Connecticut is a scary place. My ex-girlfriend’s family comes from there and although I’ve never been, I can imagine what crazy shit transpires in Joe Lieberman’s state.

I’m sure there’s a lot of gifelte fish eating hijinx and other David Letterman-related wackyness, but apparently the movie “The Haunting in Connecticut” has nothing to do with my ex’s Jewish family or the late night talk show host.

Apparently, the film, released on March 27, 2009 is of the “horror/thriller” genre and is based on the ‘alleged true story’ of the Snedeker family’s encounter with the paranormal in Southington, Connecticut.

I sometimes think of myself as a para-normal. Which to me, means I am paralyzed at the thought that I am normal. Isn’t that what that word means? No? OK, well whatever.

The ‘alleged true story’ was featured in an actual book by an actual writer. His name is Ray Garton and apparently Connecticut is so scary a place that the film crew re-enacting the ‘allegedly true story’ were too afraid to shoot the film in that state and instead opted for the safer route and shot the film in Teulon and Winnipeg, Manitoba. That’s Canada for you people who failed geography.

Anyhow, the story revolves around this family that is forced to relocate to a clinic where their teenage son is being treated for cancer. (Can you say uplifting and heart-warming?) The family begins experiencing violent, supernatural events that the parents first blame on stress and hallucinations from the boy’s illness and treatment. The family later discovers the home’s haunted past, and seeks the assistance of a local priest.

I’ve never seen “The Exorcist” (OK, I am a pussy, I admit it.) But I think that this is the same plot line.

Some people say that this ‘allegedly true story’ is a fabrication and actually took place in California (on the Universal Studio lot perhaps or maybe in the commissary at Fox during a drunken lunch staff writer’s meeting.)

Who cares if its true or not or whether Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 19% positive rating, scary films are good if you are a teenager or are dating one and want to get to 2nd base. You see, (a little pointer from the pro) when the music begins to get all dramatic and chilling, that’s when you squeeze the chick’s hand and let her know that you will keep her safe no matter what happens. Sure, its only a movie and everyone knows that there is no iminent threat to you or your date, but the psychological sub-text is delivered with just a simple hand tightening and as a result you will get to experience the sweet suppleness of your teenage girlfriend’s supple breasts in your hands within 2 to 3 hours.

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I recently flew 14 and 1/2 hours from Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea on Asiana Airlines. There is not much to do on a long flight like that once you’ve awoken from the Xanax and Vicodin coma to kill the last 5 or 6 hours of the flight. Sure, staring at the sexy Korean flight attendants kills 20 or 30 minutes, but then you got at least 4 and 1/2 hours left and so you are forced to look at the entertainment choices which this time included “Lakeview Terrace” and “High School Musical 3.”

I thought “Lakeview Terrace” was kind of good, yet also very stupid. Samuel L. Jackson is always fun to watch, even in bad movies and Kerry Washington and Patrick Wilson rounded out a pretty good cast in a structurally flawed film. Then, I put on “High School Musical 3” – I was curious to see what and why the people of America were drawn to this film franchise and I wanted to find out why HSM3 was the bomb-diggity.

And, now after watching at least 45% of the film, I can tell you that I have no frickin idea! The movie sucks. Every performance in it is laughable, especially that of Ashley Tisdale (she’s supposed to be the hot girl right? Well, she isnt!) and this Zac Effron kid is gay right? Well if he isn’t and this isn’t a gay porn, what is it supposed to be, I honestly don’t know…

Well, anyhow this chick Vanessa Hudgens is pretty hot, not a great actress by any means, but she’s attractive and sweet in a half-hispanic kind of way and that helped pass time on the flight.

Anyhow, Hudgens has a decent voice and she has a pretty good song called “Afraid” (a good producer can make an average talent sound great and this is what happened here…) and they put the song to the movie “The Wrestler” which by the way is a kick-ass film starring Mickey Rourke (who is a god to me ever since “Diner” and “Wild Orchid“) and Marisa Tomei (who is great in it and also shows her breasts!) and its directed by my homie Darren Arronofsky.

I’d prefer to watch this to having to watch anything “High School Musical” related ever again….

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There are 11 films that were released in 2008 that qualify for the Academy Awards that we here at BOPSy will bestow our “MUST SEE” mark on. Here they are:

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
This is an Israeli film and Israel’s submission to the Academy for Best Foreign Language film (last year’s submission “Beaufort” was a finalist and a nominee). It is an animated film that tells the story of a man who served in the IDF in Lebanon in the 1980’s. Look for possible nominations in documentary (not sure it qualifies) and in the animation category (again, I’m not sure it will qualify.)

DOUBT
The film based on the award winning play matches up the best actors working today. Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams combine in the film version of the play written by John Patrick Shanley. Look for several acting nominations and perhaps an adapted screenplay nomination for this film.

THE DARK KNIGHT
Heath Ledger might get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor and the film grossed almost a billion dollars worldwide. Not as good as “Batman Begins” in my opinion “The Dark Knight” only has 2 minor flaws (I didn’t love the character or appearance of ‘Two Face’ towards the end and Maggie Gyllenhall is no Katie Holmes and the experience of watching the film loses slight believability when Gyllenahall walks into a room and Christian Bale looks as if she were a goddess and in reality she looks like Gylenhall a second rate Jewish actress from the San Fernando valley.) Nevertheless, Christopher Nolan has done a superb job with this franchise and the Academy should reward him handsomely this year for the consistent good work.

AUSTRALIA
Although the length of this film probably warrants an intermission or a two part film instead of a single standing ‘epic’ Baz Luhrmann (”Moulin Rouge“) is clearly a cinematic genius and he delivers a heart-felt classical epic about his home country of Australia that will garner several technical nominations from the Academy this year. Hugh Jackman is outstanding in his best role yet and Nicole Kidman is solid (despite having over-indulged in lip collagen prior to lensing this film.) Perhaps a surprise Supporting Actor nomination for 12-year-old child actor Brandon Walters who plays the half-aboriginal role of ‘Nulla.’

TROPIC THUNDER
Ben Stiller’s homage to and parody of the 1970’s Vietnam epics is hilarious, poignant and entertaining in the best possible way. Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. might both pick up acting nominations and Stiller is a darkhorse for a writing or a director nomination with this film.

WALL-E
This animated film might be the first to break through past the Animation category (created in 2001) and win awards in other categories. Honestly, I haven’t seen an animated film this good or important sicne I saw “Fantasia” when I was 8 years old. With “Wall-E” Pixar has created a Best Picture contender and a film that speaks more to adults than to the core audience the film attracted – kids.

FROST/NIXON
Ron Howard picked a winner when he read the Peter Morgan (”The Queen” and “Last King of Scotland”) screenplay to this film and decided to do it. Ultimately, it’s a very small movie, but the set-up that creates the acting tension between actors Michael Sheen (British talkshow host ‘David Frost’) and Frank Langella (’President Richard Nixon’) is engaging and dramatic. It’s highly likely that this film will receive multiple nominations.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Sam Mendes (”America Beauty” and “The Green Mile“) teams up with wife Kate Winslet who re-teams with “Titanic” co-star Leonardo DiCaprio in this epic film about a young couple consumed in their normal suburban lives by their own desires to break free.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
David Fincher’s tale of a man born old and forced to live life backwards is one of the most talked about and anticipated films of 2008. Brad Pitt’s performance is good, and so is that of Cate Blanchett. Fincher did some incredible stuff here, but ultimately the film runs long and for some misses the mark and this might cause the film to fall short of winning many Oscars, but it can be certain that this film will pick up several nominations.

THE WRESTLER
After a long career with few movies made in it, Darren Aronofsky has returned to the scope of film that he is most comfortable in – small. Not to say that the $50 million budget of “The Fountain” was gigantic by Hollywood standards, but it seems like that film took Aronofsky to far away from the people who live in his comfort zone. Also, with “The Wrestler” Aronofsky tells the story straight with very little editing tricks to make the story work. Mickey Rourke is superb and is my choice thus far for Best Actor along with Sean Penn and Marisa Tomei gives her most vulnerable and beautiful performance in years.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Danny Boyle has been a very good director up until this film. Now, it can be said that Boyle is an outstanding director. He utilizes a smartly structured book and screenplay adaptation in just the right way, pacing his film set in India to music and imagery acceptable to the Western audiences that have fallen in love with it, yet authentic to the film itself. After watching the film the second time, I was able to notice a lot of Boyle’s directorial choices and consciously understand how brilliant they were. This one might win all the marbles, but at the very least it will get a Best Picture nomination as well as Best Director for Boyle.

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Warner Bros.’ big-budget Ridley Scott directed Leonardo DiCaprio-Russell Crowe film “Body of Lies” didn’t manage to dethrone Disney’s holdover “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” this weekend.

“Beverly Hills Chihuahua” only dropped 40% and managed $17.5 million from 3,218 screens while Sony Screen Gems’ horror film “Quarantine” took the 2nd place this weekend with $14.2 million on 2,461 screens.

“Body of Lies” with DiCaprio and Crowe grossed $13.1 million on 2,710 screens. The action film about a conflicted CIA agent tracking terrorists in the Middle East disappointed many with its 3rd place finish this opening weekend.

Universal’s “The Express” about the first African American college football player to win the Heisman Trophy only grossed $4.7 million on 2,808 finishing a very disappointing 6th place.

And Keira Knightley’s “The Duchess” moved up to 9th place in its 4th weekend as it expanded to more screens.

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