The Thirty-Fourth One

Netflix has deepened my addiction to movies. And so I offer up a few reviews of movies I have recently seen. As I look over this list, I realize that there is nothing particularly deep or enlightening about any of them. Really, these movies could be labeled "just-for-the-heck-of-it."

I am a self-proclaimed M. Night Shyamalan (if only I could learn to spell his name without looking it up) fan. But until recently I had never seen Lady in the Water or The Happening. Netflix was able to provide with both.

Before I had ever seen Lady in the Water, starring Bryce Dallas Howard from M. Night's The Village and Paul Giamatti, I had been told that it just wasn't very good. I was used to this when it came to movies by Shyamalan. In fact, just a few days ago I was openly ridiculed for liking any of his movies other than The Sixth Sense. But with Lady even other fans were shaking their heads in disappointment. This is probably why it took me five years to get around to watching it. And frankly, I don't understand what everyone's problem is.

Alright, it's not as good as his other stuff, not by a long shot, but I thought the plot, if not completely compelling, had a lot going for it. It was a sweet story centered around finding your place in the world and discovering who are. If anything, the worst part was that the movie had way too much exposition (show, don't tell!) which is a little ironic considering the main character used literary analysis to figure things out.

So, not his best, but certainly not terrible. Will I watch it again? Probably. Will I buy it? Probably not. Would I recommend it? Only to certain people.

The Happening had a lot going for it, not the least of which were its stars Zooey Deschanel, Mark (say "hi" to your mother for me) Wahlberg, and John Leguizamo. The story was at times genuinely disturbing and other times absolutely terrifying. [possible SPOILERS ahead] It turned out to be a natural disaster film that went an alternate route. Instead of following the scientists and professionals that would save the world from whatever was happening, it followed ordinary people just trying to survive what was happening. Perhaps the most terrifying part of the movie was the fact that no one really had any idea what was going on for most of it, they just knew they had to get away.

Alright, the acting wasn't the greatest (despite the big names) and the dialogue was a little sketchy at times, but I think overall M. Night has a pretty good grasp on human nature and human reactions.

The worst part was probably that it turned out to be a pretty heavy-handed message about the evils humanity is inflicting on the world.

Creepy fact: according to a friend of mine, there are actually trees that can emit some sort of scent or pollon or something that makes giraffes not want to eat them. Or something like that.

Conclusion: Will I watch it again? If the opportunity presents itself without me having to pay for it? definitely. Will I buy it? Doubtful. Will I graciously accept it as a gift from someone? Absolutely. Again, not a great movie, but I don't know why everyone was so down on it. Lighten up.

I am a ridiculously huge fan of gratuitous action flicks, and The Transporter did not disappoint. I would own this and watch it to death. One of my new action favorites. Thank you Jason Statham.

Despite its producer's assurance that the supporting characters were much better developed in this film, they apparently sacrificed plot for character development. Not nearly as good or as fun as the first one. But that kid: adorable. And Jason Statham, it is always a pleasure.

Except in this movie. I can't believe there are sequels to this. What a terrible movie.

The Twenty-Sixth One

Oh Robert Downey, Jr. I have loved you since Air America. No one was more pleased than I (except maybe you... or your agent) when Iron Man revitalized your career. As an avid comic book fan, I was also pleased that Iron Man revitalized comic movies also. Along with Batman Begins and Dark Night, Iron Mand shows us that just because a movie is based on a comic book, doesn't mean it can't be a great movie. Granted, Iron Man is decidedly lighter than either of the newest Batman installments.

That said, if you liked the first Iron Man you'll like the second as well. It continues on in exactly the same vein.

Things I liked:

• the briefcase Iron Man suit.
• Mickey Rourke as Whiplash.
• Whiplash's whips.
• the old videos of Tony Stark's dad.

Things I loved:

• watching Tony Stark deal with his impending doom in a self-destructive manner, while at the same time seeing (once more) how much the people around him truly love and care about him.
• Pepper Potts with a backbone. Really, just Pepper in general.
• War Machine. Seriously, how this character came to be was equal parts heart-breaking and hilarious. Don Cheadle is always wonderful.
• Sam Rockwell. Always and forever with the Sam Rockwell. Favorite Rockwell parts: Guy (Galaxy Quest), Zaphod (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and anytime I've ever seen him. Actor I love just as much if not more and tend to lump in the same general category of skeezy but entertaining characters: Gary Oldman.
• any and every reference to S.H.I.E.L.D. This includes Samuel L. Jackson and that guy who is the ex-husband of Julia Louis-Dreyfus on The New Adventures of Old Christine
• staying until the credits are over.
• Jon Favreau.

Things I didn't like as much but were still okay:

• Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow.

My absolute favorite thing about the Iron Man movies, however, is the fact that I really don't know much at all about the Avengers or any of its members. I know who they are (sort of) I know what they do (sort of) but I don't know more than the obvious about their backgrounds. Which means: everything's a surprise and I don't care if they get it wrong! After the X-Men and Batman movies it's kind of a refreshing feeling.

What made my night: (SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD) "Thor's like, the Greek god of storms or something." Oh people sitting behind me... read a book!

On a not completely separate, but should probably be in another post note, I read a review from another blogger who was well and truly irate at the sexism, racism and other isms that apparently run rampant in this movie. Among other things, she had a problem that the Black Widow was wearing a skin-tight bodysuit while Iron Man had a, well, iron suit (don't blame the movie, blame the artists that came up with her in the first place). She also had a problem with Pepper not being able to handle the stress after being a CEO for only a week (despite the numerous life-threatening situations she had been in- usually involving explosions of some sort) and Tony Stark's womanizing behavior (I'll give her this one, although only people who act like that anyways think it's alright to act like that... plus, I'm pretty sure Widow could take him when he's not wearing the suit). I think the woman who wrote the article needs to calm down. Not every movie out there is looking to slight the general population, sometimes it's just looking to entertain. And if we took everything that was remotely offensive out of movies we would be left with absolutely nothing, or at least absolutely nothing real. Because people and life in general have the tendency to BE offensive, whether they mean to or not. Better we know how to deal with it than be confined in a bubble of tolerance that kills original thought and creativity.

That is called a rant. Some would call it babbling. They would call it this because the point I set out to make was not the point I made  in the end. "F" for organization.

The Twenty-Third One

This week I have been revisiting one of my favorite directors (writers, producers):

M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN

Every movie I have seen by him, I have loved. I'm just going to highlight my favorites/the ones I own. It is possible the following blurbs contain some spoilers. So, tread carefully.

"See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way: Is it possible that there are no coincidences?"

When this movie first came out I remember a lot of friends going to see and coming back disappointed. They couldn't believe he showed the alien! It would have been way scarier if the aliens were never shown! My friends went to see this movie expecting an alien movie. With all the horror/slasher movies that have been inundating movie theaters for the past decade or so, Signs fell well beneath a lot of peoples expectations, because what they wanted was just another horror/slasher flick. I would have been disappointed as well.

What I like about Signs was everything my friends did not like. I like how the premise was not the story. Just because there are aliens in the movie, doesn't mean the movie is about aliens. It is about so much more than aliens. It is about a family floundering, trying to find their footing after facing a devastating loss. It is about ordinary people finding courage in extraordinary circumstances. It is about losing your faith and finding it again. It is about miracles.

The main character, Graham Hess (played by Mel Gibson), loses his faith when he loses his wife. The above quote is said by him during a conversation with his brother Merrill (played by Joaquin Phoenix). Afterwards, Merrill claims to be a "miracle man" and Graham, despite having been a Pastor of some sort, emphatically declares, "There is no one looking out for us. We are all alone." And the story progresses from there.

"We can move towards hope, that's what's beautiful about this place. We cannot run from heartache."

and

"Yes, I have risked! I hope I am always able to risk everything for the just and right cause."

I couldn't decide which quotation best summarized what I believe is the primary theme of the story. I lean strongly toward the first one.

Again, after this movie came out there was an uproar among my friends for the same reason as with Signs. They wanted a monster movie, and what they got was a movie about people. That is what I find most spectacular about Shyamalan's movies, not the cinematography (which is beautiful) or the music (which is always, always perfect) but the fact that he seems to understand people; he truly seems to know peoples' reactions, motives, what causes them to rejoice and despair. His movies reflect this understanding and The Village is no exception.

By the time this movie came out I knew Shyamalan well enough to know there is always a twist. I can honestly say I did not see this twist coming. Joaquin Phoenix's character Lucius said it best when he pointed out to his mother (Sigourney Weaver) that "there are secrets in every corner of this village." These secrets lead to questionable decisions on the part of the elders, the ones in charge. They are secrets with the intent to do as the first quotation above states, to run toward hope and away from heartache. Their secrets keep them secure in their decisions until circumstances have them questioning themselves and risking everything.

Outstanding performances here by everyone, Phoenix (who I fell in love with in Signs), Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, really everyone was beautifully cast.

"You know what the scariest thing is? To not know your place in this world. To not know why you're here."

I say I love Unbreakable I get one of two looks. Either the person has no idea what movie I'm talking about, or the person is incredulous that I actually like it. But I don't like it, I love it.

There are so many levels to this movie. There is the theme of self-discovery, good vs. evil, reconciliation, and love, be it romantic, paternal, platonic, whatever. All of this is set to the backdrop of comic books.

First of all, as a comic book fan myself, I love that they play such a vital role in the development of both the main characters, David Dunn played by Bruce Willis and Elijah Price played by Samuel L. Jackson.

That said, there are so many different relationships to explore in this movie. You have the strained, almost broken relationship between David and his wife Audrey (Robin Wright Penn), the relationship between David and his son (Spencer Treat Clark), the relationship between David and Elijah, and the relationship between Elijah and his mother (Charlaynne Woodard).

The confidence and strength of his mother helped to shape the person Elijah would become and Elijah in turn opens David's eyes to his own potential, to what is missing from his life. With David's new found self-awareness he is able to open himself up more to his family. I find it so interesting how greatly his relationships suffer simply because David does not know his place in this world. I also find this incredibly true to life, once again an insightful look at how people operate.

The Eighteenth One

My book list for the upcoming year is a long one, but then it always is. Coming off the holiday season, however, I am turning my attention away from literature to the wonderful world of cinema.

Holiday Movie Treat #1: Nine.

This movie stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, and Judi Dench. Every one of them delivers.

It is a musical from the director of Chicago, but don't go expecting to see another Chicago. There are two musical numbers that are reminiscent of the other musicals. They are big, choreographed scenes, but for the most part Nine is a more intimate and introspective movie. Almost all the songs are sung by one person to another person, or one person to himself as the case may be. Even the songs with a larger chorus really only have the intended audience of a single person. It is a musical about the Italian director Guido Contini and the characters, settings, events, and songs almost literally revolve around him.

Contini is played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who continues to be unrecognizable to me. Every movie I see him in I have to look twice because he never looks the same or sounds the same or acts the same. He plays a conceited, self-centered jerk in the film, but the way he plays Contini, the audience doesn't end up judging him as much as they pity him.

All the women are wonderful. All of them. But the standout actress of the film: Cotillard. This is the first movie I have seen her in and I found her captivating. I can't wait to see her other roles.

Holiday Movie Treat #2: The Blind Side

What a sweet, heart-warming movie. Who new Hollywood could make such a family-friendly movie with a good story AND good acting. Sandra Bullock is totally believable in her role as a confident, pushy Southern belle, who takes in a struggling kid from "the other side of town." I know that it's based on a true story, and if the real Mrs. Tuohy is half the woman Bullock portrays (and I am sure that she is probably twice the woman) then she is a force to be reckoned with.

As a final note: Before I saw the movie I doubted there was any actress out there I believed would walk out on a football field and tell those football players how it's done. With Sandra Bullock, I totally bought it.

Holiday Movie Treat #3: Sherlock Holmes

At first I was apprehensive about the portrayal of Sherlock Holmes with so many explosions and fist fights, but then I re-read some of the stories, and decided that Holmes lends himself easily as an action hero. Plus, he really was a pugilist. So there's that.

Robert Downey Jr. has be a favorite of mine since I first saw American Air with Mel Gibson, so I am very excited about his recent "come back." He is as wonderful here as I expected he would be. The real surprise for me was Jude Law, whose performances have never particularly impressed me. He gave a depth and appeal to Watson that I had never considered.

The movie was enjoyable and entertaining and bears owning someday. Of course I have always been a sucker for stories about best friends, and despite the love interests for both Sherlock and Watson, this is at its core a story about SherlockandWatson. I have a friend who firmly believes that "soul mate" does not have to refer to a romantic love, but rather an enduring love in an enduring relationship, whether or not the two people involved are romantically involved. I have always been inclined to agree with her; this movie clinched it for me.

The Thirteenth One

I thought about skipping this one, it being the thirteenth and all, but decided I really wasn't that superstitious.

I'd like to take a moment to welcome myself back to the world of infrequent blogging... Thank you. School is out, my second year is water under the bridge which means I have some extra time on my hands. Extra time= beach, books, blogging. I'm sure more activities will be included.

Last summer my summer reading goal was twenty (20) books. I succeeded. This summer I'm shooting for twenty-five (25). I don't like to start out with a specific summer reading list, that would just irritate me and I would end up dragging my feet and not reading nearly enough. That said, however, there are a few books that I'm definitely going to read:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I have wanted to read this book for a long time, and to be fair I have already started this one, but it is so intriguing and reads so well. I cannot wait to finish it.

Next up is a collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman whom I am quickly falling in love with (with whom I am quickly falling in love). I read Stardust last summer and this summer, if all goes well, I will read more than just this one book of Gaiman's. I must start with this one, however, because I already own it and I am trying to be thrifty... although I could always visit the local library. That has worked well for me in the past.

After working my way through the pile of books that I own but have not yet read, I will move on to books I do not own, but wish I did. Including, but not limited to:

Eighth Grade Bites

by Heather Brewer

I discovered this book and its two sequels (Ninth Grade Slays, and Tenth Grade Bleeds) in Barnes&Noble. I was exercising my oft-used (and rarely unsuccessful) technique of judging books by their covers and this one caught my eye. It really has nothing to recommend itself except for its cover, its title (which is really a lot of fun) and the fact that it's about a vampire, but doesn't seem to take itself as seriously as the Twilight series (which I also have yet to read).

Thus ends the book portion of my blog. Onto other entertainment.

I am a huge fan of tv on dvd and this summer I have at my disposal the entire season of Monty Python's Flying Circus. I cannot wait. I also cannot wait for the release of the third seasons of Heroes and Psych. I have faithfully avoided any and all spoilers about Heroes, saving myself for the time when I can simply sit down and watch them all back-to-back-to-back. I have just as faithfully NOT avoided any and all episodes of Psych because Gus and Shawn are just as amusing the twelfth time around as they are the first.

In an attempt to slow my purchase of movies (obviously not box sets as seen from the above paragraph) I have joined Netflix. The theory was I would simply watch all the movies I wanted to watch without having to buy them. Unfortunately the plan has backfired somewhat because I am simply adding to my ever-growing list of movies-to-own. This list now includes (thanks to Netflix) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (which I loved despite my little brother's contention that it was slow and boring. Shut up Charlie, it was beautiful), I'm Not There (a fascinating biopic about the one and only Bob Dylan), 300 (which almost-but-not-quite as interesting as the graphic novel), and Be Kind Rewind (which was equal parts hilarious and touching).

The plan has, however, been a success in that I watched quite a few movies that I wanted to see, but am very glad I never bothered buying. Seriously stupid movies, some of which I couldn't even make it all the way through. For the sake of these movies I am inventing a new tag: the non-rec. I do not, I repeat, I DO NOT recommend these movies to anyone: Georgia Rule, couldn't even watch the whole thing. Catch and Release, amusing in parts, but ultimately not amusing to save itself from being pointless. The Covenant which I watched to see if the guy who was going to play Gambit in the Wolverine movie could act. I definitely chose the wrong sampling. No one could act with a script that bad. Pointless eye-candy. (Side note: the guy who played Gambit is Taylor Kitsch. And he can act. See- Friday Night Lights the series on NBC.) In the Land of Women, chosen because of my love for Adam Brody, which hails from my days of obsession with The O.C. It was okay. Not good, nor great, but okay. I just kept waiting for more and the end I didn't feel like I was left with anything worthwhile. Not that movies have to be profound, but I like even my comedies to at least be sustantially funny. And yes, I do realize how incredibly subjective my yardstick is.

That's all for today. I may post later this week, simply because I get to use my mother's MacBook and it's super fun.

The Eighth One

"Eighth" is kind of a difficult word to spell.

It has been so long since my last blog and so much has happened. Please keep in mind that this list is not chronological... nor in order of importance.

1. And this is number one solely based on relevance. I am sitting in the Teacher's Work Room at the school in order to use the Internet. Whatever family I was stealing the Internet from at my apartment has finally gotten wise and secured it, making it impossible for me to access the Internet at home. The school at which I work is close enough that I can walk and so becomes the next "most convenient" place. Unfortunately this cuts down considerably the amount of time I can spend on the Internet. Sigh.

2. Mom came and visited me! We spent a day at SeaWorld (which is wonderful) and watched dolphins, killer whales (SHAMU) and seals/sea lions dance around and put on fantastic shows. We fed dolphins and watched their odd mating habits (exciting day in that area of SeaWorld), touched /fed sting rays (they're slimy), got lost on International Dr. and had an overall magnificent day.

The next day we spent at Cocoa Beach. There we floated in the ocean and it was amazing. The water temperature was perfect considering how hot it was on the beach. I spent a great deal of time just laying out in the sun, listening to the lifeguards talk. It was enlightening. Apparently that area of the beach was "not producing ANYTHING" that day. One guard, who became less and less attractive as the conversation wore on, had been trying to pick up girls that (not from the US) by explaining United States' system of Secondary Education. And he wonders why they walked away without leaving a phone number. Besides, I seriously doubt he had the mental capacity to explain it clearly and thoroughly. The same guard then regaled anyone in hearing distance of the time he was invited to a girl's hotel but never got farther (further) than making out in the hot tub before the girl's father interrupted them. According to him it was an utter waste of time.

During this conversation I found myself experiencing a plethora of different emotion. One, I was almost insulted that he found me not worthy of his attention. Two, I was disgusted with myself for number one and decided to be insulted that he was talking this way at all. Three, how could anyone think a description of the United States' school system was an appropriate way to pick up women? Educational, perhaps, but hardly romantic. Four, while this guard was first actively pursuing said women, then talking about his pursuits with another guard, who was watching the multitude of people gathered at the beach? Five, whatever they are earning, the lifeguards are overpaid. Their lack of attention concerns me. Six, apparently they watched too many Baywatch reruns. Can you say inappropriate behaviour?

The beach, however, was a wonderful experience. While we were there a space shuttled launched into... you guessed it... space. Throughout the afternoon more and more people congregated on the beach and at 5:02 everyone, man, woman, child and ridiculous life guards alike, turned away from the beach and watched the launch. It was incredible, both the launch itself and the effect that it had on the people watching. They watched in silence and awe until the shuttle was no more than a speck of light. Then there were several random bits of applause and the people in the tent next to us burst into "God Bless America" or "America the Beautiful" or something equally patriotic. It was a truly memorable experience.

3. Bet you forgot this was a list, huh? I read and then watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. (WARNING: if you have not read the book or seen the movie, and if you do not like spoilers, this review is probably not the place for you!) I had forgotten much of the book. It has been many years since I read the series. In fact I don't know if I have ever read them myself, or if I remember them from Story Time, when Mom read them to all of us kids. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Magician's Nephew and The Horse and His Boy are the ones I remember very well. Prince Caspian went the way of The Silver Chair. I hardly remembered it at all. But it is a wonderful story. The first story is a beautiful allegory of the Gospel and this is a beautiful allegory of the rest of life. Here we are, thousands of years after the Gospel story took place and we are looking for salvation, proof. Many have forgotten (the "stupid," "wild," beasts), many are bitter and angry (the dwarfs), many are trying to cover up the truth (the Telmarines), but there are those that remember (the Old Narnians, talking Beasts and creatures of the woods). The allegory goes on and on.

The story itself is charming. I have always been "Peter" girl, with Edmund a close second. None of the other characters really captured me like they did. I like Peter's strength and humility. He never admits to knowing it all and when he makes a mistake or falls short in some way he is always quick with an apology. He is the High King and I love him. Edmund is, admittedly, much more entertaining than Peter. He has a quicker wit and he has made bigger mistakes, but he learned from them and is stronger because of them. Susan is irritating and a bit dull in the book. Lewis seems to be setting her up for a fall (see the last book in the series) and Lucy is as hopeful and wholesome as ever. Of the new characters, Reepicheep is by far my favorite. He won my heart from the beginning.

The movie falls considerably short. The book was lacking in actual action. The battles were talked about, but only one was written about in detail. That said, there really was a lot for the movie to work with. It was a great start, I like where the movie started, but Susan's horn was blown much to early in the writer's haste to get the kids into Narnia. Apparently the story needed more drama (a prince on the run, a treacherous royal and a rebellion were not enough), and what better way to add drama than to give Peter a little teen angst. Aslan was introduced too late in the story and all of the delightful allusions to Christian life that Lewis included in his book were taken out of context and turned in doubts or mistakes.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Peter and Edmund are sent ahead of Aslan to meet with Caspian and deal with issue of the upcoming battle. Questions are raised about Aslan and his actions and Peter explains, that he will act in his own time, but until then it is up to them to take action. Peter has full trust in Aslan and his timing, but recognizes that they can wait idle in the meantime. In the movie Peter says that he thinks "it's up to them now," portraying a distrust in Aslan. I hate it, almost as much as I hate the time when Peter asks Lucy why Aslan hasn't given them any proof and Lucy says perhaps it is because they have to prove themselves first.

There are other parts of the movie that I had problems with, but I could explain them away by looking at them from a screen-writer's point of view. Messing with the story is not quite as inexcusable as messing with the characters. Leave the characters alone, they are wonderful and do not need any contemporary "fixing" in order to be loved by audiences. Turning Peter into a brat and creating a love story between Susan and Caspian made the movie cliched and contrived.

That said, the last thirty minutes or so almost make up for the rest of the movie. The fight between Peter and Miraz (I was desperately afraid they were going to replace Peter with Caspian) and the treachery of Miraz's "allies" was wonderful, as was the appearance of the (dryad? naiad? I don't remember) that lived in the river and his destruction of the bridge.

As I said before, the book does not have a lot of action, that is not where the story lies. I can forgive the writers' of the movie for many of their mistakes. Perhaps with Voyage of the Dawn Treader they will be able to keep more to the story. There's more than enough action and adventure in that book, they won't have to contrive anything to make it doable on screen.

The End.

The Seventh One

Apparently when I have any extra time on my hands my default activity is blogging.

I sit here in my living room, stealing the Internet from one of my neighbors, indulging in a little downtime after spending the afternoon at a party with colleagues and the evening at a community presentation of The Music Man. Seriously though, I did spend the whole morning and early afternoon at the school, making everything was good to go with grades and trying to get a head start on cleaning. I didn't get very far with the cleaning. I never do.

Anyway, sitting here, down time, check. Currently downtime = blogging and Pride and Prejudice. Not the book, for heaven's sake. I have tried numerous (between 5 and 10) times to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and have failed every single time. I enjoy the movies based on her stories very much, and after watching them I always have the urge to read the books as well. Big mistake. Fortunately for myself I ignore said urge and move on. I seriously can't stand Austen's books.

However, I simply adore Austen's stories. For some reason, Jane Austen's books bore me to death, but the stories, oh the stories. Turn them into movies and I'm sold, and just as blogging is now my default activity, Pride and Prejudice is my default movie. Feel like watching a movie, but can't decide? Pride and Prejudice. Not the long BBC mini-series either. I like it well enough, but the 2005 version with Keira Knightley, I can watch over and over again. I love everything about it. The acting is top- notch, the dialogue quick and delightful (which I suppose I owe mostly to Jane Austen), Donald Sutherland's in it, the music is beautiful and so is the cinematogrophy. Some of the shots are simply breathtaking. I enjoy the movement of the cameras almost as well as that of the characters, and the scenes themselves are so well composed.

I must go. I am tired. Good night.