I am blogging for my IPP at a new website now, so for anyone who hasn't already, please update your bookmarks:
www.200movies1woman.com
Thanks!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I'm Running...
Run Lola Run, 1998, Germany
Twenty minutes is really not a long time. It often feels like forever to me, especially when I'm feeling anxious about something, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a few grains of sand in the hourglass known as life.
Lola has twenty minutes to find 100,000 DM, and deliver it to her boyfriend in order to save his life. Twenty minutes to run to where he's located, get the money (somehow) and deliver it. Not a long time, huh?
The film is not a long one, at 81 minutes. But in that time, three different scenarios are played out, each lasting roughly 20 minutes. They sure managed to cram a lot of story in those 20 minutes. Before watching the movie, I was aware that it consisted of three different scenarios, and I was also aware that the film was parodied in an episode of The Simpsons called "Trilogy of Error". In fact, that may have been how I first heard of the movie. I'm vaguely recalling a conversation I had with my Dad way back when the episode first aired, where he told me that it was based on a movie called Run Lola Run.
The purpose of the three scenarios is to show how mere seconds impact events in the rest of your life. Minutes, seconds, can end a life or save a life. I haven't spent much time thinking about it, but I sure am now. Everyone has those days where they get a phone call they've been waiting for all day when they're in the washroom and can't take the call. In the film, one single event at the beginning of each scenario determined whether Lola was delayed by seconds, or faster by seconds, and those seconds matter.
I loved the movie. It was exciting, and made me feel...energized. I was familiar with Tom Tykwer from Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, but this is by far the better film. The edits, the soundtrack, the acting, and the story all fit together. Speaking of the soundtrack...it was fantastic. I'm not sure I've ever heard a soundtrack quite like it, but I loved it!
I've got this song stuck in my head as a result of the movie:
In other news, I can't help but wonder what watching 200 movies will do to my figure. I do enjoy a snack while I'm watching a movie, and since I'll be watching roughly one a day, that's a lot of junk food! Perhaps I should make it a goal to adopt better snacking habits over the duration of my IPP?
Does anyone have any healthy snack recommendations? Remember: I am a pathetically bad cook.
Twenty minutes is really not a long time. It often feels like forever to me, especially when I'm feeling anxious about something, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a few grains of sand in the hourglass known as life.
Lola has twenty minutes to find 100,000 DM, and deliver it to her boyfriend in order to save his life. Twenty minutes to run to where he's located, get the money (somehow) and deliver it. Not a long time, huh?
The film is not a long one, at 81 minutes. But in that time, three different scenarios are played out, each lasting roughly 20 minutes. They sure managed to cram a lot of story in those 20 minutes. Before watching the movie, I was aware that it consisted of three different scenarios, and I was also aware that the film was parodied in an episode of The Simpsons called "Trilogy of Error". In fact, that may have been how I first heard of the movie. I'm vaguely recalling a conversation I had with my Dad way back when the episode first aired, where he told me that it was based on a movie called Run Lola Run.
The purpose of the three scenarios is to show how mere seconds impact events in the rest of your life. Minutes, seconds, can end a life or save a life. I haven't spent much time thinking about it, but I sure am now. Everyone has those days where they get a phone call they've been waiting for all day when they're in the washroom and can't take the call. In the film, one single event at the beginning of each scenario determined whether Lola was delayed by seconds, or faster by seconds, and those seconds matter.
I loved the movie. It was exciting, and made me feel...energized. I was familiar with Tom Tykwer from Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, but this is by far the better film. The edits, the soundtrack, the acting, and the story all fit together. Speaking of the soundtrack...it was fantastic. I'm not sure I've ever heard a soundtrack quite like it, but I loved it!
I've got this song stuck in my head as a result of the movie:
In other news, I can't help but wonder what watching 200 movies will do to my figure. I do enjoy a snack while I'm watching a movie, and since I'll be watching roughly one a day, that's a lot of junk food! Perhaps I should make it a goal to adopt better snacking habits over the duration of my IPP?
Does anyone have any healthy snack recommendations? Remember: I am a pathetically bad cook.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
"Robert Downey Jr is the Only Man Cocky Enough to Play Iron Man"
My friend Tiffany said the above line. This means...I've just gotten home from Iron Man 2!
Iron Man 2, 2010, USA
Ultimately, I enjoyed it. It was a fun summer movie. But it wasn't as good as the first one was, which is not unexpected. To me, it felt like they tried to cram far too much story into too short a time. This meant that certain plot lines were neglected, or given a less than satisfactory conclusion. This is a common problem with sequels: they try too hard to live up the original, so they try to cram in every "cool" storyline possible, in order to impress the fans. It doesn't work! I think the movie would have been better if pieces were trimmed a little. Perhaps Scarlett Johanson's part, which felt like a bit of a waste to me. I thought Mickey Rourke was awesome, but very under-utilized. I wanted to see a lot more of his character.
Don Cheadle replaced Terrance Howard as James "Rhodey" Rhodes in the sequel. Cheadle did an adequate job, but I think the role belongs to Howard. He felt more convincing to me, and it's a shame that he was replaced. I know he has a reputation for being hard to work with, but he was just brilliant in the role.
And as Tiffany said...there's only one man who could play Iron Man, and that is the magnificent Robert Downey Jr. I never really noticed him until I saw Iron Man, but oh did I ever notice him after that movie. Since then, I've seen a few more of his movies (though not nearly enough of them), and I think he's got a real talent. Plus he oozes charisma.
Definitely go see the movie in theatres. It's so much fun, and enjoying an air conditioned theatre is a perfect way to spend a summer evening!
Iron Man 2, 2010, USA
Ultimately, I enjoyed it. It was a fun summer movie. But it wasn't as good as the first one was, which is not unexpected. To me, it felt like they tried to cram far too much story into too short a time. This meant that certain plot lines were neglected, or given a less than satisfactory conclusion. This is a common problem with sequels: they try too hard to live up the original, so they try to cram in every "cool" storyline possible, in order to impress the fans. It doesn't work! I think the movie would have been better if pieces were trimmed a little. Perhaps Scarlett Johanson's part, which felt like a bit of a waste to me. I thought Mickey Rourke was awesome, but very under-utilized. I wanted to see a lot more of his character.
Don Cheadle replaced Terrance Howard as James "Rhodey" Rhodes in the sequel. Cheadle did an adequate job, but I think the role belongs to Howard. He felt more convincing to me, and it's a shame that he was replaced. I know he has a reputation for being hard to work with, but he was just brilliant in the role.
And as Tiffany said...there's only one man who could play Iron Man, and that is the magnificent Robert Downey Jr. I never really noticed him until I saw Iron Man, but oh did I ever notice him after that movie. Since then, I've seen a few more of his movies (though not nearly enough of them), and I think he's got a real talent. Plus he oozes charisma.
Definitely go see the movie in theatres. It's so much fun, and enjoying an air conditioned theatre is a perfect way to spend a summer evening!
It's Funny how Fallin' Feels like Flyin' for a Little While
My Dad rented Crazy Heart last night, so I decided to give it a watch today. I’d wanted to see it in theatres, but I didn’t really have anyone to go with, and even if I did, I didn’t have any time to go. Two things in the movie stood out for me: Jeff Bridges, and the soundtrack.
I enjoy Jeff Bridges. It’s funny: I enjoy his work, and he has a very recognizable face, but I can never remember his name. While on my way to Chicago, we watched Iron Man on the bus, and I sat there, driving myself crazy trying to remember what his name was. I could list off a bunch of movies he’d been in (most notably, The Big Lebowski), but I couldn’t for the life of me, remember his name. I was thinking something like Jim Scott, but I knew that was wrong. Whenever I can’t remember something like that, it tends to reenter my head the moment I go off to look it up. That’s when I shout the name, or the fact, or whatever it is out in glee, confusing and scaring all those around me.
Unfortunately, I was on a bus and had no way of looking up his name. It was days before I remembered his name, and I may have actually found a way to look it up. I don’t remember, but I think I did scare someone when I remembered it and shouted it out. I can never seem to remember his name. I’m the same way with Holly Hunter.
So Jeff Bridges made the movie for me. Without him, it would have been a very simple, very straightforward story. His performance was layered, and he created a character that was at times heartbreaking and pathetic. It was a well deserved Oscar.
The soundtrack really impressed me as well. I’m generally not a big fan of country music, but Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell were great singers, and really made it work. I can’t help but wonder if my Dad’ll buy the soundtrack – I hope he does so I can borrow it and put it on my iPod. My Dad likes Jeff Bridges, and the music in the film is probably the type that he enjoys. He has the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and often listens to it in the car. I’ve heard it about a million times. I actually really like the soundtrack…but I’ve never seen the movie! I’m hoping to see it over the course of this project, but I wonder how strange it will be to see it for the first time, and be able to sing along to half the songs?
I’m going to be going out to see Iron Man 2 this evening, so I am hoping to write another entry when I get home about that movie as well! It has been a movie I’ve been looking forward to since the sequel was announced.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
And so I Begin
Casablanca - 1944, USA
Recommended by: Amanda and Desiree
A couple people have asked what my first movie would be for this project of mine. I always sort of assumed it would be Requiem for a Dream, since it is the first movie I put on my list.
But as I sat here at my computer last night, I felt restless, and felt like I needed to start on this project of mine. And I felt like watching Casablanca. I wanted to watch a love story, and more importantly, I wanted to watch a tragic love story. Ultimately, this was a movie about sacrifice. Rick loved Ilsa. Ilsa loved Rick. Maybe they would have been happy together…maybe they wouldn’t have. But they’ll never get a chance to find out, because both of them made sacrifices that were, perhaps, for the best. In Paris, Ilsa didn’t leave with Rick because she received word that her husband, Victor was alive and hiding in Paris. At the end, Rick refused to leave with Ilsa because he told her, in the iconic line, that she would regret it if she stayed, "maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." And Victor sacrificed too. He begged Rick to take Ilsa to America because he loved her so much, he just wanted her to be safe, even if she was with another man.
During my first year of University, I wrote a paper on film censorship for my Academic Writing class. I focused on the Hays Code, which set the “moral” standards that films had to maintain. This code was in effect until 1968, when the MPAA rating system was put into effect. One of the principles stated that “the sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld”. So, according to this code, Ilsa could never end up with Rick. I must wonder: would the ending change today? I hope not. I love the tragedy of it, and the sacrifice involved from all parties. Plus she married Victor before she met Rick, so surely she must love him?
I read in the Wikipedia article that the film was colourized in the 80’s. What a crime. When I was watching the movie, my Mom teased me, and remarked that I needed to “adjust the TV” because it wasn’t in colour. But while I was watching the movie, I found myself admiring the cinematography, and the striking contrast between the black and the white. It was gorgeous. There are screenshots from the colourized version on Wikipedia, and it takes away so much, in my opinion.
So why hadn’t I seen it before? I’ve seen very few “classic” films. An ongoing theme of this project will be me rectifying all of my “cinematic embarrassments”. I’ve seen a good number of films from about 2003 onwards, but there are many important and respected movies from before that time that I’ve just never seen. Part of it is the fact that I love going to the theatre, and often, if I don’t see a movie in the theatre, it’s months or even years before I catch it. I love the experience of sitting in a dark theatre, watching a movie on a big screen, and experiencing it with a group of people. Last year, I saw something like 50 movies in the theatre. This year, I haven’t gone nearly that often. I probably won’t go all that often, but I fully intend on seeing a few movies at the theatre. I will just need to prioritize them.
So movie number 1 is down. 199 more to go. I’m feeling pumped, and ready to watch more!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Doing the Tourist Thing in Chicago
I thought I'd devote this entry to the day I went to the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower).
That morning we arrived at the Art Institute in the rain. I'd been really looking forward to visiting it, because I've only ever been to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is great, but much smaller. I'm far from an art expert, but I enjoy looking at it, and admiring the talent involved in creating an art piece. I also find the creativity fascinating. Many of the art pieces were very simple - I could have made them, but it was so interesting to see what one considers art. My favourite art style is impressionism, so it was wonderful to go through that section of the museum. Unfortunately, I could not spend as much time there as I'd have liked, because it was nearing lunch time, and I was starving. My favourites were the Van Gogh pieces, because he's my favourite painter. I completely fell in love with Monet while I was there - I wasn't familiar with his work, but the Art Institute had a lot of it, and I loved it!
I also enjoyed looking at all of the artifacts on display. Yes, in their time they were nothing more than everyday objects, but to us they're fascinating. I'm also a bit of a history nerd, so I always get a kick out of artifacts. I loved thinking about what modern objects would be placed in a museum 400 years from now. Perhaps an iPod would be placed behind glass? That begs a question: would Steve Jobs be named as the "artist"?
After lunch, we decided to visit the Willis Tower. The weather had cleared up, and it was warm and sunny, so we thought it'd be perfect for taking pictures. We got on an elevator after watching a movie about the tower, and taking photos with the wall paintings of Michael Jordan, Oprah and Barack Obama. It was a 60 second elevator ride to the 103rd floor, and our ears popped the whole way.
I'm generally pretty good with heights. I'm okay with tall buildings, and being up high - even looking down from the window in a tall building. Therefore, I was completely okay on the Skydeck. My tolerance was severely tested by the glass balconies. I got brave enough to stand in one, but feeling the wind shake beneath me, and seeing all the way down shook me up a bit. I stayed there long enough for a few photos, and got right out of there. My friend Amanda is much braver than I, and actually lay face down in the box when she visited the tower!
Brietta and I were able to sit down in the glass balcony.
The view was absolutely gorgeous. We really lucked out, because we picked the perfect day to go up. Here are some of the photos I took:
Of course, as a film fan, I got a real kick out of this wall of the Skydeck.
That morning we arrived at the Art Institute in the rain. I'd been really looking forward to visiting it, because I've only ever been to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is great, but much smaller. I'm far from an art expert, but I enjoy looking at it, and admiring the talent involved in creating an art piece. I also find the creativity fascinating. Many of the art pieces were very simple - I could have made them, but it was so interesting to see what one considers art. My favourite art style is impressionism, so it was wonderful to go through that section of the museum. Unfortunately, I could not spend as much time there as I'd have liked, because it was nearing lunch time, and I was starving. My favourites were the Van Gogh pieces, because he's my favourite painter. I completely fell in love with Monet while I was there - I wasn't familiar with his work, but the Art Institute had a lot of it, and I loved it!
I also enjoyed looking at all of the artifacts on display. Yes, in their time they were nothing more than everyday objects, but to us they're fascinating. I'm also a bit of a history nerd, so I always get a kick out of artifacts. I loved thinking about what modern objects would be placed in a museum 400 years from now. Perhaps an iPod would be placed behind glass? That begs a question: would Steve Jobs be named as the "artist"?
After lunch, we decided to visit the Willis Tower. The weather had cleared up, and it was warm and sunny, so we thought it'd be perfect for taking pictures. We got on an elevator after watching a movie about the tower, and taking photos with the wall paintings of Michael Jordan, Oprah and Barack Obama. It was a 60 second elevator ride to the 103rd floor, and our ears popped the whole way.
I'm generally pretty good with heights. I'm okay with tall buildings, and being up high - even looking down from the window in a tall building. Therefore, I was completely okay on the Skydeck. My tolerance was severely tested by the glass balconies. I got brave enough to stand in one, but feeling the wind shake beneath me, and seeing all the way down shook me up a bit. I stayed there long enough for a few photos, and got right out of there. My friend Amanda is much braver than I, and actually lay face down in the box when she visited the tower!
Brietta and I were able to sit down in the glass balcony.
The view was absolutely gorgeous. We really lucked out, because we picked the perfect day to go up. Here are some of the photos I took:
Of course, as a film fan, I got a real kick out of this wall of the Skydeck.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Movies in Chicago
I came home from my trip last night. This will be the first of what will probably be several blog entries about the trip, since I just can't get it all in one entry! I thought I'd talk about my movie experiences while on the trip.
I had decided to bring my portable DVD player, and a number of movies on the off chance anyone wanted to watch a movie on the bus or in the hotel room. It turns out there were TVs and a DVD player on the bus, so we watched a whole bunch of movies on the way there and back. I like to think I did a pretty decent job picking out what movies to bring. I brought: Shaun of the Dead, Serenity, The Shawshank Redemption, Anchorman, V for Vendetta, Iron Man, and Monsters, Inc. We ended up watching all of them except for V for Vendetta. If you're planning a trip and bringing DVDs, bring a variety, so there is something for everyone. For the most part, I kept it to pretty light-hearted movies. And of course, ones without subtitles, which are difficult to read on any small screen.
I'd decided to go see Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back with Jason and Kenton as well. I wanted to see it on the "big screen", since I'd only ever seen it on VHS. Actually, I think I'd only seen it twice in its entirety, when I was about ten years old. Back then, I had a huge crush on Luke Skywalker, and watched it those two times over the weekend we'd rented it. I thought it'd be a pretty neat experience to watch it in a theatre, and it was! The picture and sound were amazing.
Kenton looks giddy as can be!
I thought it was awesome to compare the thoughts I'd had as a child with my thoughts now. Back then, the Luke stuff was obviously my favourite, but now, I found the Yoda/Luke stuff to be a little dull. The stuff with Han Solo, Leia, and the rest was much more interesting. I also didn't catch a lot of the humour within the movie as a child. Kenton mentioned at one point that he thought that Han was really the hero of Episode V, and I'd never thought about it like that before. But I do agree with him: Luke is off doing his own thing for much of the movie, so Han steps it up and becomes the hero.
We saw the movie at the Field Museum. I only had about an hour to look around the museum before the movie started, so I only got to see the lobby, and the Egypt exhibit. The museum looked amazing, and I definitely want to return someday to see the rest.
I also went on a mob tour Thursday morning. One of the locations our tour guide took us to was the Biograph theatre, which was the location of John Dillinger's death. Last year, Dillinger's story was told in the film Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp. I could only get a photo from the bus I'm afraid, but it was still pretty neat to see.
We agreed to meet at the theatre, right, Mr. Depp?
One of the tour guides looked and sounded like David Morse.
I had decided to bring my portable DVD player, and a number of movies on the off chance anyone wanted to watch a movie on the bus or in the hotel room. It turns out there were TVs and a DVD player on the bus, so we watched a whole bunch of movies on the way there and back. I like to think I did a pretty decent job picking out what movies to bring. I brought: Shaun of the Dead, Serenity, The Shawshank Redemption, Anchorman, V for Vendetta, Iron Man, and Monsters, Inc. We ended up watching all of them except for V for Vendetta. If you're planning a trip and bringing DVDs, bring a variety, so there is something for everyone. For the most part, I kept it to pretty light-hearted movies. And of course, ones without subtitles, which are difficult to read on any small screen.
I'd decided to go see Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back with Jason and Kenton as well. I wanted to see it on the "big screen", since I'd only ever seen it on VHS. Actually, I think I'd only seen it twice in its entirety, when I was about ten years old. Back then, I had a huge crush on Luke Skywalker, and watched it those two times over the weekend we'd rented it. I thought it'd be a pretty neat experience to watch it in a theatre, and it was! The picture and sound were amazing.
Kenton looks giddy as can be!I thought it was awesome to compare the thoughts I'd had as a child with my thoughts now. Back then, the Luke stuff was obviously my favourite, but now, I found the Yoda/Luke stuff to be a little dull. The stuff with Han Solo, Leia, and the rest was much more interesting. I also didn't catch a lot of the humour within the movie as a child. Kenton mentioned at one point that he thought that Han was really the hero of Episode V, and I'd never thought about it like that before. But I do agree with him: Luke is off doing his own thing for much of the movie, so Han steps it up and becomes the hero.
We saw the movie at the Field Museum. I only had about an hour to look around the museum before the movie started, so I only got to see the lobby, and the Egypt exhibit. The museum looked amazing, and I definitely want to return someday to see the rest.
I also went on a mob tour Thursday morning. One of the locations our tour guide took us to was the Biograph theatre, which was the location of John Dillinger's death. Last year, Dillinger's story was told in the film Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp. I could only get a photo from the bus I'm afraid, but it was still pretty neat to see.
We agreed to meet at the theatre, right, Mr. Depp?
One of the tour guides looked and sounded like David Morse.I'm not sure if I saw any movies actually being filmed, but I saw shooting locations from The Dark Knight, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Public Enemies and The Untouchables.
Keep reading for more Chicago experiences!
Keep reading for more Chicago experiences!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I am off to Chicago!
Bright and early tomorrow morning, I will be boarding a bus headed to Chicago, along with my fellow CreComm students. I'm really looking forward to the trip. However, I will not be bringing my lap top with me, and my access to a computer will likely be limited. This means that for at least 6 days, I will be unable to update my blog. I will try to get an entry in as soon as possible after I return.
I've never been to Chicago, nor have I ever gone on a trip without my family, so this will be a trip full of firsts for me!
And here is the final scene from my favourite set-in-Chicago television show: ER:
ER was a great show. I didn't start watching it regularly until about three years before it ended, but that didn't matter. I really got into it. I've been watching the early seasons on DVD, but I'm pretty bad at watching TV on DVD, so I'm near the end of season four right now, and have been for about a year now. I have season five here at home, but I don't see myself getting to it until next summer, because of my IPP. I enjoyed the later seasons, but they're nothing compared to the early episodes.
On the last day we're there, I will be taking in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. I've never seen it in theatres, so it will be interesting to watch on the big screen. Plus, it has been a few years since I've seen it in its entirety. Sure, I've caught bits and pieces on TV, but it's been awhile since I've sat down and watched the whole thing.
I'll see you all when I get back!
I've never been to Chicago, nor have I ever gone on a trip without my family, so this will be a trip full of firsts for me!
And here is the final scene from my favourite set-in-Chicago television show: ER:
ER was a great show. I didn't start watching it regularly until about three years before it ended, but that didn't matter. I really got into it. I've been watching the early seasons on DVD, but I'm pretty bad at watching TV on DVD, so I'm near the end of season four right now, and have been for about a year now. I have season five here at home, but I don't see myself getting to it until next summer, because of my IPP. I enjoyed the later seasons, but they're nothing compared to the early episodes.
On the last day we're there, I will be taking in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. I've never seen it in theatres, so it will be interesting to watch on the big screen. Plus, it has been a few years since I've seen it in its entirety. Sure, I've caught bits and pieces on TV, but it's been awhile since I've sat down and watched the whole thing.
I'll see you all when I get back!
Friday, April 30, 2010
An Overactive Imagination
I think I watched too much Matilda as a child. I loved the movie. I recall it being one of the ones I'd rent over and over again. I haven't watched it in full in a number of years, and wouldn't mind revisiting it one day.
Anyways, in the movie, the title character, Matilda, develops telekinetic powers to combat her mean parents and evil principal. I have a strange irrational fear that stems from my painfully overactive imagination: I am afraid that anything I imagine or think about will come true. I also immediately envision anything anyone tells me. I often get myself very worked up after I have nightmares involving something happening to someone I care about.
But in many ways, this overactive imagination of mine is a good thing. I tend to live in the clouds a little bit. I've always been like that. When I was 13, and really starting to get into movies, I fantasized about being "discovered", and becoming a famous Hollywood actress. I would star in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel as Johnny Depp's sidekick. Depp would take me under his wing, and I'd spend vacations in France going to the beach with him and his family. I'd win an Oscar for my amazing performance, and I'd tearfully thank Depp for being my role model and my inspiration. I even had the entire plot line for the sequel plotted out. In my version, Mel Gibson played Bootstrap Bill. This was before his anti-semitic rant. As you all notice, I say nothing about a romantic relationship with Mr. Depp. I never really fantasized about that. Again, due to my overactive imagination, I thought that if I fantasized about that, something would happen between him and Vanessa Paradis, and he seemed like a pretty happy guy to me. I was perfectly happy being his sidekick.
As you all know, the sequels came and went. I did not star in them. I didn't even cameo in them. So...if my imagination is so powerful...why am I not in France right now drinking expensive wine with Johnny Depp?
Anyways, in the movie, the title character, Matilda, develops telekinetic powers to combat her mean parents and evil principal. I have a strange irrational fear that stems from my painfully overactive imagination: I am afraid that anything I imagine or think about will come true. I also immediately envision anything anyone tells me. I often get myself very worked up after I have nightmares involving something happening to someone I care about.
But in many ways, this overactive imagination of mine is a good thing. I tend to live in the clouds a little bit. I've always been like that. When I was 13, and really starting to get into movies, I fantasized about being "discovered", and becoming a famous Hollywood actress. I would star in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel as Johnny Depp's sidekick. Depp would take me under his wing, and I'd spend vacations in France going to the beach with him and his family. I'd win an Oscar for my amazing performance, and I'd tearfully thank Depp for being my role model and my inspiration. I even had the entire plot line for the sequel plotted out. In my version, Mel Gibson played Bootstrap Bill. This was before his anti-semitic rant. As you all notice, I say nothing about a romantic relationship with Mr. Depp. I never really fantasized about that. Again, due to my overactive imagination, I thought that if I fantasized about that, something would happen between him and Vanessa Paradis, and he seemed like a pretty happy guy to me. I was perfectly happy being his sidekick.
As you all know, the sequels came and went. I did not star in them. I didn't even cameo in them. So...if my imagination is so powerful...why am I not in France right now drinking expensive wine with Johnny Depp?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Downfall
I watched Downfall this afternoon. It is a German film about the last days of Hitler and the Third Reich. I'd been wanting to watch the movie for a number of years, and when I saw that it was on TV last night, I decided to tape it. I figured taping it was best, since it was three and a half hours on TV, and I just don't have that great an attention span. Since the movie was subtitled, paying attention was necessary.
Despite having it on tape, where I could fast forward through commercials, I still had difficulty paying attention. It's not because I disliked the film (in fact, I loved it!), but it was because of the subject matter. I'm a huge history nerd. In University, I took a number of European history courses, primarily because I love World War II history. I find it fascinating. The film uses actual footage from an interview with Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries, and a main character in the film. Of course, I had to look her up. I read a number of Wikipedia pages pertaining to historical figures from the film, and events that occurred within the film.
I was watching the movie upstairs, so I had to pause the movie and get my lap top when I realized that I just had to read about Bruno Ganz, who plays Hitler in the movie. Then I realized that reading Wikipedia while watching a subtitled movie just didn't work well. So I kept having to pause the movie. That's alright, because I learned a lot from Wikipedia, and I had nothing else to do this afternoon anyway, so I could take my time watching the movie.
Yes, the movie was a long one, but it didn't feel long. As I've emphasized, the subject matter is fascinating to me, and it is presented well. The acting is fantastic. I'd actually been reading about the film a few days before during a spare moment at school, so I'm really glad it was on TV this weekend. I'd actually planned on adding it to my list of 200 movies to watch, but I'm just as happy to have gotten the opportunity to watch it earlier. The only issue I had was with the number of characters. I had trouble keeping track of the names of most of them, so I had to identify them by their faces and actions. But that wasn't a big deal at all.
If you haven't seen Downfall yet, check it out. It's excellent.
Despite having it on tape, where I could fast forward through commercials, I still had difficulty paying attention. It's not because I disliked the film (in fact, I loved it!), but it was because of the subject matter. I'm a huge history nerd. In University, I took a number of European history courses, primarily because I love World War II history. I find it fascinating. The film uses actual footage from an interview with Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries, and a main character in the film. Of course, I had to look her up. I read a number of Wikipedia pages pertaining to historical figures from the film, and events that occurred within the film.
I was watching the movie upstairs, so I had to pause the movie and get my lap top when I realized that I just had to read about Bruno Ganz, who plays Hitler in the movie. Then I realized that reading Wikipedia while watching a subtitled movie just didn't work well. So I kept having to pause the movie. That's alright, because I learned a lot from Wikipedia, and I had nothing else to do this afternoon anyway, so I could take my time watching the movie.
Yes, the movie was a long one, but it didn't feel long. As I've emphasized, the subject matter is fascinating to me, and it is presented well. The acting is fantastic. I'd actually been reading about the film a few days before during a spare moment at school, so I'm really glad it was on TV this weekend. I'd actually planned on adding it to my list of 200 movies to watch, but I'm just as happy to have gotten the opportunity to watch it earlier. The only issue I had was with the number of characters. I had trouble keeping track of the names of most of them, so I had to identify them by their faces and actions. But that wasn't a big deal at all.
If you haven't seen Downfall yet, check it out. It's excellent.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Summertime in the Theatre
Okay, so it's not quite summer yet, but it sure feels like it. On Friday night, I met up with some friends to go see Kick-Ass. It was fairly quiet in the theatre, which was surprising, since I thought it'd be packed.
This semester, I haven't gone to see many movies. I've missed it. It was strange entering Silvercity Polo Park for the first time in at least three months. For one, I noticed that they'd raised the prices since I'd last been there. Secondly, they got rid of New York Fries, and replaced it with Pizza Pizza, and some other chain I'd never heard of. I wasn't impressed. I generally got a poutine and a drink, especially when I went to movies around dinner time. My joke was that without my weekly business, New York Fries went under. I'll need to make a note to see more movies.
Kick-Ass was an alright movie. It was quite hilarious at times, and often very shocking and disturbing. Chloe Moretz, who played Hit-Girl, really stole the show. Hard to believe she's only 13 years old with that kind of talent. She looks very young, however. I wouldn't have put her older than 10 or 11 in the movie.
I feel very out of the loop when it comes to the movies being released. I don't really know what's coming out this summer. I've been so busy that I haven't really had the time to keep on top of it. But now that school is over, I'll be able to really follow that, and hopefully I'll get out to see more movies!
This semester, I haven't gone to see many movies. I've missed it. It was strange entering Silvercity Polo Park for the first time in at least three months. For one, I noticed that they'd raised the prices since I'd last been there. Secondly, they got rid of New York Fries, and replaced it with Pizza Pizza, and some other chain I'd never heard of. I wasn't impressed. I generally got a poutine and a drink, especially when I went to movies around dinner time. My joke was that without my weekly business, New York Fries went under. I'll need to make a note to see more movies.
Kick-Ass was an alright movie. It was quite hilarious at times, and often very shocking and disturbing. Chloe Moretz, who played Hit-Girl, really stole the show. Hard to believe she's only 13 years old with that kind of talent. She looks very young, however. I wouldn't have put her older than 10 or 11 in the movie.
I feel very out of the loop when it comes to the movies being released. I don't really know what's coming out this summer. I've been so busy that I haven't really had the time to keep on top of it. But now that school is over, I'll be able to really follow that, and hopefully I'll get out to see more movies!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Music Videos
After posting my montage, I've found myself thinking about music videos lately. I'm not a big music person (lack of musical education, I don't know what's "good"), but I do often find myself opening up YouTube in search of a song or two to play while I do my homework. Sometimes I end up watching the music videos.
Music videos are like a little movie. They often tell a story, related to the "story" within a song. These are the ones I like the best. My favourite songs are sad songs, so adding sad imagery that follows the story of the song is very moving to me. While studying today, I started playing my current favourite song "Sometime Around Midnight" by the Airborne Toxic Event. This song has two music videos: the older one directed by Jason Wishnow. The second one was filmed after the song gained popularity, and was directed by D.J. Caruso. He's known for directing the movies Disturbia and Eagle Eye.
I just had a very bizarre experience. I'd planned to write about how the first video is miles above the second one, in terms of emotion and power, but I watched both videos...and the first one didn't quite move me. Sure, I felt something, but there were no tears. I watched the second one, and it moved me much more than the first. Maybe it's because I've played the song about six times in a row by now. Or maybe it's because of the awesome story behind the song. Video #1 tells the story of the song. Video #2 tells the story of how the song was written.
Since I have a tendency to write when I am hurting - poetry, fiction, diary entries, et cetera, maybe video #2 resonates with me more now that I'm not "living" the song in a way I once was. Here's both of them:
Video #1:
Which one do you prefer? Which one do you feel best captures the "tone" of the song. I still think I prefer the first video.
Music videos are like a little movie. They often tell a story, related to the "story" within a song. These are the ones I like the best. My favourite songs are sad songs, so adding sad imagery that follows the story of the song is very moving to me. While studying today, I started playing my current favourite song "Sometime Around Midnight" by the Airborne Toxic Event. This song has two music videos: the older one directed by Jason Wishnow. The second one was filmed after the song gained popularity, and was directed by D.J. Caruso. He's known for directing the movies Disturbia and Eagle Eye.
I just had a very bizarre experience. I'd planned to write about how the first video is miles above the second one, in terms of emotion and power, but I watched both videos...and the first one didn't quite move me. Sure, I felt something, but there were no tears. I watched the second one, and it moved me much more than the first. Maybe it's because I've played the song about six times in a row by now. Or maybe it's because of the awesome story behind the song. Video #1 tells the story of the song. Video #2 tells the story of how the song was written.
Since I have a tendency to write when I am hurting - poetry, fiction, diary entries, et cetera, maybe video #2 resonates with me more now that I'm not "living" the song in a way I once was. Here's both of them:
Video #1:
Which one do you prefer? Which one do you feel best captures the "tone" of the song. I still think I prefer the first video.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
I've Made my First Film
Well, montage to be exact about it. For TV class, we were given an assignment to shoot and edit a montage set to music. I picked music from my favourite movie, Edward Scissorhands, "Ice Dance" by composer Danny Elfman.
I had it easy because from the moment I'd heard about the project, I'd decided that was the music I was going to use. I was going to shoot it in the Winter, and there was going to be a scene of the "lovers" dancing in the snow. Now, when I shot my footage, the snow was melting, but I still got my little dance bit in at the climax of the music. I have to give my most sincere thanks to my amazing actors, Tammy, and her husband, Murray. They really made it great.
I recognize that I am not strong at shooting or editing. It's because I'm not a particularly visual person. I like to think that I am a pretty good writer; give me a keyboard or a pen and paper, and I'll write and write, but if I have to make an image look clear, focused and "artistic", then I struggle. I've accepted that I'll never be a great visual artist, and that I will always have to work harder at InDesign/Photoshop and Final Cut Pro than others may have to. Doing this montage was very difficult for me. It doesn't help that I am also not great at mastering programs like Final Cut Pro. But ultimately, I did the best I could, and I am really proud of my work.
I think I'll leave the filmmaking to the masters, like Tim Burton. As a child, I always wished I was able to draw, or do anything similar, but as an adult, I am so proud of my writing ability, and wouldn't trade it for anything.
I had it easy because from the moment I'd heard about the project, I'd decided that was the music I was going to use. I was going to shoot it in the Winter, and there was going to be a scene of the "lovers" dancing in the snow. Now, when I shot my footage, the snow was melting, but I still got my little dance bit in at the climax of the music. I have to give my most sincere thanks to my amazing actors, Tammy, and her husband, Murray. They really made it great.
I recognize that I am not strong at shooting or editing. It's because I'm not a particularly visual person. I like to think that I am a pretty good writer; give me a keyboard or a pen and paper, and I'll write and write, but if I have to make an image look clear, focused and "artistic", then I struggle. I've accepted that I'll never be a great visual artist, and that I will always have to work harder at InDesign/Photoshop and Final Cut Pro than others may have to. Doing this montage was very difficult for me. It doesn't help that I am also not great at mastering programs like Final Cut Pro. But ultimately, I did the best I could, and I am really proud of my work.
I think I'll leave the filmmaking to the masters, like Tim Burton. As a child, I always wished I was able to draw, or do anything similar, but as an adult, I am so proud of my writing ability, and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I Like Superhero Movies
And I'm proud to admit it. One of my most anticipated movies of the year is Iron Man 2. I saw Iron Man in theatres opening weekend, and immediately wanted to watch it again. I saw it twice in theatres. Later that summer, The Dark Knight came out in theatres, and it was the best superhero movie I'd ever seen. It was dark, depressing, and the final monologue had me in tears. As the lights came up, and my cousin and brother saw me weeping, they both shouted "You're crying?!", and a number of people turned around to watch me sob into my napkins. It was embarrassing. But that was in Calgary, so no harm done.
The Dark Knight was an exception to my general belief that superhero films are a sort of escapism. You sit back, don't think about realism, and watch the good guys beat the bad guys. They're fun. Generally, I trust that when I am watching a superhero movie, I'll leave the theatre all "pumped up" with a smile on my face.
I remember when Spider-Man came out. I never watched the cartoons growing up, since I thought they were "dumb" and "boring", so my Dad had to drag me to the movie. "You'll like it!", he said. I watched it, and had a good time with it...but I couldn't ADMIT that I liked it! So it was a few years before I could admit to myself that I enjoyed the superhero genre. This was after buying the first two X-Men movies on DVD (I told myself it was just because I liked Hugh Jackman). But when you start watching all of them in theatres, even the really bad ones, it's time to admit you have a problem.
But it's not really a problem, because superhero movies are lots of fun. I like to fantasize about a world where I'd have some sort of neat super power. Yes, people who have powers are always persecuted it seems, but that's because society is afraid of people who are different, and are afraid of people with cooler powers than them. I'd love to be able to fly or teleport, or shape shift.
But even if I couldn't have special powers, I'd settle for a really awesome suit made of metal.
The Dark Knight was an exception to my general belief that superhero films are a sort of escapism. You sit back, don't think about realism, and watch the good guys beat the bad guys. They're fun. Generally, I trust that when I am watching a superhero movie, I'll leave the theatre all "pumped up" with a smile on my face.
I remember when Spider-Man came out. I never watched the cartoons growing up, since I thought they were "dumb" and "boring", so my Dad had to drag me to the movie. "You'll like it!", he said. I watched it, and had a good time with it...but I couldn't ADMIT that I liked it! So it was a few years before I could admit to myself that I enjoyed the superhero genre. This was after buying the first two X-Men movies on DVD (I told myself it was just because I liked Hugh Jackman). But when you start watching all of them in theatres, even the really bad ones, it's time to admit you have a problem.
But it's not really a problem, because superhero movies are lots of fun. I like to fantasize about a world where I'd have some sort of neat super power. Yes, people who have powers are always persecuted it seems, but that's because society is afraid of people who are different, and are afraid of people with cooler powers than them. I'd love to be able to fly or teleport, or shape shift.
But even if I couldn't have special powers, I'd settle for a really awesome suit made of metal.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Kids
Aggie was kind enough to lend me her copy of Kids, and I got around to watching it last night. I was particularly curious about it, because I recall a friend on a forum I post at writing about their hatred for this movie. I'd looked it up back then and it sounded interesting to me.
As I watched it, I braced myself for something tragic and depressing. And on one had, I did get that. The movie is shot documentary-style, and looks at the lives of the characters over the course of a single day in New York. The characters are all young teenagers, 15, 16, even 13 years old. They experiment with drugs, talk frankly about sex, and drink, among other things. I often have a difficult time relating to films where the young characters are so out of control. My teenage years were very different. They were by no means easy years (in fact, they were probably the hardest of my short life), but I never drank or did drugs or behaved the way these characters did in the film. So I wonder just how accurate the picture painted was. Do teenagers really act like this? Maybe because I was so innocent in that way, it just felt very over the top to me.
One issue I did have with the film is the fact that I couldn't feel anything for any of the characters. It was very sad and shocking subject matter, but I didn't feel emotionally attached to a single character. It was very strange to watch a film so tragic, but feel nothing. At the end of it, I thought the feeling was similar to watching a car accident: you know it's terrible, but sometimes you have a hard time feeling anything, especially if you don't see anyone who is injured. But at the same time, you can't look away.
I thought it was an interesting film, though. I did like the documentary-style of it, and I like that it portrayed a single day in the life of all of the characters. Thanks Aggie!
As I watched it, I braced myself for something tragic and depressing. And on one had, I did get that. The movie is shot documentary-style, and looks at the lives of the characters over the course of a single day in New York. The characters are all young teenagers, 15, 16, even 13 years old. They experiment with drugs, talk frankly about sex, and drink, among other things. I often have a difficult time relating to films where the young characters are so out of control. My teenage years were very different. They were by no means easy years (in fact, they were probably the hardest of my short life), but I never drank or did drugs or behaved the way these characters did in the film. So I wonder just how accurate the picture painted was. Do teenagers really act like this? Maybe because I was so innocent in that way, it just felt very over the top to me.
One issue I did have with the film is the fact that I couldn't feel anything for any of the characters. It was very sad and shocking subject matter, but I didn't feel emotionally attached to a single character. It was very strange to watch a film so tragic, but feel nothing. At the end of it, I thought the feeling was similar to watching a car accident: you know it's terrible, but sometimes you have a hard time feeling anything, especially if you don't see anyone who is injured. But at the same time, you can't look away.
I thought it was an interesting film, though. I did like the documentary-style of it, and I like that it portrayed a single day in the life of all of the characters. Thanks Aggie!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
I Collect Things
I like to collect things. I chalk it up to being a naturally sentimental person, and many of the things I collect have strong memories attached to them. I took some pictures of the things I collect, and thought I'd share them.
Beanie Babies
(my shelf is so big, I had to do it in two photos!)
I haven't added to this collection in a number of years, but I like to keep them on display. As a child, I spent about six years collecting Beanie Babies with the help of my Mom. She'd go out and buy a bunch of them whenever new ones came out, and I'd pay her back or she'd give them to me as gifts. I'm not sure which, if any are worth anything anymore, but I don't know if I'd sell them anyway. They are such a big part of my childhood, so there's that nostalgia value to them.
Ticket Stubs
These are just a few of the ticket stubs I have. I keep them all in a photo album, mostly because I don't have anywhere better to keep them. The album is getting full though, so I'll need to buy another soon. I started collecting them when I was 13...at first because I was too lazy to throw out my stubs, but then I realized I was getting a sizable collection, and decided to stick with it. Since then, I've saved almost every stub, from movies, concerts, sporting events, plays, etc. Usually I'll group them together in no particular order, but the really "special" ones, from events I want to remember get their own sleeve, along with any other stubs that I feel are relevant.
DVDs
Some of those are video games, but most of them are my DVDs. I remember receiving my very first DVD on my 14th birthday: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Since then, I've built up a collection of about 120 DVDs - mostly movies, but there is also some TV on DVD in there. I used to buy a movie or two a month, but since CreComm that habit has stopped.
Books
Most of these are mine, but a few belong to my Dad. These are only a few of the books I own: I have many more up in my room. In fact, this shelf used to be for my Dad's books, but I've since taken it over. I started buying books after I graduated high school, since I found that I no longer had easy access to books. Yes, there's a library near my house, but I've found that I really like owning books. It feels good to go into a book store, spend two hours looking around, and drop $150 on a bunch of different books. But I don't do that anymore, again, because of CreComm. I don't really have time to read, so I've got a bunch of unread books sitting in my room.
What do you collect? Post pictures!
Beanie Babies
(my shelf is so big, I had to do it in two photos!)
I haven't added to this collection in a number of years, but I like to keep them on display. As a child, I spent about six years collecting Beanie Babies with the help of my Mom. She'd go out and buy a bunch of them whenever new ones came out, and I'd pay her back or she'd give them to me as gifts. I'm not sure which, if any are worth anything anymore, but I don't know if I'd sell them anyway. They are such a big part of my childhood, so there's that nostalgia value to them.
Ticket Stubs
These are just a few of the ticket stubs I have. I keep them all in a photo album, mostly because I don't have anywhere better to keep them. The album is getting full though, so I'll need to buy another soon. I started collecting them when I was 13...at first because I was too lazy to throw out my stubs, but then I realized I was getting a sizable collection, and decided to stick with it. Since then, I've saved almost every stub, from movies, concerts, sporting events, plays, etc. Usually I'll group them together in no particular order, but the really "special" ones, from events I want to remember get their own sleeve, along with any other stubs that I feel are relevant.
DVDs
Some of those are video games, but most of them are my DVDs. I remember receiving my very first DVD on my 14th birthday: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Since then, I've built up a collection of about 120 DVDs - mostly movies, but there is also some TV on DVD in there. I used to buy a movie or two a month, but since CreComm that habit has stopped.
Books
Most of these are mine, but a few belong to my Dad. These are only a few of the books I own: I have many more up in my room. In fact, this shelf used to be for my Dad's books, but I've since taken it over. I started buying books after I graduated high school, since I found that I no longer had easy access to books. Yes, there's a library near my house, but I've found that I really like owning books. It feels good to go into a book store, spend two hours looking around, and drop $150 on a bunch of different books. But I don't do that anymore, again, because of CreComm. I don't really have time to read, so I've got a bunch of unread books sitting in my room.
What do you collect? Post pictures!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Guilty Pleasures
Y'know, those movies you know you shouldn't love, but love anyway. The ones you feel you have to "make excuses for". I've got a couple of them, and I'm not going to feel guilty about them! I'm here to confess some of my favourite "guilty pleasures".
Van Helsing
I don't like Stephen Sommers as a director. I haven't liked anything else he's done, but I adored Van Helsing. I saw it in theatres when I was 14, and just starting to get into posting on forums online. I remember proudly proclaiming my love for the movie, and having a well respected poster respond with something like "well, you like what you like. We all have different tastes." Hey, at least I wasn't flamed, right?
I love this movie so much, I bought the "Ultimate Edition" of the DVD. It came with a bunch of extra features, and some of the classic monster movies the film is based on (I haven't watched the other movies yet! I will though!). I still watch it at least once a year. I justify my love for it because it's just such a fun popcorn movie, plus Hugh Jackman and David Wenham seem to have a lot of fun with it. I was always disappointed they never did a sequel to it.
Happy Gilmore
This is one of the movies I have to watch anytime I see it on TV. Adam Sandler is not great, but he does have his bright moments, and this is one of them (Punch-Drunk Love and 50 First Dates are other bright moments). The premise is just so...ridiculous but it works for me. A wannabe hockey player realizing he can play golf? It just works. Plus any movie with a Bob Barker cameo has to be fun.
When I was 16 and in Drama class in high school, I performed the opening monologue from this movie for my final monologue (equivalent to a final exam). I think I walked onstage with a little hockey stick, and pretended to skate around while I did the monologue. Surprisingly, I got a good grade on it.
The Astronaut's Wife
I fully recognize that this is not a great movie. It's not even a "fun" movie. I watched this movie a few years ago, because I really love Johnny Depp, and was curious about it. I was fully aware of how bad it was supposed to be, but justified it by thinking that at the very least, there'd be a bit of eye candy. Yes, it's far from Depp's best performance. The script is terrible. But I still really enjoyed it, and will catch bits of it on the odd time it is on TV.
I'm not sure how widely seen this movie even is. Has anyone else seen it? It's not one I recommend to people, but I am curious about how many people have seen it.
***
Okay, so I confessed. Now it's your turn. What are some of your "guilty pleasures"?
Van Helsing
I don't like Stephen Sommers as a director. I haven't liked anything else he's done, but I adored Van Helsing. I saw it in theatres when I was 14, and just starting to get into posting on forums online. I remember proudly proclaiming my love for the movie, and having a well respected poster respond with something like "well, you like what you like. We all have different tastes." Hey, at least I wasn't flamed, right?
I love this movie so much, I bought the "Ultimate Edition" of the DVD. It came with a bunch of extra features, and some of the classic monster movies the film is based on (I haven't watched the other movies yet! I will though!). I still watch it at least once a year. I justify my love for it because it's just such a fun popcorn movie, plus Hugh Jackman and David Wenham seem to have a lot of fun with it. I was always disappointed they never did a sequel to it.
Happy Gilmore
This is one of the movies I have to watch anytime I see it on TV. Adam Sandler is not great, but he does have his bright moments, and this is one of them (Punch-Drunk Love and 50 First Dates are other bright moments). The premise is just so...ridiculous but it works for me. A wannabe hockey player realizing he can play golf? It just works. Plus any movie with a Bob Barker cameo has to be fun.
When I was 16 and in Drama class in high school, I performed the opening monologue from this movie for my final monologue (equivalent to a final exam). I think I walked onstage with a little hockey stick, and pretended to skate around while I did the monologue. Surprisingly, I got a good grade on it.
The Astronaut's Wife
I fully recognize that this is not a great movie. It's not even a "fun" movie. I watched this movie a few years ago, because I really love Johnny Depp, and was curious about it. I was fully aware of how bad it was supposed to be, but justified it by thinking that at the very least, there'd be a bit of eye candy. Yes, it's far from Depp's best performance. The script is terrible. But I still really enjoyed it, and will catch bits of it on the odd time it is on TV.
I'm not sure how widely seen this movie even is. Has anyone else seen it? It's not one I recommend to people, but I am curious about how many people have seen it.
***
Okay, so I confessed. Now it's your turn. What are some of your "guilty pleasures"?
Friday, April 2, 2010
"Yes, Yes...I'll Get to it One Day..."
This will be an entry full of confessions.
Confession #1: Before today, I had never seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
But I did watch it tonight, and I enjoyed it! I was in the mood for something light and fun, and I sat there the whole time with a big smile on my face. It was a really fun movie, and it has gotten me excited about the Chicago trip next month. I tend to have a bit of a preoccupation with tragic or serious films, so I've missed a lot of the more light-hearted films out there.
When it finished, it left me wondering..."why had I waited 20 years to watch this movie?"
This brings me to confession #2: This is the first John Hughes film I've seen.
I was going through his filmography just now, and I have seen a few that he'd produced and written, but none that he'd directed. I fully realize just how shameful this is. I never watched them as a kid. I saw a lot of movies in the theatre as a kid, and only seemed to want to watch "new" movies when we went to the video store. So as a result, I missed out on a lot of the classics. Even now, I tend to go to the theatre a whole lot, except I haven't been in several weeks. This is probably the longest I've ever gone without seeing a movie in the theatre.
But I've been wanting to check out several of John Hughes' films for a long time. I remember being 15 years old, and sitting in drama class with several of my classmates, who were all talking about The Breakfast Club. We were beginning to write the skit we'd perform on our drama night, and my classmates wanted to include references to it. Since I'd never seen it, I was rather quiet during that time (which was not hard for me, since I was known as the "shy, goody-goody girl" in that class). Even at 15, I knew it was terrible that I hadn't seen it. So why have I gone another five years without seeing it? My only explanation is that there have been so many movies I've wanted to see, that it just got put on the back burner, along with many others.
Another very notable one I haven't seen is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I just remembered this, because in the climax of that skit, we dance to The Time Warp. Yes, there is a tape somewhere of me dancing. I hope it never gets out, because it would be painful to watch. For this one, the timing has never seemed right. I guess it is a movie I'd want to watch with a group of people, or at least one other person, anyway.
So I guess this is where I ask: does anyone want to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show with me?
Confession #1: Before today, I had never seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
But I did watch it tonight, and I enjoyed it! I was in the mood for something light and fun, and I sat there the whole time with a big smile on my face. It was a really fun movie, and it has gotten me excited about the Chicago trip next month. I tend to have a bit of a preoccupation with tragic or serious films, so I've missed a lot of the more light-hearted films out there.
When it finished, it left me wondering..."why had I waited 20 years to watch this movie?"
This brings me to confession #2: This is the first John Hughes film I've seen.
I was going through his filmography just now, and I have seen a few that he'd produced and written, but none that he'd directed. I fully realize just how shameful this is. I never watched them as a kid. I saw a lot of movies in the theatre as a kid, and only seemed to want to watch "new" movies when we went to the video store. So as a result, I missed out on a lot of the classics. Even now, I tend to go to the theatre a whole lot, except I haven't been in several weeks. This is probably the longest I've ever gone without seeing a movie in the theatre.
But I've been wanting to check out several of John Hughes' films for a long time. I remember being 15 years old, and sitting in drama class with several of my classmates, who were all talking about The Breakfast Club. We were beginning to write the skit we'd perform on our drama night, and my classmates wanted to include references to it. Since I'd never seen it, I was rather quiet during that time (which was not hard for me, since I was known as the "shy, goody-goody girl" in that class). Even at 15, I knew it was terrible that I hadn't seen it. So why have I gone another five years without seeing it? My only explanation is that there have been so many movies I've wanted to see, that it just got put on the back burner, along with many others.
Another very notable one I haven't seen is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I just remembered this, because in the climax of that skit, we dance to The Time Warp. Yes, there is a tape somewhere of me dancing. I hope it never gets out, because it would be painful to watch. For this one, the timing has never seemed right. I guess it is a movie I'd want to watch with a group of people, or at least one other person, anyway.
So I guess this is where I ask: does anyone want to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show with me?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
IPP: Accepted (aka: The Future of this Blog)
In the Creative Communications program, the Independent Professional Project (IPP) is a year-long project done during the second year. In November, I had an epiphany of sorts, and decided that I just had to watch 200 films for my IPP. After all, film is a huge passion of mine, and I've always wanted a reason to watch a huge amount of movies. This way, I won't be able to say "oh, I've been wanting to see it, I'll add it to the list of movies to watch one day."
I've decided to blog about my experience watching 200 films in roughly 8 months. That comes out to about a movie a day. Pretty intense, huh? I'll be reviewing the movies, talking about how this project affects my life, and tell stories about how I became the film fan I am today.
I'm really looking forward to doing this project, and would like to thank my current readers for their support. When I begin this project, I'd also like to ask that you send my blog link to anyone you think would be interested in this project. Spread the word! And if you would like to have any control over the films I watch, comment with a recommendation or two. I am beginning to compile the list of films I will be watching, so I would love to get as many recommendations as possible.
I've decided to blog about my experience watching 200 films in roughly 8 months. That comes out to about a movie a day. Pretty intense, huh? I'll be reviewing the movies, talking about how this project affects my life, and tell stories about how I became the film fan I am today.
I'm really looking forward to doing this project, and would like to thank my current readers for their support. When I begin this project, I'd also like to ask that you send my blog link to anyone you think would be interested in this project. Spread the word! And if you would like to have any control over the films I watch, comment with a recommendation or two. I am beginning to compile the list of films I will be watching, so I would love to get as many recommendations as possible.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Julie & Julia
I finally got around to checking out Julie & Julia tonight. I'd done a lot of reading about the film, and Julie Powell's "story", but I hadn't actually seen it, and thought that should be remedied.
Julie & Julia is the story of two women: Julie Powell, who cooked all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Julia Child, the woman who wrote the cookbook. Julie Powell kept a blog of her experience, which eventually became a book, which eventually became a movie!
I was in the mood for something uplifting and happy, and I chose the perfect movie to watch. By the end of it, I was in such a good mood (it helped that I was already feeling great when I put it in), and felt like I could do anything in the world. It was inspiring.
It did make me wish I knew how to cook. The food shown in the film looked so delicious, and I found myself mourning my lack of cooking ability. As a kid, I actually wanted to be a chef, but I quickly realized that I was not cut out for it for a variety of reasons. I'm far too clumsy, and the fact that I'm STILL afraid of touching raw meat really disqualifies me from the profession. At this point, I'd just like to be able to cook delicious food for the people I care about, and be able to enjoy doing it. Right now all I'm able to do is cook sub-par food for myself.
I admired both Julia Child and Julie Powell. The film portrayed them as two strong women who were determined to reach their goals. That's something I respect a lot. They both had great husbands standing by their side as well. I enjoy it when Hollywood gives us strong female protagonists. I also enjoy it when husbands/boyfriends/life partners are not portrayed as jerks or obstacles, but as real, kind people who are supportive of their loved one. I wouldn't categorize this film as a romance, but the love shared between these women and their partners sure felt romantic to me, and definitely put a huge smile on my face.
This film gave me yet another reminder of Meryl Streep's amazing talent. I'm convinced she can play any character on this planet convincingly. She was great, and deserved the Oscar nomination she received for the role. And just as a note: if you haven't seen Kramer vs. Kramer, do check it out. She was amazing in it, and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Joanna Kramer.
Julie & Julia is the story of two women: Julie Powell, who cooked all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Julia Child, the woman who wrote the cookbook. Julie Powell kept a blog of her experience, which eventually became a book, which eventually became a movie!
I was in the mood for something uplifting and happy, and I chose the perfect movie to watch. By the end of it, I was in such a good mood (it helped that I was already feeling great when I put it in), and felt like I could do anything in the world. It was inspiring.
It did make me wish I knew how to cook. The food shown in the film looked so delicious, and I found myself mourning my lack of cooking ability. As a kid, I actually wanted to be a chef, but I quickly realized that I was not cut out for it for a variety of reasons. I'm far too clumsy, and the fact that I'm STILL afraid of touching raw meat really disqualifies me from the profession. At this point, I'd just like to be able to cook delicious food for the people I care about, and be able to enjoy doing it. Right now all I'm able to do is cook sub-par food for myself.
I admired both Julia Child and Julie Powell. The film portrayed them as two strong women who were determined to reach their goals. That's something I respect a lot. They both had great husbands standing by their side as well. I enjoy it when Hollywood gives us strong female protagonists. I also enjoy it when husbands/boyfriends/life partners are not portrayed as jerks or obstacles, but as real, kind people who are supportive of their loved one. I wouldn't categorize this film as a romance, but the love shared between these women and their partners sure felt romantic to me, and definitely put a huge smile on my face.
This film gave me yet another reminder of Meryl Streep's amazing talent. I'm convinced she can play any character on this planet convincingly. She was great, and deserved the Oscar nomination she received for the role. And just as a note: if you haven't seen Kramer vs. Kramer, do check it out. She was amazing in it, and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Joanna Kramer.
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