you always hurt the ones you love...

Last night I rewatched Blue Valentine and I remember why I think Ryan Gosling is so hawt. Typically I don't do blondes, but there's something so authentic about him that I can't help but to be ensnared by his charms. The film that tells the story of a couple throughout the years through the use of interchanging cuts from the present to the past. It's heartbreaking, hilarious, and awkward all at the same time; which is a lot like real life isn't it. I won't rehash the plot for you or tell you the 100 reasons why this film is worthy of your viewing. Just know its one of the few movies to ever make me cry. The scene that I cried at is this one:



It's mainly cause I love this song.

Just watch the movie. You want regret it.

with my last heartbeat...

       Last night my partner-in-crime, Collin, made me venture to the shady streets of Williamsburg to watch a film I've been dying to see. Heartbeats (les amours imaginaires) is the second film from my enemy Xavier Dolan. No I don't know him personally, but any 21 year old who has made two films that have been showcased at the Cannes Film Festival is no friend of mine. What I will say is that he knows how to make a film. Sure there were certain elements that I could do without, such as the weird lighting during the sex scenes, but the dialogue made up for any epileptic shock I was experiencing. Plus the soundtrack is friggin amazing. BANG BANG. Dolan has managed to make characters that speak the way that young'uns speak today. It was very strange because Collin and I both realized we were watching ourselves on screen. We're exactly like the bitch couple, Francis and Marie, and I was hard to watch our images reflected back at us. The story centers around two best friends who happen to fall in love with the same boy, Nicolas. Whether Nico is gay or straight is questionable because he's so friendly, his nature is hard to interpret. Watching Marie and Francis try to figure Nicolas out and fall in love with him in the process, is exactly how people fall in love today. There are no more dates or real courtship. Love nowadays slowly creeps up on you before you have a chance to acknowledge it. This movie has reignited my desire to get a fucking movie out by the end of 2012. 

go get yourself loved....

           Last night I got to see a movie I've been dying to see for over a year. Happythankyoumoreplease is the directorial debut of josh radnor, or HIMYIM fame (one of the best shows on tv). Not only did he direct it but he also wrote and starred in it. So at a special advance screening, with my bestie Jo accompanying me, we headed downtown to see it. To our delighted surprise Mr. Radnor made a surprise appearance (which turned jo and myself into total fangirls. It was awesome) and introduced the film.
            The story centers around a struggling NYC writer, Sam (Radnor), who accidently ends up taking care of a lost foster child. His friends thinks this is a big mistake but they have their own problems to deal with. His faux-cousin Mary Catherine is struggling with her boyfriend's desire to move to LA, the epicenter of all things awful. Sam's best friend Annie struggles with accepting herself and her alopecia, which results in her making bad decisions in her love life. In the midst of all the craziness, Sam meets a girl, Mississippi (talk about Character names), a cabaret singer that he really likes but rushes their infantile relationship.
         Much like the characters in the novel Sam attempts to write, there are no real protagonists. We aren't rooting for or jeering against anyone. We're just watching people become a product of their mistakes and triumphs. Maybe these people aren't perfect, but like the movie suggests, we all hate who we were 5 years ago; let's concentrate on enjoying it now at least.

he's a prophet and a pusher, partly truth, partly fiction. a walking contradiction....

      So my taste in men may be questionable. Sure I like the smart, charming, handsome type, but give me a potential psychopath and I'm game. Or maybe it's only when that psychopath is Robert DeNiro. I've always loved Bobby DeNiro, but I don't ever think he's looked hotter than in Taxi Driver. Yes I know he plays a mentally unstable cabbie, but look at that face! Look at that boyish smile and full head of hair (at least for most of the film). He's just adorable until he goes maniacal and kills pimps.
        Marty Scorsese directs DeNiro in a film about finding a purpose. DeNiro's Travis Bickle is an insomniac that has nothing to live for and so begins obsessing about things. First he obsesses over the gorgeous Cybill Shepherd and when that goes south, he turns his attentions to Jodie Foster, playing a twelve year old prostitute. This movie has it all--including a long-haired Harvey Keitel wearing groovy pants. It's a good story that shows that an idle mind really is the devil's playground.

birthday presents

This past weekend, I celebrated my birthday and although I won't go into the details, it was fucking epic. However the cherry on the top of my weekend cranberry vodka was the premiere of the trailer for X-Men: First Class. I am a HUGE X-men fan and after they fucked up the last movie, I was completely crushed. When I first heard about the premise for thie film, I was a bit wary, but this trailer proves that this summer, the movies are going to kick ass.

For what? for what? I gotta have something to wear besides this...

I spent my holiday vacation in bed either sleeping or watching movies. Basically I was in heaven. The best day of my vacation was after my family opened their Christmas presents, I snuggled up with my stuffed animals, and a bowl of hot porridge, and watched two of my favorite Dustin Hoffman movies: Kramer vs Kramer and Tootsie. Sometimes I think my taste in leading men are unusual. I'll take a Gene Hackman, Geoffrey Rush, and Kevin Spacey over a Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron, and Taylor Lautner any day (Now if I can have all six, I would be the happiest camper in the world). I like the unconventional leading man because he brings something different to the table and Dustin Hoffman might be the dreamiest of them all (definitely with the best head of hair).
     In Kramer vs. Kramer, he plays a dad in the midst of a divorce, who's ex-wife (played by the drop dead gorgeous Meryl Streep) has deserted him and their young son. After being a office work-horse at the advertising company he works for, Hoffman's character, Ted, has to learn to be both mom and dad, while still maintaining his position at work. It's not always easy and sometimes he sucks at it, but he never stops trying and never stops loving his son. Unfortunately, once Hoffman and his son have hit their stride, his ex-wife reenters the picture wanting custody of their son, after sixteen months of abandonment. Now Ted must fight with a justice system that believes a child should always be with their mother and claim his right as a parent. It's a heart-wrenching film that doesn't pick sides but just shows the different models of family that were sprouting in the 1970s. Hoffman's performance is stunning and when Streep enters the courtroom and is cross-examined, her portrayal is breathtaking. Both actors truly deserve the Academy Award wins they received.
        Hoffman is also a very versatile actor and his comedic work is something to watch, and I'm not just talking about Meet the Fockers. In the 1982 film Tootise, Hoffman plays Michael Dorsey, an out of work actor who makes ends meet by waiting table at a local restaurant in New York. When his agent tells him no one in the industry wants to work with him because of his harsh attitude and unwillingness to compromise, Michael auditions for the role of hospital activist on a local soap by pretending to be a woman, and not a very attractive one at that. He lands the role and becomes a sensation. He also shakes things up and stands up women's rights on set. Of course things get complicated as Michael falls in love with his costar and he starts receiving male advances from unexpected male companions. It's a hilarious tale and the last fifteen minutes of the film always has me in stitches, the kind where you're suffering from panic attacks because of the embarrassment these characters have to endure. If you've never fallen in love with Dustin Hoffman before, you certainly will after these films.



Dustin Hoffman is still sexy as a female. Love Him!!!

This is true love - you think this happens every day?

        One of my favorite movies that takes me back to my childhood is The Princess Bride. It's has the same level of nostalgia that The Neverending Story possesses, but it stands up to the test of time so much better. I can watch that movie today and I'm pretty sure I could watch it twenty years from now and it would still be as funny as charming. It's the tale of a farmhand, Westley, who is in love with the maiden, Buttercup, that lives on the farm. In order for them to be married, Westley sets off to make his riches. However he is captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts on his journey and is believed to be dead. After five years of mourning Westley, Buttercup begrudgingly decides to marry Prince Humperdink, who is not even remotely charming. Somehow Buttercup is captured by three bumbling but endearing idiots and hilarity ensures. Especially since her lover has returned from the sea and is carrying a grudge. I'm making it sound more ominous then it really is. It's actually a lighthearted story about bravery, courage and the power of love.
         The story is narrated by Peter Falk, who plays a grandfather reading the story aloud to his grandson, Fred Savage. Cary Elwes portrays Westley with charm but also a sense of mischeviousness that I adore. My favorite characters are Fezzick, the bumbling giant with a heart of gold, and Inigo Montoya, who is searching for his father's murderer. Both characters have these moments where your heart turns to putty. So cute!
   It's such an original and innovative movie because it turns the fantastical fairy tale genre on its head and introduces comedy where it never existed before. It's enjoyable for both children and adults and drunken college students.



Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.

but he stammers so beautifully...

It's very rare that I find a buddy who enjoys the same obscure movies that I do and gets excited for awards season. I met my soul mate in Collin three years ago, but this year, I found a female counterpart and I'm really excited. My fellow intern, Sonia, and I have really hit it off in the last few months and before she left to go visit her family for the holidays, we decided we needed to see The King's Speech together. Now three of my favorite actors are in it, the sexy Colin Firth, the dynamic Helena Bonham Carter, and the bastard Geoffrey Rush (don't get me wrong, I love him, but we have a sordid history). This movie has been getting tons of Oscar buzz and of course I needed to see what the hype was all about.
The synopsis on the web basically said that King George VI had a speech impediment and required the help of a therapist. Boo. The movie is so much more than that. Honestly, if I had to think of one word to describe the film, it would be "Bromance". It's an awkward love story in which two mean from very different backgrounds become life-long friends. Before King George VI was king, he was Albert, Duke of York, who lived a happy life with his wife and two daughters and his bloody stammer. Incapable of having a fluent conversation without the interruption of his stammer, Albert's wife (played by Bonham Carter) employs Lionel Logue, speech therapist, as a last resort. Logue implements unconventional methods in an attempt to lessen Albert's stammer. Even though their relationship starts off rocky, the two dissimilar men form an attachment with each other. Their relationship is more akin to brothers than employer/employee. When Albert finally ascends to the throne unexpectedly, Logue is there to coach him with every speech.
    Colin Firth is incredibly impressive with his interpretation of an important man suffering from such an embarrassing sickness. He stammers and stutters so beautifully, that it's impossible that he won't receive recognition from the Academy. Bonham Carter has delightful quips and a certain unapologetic elegance in her role, that she makes you smile every time she's on the screen. Honestly my favorite character is Lionel Logue played by Geoffrey Rush. Rush says every line unexpectedly and deposits humor in scenes that you wouldn't traditionally think were funny. Every line is refreshing.
      The movie is such fun, which you wouldn't be able to tell by the crappy trailers and even worst promotional artwork (WTF was that?). The King's Speech is a good time, even if you have to listen to the lines super carefully.

don't hold on too tight...you might fall

I've been really busy these past few months and I've been neglecting my friends and the cinema. Finally Collin decided that this could no longer go on and so he forced me to go see Black Swan, not that it took much encouragement. Once I saw the trailer months ago, I've been aching to go see it. Collin already saw it but was dying to see it a second time. That's enough of a review for me.
So we braved the cold and trekked to Union Square to enjoy a ballet psycho thriller (yeah, I know it's weird). Honestly it was so good. Natalie Portman really deserves all the accolades that the critics are throwing at her. She's amazing and is practically in every scene, oozing vulnerability. She's scared and timid, but full of passion and ambition that rings true for every struggling artist. Aronofsky does a wonderful job of portraying the world of ballet, where in order to be on top, someone else has to fall down.
Natalie embodies Nina Sayers, a shy ballerina with superb talent, whose personal growth has been stunted by her over-bearing mother played by the immaculate Barbara Hershey (fyi, Barbara was the most terrifying part of this whole movie). When offered the role of a lifetime, playing both the White and Black Swan in Swan Lake, Nina has to dig deep inside herself to find the sexiness and passion to inhabit the unpredictable persona of the Black Swan. However it doesn't come quite easy to Nina and she's constantly looking over her shoulder when her competition, Lily (played by Mila Kunis), is trying to claim her shining crown.
The movie is sexy and scary, which is hard to achieve in modern cinema. While the viewer doesn't always know what's real and what's being constructed by Nina's psyche, the trip that we take is a fun one. The are hilariously awkward moments (including a masturbation scene gone wrong) and uncomfortable awkward moments (including dance maestro, Vincent Cassel, abusing his power on Nina).
The last 20 minutes of the film are truly breathtaking, which I can attest because Collin raved about them prior to seeing the film and then proceeded to grab hold of my arm for the last act, cutting off circulation (I'm starting to regain movement in my right fingers). Honestly this award season is jam-packed with standouts, but Black Swan is truly something you need to go see.

It means that I, like God, do not play with dice and I don't believe in coincidences...

I grew up reading plays. There are times I think that it's more rewarding to read a play than to see it. Now I know that goes against all the rules and regulations of theatre. I can hear my college professors yelling at me now, "Plays are meant to be seen, not read". I get it. But sometimes I just want to hear the words than see the actions. I think that's where the beauty of theatre comes from. Considering the fact that you could have the worst seats in the house and be only able to see the hem of one of the actress' skirt, how is it that you can still be moved by the play? Simple, the dialogue. Every word that a playwright includes is not by chance. It always means something. That's what I cling onto from theatre. I want to make sure I know what diction was chosen. You might have noticed with past reviews that I love the meshing of theatre and film. I love the visual metaphors that are possible in cinema, but I also adore when they include the verbal metaphors as well. One film that accomplishes that is V for Vendetta.
      It's a political allegory about what could happen when we stop being active participants in our government. If we forget that the government works for us and not the other way around, then we relinquish our rights. V is one of those heroes that hasn't forgotten about the "fifth of November" and is planning a revolution to claim back his liberty. On the way, he encounters Evey and falls in love, even though he never thought he could. They risk everything, including their lives, in order to be free. Now we may all believe we're free, but this film illustrates that were clinging to bondage because we're afraid to make our own decisions. But all it takes is a little flame, a match to set off an Armageddon.


Hugo Weaving's voice is sooo sexy in this movie.

i'll stick to my own definitions...

Of course this post is long overdue. I've been dying to see this movie since the trailer was released online. Do you remember seeing it in the previews for Inception? The chills that I got were so intense. (I'm also getting chills for the Harry Potter finales, but let's wait till November for that). There were no actual plot devices shown but rather images of facebook icons and profile pictures that we regard as so mundane because it's so engrained into our every day lives. But when it's presented to you on a huge screen, you start to realize the sheer magnitude of influence that Mark Zuckerberg's creation has on our existences.
         When I finally saw The Social Network, I went in with the notion that this movie would not only change my life, but define my generation. Isn't that the refrain we've been hearing from the critics? The Social Network will be our The Breakfast Club. As I cozied into my huge seat (of course dominating all the surrounding seats as well) I prepared myself to see my life flash before my eyes. Unfortunately, it didn't.  It's not that The Social Network isn't a good film, it's just not about "us" as a whole. Where The Breakfast Club had a character for each social class to identify with, The Social Network is partitioned with the "have" and "have-nots". If you're not rich then you're not cool? That seems a little prehistoric and maybe it is, especially when the setting of the film is at one of the oldest universities in America. The basic plot of the film is that after being dumped by his girlfriend for being an asshole, Mark Zuckerberg gets the idea for the facebook while drunk and seeking fame on his college campus. Along the way he gets help from his best friend Eduardo Saverin (played by the uuber adorable Andrew Garfield. sigh) and begins to build an empire. In true rags to riches fashion, the acquire groupies (Brenda Song being amazing) and enemies, the Winklevoss twins (played by the singular but sexy Armie Hammer) and turns from a regular asshole to a powerful jerk.
       The story culminates with the several lawsuits that Zuckerberg faced and the basic understanding that regardless of what ludicrous amount of money he pays to his enemies, he has created not only an empire, but a lifestyle change. As Sean Parker says in the movie, Zuckerberg has created "a once in a generation idea". Regardless of how universal facebook is (they don't have roads in Bosnia but they have facebook) the characters don't define this particular generation. Of course everyone wants to be known for something and not an outcast, but is this a generational notion or rather one shared by everyone regardless of race, creed and age. When I think of our generation, I think of hipsters and posers. I think of us as the generation that thinks outside the box. We aren't bogged down by the notion that there's only one right way. We want to make it on our own by our own standards. Whether this is a good thing or not, I don't know.
    Now I don't want to seem that I'm coming down on the movie. I had a good time. Whether it's Oscar-worthy I don't know. I think both Jesse Eisenberg and Armie Hammer's performances definitely deserve a campaign. The screenplay is phenomenal, with lines that had to be written. But I'm going to save my vote for a film that actual define more than a generation...it defines me.

sunday movie classic: The Exorcist

I know I've been horrible this week and I apologize. I've been sick all week with a flu/cold hybrid. Honestly I would've been better if I curtailed my drinking/partying habits, but let's be real, it was an open bar! So I'm still sick, coughing up a storm and watching scary movies. Whenever I'm sick, I watch only three things: old school cartoons (Doug and X-men the Animated Series), Boy Meets World reruns (best show ever), and scary movies. If you're one of my close friends and you're reading this, you know how true that last statement is because I most likely called you to vent about my nightmares. This week I went old school with my horror flicks and got down with The Exorcist. Literally the scariest movie I have ever seen. I don't scared from a film unless is has religious connotations or has the by-line 'based on a true story'.  For some reason that gets me. Linda Blair stars as a child possessed by the devil and her poor mother is trying to save her soul through the help of a devout priest. I love the beginning of the movie when the mother (Ellen Burstyn) and doctors thinks Regan is going through puberty or has a tumor. Nah Kid. She's got a severe case of Beelzebub. The special effects are awesome and everyone remembers the classic twisted head scene. I think the reason the film still frightens the granny panties off of me is the sordid transformation of this sweet girl into a child of Satan. It could happen to anyone and I'm not trying to let it happen to me. The Exorcist became the highest grossing scary movie ever and was even nominated for ten academy awards. It's totally deserves being considered a Sunday classic 



and because I was gone for a week, a little something extra...enjoy!

...who's car we taking?

I could have sworn I wrote a post about this movie a while ago, but of course I was wrong. So I saw The Town two weeks and it was much better than I anticipated. I genuinely liked this movie. I didn't have low expectations but it was beautifully filmed and it had a good balance of action and heart. It's the story of Dougie Macray who live is Charlestown, Boston , the bank robbing capitol of America apparently. He and his three buddies, including a surprisingly terrifying Jeremy Renner, plan efficient bank and armored truck heists and basically run their neighborhood. The opening scene of the film involves a robbery that seems to go wrong and they are forced to take the bank manager as a hostage. They leave the manager, Rebecca Hall, alive but they find out that she lives in the same neighborhood as one of the robbers. Dougie attempts to find out how much she knows about them and in the process, of course, he falls in love with her. In Dougie's effort to leave behind his old life, he is faced with a conflict of interests between his past and where he wants his future to go. The film has cameos from a cracked out Blake Lively and a sexy John Hamm. The sad thing about the movie is that it has the potential to be phenomenal. Yes this a story that's been told before and will continue to be told (A young man trying to reform his life but is constantly being tugged back into his old ways) but there are different aspects of that story that could be told. I think the relationship between the bank manager and Dougie could have been more complex as opposed to making Rebecca Hall's character this angel that represents Dougie's only chance for a new life. I also think that Jeremy Renner was doing such interesting things with his badass, no respect for anyone character, that I would have been interested in seeing how he deals with people outside of his family. All in all, I think this was a fun movie and the car chase is really exciting and had my heart racing a little bit.

the world forgetting by the world forgot...

So the weather in Brooklyn has been less than ideal. It's rained four out of the last five days and the upcoming forecast isn't looking better. However it made it out for my besties bdays this weekend (Hi Dee and Dave) and had an awesome time even though I was surrounded by couples. I'm not much of a relationship girl but when the weather turns sour and your friends are shacking up you start to long for someone to build a fort out of sheets with. SoI turned to my favorite romantic comedy for solace, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It's not your traditional love story nor comedy but that doesn't make it any less potent. It's about a Joel, played beautifully by Jim Carrey (do you prefer him in his dramatic or comedic roles? I usually like the dramas) who has broken up with his girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet). In attempt for closure and vengeance, Joel attempts to have his memory erased of Clementine by a team of specialists (Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson) and in the dream state process, he recalls every moment they've ever shared. Joel starts to realize that he doesn't want to forget Clementine but rather he wants to get back with her and he struggles to keep the memories. The entire film has great dialogue and makes you remember that sometimes even the worst memories you have of someone are the best times of your life. I know that it doesn't sound that romantic but this is one of the few movies that has ever made me cry.


I know that this isn't a classic by timeline standards, but when something is good, it's good.

 

sunday movie classic: Dial M for Murder

There's a new segment in town and it's called Sunday Movie Classic. There's nothing on tv and you're not about to hit the town when you have an 8am class Monday morning (or maybe you will. Honestly I don't recommend it). So what's a film lover to do? How about curl up on your sofa with a loved one or a loved mug of hot cocoa and watch some of cinema's finest offerings. In my mind, a classic is anything more than ten years old (and most things get finer with age). To kick start our new tradition, I thought I would pick one from my favorite directors. I went through a phase a few summers ago where I would watch only Hitchcock films and I became really intrigued by his signature and noticing what makes a great Hitchcock film. Dial M for Murder is definitely one of his better mysteries. The plot is that an ex-tennis players hires an old acquaintance to murder his wife, who he found out is cheating on him. The husband has planned out the murder perfectly and if all goes well, no one will be to blame. Of course it doesn't go well and long story short, the murderer ends up being murdered. The twists and turns of this plot gave me an ulcer from the anticipation of what the outcome would be. Would they figure out that the husband is to blame or will he go free? What I love about this movie is that we all think we're clever enough to get away with a crime. We've all watched CSI and think we can outsmart any forensic scientist. However, regardless of how efficient the plan is, you can never trust that minx called circumstance. If you want to see a dazed Grace Kelly and figure out if the husband is every found, I suggest you get your classic fix this Sunday!

never let me go...

I've been so MIA because of the shift from my party sleep party mentality of the summer that has no transitioned into party work internship gym party. I haven't quite figured out how to fit in blogging, sleeping and eating, but I'm sure I'll get there. However I have managed to see some films. I love this time of year when quality films are racing to get to the theater in order to be eligible for the Oscar race. One such film is Never Let Me Go based on the book of the same title. It's about three young people, in a world similar to ours, who were raised to donate their internal organs. In their short lives they deal with the same struggles that each of us face and our trying to make sense of their situation. I must admit that my initial draw to the film were both Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield, whom I believe are really talented actors and their performance in this film proved that I was correct. The film doesn't center around the ethical implications of whether one life is of greater value than the next, but rather how much time is enough to live? Is there any point at which we realize that we've gone as far as we'd like to go. It seems to me that regardless if you live one hundred years or only twenty, you still have that moment of recognition of how you want to leave this earth.
I also want to add the song from which the film gets its name was a perfect choice and the scenes in which the song came  into play were definitely my favorite. Sometime music can carry a film.
In all honesty I think this film and the performance are going to be overlooked come award season. After viewing the film, I had a sense of incompleteness. Maybe death isn't always the end.

i would do more than just eat, pray and love...

i know that some of you readers have been waiting for this review (Ahem Dr. Emily) but it's taken me quite awhile to write it. I think mainly because I don't have very strong opinions about Eat, Pray, Love. I haven't read the book (even though I'm a firm believer in reading all books relating to a movie before I it. I just couldn't bring myself to having people on the train see me with that book. I may cave in though). But from the trailers and the reviews of the book, it just didn't seem like my cup of tea. However, armed with three fabulous girlfriends, each with their own preconceptions of the film/book, I embarked on a cinematic journey that would hopefully succeed in transporting me to Italy, India and Bali. First off let me say that our seats sucked. I've never sat so close to a movie screen before and I was dizzy for three-quarters of the film. That being said, I actually didn't' have a horrible time. I came in with such low expectations that I was pleasantly surprised. Was it my favorite movie ever? No. Was it the worst I've ever paid to see? No, that distinction goes to You Don't Mess the Zohan. Yeah. I said it. Surprisingly enough, the movie greatest success is in the hands of its supporting cast. Billy Crudup and Javier Bardem made my heart both melt and smolder. Richard Jenkins was endearing with just enough country sass. Even James Franco was charming as a prototypical new-age hipster. The greatest problem in the film is the lack of continuity. The film definitely had the feel of three different films. Without having Julia Roberts' character being properly defined, she seemed like drifter, which the viewer couldn't really connect with. I had no sympathy for her. Maybe in the books Elizabeth Gilbert comes across as trapped but in the movie she just seemed like a grown up child who can't make up her mind about what she wants and thinks that the people in her life are the reason she doesn't have passion for anything anymore. Gross. It's funny cause the moments I remember most vividly in the film are the scenes that Julia Roberts doesn't really have a central role (ie Javier Bardem crying over son, Richard Jenkins crying over his family, Billy Crudup wanting to desperately save his marriage). Nonetheless it was fun to see places I've never visited before and I definitely had an appetite for Italian food (which consumed after our movie screening). I guess the saddest thing is that directly after exiting the movie theater I wondered, "was that really safe for a woman to be traveling around on a bike in Bali, and living in a house that appeared to have no doors?" Oh well, you could do a lot worse.



I really liked Ketut. And his missing teeth. He has swagger!

it was simply foreplay...

Have you ever gone into a movie theater thinking you knew what a movie was about and then upon viewing the actual film you realized you were misled? I felt that way with Chloe. I thought it was a simple movie about a woman paying a hooker to sleep with her husband to see if he's really cheating on her.  That's just the first twenty minutes. In reality the plot is far from simple. After that, the relationship between Chloe (the call-girl played by Amanda Seyfried) and her client Catherine (Julianne Moore) takes an unforeseen turn. Catherine becomes desperate in her attempt to feel connected to her husband (Liam Neeson) and begins a sexual tryst with Chloe that is definitely too hot to handle. The film is actually an erotic thriller about obsession and needing to feel a connection. The characters aren't clearly drawn and their motivations at times are murky. Liam Neeson's character isn't as present as one would hope (but we'll forgive because he was dealing with the death of his wife during shooting. Being the champion that he is, he returned to work two days after her death) and the film suffers because of it. Chloe becomes less interesting when her actions become maniacal. And the ending was a complete deus ex machina that left me confused and irritated. It's one of those movies that I didn't love but I didn't hate either. I just wanted it twerked. Maybe the original, Nathalie, is more promising.

Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty....

About a week ago I was having a conversation with one of my best friends (waddup Collin) about my love for The Departed and the Casino Royale. I explained to him that not only are the storylines great in these two movies but they are also visually stunning. His reply " Oh you like highly-stylized movies, huh?". Um Yes. That is what stylized means. Raw and gritty with a shaky camera are not usually choices filmmakers make for aesthetics but rather because of their lack of resources (there are of course exceptions like Rachel Getting Married, which had an invasive documentary type feel that I loved). Both Casino Royale and The Departed are action movies. However there is dramatic cinematic feast for the eyes, that comes from the fashion designer and first time director Tom Ford, called A Single Man. Though I wanted to see this film for months, it took the encouragement of a friend (Thanks Matt!) via his facebook to make me rent this movie. Let's just say I'm glad he did. It's one of those films that uses every possible metaphorical device to complete its arsenal of aesthetics. The story of a college professor in the 1960s, who, after the sudden death of his partner of sixteen years, has given up hope. The narrative is punctuated through the poignant use of music and color. The film is shot with gray,dull undertones but whenever happiness is on the horizon, the color shifts as if someone switched on the brightness dial on your television. It's as if when our protagonist George receives a breath of new life, we, the audience, do as well. Colin Firth is simply extraordinary in this role (which won him a BAFTA award and an Oscar nomination)  and has such subtlety in his grieving that it transcends both beautiful and grotesque and reaches the sublime. Julianne Moore plays George's best friend who has never fully accepted the fact that he's gay because she's still desperately in love with him and clinging to the life they could have had. Newcomer Nicholas Hoult does a wonderful job as one of George's students who believes that he has all the answers in life with none of the experience. He has the resilience of youth which I, and many of my peers, can identify with. The film left me with a rediscovered appreciation of art and what it means to take a story and bring it to life. I applaud Tom Ford and the cast and I think you will too.

we've waited so long for this...

Of course I saw Inception on opening day but I thought I would wait about a week before posting it on my blog to allow you snails to get to your theaters. By now you've either seen it or heard all the major hype. In terms of the hype, I think Inception seriously deserves it. Critics are harsh in saying that this film was incredibly overhyped, but what they are failing to realize is that it delivers in every way that it intended. The cinematic community has been ravaged by films that appear to be promising and then are epic failures (ahem The Last Airbender). Christopher Nolan has delivered a film that is the definition of what a summer blockbuster should be. It's intriguing, mind-bending, thought-provoking and has enough action to make you jump out of your seat (which I did because of the intense volume at the Union Square theater). I'm not one for hype. I don't think you should see a movie because it's been hyped all over the place (I'm talking about Avatar, James Cameron) but this is one of those films that makes your $13 proud. From the double meaning names (the architect's name is Ariadne) to making you question every dream you've ever had, this film has you thinking about it for days to come. The eye-candy composed of Marion Cottillard, Leonardo Dicaprio, Tom Hardy (yes please!), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (seconds, please!) and Michael Caine (yeah I said it) are strengthened due to their formidable acting within the film.  The emotional core is beautifully presented and Nolan does a great job at giving us just enough detail that we can follow what's going on but doesn't bombard us with how the contraption works and the physics behind everything. Whether you believe in one of the thrity Inception theories out there is irrelevant. Just go see it. I'm not going to spoil all the fun for you here.




And just for fun..my nemesis Dora the Explorer has seen inception too.