Holy sh*t it's been a while since I blogged. Not that you are all missing out on anything fantastic, but still.
Btw, for all of you that are still wondering when that unfinished blog will see the light of day... it's a tricky one that one. We'll see.
So we left off on me being quite the optimist which is unlike me. Actually that's not true, I am optimistic about the fact that I'm right. So when I point to two people and say, "That's not gonna last" it's just true.
So far the transition from my mom's house to my new apartment has been smooth. By the time I move all of my stuff out of her house it will be time to put it all back in a box. I rented a very nice studio with room enough for one. Because I am one. An army of one :p
There was a small problem with getting the DVDs all in one spot (that didn't work) but I've got them organized and that's what counts. On the bad side, it may be impossible for me to buy any more movies unless I want to build a fort in my living room. The situation with the books is becoming a headache. I don't think there will be enough room for them, I may have to build myself a library or start bringing boxes into my office.
Random co-worker: "Why is there a copy of The Shining in here?"
Me: "Because all work and no play makes Susana a dull girl"
I almost used the shelves in my closet but there isn't enough room :( It's only a matter of time before I bump into something and break a toe. It's a work in process this apartment thing, but it's nice and comfy. Eventually there will also be food in it. Beware that if you plan on visiting you must call first because I'm never home and you must bring your own food. And some for me.
Work has been interesting. That's all I'm gonna say :)
As for school, this is my last semester before I get my certificate. I'm taking two classes and building my portfolio. The hard part has been adjusting my schedule. I'm one of those people that has to take a step back and put everything in order. That's why I haven't blogged. It's the job, and the move, and school, and the driving to California, and the other stuff that is taking time out of my life and getting me nowhere (ignore that last part, I'm just releasing a bit of tension).
BUT it looks like I've got it down. Unfortunately one of my New Year's resolutions will have to suffer for this hectic schedule. Yeah, it would be easy for me to scratch off the "Reverse the Curse" one but alas it is volunteer work that will suffer. I can't do it. Not the way I wanted to, which would've been a continuous thing every week. Not that they called me back anyway. I'm just saying if a person is willing to do something for free, you could call them back.
hmmm... yes, you can read that either way.
So that leaves us with four resolutions, three of which I have kept up in the six weeks of 2011. We all know the fourth one. It's not my fault! I haven't been walking with my eyes to the ground, I make a daily attempt to be sociable (with my co-workers) and I look both ways before driving out of the parking garage. OH! and the other day I took the light-rail and my iPod's battery died so I was totally available for conversation.
Wow, it feels like these walls are just falling down. Like dominoes lol
So here's a preview of what you'll read next time...
Work, school, the Oscars, and just to make it interesting I'm going to attempt to break out of a tank of water while wearing handcuffs in less than thirty seconds!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Movie Review - The Fighter
Only one more film to go! Today I watched "The Fighter" which is barely playing in theaters anymore. It has been recommended to me by every one of my co-workers but I honestly do not like Mark Wahlberg so I've stayed away. But now that the Oscars have nominated it then I must. And I did.
Brief breakdown in case there's someone out there who still hasn't seen it: Mark Wahlberg is Micky Ward a boxer who has been trained by his older brother Dicky (Christian Bale) and has been managed by his mother (Melissa Leo) all his life. Dicky was a good boxer too (his claim to fame is a title fight with Sugar Ray Leonard) but now he's a crack addict and HBO is doing a documentary about him. That's where the movie starts, and then Micky is sold out by his family to fight with a much heavier boxer in order to get paid.
It's all a big family drama concealed inside a good boxing film. But this doesn't quite come close to "Rocky". The difference is that although Micky is the main character, the person who really catches our attention is Dicky. It's hard not to notice him since he's constantly trying to nab the spotlight, in one scene Micky is taking press fotos with his opponent and Dicky can be seen just inside the picture. His sisters love him, his mother loves him, his little boy loves him, and his kid brother idolizes him. Don't you just want this guy to get off drugs?
In "Rocky" Rocky has one dream: to be a somebody. Cuz he's a bum. Micky tries to convince us he's a bum but he's not really. He has a life that many people have and they don't get their dreams either (plus, his dream is not his but it's intertwined with his family's dreams now that Dicky is out). If not for Bale (and the rest of the supporting cast) I don't think this film would've made it this far. Bale is an incredible actor who can transform himself and get into the skin of his characters. Yesterday he was Batman, today he's crack addict Dicky, tomorrow he's back in the bat suit. Dicky is skin and bones with thinning hair and a constant need to move around, whether it's from being a boxer or from being on crack or both I have no idea. Wahlberg unfortunately is the weak link, walking and talking slow. How can you help yourself when Bale is right there acting his ass off? Wahlberg's always been an okay actor (he was nominated as a supporting actor for "The Departed) and he's a believable boxer but you always know that you're watching Mark Wahlberg. The same thing happens when you watch Will Smith or Tom Cruise, you always know it's them.
Sidenote: Will Smith played Muhammad Ali in the film "Ali" but it was his supporting actor, Jamie Foxx, who won the Oscar. Same thing with "The Fighter", although Smith gets kudos for attempting to play such a larger-than-life character.
Also in the supporting roles (and stealing their own scenes) are Leo and Amy Adams. Leo plays a mother who somehow manages to control the nine or so "children" she has and a couple of men. With a constant cigarrette between her fingers and killer heels on her feet, she keeps her husband in line and manages her son's boxing career. She's not quite the manipulative bitch I thought she'd be, she's just a mom watching out for her kids the only way that she knows how and the only way that it's ever worked for her. Enter Amy Adams who (mothers beware) whispers sweet thoughts into Micky's ears sprinkled with advice (mainly "get away from your family"). Adams is another actress who has managed to fight her way into heavy-weight status. She now has her third Oscar nomination in less than a decade. That's pretty frickin awesome! AND she is going to play Janis Joplin in a new movie :)
It's possible that the actresses with end up cancelling each other out come Oscar night but with a Golden Globe already, I think Melissa Leo has an edge.
As for Christian Bale... it's his to lose.
Brief breakdown in case there's someone out there who still hasn't seen it: Mark Wahlberg is Micky Ward a boxer who has been trained by his older brother Dicky (Christian Bale) and has been managed by his mother (Melissa Leo) all his life. Dicky was a good boxer too (his claim to fame is a title fight with Sugar Ray Leonard) but now he's a crack addict and HBO is doing a documentary about him. That's where the movie starts, and then Micky is sold out by his family to fight with a much heavier boxer in order to get paid.
It's all a big family drama concealed inside a good boxing film. But this doesn't quite come close to "Rocky". The difference is that although Micky is the main character, the person who really catches our attention is Dicky. It's hard not to notice him since he's constantly trying to nab the spotlight, in one scene Micky is taking press fotos with his opponent and Dicky can be seen just inside the picture. His sisters love him, his mother loves him, his little boy loves him, and his kid brother idolizes him. Don't you just want this guy to get off drugs?
In "Rocky" Rocky has one dream: to be a somebody. Cuz he's a bum. Micky tries to convince us he's a bum but he's not really. He has a life that many people have and they don't get their dreams either (plus, his dream is not his but it's intertwined with his family's dreams now that Dicky is out). If not for Bale (and the rest of the supporting cast) I don't think this film would've made it this far. Bale is an incredible actor who can transform himself and get into the skin of his characters. Yesterday he was Batman, today he's crack addict Dicky, tomorrow he's back in the bat suit. Dicky is skin and bones with thinning hair and a constant need to move around, whether it's from being a boxer or from being on crack or both I have no idea. Wahlberg unfortunately is the weak link, walking and talking slow. How can you help yourself when Bale is right there acting his ass off? Wahlberg's always been an okay actor (he was nominated as a supporting actor for "The Departed) and he's a believable boxer but you always know that you're watching Mark Wahlberg. The same thing happens when you watch Will Smith or Tom Cruise, you always know it's them.
Sidenote: Will Smith played Muhammad Ali in the film "Ali" but it was his supporting actor, Jamie Foxx, who won the Oscar. Same thing with "The Fighter", although Smith gets kudos for attempting to play such a larger-than-life character.
Also in the supporting roles (and stealing their own scenes) are Leo and Amy Adams. Leo plays a mother who somehow manages to control the nine or so "children" she has and a couple of men. With a constant cigarrette between her fingers and killer heels on her feet, she keeps her husband in line and manages her son's boxing career. She's not quite the manipulative bitch I thought she'd be, she's just a mom watching out for her kids the only way that she knows how and the only way that it's ever worked for her. Enter Amy Adams who (mothers beware) whispers sweet thoughts into Micky's ears sprinkled with advice (mainly "get away from your family"). Adams is another actress who has managed to fight her way into heavy-weight status. She now has her third Oscar nomination in less than a decade. That's pretty frickin awesome! AND she is going to play Janis Joplin in a new movie :)
It's possible that the actresses with end up cancelling each other out come Oscar night but with a Golden Globe already, I think Melissa Leo has an edge.
As for Christian Bale... it's his to lose.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Party Time in Hollywood
Woo hoo! If I ever become famous I will beg for a ticket to the Golden Globes which I hear is quite the party. Of course I want the glitz and glam of the Oscars, but the Globes are all about fun. But they also hand out trophies and here are my predictions (and a bit of blabbering) for this year's Golden Globes.
Let's start with an easy one:
Best Animated Picture - Toy Story 3
I will confess, but only to you my friends, that I actually liked How To Train Your Dragon more than Toy Story 3 but the toys melted my icy heart and made me cry and wish for the days when we were young and innocent. Goodbye Woody and Buzz and to those little aliens *sniff*.
Best Screenplay - Inception by Christopher Nolan
Really? Did you witness a more unique idea all year long? No! Plus the guy has been working on this script for 10 years, give him something since it obviously won't be the Best Movie award.
Best Director - Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
Or Christopher Nolan for Inception. But no, we will probably see David Fincher take the award which is well-deserved because to make a movie about a geeky guy going through two lawsuits interesting is no easy feat. But Aronofsky's work was stunning and Nolan was just damn great and c'mon, the guy has turned the Batman movies into classics. Don't believe me? Ask the Oscar people why we have 10 nominations instead of 5, because The Dark Knight got screwed! It's the man (or woman, but none are nominated this year) with the vision who deserves the award, and my vote goes for either of these two.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Christian Bale in The Fighter
I haven't seen The Fighter but apparently the performances to see are Bale and Melissa Leo (who plays his mom).
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech
It's only because I love Helena, she's awesome. She's like a British version of Angelina Jolie if you think about it. Both are really good actresses but they also have some performances that are out there. Also, she's Bellatrix and unless you know a magical curse you best move out the way.
Best Actor (Comedy) - Kevin Spacey in Casino Jack
I haven't seen any of the actors except for Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland which was just whatever. I'm going for Spacey through a very complicated process of elimination. I'm also a bit angry at Jake Gyllenhaal for not returning my phone calls. I hope Taylor Swift writes a great song about you Jake!
Best Actress (Comedy) - Julianne Moore in The Kids are All Right
Why do I have to push for a Julianne Moore win every year? She will likely lose to her on-screen wife Annette Benning (love her too) but the question remains: When will Julianne Moore get some effing respect in this town? Btw, you should all watch The Kids are All Right.
Best Actor (Drama) - Colin Firth in The King's Speech
Colin was "robbed" last year (no disrespect to The Dude) so this year we're all gonna play nice and make it up to him. Personally, my heart belongs to Gosling and Franco. Gosling is so good in Blue Valentine and he does a very good physical transformation. The only thing that bothers me about him is that he always seems to be chewing something when he's onscreen (??). And James Franco, Mr. I-can-Act/Write/Teach/Etc., as a guy stuck by a rock over his hand. I mean, who wants to watch that unless you have an actor that can hold your attention? There's always next year boys ;)
Best Actress (Drama) - Natalie Portman in Black Swan
This is Portman's to lose and if she does I hope it's to Williams because I can't stress enough how effing good she is in Blue Valentine. I mean it's like a performance you watch in acting class or something (I'd also suggest watching Charlize Theron in Monster). But the beauty of Williams is there is no "transformation", no bells and whistles, she's just THERE! Nicole Kidman I hear/read is good but she's already got awards, let the new kids play. Oh and Jennifer Lawrence is also very good and deserves an Oscar nomination for a quiet but strong performance. Go away Halle Berry!
Best Motion Picture (Comedy) - The Kids are All Right
Ok so I've told you to see it but I haven't told you what it's about. It's about a family that kind of gets turned upside down and has to find it's balance again. The family is comprised of moms Annette Benning and Julianne Moore who have two teenagers. Each child was conceived by one of the mothers using the same sperm donor... enter Mark Ruffalo aka a whole lotta trouble (though, to be fair, the couple were already going downhill before he appeared on the scene).
Best Motion Picture (Drama) - The Social Network
I'm not even going to get into the fact that they didn't nominate Blue Valentine. I'm not. Let's analyze this, shall we? What makes a great film? Basic elements: good script, good director, good actors, and likeability. Then you get into these elements and it gets complicated. Of the five films nominated (I've only not seen The Fighter) my vote goes to The Social Network. Yes, I will tell you why (glad you asked). Because you have smart, quick dialogue from Aaron Sorkin; a good actor that is capable of carrying the film (Jessie Eisenberg, nominated); a director (David Fincher) that keeps the flow nice and interesting; and the story (semi-fictional) of the birth of Facebook. All of the other films have a weakness in them, tiny cracks in their foundation. The Fighter has a weak script, but is carried by strong performances; the opposite is true for Inception: strong script, some weak acting (Not you Leo! Never you my love). Of course that leaves Black Swan and The King's Speech. Black Swan, is a psychological thriller (darker than Inception) and doesn't play well for all audiences but luckily it played well enough to get Portman in the running. The King's Speech is the only picture that can stand a chance against The Social Network (boy am I gonna feel stupid on Monday if I'm wrong). Why? Well it has all of the elements and even a bit of the same fame that has carried its opponent. The king in the film is Prince William's great-grandfather, even his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II is played by a young actress in the film. It's the kind of thing that makes voters pay attention. Just ask Helen Mirren ;)
No TV predictions because I don't watch that much television. Right now I'm catching up on The Tudors (hey, royalty again!) and apparently that show's been off the air for a bit. By the time I get to my Mad Men dvds John Hamm will have moved into a retirement home. Also, I'm still pissed Buffy was never recognized for a major award except an Emmy here and there for makeup. Grrr... arrgghh...
Let's start with an easy one:
Best Animated Picture - Toy Story 3
I will confess, but only to you my friends, that I actually liked How To Train Your Dragon more than Toy Story 3 but the toys melted my icy heart and made me cry and wish for the days when we were young and innocent. Goodbye Woody and Buzz and to those little aliens *sniff*.
Best Screenplay - Inception by Christopher Nolan
Really? Did you witness a more unique idea all year long? No! Plus the guy has been working on this script for 10 years, give him something since it obviously won't be the Best Movie award.
Best Director - Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
Or Christopher Nolan for Inception. But no, we will probably see David Fincher take the award which is well-deserved because to make a movie about a geeky guy going through two lawsuits interesting is no easy feat. But Aronofsky's work was stunning and Nolan was just damn great and c'mon, the guy has turned the Batman movies into classics. Don't believe me? Ask the Oscar people why we have 10 nominations instead of 5, because The Dark Knight got screwed! It's the man (or woman, but none are nominated this year) with the vision who deserves the award, and my vote goes for either of these two.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Christian Bale in The Fighter
I haven't seen The Fighter but apparently the performances to see are Bale and Melissa Leo (who plays his mom).
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech
It's only because I love Helena, she's awesome. She's like a British version of Angelina Jolie if you think about it. Both are really good actresses but they also have some performances that are out there. Also, she's Bellatrix and unless you know a magical curse you best move out the way.
Best Actor (Comedy) - Kevin Spacey in Casino Jack
I haven't seen any of the actors except for Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland which was just whatever. I'm going for Spacey through a very complicated process of elimination. I'm also a bit angry at Jake Gyllenhaal for not returning my phone calls. I hope Taylor Swift writes a great song about you Jake!
Best Actress (Comedy) - Julianne Moore in The Kids are All Right
Why do I have to push for a Julianne Moore win every year? She will likely lose to her on-screen wife Annette Benning (love her too) but the question remains: When will Julianne Moore get some effing respect in this town? Btw, you should all watch The Kids are All Right.
Best Actor (Drama) - Colin Firth in The King's Speech
Colin was "robbed" last year (no disrespect to The Dude) so this year we're all gonna play nice and make it up to him. Personally, my heart belongs to Gosling and Franco. Gosling is so good in Blue Valentine and he does a very good physical transformation. The only thing that bothers me about him is that he always seems to be chewing something when he's onscreen (??). And James Franco, Mr. I-can-Act/Write/Teach/Etc., as a guy stuck by a rock over his hand. I mean, who wants to watch that unless you have an actor that can hold your attention? There's always next year boys ;)
Best Actress (Drama) - Natalie Portman in Black Swan
This is Portman's to lose and if she does I hope it's to Williams because I can't stress enough how effing good she is in Blue Valentine. I mean it's like a performance you watch in acting class or something (I'd also suggest watching Charlize Theron in Monster). But the beauty of Williams is there is no "transformation", no bells and whistles, she's just THERE! Nicole Kidman I hear/read is good but she's already got awards, let the new kids play. Oh and Jennifer Lawrence is also very good and deserves an Oscar nomination for a quiet but strong performance. Go away Halle Berry!
Best Motion Picture (Comedy) - The Kids are All Right
Ok so I've told you to see it but I haven't told you what it's about. It's about a family that kind of gets turned upside down and has to find it's balance again. The family is comprised of moms Annette Benning and Julianne Moore who have two teenagers. Each child was conceived by one of the mothers using the same sperm donor... enter Mark Ruffalo aka a whole lotta trouble (though, to be fair, the couple were already going downhill before he appeared on the scene).
Best Motion Picture (Drama) - The Social Network
I'm not even going to get into the fact that they didn't nominate Blue Valentine. I'm not. Let's analyze this, shall we? What makes a great film? Basic elements: good script, good director, good actors, and likeability. Then you get into these elements and it gets complicated. Of the five films nominated (I've only not seen The Fighter) my vote goes to The Social Network. Yes, I will tell you why (glad you asked). Because you have smart, quick dialogue from Aaron Sorkin; a good actor that is capable of carrying the film (Jessie Eisenberg, nominated); a director (David Fincher) that keeps the flow nice and interesting; and the story (semi-fictional) of the birth of Facebook. All of the other films have a weakness in them, tiny cracks in their foundation. The Fighter has a weak script, but is carried by strong performances; the opposite is true for Inception: strong script, some weak acting (Not you Leo! Never you my love). Of course that leaves Black Swan and The King's Speech. Black Swan, is a psychological thriller (darker than Inception) and doesn't play well for all audiences but luckily it played well enough to get Portman in the running. The King's Speech is the only picture that can stand a chance against The Social Network (boy am I gonna feel stupid on Monday if I'm wrong). Why? Well it has all of the elements and even a bit of the same fame that has carried its opponent. The king in the film is Prince William's great-grandfather, even his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II is played by a young actress in the film. It's the kind of thing that makes voters pay attention. Just ask Helen Mirren ;)
No TV predictions because I don't watch that much television. Right now I'm catching up on The Tudors (hey, royalty again!) and apparently that show's been off the air for a bit. By the time I get to my Mad Men dvds John Hamm will have moved into a retirement home. Also, I'm still pissed Buffy was never recognized for a major award except an Emmy here and there for makeup. Grrr... arrgghh...
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Movie Reveiw - Blue Valentine
So to start off the new year I am going to review every movie I watch at the theater (if I reviewed every movie I watched then that would take forever since I watch at least one a day). I was going to start a completely new blog for reviews but c'mon, movies are my life so they deserve to be in the blog with my life.
It is also time-consuming and almost pointless to start a new blog since I only have like 6 readers.
Ok, some stuff to get out of the way:
- I will not reveal any more than what you can see in the movie's trailer or anything that can be read in another review. However, trailers and review reveal a lot so don't get mad at me for "spoiling" the movie.
- I will very likely go off on a random monologue once in a while. I'm just saying.
- This is my opinion. You are free to go and pay $10, watch the movie yourself, and form your own opinion.
Let's begin.
First movie of the year is Blue Valentine starring Academy Award nominees Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson) and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain). Now, I've learned a thing or two from a really good teacher that I've had for about three semesters now and one of the most important things is this: A story is about one person, everyone else is a supporting character. Or the antagonist. So Blue Valentine is not the story of a couple whose marriage is falling apart, it's about Dean and the realization that his marriage is falling apart.
Dean is a balding house painter with no ambition. His wife,Cindy, is a nurse who no longer loves him. That's a fact. Why doesn't she love him? Who knows. Maybe because he's going bald. Maybe because he paints houses for a living and starts drinking beer at eight in the morning. Maybe because he has no ambition.
Maybe because she's selfish? (Blame it on the woman)
So to save his marriage Dean checks them in to a hotel where the rooms all have a theme. They have a choice between Cupid's Cove and The Future Room. The fact that Cindy chooses The Future Room should be a big fat sign of what's about to happen. From here we go back and forth between the present depressing day and the past where love was fresh and new and people believed in love at first sight. We see that Dean was once a young, handsome and Caring guy (yeah, I mean that with a capital C). And we meet Cindy, studying to be a doctor and dating a douchebag wrestler. During one family dinner, as her father belittles her mother, she wonders if they were ever in love.
That's the setting and if I say more then I'll give away the film (which I promise to never do). But I love the contrast between how these people met, fell in love, and became a couple and how they are now. In terms of the film and how it's shot most of the camera either focuses on Williams or Gosling and I do mean focus. We are right in their face during arguments, trying to read their reactions and expressions. You can't do this with just any random actors. Nope, you have to have people that are good and Williams and Gosling are effing perfect. In fact, Williams is so damn good that if I had a vote I'd give it to her over Natalie Portman. And I'm a Portman fan! But I'm a true believer in less is more and while Portman went all out and worked her ass off for months to do ballet training and whatnot, Williams just delivers. I can't wait to see her as Marylin Monroe.
The movie as a whole is good and sad and sweet. Originally it received an NC-17 rating which going in I thought I'd catch a glimpse of little Ryan but no such luck. In fact, the movie's pretty tame compared to other films I've seen. I can't quite understand the reasoning behind it and neither could Harvey Weinstein. That's why he got a team of lawyers and threatened to sue if they didn't change it to an R, which they did. Just so that you are not surprised I think there are three or four "love scenes" in the film and one joke involving a child molester and a little boy.
If you're a pessimist in terms of love and marriage then, well, this is the movie for you. If you're an optimist, well, let me recommend ANOTHER movie for you: The Kids are All Right. It's with Annette Benning, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo. It's fun, funny, and all that stuff put together. There are also about three or four scenes in that one too. So no matter which one you pick you get to see some action.
It is also time-consuming and almost pointless to start a new blog since I only have like 6 readers.
Ok, some stuff to get out of the way:
- I will not reveal any more than what you can see in the movie's trailer or anything that can be read in another review. However, trailers and review reveal a lot so don't get mad at me for "spoiling" the movie.
- I will very likely go off on a random monologue once in a while. I'm just saying.
- This is my opinion. You are free to go and pay $10, watch the movie yourself, and form your own opinion.
Let's begin.
First movie of the year is Blue Valentine starring Academy Award nominees Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson) and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain). Now, I've learned a thing or two from a really good teacher that I've had for about three semesters now and one of the most important things is this: A story is about one person, everyone else is a supporting character. Or the antagonist. So Blue Valentine is not the story of a couple whose marriage is falling apart, it's about Dean and the realization that his marriage is falling apart.
Dean is a balding house painter with no ambition. His wife,Cindy, is a nurse who no longer loves him. That's a fact. Why doesn't she love him? Who knows. Maybe because he's going bald. Maybe because he paints houses for a living and starts drinking beer at eight in the morning. Maybe because he has no ambition.
Maybe because she's selfish? (Blame it on the woman)
So to save his marriage Dean checks them in to a hotel where the rooms all have a theme. They have a choice between Cupid's Cove and The Future Room. The fact that Cindy chooses The Future Room should be a big fat sign of what's about to happen. From here we go back and forth between the present depressing day and the past where love was fresh and new and people believed in love at first sight. We see that Dean was once a young, handsome and Caring guy (yeah, I mean that with a capital C). And we meet Cindy, studying to be a doctor and dating a douchebag wrestler. During one family dinner, as her father belittles her mother, she wonders if they were ever in love.
That's the setting and if I say more then I'll give away the film (which I promise to never do). But I love the contrast between how these people met, fell in love, and became a couple and how they are now. In terms of the film and how it's shot most of the camera either focuses on Williams or Gosling and I do mean focus. We are right in their face during arguments, trying to read their reactions and expressions. You can't do this with just any random actors. Nope, you have to have people that are good and Williams and Gosling are effing perfect. In fact, Williams is so damn good that if I had a vote I'd give it to her over Natalie Portman. And I'm a Portman fan! But I'm a true believer in less is more and while Portman went all out and worked her ass off for months to do ballet training and whatnot, Williams just delivers. I can't wait to see her as Marylin Monroe.
The movie as a whole is good and sad and sweet. Originally it received an NC-17 rating which going in I thought I'd catch a glimpse of little Ryan but no such luck. In fact, the movie's pretty tame compared to other films I've seen. I can't quite understand the reasoning behind it and neither could Harvey Weinstein. That's why he got a team of lawyers and threatened to sue if they didn't change it to an R, which they did. Just so that you are not surprised I think there are three or four "love scenes" in the film and one joke involving a child molester and a little boy.
If you're a pessimist in terms of love and marriage then, well, this is the movie for you. If you're an optimist, well, let me recommend ANOTHER movie for you: The Kids are All Right. It's with Annette Benning, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo. It's fun, funny, and all that stuff put together. There are also about three or four scenes in that one too. So no matter which one you pick you get to see some action.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
New Sheet of Paper
Okay kids it's time for New Year's Resolutions! (It's actually a little soon but I'm having the WORSE trouble finishing the previous blog and so you'll all just have to deal with it).
I must confess that despite the fact that 2010 was not the greatest year, I actually did all of the things I resolved to do. Which is pretty amazing and maybe there is some tructh to this "write things down" theory. Kudos to whomever thought it up.
Now, every year (every damn year) we all say the same thing "This year went by sooo fast." No it didn't. It was, always has been and always will be 365 days (okay, okay, except fot he leap year which is just an extra 24 hours that I use to catch up on my sleep).
So let's recap 2010 and see how fast this year really wasn't:
I was still working in January and we came back from spending Christmas and New Year's in Mexico. In February my brother went to Afghanistan. At the end of February and during March I stayed in LA to help out the fam, and thus ended up watching a lot of cable television. It was at this time that I developed a crush on Adam Richman from Man v. Food. Because he's a fat kid, just like me. And how great is it to travel the country and just eat? :-)
The end of March and most of April were kind of a blur and that's a good thing because judging from my previous posts during that time... they were not good times.
In May I traveled! Yep, highlight of the year was getting in my car and driving north. I hit San Fran, Portland, and Seattle. Good times all around!
June, July, August, September... basically the entire summer was ups and downs. Went back to Mexico, became a dual citizen (hooray for double taxes), had a series of bad things happen, lost 15 pounds, and came home.
October and November brought good prospects (financially at least). It turns out that, yes my life is unbalanced, but at least that gives me the privilege to find good work quickly. And so the circle of life continues, because we are back where we started last year. Literally, because I live in the same city and I work at the same company and nothing has changed.
Or has it?
Well, the answer to that question is... I am wiser. ALTHOUGH this newfound knowledge will probably not stop me from doing something completely stupid. Some mistakes you don't learn from the first time, or they're so good you're willing to fall flat on your face again.
Anyway! Resolutions:
1) Work hard and play hard. I said that I was back at my old job, which I'm seriously grateful for, but there's a twist involved and I'm going to have to prove myself. Of course with work comes cash and with cash comes fun. And I'm gonna have some fun this year.
2) Volunteer/Be Charitable. In the wise words of Cher (from Clueless, not the singer) "we should do something good for mankind or the planet for a couple of hours." Thus I will find time to volunteer.
3) Keep writing. Did I mention that I finish the certificate requirements next semester? Yeah baby! Three more classes and I get a piece of paper that says I'm at least qualified to write. If I write a little each week (so so so trying for that to be every day) then I might be qualified to be labeled as a good writer.
4) Travel. Is anyone surprised? 2011 is bringing quite a few travel prospects already. There is the open invitation I have to visit my peeps in Syracuse which will bring me one step closer to NYC. Then there's a wedding in Mexico being planned. I absolutely want to go to Comic-Con (it counts even if it's San Diego). And of course I must go to Harry Potter Land in Orlando, though this one seems like a slim chance I'm not ruling it out just yet.
5) Reverse the Curse! No, I'm not talking about the White Sox. I'm talking about the curse that has befallen the women in our family. The Curse of the Sipisapo :-o
Last year I did not make this one of my resolutions but obviously Fate is busy setting up the rest of the world and Cupid is so drunk that he manages to shoot his arrows JUST past me. So... (you read it here first) I am going to actively work to break the curse.
Let's see: work, play, volunteer, play... and hopefully play some more ;) Okay, so it looks like once again I've set myself up for a HUGE failure, which is just the way that I like it. What? I'm a Scorpio, that should say it all.
Bring on 2011!
I must confess that despite the fact that 2010 was not the greatest year, I actually did all of the things I resolved to do. Which is pretty amazing and maybe there is some tructh to this "write things down" theory. Kudos to whomever thought it up.
Now, every year (every damn year) we all say the same thing "This year went by sooo fast." No it didn't. It was, always has been and always will be 365 days (okay, okay, except fot he leap year which is just an extra 24 hours that I use to catch up on my sleep).
So let's recap 2010 and see how fast this year really wasn't:
I was still working in January and we came back from spending Christmas and New Year's in Mexico. In February my brother went to Afghanistan. At the end of February and during March I stayed in LA to help out the fam, and thus ended up watching a lot of cable television. It was at this time that I developed a crush on Adam Richman from Man v. Food. Because he's a fat kid, just like me. And how great is it to travel the country and just eat? :-)
The end of March and most of April were kind of a blur and that's a good thing because judging from my previous posts during that time... they were not good times.
In May I traveled! Yep, highlight of the year was getting in my car and driving north. I hit San Fran, Portland, and Seattle. Good times all around!
June, July, August, September... basically the entire summer was ups and downs. Went back to Mexico, became a dual citizen (hooray for double taxes), had a series of bad things happen, lost 15 pounds, and came home.
October and November brought good prospects (financially at least). It turns out that, yes my life is unbalanced, but at least that gives me the privilege to find good work quickly. And so the circle of life continues, because we are back where we started last year. Literally, because I live in the same city and I work at the same company and nothing has changed.
Or has it?
Well, the answer to that question is... I am wiser. ALTHOUGH this newfound knowledge will probably not stop me from doing something completely stupid. Some mistakes you don't learn from the first time, or they're so good you're willing to fall flat on your face again.
Anyway! Resolutions:
1) Work hard and play hard. I said that I was back at my old job, which I'm seriously grateful for, but there's a twist involved and I'm going to have to prove myself. Of course with work comes cash and with cash comes fun. And I'm gonna have some fun this year.
2) Volunteer/Be Charitable. In the wise words of Cher (from Clueless, not the singer) "we should do something good for mankind or the planet for a couple of hours." Thus I will find time to volunteer.
3) Keep writing. Did I mention that I finish the certificate requirements next semester? Yeah baby! Three more classes and I get a piece of paper that says I'm at least qualified to write. If I write a little each week (so so so trying for that to be every day) then I might be qualified to be labeled as a good writer.
4) Travel. Is anyone surprised? 2011 is bringing quite a few travel prospects already. There is the open invitation I have to visit my peeps in Syracuse which will bring me one step closer to NYC. Then there's a wedding in Mexico being planned. I absolutely want to go to Comic-Con (it counts even if it's San Diego). And of course I must go to Harry Potter Land in Orlando, though this one seems like a slim chance I'm not ruling it out just yet.
5) Reverse the Curse! No, I'm not talking about the White Sox. I'm talking about the curse that has befallen the women in our family. The Curse of the Sipisapo :-o
Last year I did not make this one of my resolutions but obviously Fate is busy setting up the rest of the world and Cupid is so drunk that he manages to shoot his arrows JUST past me. So... (you read it here first) I am going to actively work to break the curse.
Let's see: work, play, volunteer, play... and hopefully play some more ;) Okay, so it looks like once again I've set myself up for a HUGE failure, which is just the way that I like it. What? I'm a Scorpio, that should say it all.
Bring on 2011!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Remember, Remember, The Month of November
Methinks I have figured something out about me: I am afraid I might be suffering from nerves/anxiety. I think it started right before I moved to Mexico. Too much going on in the brain, too much going on in my life. So I went to Mexico to relax but the mind is a tricky thing. I got sick more than once and for unexplained reasons. The first month that I was here I was extremely nervous and shaky (so much that I went to the hospital, where they poked and prodded me and then sent me home without a single prescription).
But November, I am happy to report, has been a good month. If you think about it I've only been back for a couple of months so it will take sime time to recoup from whatever is ailing me. You see November is the month of my birth which means that the Sun and my star are probably well-aligned or something like that. I don't know. All I know about Scorpios is that we are passionate about everything (which probably explains the anxiety, if you think about it).
So thanks to my friends (No, really. I owe you guys some chocolate-chip cookies) and a lot of shopping, I've managed to at least put a name to my dilemma. I've been relatively calm these past four weeks.
First there was the Shakira concert (not exactly in November, but close enough), then my peeps came down from Prescott to hang out for my birthday and brave the late hours and freezing weather to catch the midnight show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (and eat mountains of sushi), and finally Thanksgiving which brought with it food and shopping.
I am happy to report that the nerves have easened up. Now, before you all start freaking out (all six of you faithful readers) I have to say that it is not as bad as what I've read or seen. If I fall over Tony Soprano-style then I should probably see a professional (Hooray for health insurance! Imagine if we all had it). But for now it will be calmness, a bit of yoga, and probably an attempt to be more sociable.
So far it looks like the goal that I've set out for myself in my 28th year is working. I did what I wanted to do and I spent a lot of money. And I totally felt better :)
Onward then towards 2011. I'll have a new job (sorta), new apartment (definitely), new... ??
But November, I am happy to report, has been a good month. If you think about it I've only been back for a couple of months so it will take sime time to recoup from whatever is ailing me. You see November is the month of my birth which means that the Sun and my star are probably well-aligned or something like that. I don't know. All I know about Scorpios is that we are passionate about everything (which probably explains the anxiety, if you think about it).
So thanks to my friends (No, really. I owe you guys some chocolate-chip cookies) and a lot of shopping, I've managed to at least put a name to my dilemma. I've been relatively calm these past four weeks.
First there was the Shakira concert (not exactly in November, but close enough), then my peeps came down from Prescott to hang out for my birthday and brave the late hours and freezing weather to catch the midnight show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (and eat mountains of sushi), and finally Thanksgiving which brought with it food and shopping.
I am happy to report that the nerves have easened up. Now, before you all start freaking out (all six of you faithful readers) I have to say that it is not as bad as what I've read or seen. If I fall over Tony Soprano-style then I should probably see a professional (Hooray for health insurance! Imagine if we all had it). But for now it will be calmness, a bit of yoga, and probably an attempt to be more sociable.
So far it looks like the goal that I've set out for myself in my 28th year is working. I did what I wanted to do and I spent a lot of money. And I totally felt better :)
Onward then towards 2011. I'll have a new job (sorta), new apartment (definitely), new... ??
Friday, November 5, 2010
Get Ready for the Me Network
November has begun! Which means... it's my month! That's right, it's my birthday month and my favorite holiday month. Yes friends, in less than two weeks time I will be 28. Now, when I turned 27 I said that it was going to be a great year. I had me some good times and I, of course, did a lot of traveling. I also didn't work for about 8 months so that definitely goes in the "YAY" column. But there were things that went wrong too. First, I tried moving to Puerto Vallarta and it didn't work out for me. It was sad, yes, but a learning experience. Second? Well, let's just say that it was also a learning experience. What did I learn? That I don't care. In fact, I finished that lesson just recently.
So with that, I am enacting executive order number 123: The I don't give a f*** order.
My resolution for the next twelve months is plain and simple: I'm going to be selfish. I'm going to do what I want, when I want, and how I want.
Weren't you selfish before?
Um...no, but thanks for asking. Well, maybe I've always been a little selfish but I've always put others before myself. Well, you know what? That stops November 16th, at least for non-family members.
You seem a little upset.
That''s probably because I am! Don't get me wrong, I live a pretty privileged life and I have (knock on wood) my health. But that doesn't mean I don't have the right to be a little pissed especially since I've been a good person, I've followed all the rules, and was/is honest.
We are still going to have some good times. There will be travelling and I plan to spend an obscene amount of money. Some things are going to change for 2011, so hold on to your seats.
So with that, I am enacting executive order number 123: The I don't give a f*** order.
My resolution for the next twelve months is plain and simple: I'm going to be selfish. I'm going to do what I want, when I want, and how I want.
Weren't you selfish before?
Um...no, but thanks for asking. Well, maybe I've always been a little selfish but I've always put others before myself. Well, you know what? That stops November 16th, at least for non-family members.
You seem a little upset.
That''s probably because I am! Don't get me wrong, I live a pretty privileged life and I have (knock on wood) my health. But that doesn't mean I don't have the right to be a little pissed especially since I've been a good person, I've followed all the rules, and was/is honest.
We are still going to have some good times. There will be travelling and I plan to spend an obscene amount of money. Some things are going to change for 2011, so hold on to your seats.
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