong.

The sword fights are well choreographed, the make-up and wardrobe is so fun and the SFX are awesome. I'm a fan.

Pirates, On Stranger Tides is RAD. You should see it and you should see it in IMAX 3D.

I even drank 70% of a large soda, needed to pee so bad, but was able to wait because the mermaids and the adventure and Johnny Depp are so awesome!

Hannah

The Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues

The Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues is a definite must for your 2011 album collection. The songs are so well written. The music is beautiful, soothing and catchy. You'll sing a long to these songs around the camp fire, while washing your car, stuck in traffic, in the shower and so it goes.

I was lucky enough to see the FF or the Fleet Foxies, if you will, live at the Hollywood Palladium over the weekend, thanks again to Sub Pop Records. I was in VIP with Danny Devito, his wife and some friends, a lot of older men with skinny, tall super model types and some extremely hyper teenagers. I had a blast. Everyone was standing, shacking their booties and singing a long with Robyn and his crew of beard rocker, flannel and sweater wearing band mates.

The Fleet Foxes are RAD and Helplessness Blues is a significant reminder to each of us that there are talented musicians who can write their own lyrics and music in the world. Great work Fleet Foxes.

Thanks again to Sub Pop Records for signing great bands and sharing them with me.

For more info on the Fleet Foxes and Sub Pop click here: http://www.subpop.com/artists/fleet_foxes

J Mascis

This is J Mascis latest Album.

It's extremely mellow, chill and low key. He's an amazing musician and I was lucky enough to see him live at the Echo in L.A. over the weekend.

Thanks again to Sub Pop Records

http://www.subpop.com/search

The show opened with The Black Heart Procession who are very haunting. A two man show with unique, powerful, eerie songs. It's the first time hearing them. I'll own their albums, but I'll probably never see them live again, it was way mellow and there is no seating at the Echo and I really wanted to take a nap and have nightmares of ghosts from the 18th century chasing me to the ballads playing.

Finally J took the stage and he was awesome. He plays the guitar and sings so uniquely. I'm surprised by this album, I'm used the Dinosaur Jr J, not this J. This J is full of melodies, poetry and soft well written songs.

The album is relaxing and enjoyable. The show was kick ass. J Mascis is Rad.

Be sure to check out Sub Pop's website for tour dates and release dates from all their cool ass bands.

I love you Sub Pop!

Fast Five

Hello eye candy, Rio, Portuguese, muscles and muscle cars.

Fast Five is one of 2011's biggest box office successes and I am one of the many who saw this film opening weekend.

Why did I see it, you ask? The Rock and Vin Diesel, of course. I'm a huge fan of these buff, multi mixed culture, not so great actor, actors. The Rock, also know as Dwayne Johnson, has some tasty one liners, as does Vin.

Vin next to the Rock is an academy award winner but both guys are perfect for their roles and make the film great.

Fast Five mostly takes place in beautiful Rio De Janeiro, the city of hot men and women, and displays the city's hotties perfectly. Can you say "Ass Cheeks"? Oh yes and plenty of sexy bodies all over the screen, not to mention, incredible cars and stunts.

The Fast and the Furious franchise is successful because it knows it's audience and doesn't pretend to be pretentious. The FF franchise audience wants hot chicks, hot guys, the least amount of dialogue, the least amount of intelligent dialogue, car chases, car races, car crashes. Add a touch of elaborate criminal activity using cars and some moron law enforcement for conflict and you're golden.

so, if you are into the above then Fast Five is for you. Oh, and stay for the credits, there are some pleasant surprises and because the movie grossed $83.3M opening weekend we can expect Fast Six! Sweet!

This film is RAD and you should see it.

THATH

This is The Head and the Heart, an indie band that will make you smile, sing and dance, all at the same time. (and you don't even have to be wasted)

THATH recently signed with Sub Pop in Seattle after a self released album reached number one on local Seattle record shops top 10 charts.

Sub Pop was generous enough to let me review the bands latest self titled album. I opened my cd, popped it in the cd player in my car and the rest is, as they say, history. There are 10 catchy, harmonized, eclectic songs for your listening pleasure. My favorite is Ghosts, but I really, really, really dig this album as a whole.

Sub Pop also sent me to the bands Los Angeles show at Troubadour last week and I couldn't believe how excellent they are live. They engaged the audience and sang their hearts out to us. I shook my booty off with the people around me, including dudes. It's amazing to see a show with so many talented musicians, their instruments, voices and unique styles on one stage singing jammin songs together. THAT was the best live show to start off my summer of 2011 in Los Angeles.

This band is RAD and the Album is Radical. Get it and see them live when they come to your city.

Thank you Sub Pop Records for signing indie bands and letting me listen to their albums and see their shows. Check out all of Sub Pops bands here: http://www.subpop.com/ You won't regret it.

SCRE4M

10 years later I am happy to say I love SCREAM 4. I will admit I was surprised. I went in very excited that Nev, Courtney and David came back for the 4th, but I didn't expect much beyond seeing them again.

The new cast turned out be so fun, well written characters. Can we get a shout out for Mary McDonnell? She's the mom in Donnie Darko and the love interest in Dances with Wolves,( "Tatonka") and she made her way in to this cast list.

It's more of a comedy than a horror film however, I jumped at least 5 times and blurted out "oh, shit" 2 or 3 times.

I mean, have you ever seen the mail slot on your front door used for a killing by a psycho before? It's amazing.

The dialogue is timely, intelligent and hilarious.

SCREAM 4 is RAD. See it.

Check out the trailer here:

http://www.trailershut.com/movie-trailers/901-scream-4-trailer.html

Cat Daddy 2.0 music video for We the Party

Red Riding Hood

Yes, I saw this movie. "Why" you ask? I'm a sucker.

I'm a sucker for Catherine Hardwicke. "Why" you ask?

I don't know, I just am. I loved Lords of Dogtown(come on, a roller skating camera operator? Sweet!) and I loved Twilight. (I read every book and I'm happy about Rpatz as Edward!)

That said, I did not love Red Riding Hood.

This film was SAD. Yes, I give this film a rating of SAD.
Not only was the acting as pathetic as a kindergarten Christmas play, but the editing SUCKED, the score SUCKED, the production design SUCKED and the script SUCKED.
Amanda Seyfried can do NO WRONG, in my eyes. (Hello, remember Mean Girls?) but how in the hell did they get Gary Oldman and Lukas Haas? Come on!!Weird.
Shiloh Fernandez is oddly handsome, in a Joaquin Phoenix way, and I love Joaquin, so eye candy went well with my flask. Max Irons was robbed of any possibility of greatness, as was Billy Burke, Julie Christie and Virginia Madsen!?!?!

The only way to see this movie is very much the way I did. See it with the 6 women you see all the Twilight movies with, pack a flask and create a drinking game based on actions in the movie.
Example:

• Each time Amanda pulls her red hood off or on, SWIG.
• If someone is sewing, SWIG
• If a character sighs deeply, SWIG
• If Niki Reed is in the film, SWIG

Oh, and be sure to whisper and crack up Aloud, a lot.
xoxoxoxjoy

The Adjustment Bureau

I have been looking forward to this movie for sometime and I am delighted to say that I was not disappointed.

The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and a great performances by Anthony Mackie, Michael Kelly & John Slattery.

The cast is wonderful, the script is original, thoughtful, funny and endearing.
The production value is well done compliments of real locations and artsy cinematography.
The score is versatile and lovely.

This film is-RAD. Should be seen in theaters.

Beachwood Restaurant Venice Beach CA

Friday night, March 4th was filled with a lot of "everything". A lot of wine, beef, cheese and cocktails. Many of my favorite things.
The weekend kicked off with a glass of Pinot Grigio in the last hour of work with my staff. It's always a nice gesture to sip wine and beer, contemplate the week and plan for the following week. In my office, we practice this simple step in production with great expertise.

The night began when I met the Daraz at Beachwood on Washington Blvd in Venice Beach.
http://www.beechwoodrestaurant.com/home.php
We started with a bottle of La Violette from France and the cheese plate. The cheese went very well with the wine and the bread for spreading was mighty flavorful.
For dinner, I had the Really Good Burger, D1 had the Grilled Culotte Steak and D2 had the Kobe Beef Cheeks. For dessert we had the Warm Apple Crostada.
The music is contemporary alternative hits, which we appreciated and commented on, often. The crowd ranges from mid forties to early 20's. Hip, stylish, L.A. types celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or, like us, friendship. We ate in the restaurant and our only complaint was the Kobe Beef Cheeks. These are gross, bland and boring. The texture is disgusting. Maybe we don't know our cheeks, but we each sampled and we each gagged a little.
The Really Good burger was really good and the mix of regular fries with sweet potato fries made us very happy.
We closed out of dinner and stopped in the bar to sample the signature cocktails.
I enjoyed two sidecars and the Daraz had cocktails, which I forget, I had two sidecars, so I was feeling good.
The bar patrons consisted of couples and singles seated on couches and loungers. It's a bit of a meat market, which wasn't an issue for us, we are single ladies. When the 21 year old hit on us, we ate it up and shortly sent him on his way.
The service was perfect in the restaurant and bar.
Our final rating is- RAD. Three votes out of three.
Don't eat the cheeks and make reservations for dinner.
Valet parking is provided as is a daily Happy Hour.

A look back on 2010

THE FILMS THAT MADE ME EXCITED!

I saw a mere 16 films in 2010. I actually saw 30 feature films and countless short films, but Hulu.com, Netflix.com & Red Box, do not count for me. After all, I wait to see the films I’m sure are going to be bad/boring/dumb on DVD.

Don’t we all?
I must be in a movie theater, eating popcorn and sipping soda, beer or wine, extremely excited and anticipating greatness, for a film to be part of my film review. I also include film festival films and film festival producers, cause that’s how I roll.

And finally, to the point!

JANUARY
1. Bass Ackwards, Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Linas Phillips. Starring Linas & Davie-Blue Bacich. Produced by Thomas Woodrow

FEBRUARY
2. Shutter Island, Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Mark Ruffalo

MARCH
3. Hot Tub Time Machine, Directed by Steve Pink. Starring John Cusack, Rob Coddry & Craig Robinson
4. The Myth of the American Sleep Over, SXSW Film Festival. Directed by David Robert Mitchell. Starring Nikita Ramsey, Jade Ramsey, Amy Seimetz. Produced by Adele Romanski
5. Audrey the Trainwreck, SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Frank V. Ross. Starring Anthony Baker & Alexi Wasser. Produced by Adam Donaghey
6. Alice in Wonderland, Directed by Tim Burton. Starring Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter

APRIL
7. Clash of the Titans, Directed by Louis Letterier. Starring Sam Worthington & Liam Neeson.

MAY
8. Iron Man 2,Directed by John Favre. Starring Robert Downey Jr. & Gwyneth Paltrow

JUNE
9. Eclipse, Directed by David Slade. Starring Kirsten Stewart & Robert Pattinson.

JULY
10. The Kids are Alright, Directed by Lisa Cholodenko. Starring Annette Bening & Julianne Moore.

AUGUST
11. Inception, Directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

DECEMBER
12. Burlesque, Directed by Steve Antin. Starring Christina Aguilera & Cher.
13. The Social Network, Directed by David Fincher. Starring Jessie Eisenberg & Justin Timberlake.
14. Tron: Legacy, Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Starring Jeff Bridges & Garrett Hedlund.
15. True Grit, Directed by the Cohen Brothers. Starring Jeff Bridges & Matt Damon
16. Black Swan, Directed by Darren Aronofsky. Starring Natalie Portman & Mila Kunis.

As you can see, I saw most of the 2010 films in December, over the holidays, when I had time off from production, post-production and development.

Reviews for the top 5 films and my top 5 films coming soon!

Happy New Year.