Jennifer Lawrence Deserves an Oscar and a Hug

The other night, I watched Silver Linings Playbook. I'd heard that it was "my kind" of movie, and indeed it was. It was actually a lot funnier than I expected, and a lot sweeter. But it was also very raw in places. The best acting took place in facial expressions and exchanged glances between characters. The dialogue was...ok. But that's kinda how real life is isn't it? I mean, rarely am I having conversations using elevated language in my day to day interactions...except when I talk to Meredith...then all bets are off.

She's making homemades!

I've always struggled with Bradley Cooper. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's very nice to look at. I don't even mind his perma-sweat look that he sported in the Hangover movies.What I DO mind is the fact that he was actually IN the Hangover movies. We all make mistakes. Silver Linings was not one of them for Cooper though. He nailed the part, and if you've ever known someone with Bipolar then you know he nailed it. If you aren't sure if you know anyone with Bipolar, now you can be sure...just watch his performance.

De Niro was great too, but I mean...that's like saying chocolate is good. OF COURSE IT IS.

For me the best performance was given by Jackie Weaver (not to be confused with Jamie Gertz's character on The Neighbors), who played the wife/mom of the family the movie centers around. Her lines were minimal, but spot on. Her mannerisms were...amazing. She nailed everything about her role...from accent to eyebrow raises to her nervously cautious but hopeful smiles.

Wait just a minute...when did Julia Stiles become an extra.

Even though Weaver was incredible, Jennifer Lawrence stole the show. Her presence on the screen is just so powerful. I would say that's the same for any movie I've seen her in so far. She's so into her characters that she makes everyone else look like they're phoning it in. She has a confrontational scene with Robert De Niro that blew me away. Not only did she hold her own, she was so clearly the best actor in the room. I was in awe of her the entire movie.

The other night I actually had a dream that J Law was my best friend. We were camping together and she was advising me what to wear to some party I was attending. I woke up with the sweetest most satisfied feeling...having J Law as a bestie would probably give you that permanently. So she was already on my mind this week, but seeing her performance just made me love her even more.

I wasn't gonna focus on this, but I have to say something. I don't get why her size is ever even talked about. Her face is kind of heart shaped like Mini Driver or Reese Witherspoon. But there is nothing abnormal at all about her body, unless curves are the new abnormal. Can we women just agree to stop praising stick figures who look like they are malnutritioned? In my opinion, the most beautiful women have curves. That's what makes us look like women instead of 11 year old boys. Here, someone hold my soapbox, so I can finish this blog.

Wait, what's wrong with the way she looks? Oh...you can see her hips? Dammit J Law...get your shit together!

The thing that I worry about more than anything for Jennifer Lawrence is that she will get hard. She's obviously a target for some people. Rather than choosing to believe the best about her when she accepted her Golden Globe declaring, "I beat Meryl!" (A line from First Wives Club), the media questioned her ego. Nothing about her screams ego to me. The media has even tried to perpetuate some crazy feud between her and Jessica Chastain, who commented recently that this is purely nonsense. She seems to be handling things well. But then, that's what happens to celebrities. They seem like they're doing ok then they shave their heads and start dating John Mayer. The last thing I want to see is Jennifer Lawrence giving a bitter, Jodie Fosteresque speech later in life about the impossibility of privacy in Hollywood and how hard it is to grow up in the spotlight. Until then, I think she's on her way to being a seriously timeless actress.

27 movies in 4 days....ready...GO!

Here's a list of what I watched during my hibernation. Due to the amount of movies I have watched, I will keep my reviews to a few words. If you want more information, leave a comment here or on Facebook and we can discuss further. And thanks for your suggestions! I took some of them, but mainly I watched whatever I could get for free!

Day 1:

Bernie-Jack Black. Based on a true story. What more do you need to know? Seriously, this is dark comedy at its best and lands somewhere along the lines of Grey Gardens. Plus, Shirley MacLaine kind of reprises her role as Ouiser. Watch it!

Butter-I am calling this my favorite movie of the year because it’s hilarious but has a lot of heart. Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Hugh Jackman, Ashley Greene, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Wilde, and Rob Corddry among others. They are all great, but hearing Jennifer Garner in her Palin-esque personality say the F word so hatefully and frequently is perhaps the funniest thing I’ve heard all year. Do not miss this movie. 

Dark Knight Rises-I know, I was late to the game on this one. I liked the movie, it was well done, though kind of long in some parts, but then that’s just Christopher Nolan. Speaking of which, did anyone else feel like they were watching Inception part 2? I mean, he definitely has his favorite actors. My basic thoughts are: Predictable. Not enough banter. Anne Hathaway will never be as mean or as sexy as Michelle Pfeiffer was as Catwoman. Do we have to see a Robin movie or can we just imagine it? And I could use more of Tom Hardy’s beautiful face. I’m glad I saw it, but I’m also glad that trilogy is over.

People Like Us-Predictable but sweet family drama. I kind of love Elizabeth Banks. And the kid in it is adorable. Worth watching.

Day 2: 

Your Sister’s Sister-Complex relationship entanglement drama complete with frustrating cliffhanger. Rosemarie Dewitt is great in this, but I wanted more from Emily Blunt. It’s a decent watch.

Requiem For A Dream-Watching people spiral downward can only be more horrible if you feel like you’re spiraling with them. Well done Aronofsky. Depressing. As. Hell. Watch at your own risk.

Sinister-Dear all ladies who are in horror films...by the time you have actually moved into the new house, it’s too late to argue about moving into the new house. Does no one communicate in advance anymore? That argument should have taken place months before boxes were packed.  You know I like scary movies, if you do too, watch this one, but keep your expectations in check. 

Being Flynn-Based on the book, “Another Bullshit Night in Suck City” by Nick Flynn, this movie is legit. The story is about a distanced father and son who connect (or don’t) over their mutual love and talent for writing. The premise is good, but the movie was slow. DeNiro is wonderful, and I can never say no to Julianne Moore. Great soundtrack. Sidenote...I had no idea that Nick Flynn and Lili Taylor were married. Awesome.

Jeff Who Lives at Home-Best opening ever. Jason Segal is growing on me just because I’ve started watching HIMYM. The movie has very little direction...like Jeff, who lives at home. Susan Sarandon’s storyline is probably the most interesting of them all. I think I just hate seeing movies with potential, not reach it. It’s supposed to build up to the end, but the ending is so meaningful compared to the rest of the movie that it’s like if The Hangover had the ending of Shawshank Redemption or something. I wish you could slap a good ending on a movie and call it a good movie. At least it wasn’t the other way around. That’s the worst! Watch it for the last 20 minutes.

Hick-Chlöe Grace Moretz is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. Everything she does, she does brilliantly. And she’s the best part of this movie, though Blake Lively does impress after her Gossip Girl history. This movie is just mediocre. It’s good enough, but nothing really that unique or great happens. And when something does happen, it seems like everyone is too young in the movie for it to be happening to them. Meh.

All Good Things-Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst, who by the way have NO chemistry play a married couple in this movie. Kristen Wiig has like one line though that steals the movie. Because, even though it’s not a comedy at all, ANYTHING Kristen Wiig says is going to be hilarious. Seeing Ryan Gosling play an old person and a woman is more disturbing than the events that take place in this movie. It wants to be The Life of David Gale or Primal Fear, but instead it’s just...old Ryan Gosling! It’s based on a true story, which mostly just proves that Texas is weird.

Day 3: 

Midnight in Paris-I’ve seen this one before, but I needed something dialogue driven while I was packing some things, so I put it on. You can’t help but pick up on the Woody Allen in it, but I love the premise and literary references, so I would definitely recommend it.

Jesus Henry Christ-Toni Colette is usually enough to make me love a movie, but this one fell short for me. It had a few cute moments, but it’s like one of those movies that is trying to out-quirk other movies. It really doesn’t ever go anywhere either. It kills me that writers think they can try to put a small little full circle moment at the end of a movie and think we will all swoon and call it brilliant. This is kind of like that. 

In The Loop-Aside from the angry British cursing, this was a nice little mockumentary. But in all fairness and honesty, I fell asleep during it. It was drawn out and I wasn’t sure what or who I was supposed to care about. Sorry, I’m not perfect.

The Five Year Engagement-I actually really loved the start of this movie. It feels more honest than a lot of Rom-Coms do. Emily Blunt and Jason Segal actually manage to have some chemistry in this, which is shocking if you think about it. I think it’s totally representative of what a lot of people in this generation go through with relationships, especially once you get into your career. I liked this a lot. It was painful at times, but good with a cute ending. Also Van Morrison songs play throughout the movie, so that’s a win.

Day 4:

Wanderlust-The hippies are the best part of this movie. I’m never that impressed with Jennifer Aniston, and I haven’t loved Paul Rudd since Clueless. This starts off pretty legit, but descends into the usual Paul Rudd movie madness and silliness. If you like old naked people and predictable endings, this one’s for you.

The Words-I love movies about writers. And there are a lot of them. Funny how hard it is to actually make a living as a writer, yet it’s Hollywood’s go to movie profession. This movie is kind of like Inception is that it’s a story within a story within a story. It’s well acted. It’s a solid premise that brings up a few ethical questions about how to live with the choices we make. The ending is rather abrupt and leaves something...anything...to be desired considering the build up.

Skyfall-Meh...James Bond movies are some of my mother’s favorites. And there is something fun about the formulaic, though each movie likes to act like it’s going to be different, it’s going to throw you off course. My favorites are Live and Let Die, Die Another Day, and A View to a Kill. This one is lacking something I love about the others. The bad guy didn’t really have a “lair.” And cyberterrorism is just not that fun or intense to watch on a movie. Not enough gadgets, the bad guy wasn’t bad enough, the Bond girl was really no where around for over half the movie, and honestly, I was a little bored. I liked when he took his jaw out...more of that please. I might have to give this one another shot when I’m in a James Bond mood.

Looper-Futuristic movie about time travel where everyone has a gun and drives like they live in China. BUT aside from Joseph Gordan Levitt’s exaggerated eyebrows, this movie is pretty good. The premise is slightly convoluted, but it’s not even that essential to the plot. That’s probably blasphemy in some Sci-Fi realm, but I’m just telling it like it is. The kid in it is creepy, and Emily Blunt with a backwoods accent is also a little strange. Still, worth watching.

Day 4:

End of Watch-Blair Witch style police movie. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena are amazing, and I always think Anna Kendrick is adorable. But this movie has impending doom all throughout, so when it finally happens, it’s expected but still sad...and there’s a little surprise in there too that makes it even more tragic. This is a seriously good movie though. Worth watching.

Anonymous-The story explores the idea that maybe Shakespeare didn’t really write what he is believed to have written. It’s obvious that this movie was someone’s darling project that they edited and formed over time before finally being able to flesh it out. And the way it plays out is in broad strokes where it almost seems to BE a Shakespearian play. The thing is, I was hoping for something differently. I was hoping for a mystery surrounding whether or not Shakespeare wrote his plays. This is much more about royalty and romance and murder and betrayal. It’s not too bad, but it’s not what I’d hoped for either. If you like history, the Turdor period especially, then you’ll like it. But if you were hoping for more literature, sorry. Also, WHY do period pieces have to be extra long and have 800 characters in them? Just...focus people.

How To Steal A Million-Audrey Hepburn reading Hitchcock in the movie is perhaps one of my favorite moments in an old movie...almost meta, definitely clever. Peter O’Toole always looks like a woman to me. In short, the movie is about art forgery, an art heist, and romance. But don’t think Thomas Crown Affair. This is just a cute movie with a good plot and some good dialogue, though it goes a little long for the amount of stuff that actually happens. Still, it was a nice break from all the intense modern movies I’ve been watching!

The Kids Are All Right-I’ve been putting this one off for a while because someone gave me some spoilers, but I love Julianne Moore so I figured it’s time. I think what I love about it is that so often our culture sets apart heterosexual couples and homosexual couples, but this movie shows that people are people, relationships are relationships. We can hurt and betray and make mistakes no matter our sexuality...simply because we are human. I’m not gonna lie, this movie made me uncomfortable on several levels, mainly in the way it shows how easily people can be swayed. But I really loved the movie all the same. 

Day 5:

Liberal Arts-Ted from HIMYM is 35 and kind of falls for the younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, who is really into literature and that’s exciting for him. The story is a good one, but not a new one. Facing the questions...when is it time to grow up, what does that even mean? And is age just a number? My favorite line in this movie revolves around the idea that someone 16 years younger than you could motivate you to growth. People are so often closed minded about younger generations, but I love the idea that we all fit together like a puzzle, and our ages complement each other.

Back to the Future-I mean, I’ve seen it hundreds of times, but it’s been a while. The trilogy was cheap on iTunes and I couldn’t resist. I cannot believe how much this movie has held up over the years. It is just so good at every turn. I watched this today to give my brain a break from all the other deep movies I’ve been watching, and so I could also watch the snow outside of my window and not miss anything major in a movie I haven’t seen. Classic.

Cosmopolis-The premise of this movie is that a rich guy wants a haircut from his preferred barber across town, but with the president and a warning of an assassination attempt on his life, it’s going to take all day for him to get there in his limo. He insists, and we get to watch him as he interacts in his limo with everything from advisors to women to his doctor. The movie seems to have been made to show the ridiculousness of the 1%. But Robert Pattinson is too young to pull off what they were attempting here. His face and mannerisms are refined enough, but it’s hard to imagine that someone that young would navigate the world in that way, even if they are a billionaire. Maybe I’m naive. I hung in there, and parts were fascinating, but overall, this movie was too proud of itself or something. Plus, another non-ending ending makes me frustrated.

Taken 2-I was cynical about this one going in, thinking...really...like his daughter could get taken AGAIN? So I was pleased to find out that the premise was slightly different than the first movie. It was a good old action movie. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild-Morgan Freeman might have some competition for narration gigs after this movie. I could listen to this little girl talk all day. And every line she says sounds like the greatest piece of wisdom you’ve ever heard. The movie itself is eye candy, aesthetically pleasing even as it depicts some of the poorest people in the country. This movie will rip your heart out, I’m just warning you. 

So listen...I could go on about movies I’ve got on my list, but I pretty much plan on watching more stuff right up to the end of my time here in China (which is just over 24 hours), and this has to publish at some point. If you were on the fence about watching one of these, I hope my “short” reviews helped you make a decision!

The Best of 2012

These are in no way REALLY the "best" of the year, but here are a few of my best things from 2012.

This. Kid.

Best Reality Show-Here Comes Honey Boo Boo
Don't talk to me about Duck Dynasty. This is the real deal.

Best New Show-Nashville
I love it. It makes me want to revisit the city, it makes me want to listen to country music. The drama is great, the acting is great, the music is great, and I get swept up in it each week.

Best Drama-Parenthood
This should win for consistency if nothing else. Each and every episode delivers, which is rare. Usually there are hits and misses, but this one is on the money from week to week.

Best Comedy-30 Rock
Two Broke Girls, Modern Family, Raising Hope...I love them, but Tina Fey and this darling show will have my loyalty for the little time it has left on the air.

Best Song-We Are Young by Fun
It's a feel good song, it's upbeat, the lyrics are good, and it's smart. I could listen to this all day, and there have been days that I have.

Best Album-Babel by Mumford and Sons
Mumford and Sons is my go to music for the Fall and Winter. This new album by them is as good as their last, if not better. I can't wait to see what they do next!

Best Movie-Life of Pi
I watched A LOT of movies this year, but if I had to choose the best one FROM this year, I'd say it was this one. It was a creative and solid story as well as, suspenseful, action packed, funny, sentimental, and even carried a little twist ending.

Best "Breakout" Star-Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is in no way new to stardom, but she is new to movies, and this year she did a lot of them. The Words, Butter, People Like Us, and more. She played drastically different roles in each of them and did a great job. I am not sure she will ever hold down a leading lady spot, but I would love to see her try.

Everyone will know her name.

Best Underage Star-Chloe Grace Moretz
She's not new, but the more I watch her, the more I am super impressed. I can't wait to see her in Carrie coming in 2013!

Best "I Changed My Mind About Her" Star-Carey Mulligan
I wrote a blog earlier in the year about Mulligan and my doubt about her being cast as Daisy on Gatsby. While we are still waiting to see how she does in this movie, I have seen so much of her this year that I have changed my mind about her. She's beautiful, brilliant, vulnerable but strong, and when she's on screen I can't help but be enthralled by her. I admit, I judged her too quickly.

Best Celebrity Moment-Any Rebel Wilson interview
Best Celebrity Moment 2-Any Emma Stone interview
Best Celebrity Moment 3-Any Kristen Bell interview
These three are always perfectly adorable and hilarious during their interviews, unlike weirdos Kristen Stewart, Nicole Kidman, and Melanie Griffin. Watching those three on live TV is horrifying.

Well played.

Best Politician Moment-Obama playing Spiderman with a kid.
Adorable. Take note politicians, we live in an internet age. If you want to win an election, you MUST be likable on the internet.

This friendship is one of my favorite.

Best Politician Moment 2-Texts with Hillary Memes
She's just the coolest.

Best Bad Story Turned Good-The Bullied Bus Driver
I could mention Christian Bale's visit to the families of the dead and injured who were show in the theater during The Dark Knight Rises, but the bus driver story really stuck with me. When I read about the horrible things that this woman had to endure driving a bus of brats to and from school daily, I felt sick. To make things worse, she went home to a somewhat sad life each night. When America got wind of the video on the bus, people reached out to this woman with money, gifts, kind words, and more. She has since retired from driving on her over $600 grand worth of donations, some of which she gave to charity. I love when the good in humanity sees the bad and works to make up for it.

How does he look so scary!

Best Bad Guy Hair-Javier Bardem. Always.

He looks weird with clothes on.

Best Sports Moment-I didn't pay attention since Auburn was so bad. But probably something to do with Michael Phelp's abs.

Best Book-We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
This is one of the most haunting and well written books I have ever read. It's not from this year, but I did read it this year, so that's something.

Best App for iPhone-Pocket
I love this app cause I can just move everything I want to read and put it into one place. So when I'm sitting in a waiting room or wherever (I'll just say it, the bathroom), I can catch up on blogs, articles, and more! I'm a dork, I know, but this has been a really great thing to have this year in China!

What is on your BEST of 2012 list?

Weekend Fat Year End Review

There is no way that I could begin to summarize all of the pop-culture happenings of this year. Mainly because if you know me at all you know, I don't do well with the whole summarizing thing.

So here are just a few highlights and lowlights of the year. Please feel free to add your own in the comments.

Women and Sex
Whether it was 50 Shades of Grey, Magic Mike, or political discussions of birth control and "legitimate" rape, women and their sexuality was probably one of the most talked about subjects of the year.

You can't deny she's having a good year.

Anne Hathaway
Even though she's not in my list of favorites, it's undeniable that she made her mark this year. Even her Catwoman performance received rave reviews. Now with her near death experience in Les Mis, I'm sure there will be talk of an oscar. I'm not sure I'm convinced that she's all that great, but more on that later this week.

Memes
Memes are in full effect now. Meme generators are available and easy to use...even for those who are not so tech savvy. All they are waiting on is some unassuming politician, unaware celebrity, or some other oblivious figure to say something stupid.

Channing Tatum
He was named the sexiest man of the year, though my vote will probably always go to Ryan Reynolds. Aside from that he made A LOT of movies this year. Magic Mike, The Vow, 21 Jump Street, Haywire, and many more coming up soon.

Celebrity Deaths
It's probably that the older you get, the more aware you are of the people who are dying, so it's not actually more people dying, it's just that the names mean something to you now. This year was a year like that for me. Beginning with Whitney Houston and including Zig Ziglar, Ravi Shankar, David Oliver Relin, Larry Hagman, Andy Williams, Michael Clarke Duncan, Neil Armstrong, Phyllis Diller, Sally Ride, Robin Gibb, Dick Clark, Andy Griffith, Adam Yauch, Davy Jones, Donna Summer, and a lot more. The world seems a little stranger, slightly scarier with some of these people no longer in it.

Who do you want by your side when the zombies come?

The Walking Dead
People love zombies. This show started out with a loyal and small fan base, but blew up into the mainstream this year. Everyone I know is watching it and loving it. Zombies remain the most interesting apocalyptic theory around. Do you have your plan in place?

Downton Abbey
When we aren't busy living vicariously through the Walking Dead cast, we are fantasizing over Downton Abbey. This show picked up a ton of watchers this year. I only hope it can keep up the momentum in light of upcoming tragic events. Ugh...I promise I won't give spoilers...but...sigh...

Socialism
No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, you can't deny that the term "socialism" came up a lot in 2012. Fortunately, this was the most Googled/looked up/researched word on the internet in 2012. Kudos to people for not just throwing it around, but actually taking the time to figure out what it means. Let's take that mentality and run with it people...keep learning.

Best release from captivity break-up ever.

Babies, Break-Ups, and Break Downs
This isn't the entire list, but all you really need to know is that Beyonce and Adele had babies. Katie and Tom broke up. As Amy Poehler and Will Arnett. And Amanda Bynes joined the ranks of Lindsay Lohan, who is still spiraling downward.

Guns and Freedom
Who is to blame, the shooter or the gun? The debate resurfaces each time we experience something tragic. The arguments get tangled up as we speak of freedoms we stand for and freedoms we want to take from others. Unfortunately, no matter where you fall, most of these arguments just points out our contradictions, hypocrisies, and double standards more than it does convince, inspire, or move anyone to change.

As I mentioned above, these are only a few that stood out to me this year? What would you add as being the big news of 2012?

Breaking Dawn Part 2 and An Education: Movie Reviews

I haven’t been on my movie watching kick quite as much lately, but this weekend I decided to spend some time catching up.

Finally, a Bella I can appreciate.

I watched Breaking Dawn Part 2. And even though the perception is that I am not a fan of the Twilight books/movies, I was pleasantly surprised. For the record, I do not at all mind the Twilight movies and books. I read them all, and rather quickly. Couldn’t put them down. They were fun. Even though I take issue with some of the themes of the book, especially in regards to Bella, honestly, she is no different than some female characters in books we consider to be literature, the difference being that those books are written with more sophisticated language...and well, there are no vampires. The movies are blockbusters, and like with any blockbuster, I will watch them and enjoy them, but they don’t generally make my list of favorites.

Breaking Dawn was very entertaining. I got re-invested rather quickly to the characters and the story. I thought it was the right amount of funny, not nearly enough of shirtless Jacob, great music as always, and good build to the climax of the series. And the “twist” that everyone has talked about, was legit. I enjoyed it and even gasped a little. It was fun to watch, and I’m glad I did.

Getting schooled.

I also watched An Education this weekend. Carey Mulligan plays Jenny, a 16 year old student who is dreaming of Oxford when she meets Peter Saarsgard, David, an older man, who is cultured and a “student of life.” He takes interest in her and wants to expose her to his way of living. At first it’s thrilling for her.

Mulligan is amazing in it of course. She can play innocent so well. In fact she plays it so well that at times I was uncomfortable with her relationship with David. He just seemed too good to be true. Her life is on track, and while his presence does open her up to new and wonderfully rich experiences, it also throws her off her intended course. Not only does he throw her off, but his interest in her causes everyone around her to seem to change their expectations of her. Oxford gets put aside for marriage and everyone seems fine with it give or take a few members of her school. The movie also brings up the question of what education really is. With David she can travel to Rome and Paris and listen to jazz, with school, she will study hard in a classroom. Jenny says at one point to the headmaster of her school, “It’s not enough just to educate us anymore, you’ve got to tell us why you’re doing it.”

The movie really fit with some things I’m coming to terms with at the moment. Finding out that my years of education are all but rendered useless in their being a means to an end. Of course I appreciate the things I’ve learned, but if I had to choose again, I’m not sure I would choose all of that when there is an entire world to see. Fortunately for me, it seems I get to do both.

In the end, I think the lesson of the movie, if there is one, is that you must know yourself and what you want, and even your reasons for wanting it, or someone can throw you off course. Changing your mind is one thing, changing it for someone else is another that could have disastrous results.

The Elf on the Shelf-A Non-Parent's Review--By Julie

I think I first saw the phenomenon of the Elf on the Shelf about 3 years ago. I might have heard of people doing it before then, but that was when I noticed the marketing behind the whole thing through TV ads. I'll put it bluntly: I don't get it.

When I first researched the whole thing, the only thing I could find was that this elf was supposed to be used as "Santa's Spy" so that kids would be good during the holiday season. The amount of craziness that statement packs is beyond me. Since that time, I can only see that the Elf has become this personality that apparently gets into mischief at night. Or, this is what my Facebook feed leads me to believe. Pictures abound of their family's Elf latest situation.

I still don't get it.

I was born with a very logical brain and outlook on life. Even as a child, there were a lot of things about Santa that just didn't add up to me. You may find this sad, but I never really believed in him. My parents weren't the kind to push Santa (they are good conservative Baptists). They never said anything bad about him. He just wasn't a big deal in our house. So anyone telling me that this one man delivered gifts to the whole world in one night with some flying reindeer was looked at sideways. I distinctly remember being a kindergartener and being told by my teacher one day that we were going to write our "letters to Santa". This did not compute for me. Why? What was I supposed to say? Oh, we are supposed to ask for something for Christmas. ...... Why? So, in one of the only times I ever cheated on an assignment, I copied the boy next to me. He was asking for a bike. Seemed like a good enough thing to write to Santa about.

I never thought about that letter again until I was old enough to appreciate the whole Santa conspiracy. Back in kindergarten, our sneaky teacher gave those letters to our parents. I started to piece the puzzle together. That was the year that I got a scooter for Christmas. It seems that my parents thought I was too young for a bike. Especially considering that I was bound to inherit my older sister's bike eventually. Why buy another one? So, I got a scooter. And, I was thrilled and it had nothing to do with Santa.

Flash forward to my adult years and imagine me finding out that the Elf on the Shelf is the Christmas tradition that we must all subscribe to (said in my best television-marketing voice). I think my first reaction was something of disgust. I couldn't believe that parents were buying into some toy manufacturer's marketing that they must now tell more holiday lies to their children to con them into good behavior. The ridiculousness of it all! I saw it in action just once when I was around my nieces over the holidays. Their mom kept talking about their Elf and what he would tell Santa. The amount of eye rolling from me was criminal, I'm sure.

But, as most things do, the Elf has evolved. It seems that we are all sinful! The elf, once Santa's tattletale, is now finding himself in a few sticky situations. Apparently he is getting bored watching the kids have fun. So, now, it is up to parents to create mischief scenes with their Elf for their kids to find every morning during the holidays.

This isn't so bad on the surface. I like being irreverent and silly. And, as a child, that's super fun. But, now comes the feelings of inadequacy that I only imagine is constant in any parent's life. It appears that now you must strive to be the most creative parent with these scenes. Who can out "Elf" their friends and post the photo evidence on Facebook? And, to help you along and stress you out further, there are plenty of Pinterest tips for creating these Elf scenes. I'm a little over it.

The only thing that keeps me from writing off the entire Elf situation is when I see the truly funny scenes. It usually comes from folks that have boys who may be a little bit older. Or, possibly from people with zero kids and like making inappropriate settings with their Elf. Do a quick Google search for inappropriate Elf on the Shelf. Eye opening, to say the least.

I, myself, am looking forward to a completely adult holiday season. One without Elves on Shelves. It works for me... or it will until I have kids and I will guilt-trip myself into doing these things just so my child isn't the one who doesn't have what their friends have. Oh the vicious cycle...

A Merry Christmas to all my Weekend Fatties!
- Julie Bunkley will be spending her holiday with her grown siblings and parents and no children. The only elves in her holiday will be her dogs who have the cutest elf hats to coordinate with their Christmas collars.

I appreciate Julie's perspective on this, and tend to agree and fall somewhere on the "I don't get it/I don't agree with it" perspective when it comes to the Elf. Another one of our bloggers, Romelle, wrote a blog on this last year that I want to share with you all. So here's the link to get her perspective. Romelle has 6 kids, so her take is slightly different than Julie's. If you have an opinion on this, feel free to weigh in through comments, or if you want to write a post, send it to catidwell222@gmail.com. Now, here's that link to Romelle's blog!

--Amber

Life of Pi: A Movie Review

A few weeks ago my friend Benny asked me if I wanted to go to the movies. I love going to the movies, so I didn’t even ask what was playing. I just said yes. Once we were on the bus on our way, Benny explained that Life of Pi was playing and he thought it would be good. I’d heard of Life of Pi and seen it on a few bookshelves. I think it made the high school reading list long after I was out of high school. Other than that, I knew nothing about it.

Which might be why watching it was such a magical experience. The film is beautiful, but more than that it’s just a really great story. You might have seen the trailer or heard of it and thought, it seems boring. About a tiger and a teenager stranded in a boat. And yes, that is what the movie is about at a glance. But there is so much more to it. It’s kind of like Kite Runner meets Jumanji meets The Old Man and the Sea.

Here’s the premise of the movie. A writer in Canada is at a loss for what to write, and while at a coffee shop, he runs into someone who tells him that there is a man with a story worth telling. The writer goes to the house of an Indian man who begins to share his life story. The movie flashes back to his youth. Pi is growing up in India as the son of zoo keepers. He is curious and adventurous and brave. When India starts to change, his parents decide they will take the animals they own and move to Canada. The animals and the family load up on a Japanese cargo ship and begin their journey. Of course, the ship is wrecked in a storm, and Pi makes it into a lifeboat with a few of the animals. Eventually, it is only him and the tiger. From there the story is one of survival as Pi struggles with his fear of the tiger, but also the companionship it offers. In the end of the story, there is an unexpected twist, giving the entire story an emotional depth that made me want to stay seated and watch it again with my enlightened eyes. Remember when you saw The Sixth Sense and wanted to go back and rewatch once you realized that Bruce Willis was dead? It’s kind of like that. Only more subtle.

While the movie is beautifully done with surreal effects, it’s the good old fashioned story telling that I fell for. Solid characters, simple plot, and enough depth to draw me into it. You should definitely go see it. Mainly because no one I know has, and I’d love to talk to someone about this movie!

Blink: A Book Review

Remember in Clueless where Cher makes Tai her project and they are attempting to be well-rounded so they learn new words, read books, work out, and then Cher says that maybe they should do something good for humanity? That's what this blog is about. It's time for us to be well-rounded here at Weekend Fat. I haven't mentioned too many books on this blog, but I just finished one that I found incredibly interesting. I'm late to the game on this so just...deal with it.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell is known for his interesting books and articles on humanity, psychology, and how we connect and process things in life. In other words, I love him. This particular book, Blink, begins with a story about a sculpture that a museum has just purchased. They have all the papers, all the history, and dozens of professionals familiar with that very period of art give their stamp of approval on the sculpture. Yet once it was in place they had an opening ceremony inviting all of the greatest experts on art to the museum. Several of them knew at a glance that the sculpture was a fake. The museum received so many reports of these doubts that they did more investigation and found out that yes, it was a fake. When they asked those people to explain how they knew, no one could. It was a gut feeling, they just knew.

Gladwell's book Blink explores that initial response we have to things we see, people we interact with, news we hear, and more. The case studies he offers along the way include a psychologist who can watch a couple interact for 15 minutes and determine whether or not they will stay married, and a study of police who have made mistakes in shootings vs. those who have impeccable records. It all boils down to almost immeasurable feelings, perceptions, and moments. It's as if we are equipped with a survival skill that enables us to "just know" some things. It makes a lot of sense really. The key that Gladwell points out is that we have to know ourselves and what we bring into each interaction. With awareness and observation, we really do have the ability to be good reads on relationships, jobs, and more things that could affect our lives for years and years to come.

The book was interesting and enlightening and I highly recommend it!

See...now, that wasn't so bad was it?

Blurgh: A Review of TV's Fall Return

I am so overwhelmed by all of the TV I have to watch. Anyone else wanna get in on blogging some TV shows? I really need to narrow down my options...there is no way I can sustain this when I'm back in America!

But until then....here are my thoughts.

I tried to give most of these shows at least 2 weeks before writing this blog. But you guys...what is UP with TV? I mean...

Glee-Is anyone else bored? Sure, the music is good...because the music is always good because it's MUSIC. But come on...nothing is grabbing me this season. I miss Santana. Kurt hanging out with Carrie (or whoever SJP is playing this time) is too much to believe. And bring back the Britney we used to love. The one who has the one-liners that were the best moments in the show! I have no idea what's going on with the "adults" in the show, was Sue even on it? See...I've tuned out. So bored...

Take note, Arizona...

Grey's Anatomy-I'm sorry, were you trying to make me want to kill myself? Because even though I did have an idea of what was coming in the season opener, I was sorely disappointed when it arrived. First of all, WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CRASH! Back it up Grey's. Show us how Meredith became her mom, how Cristina ended up in Narnia, and how Bailey turned into a joke. And Arizona...it's just a leg. Shonda...you don't GET to jerk us around like this and expect us to stick it out. Please dear God let this be the last season...

Scandal-Did I even see Season 1 of this show? Cause I am pretty sure I watched it and liked it, but when it opened, I was so lost. LOST I say! LIke more lost than I was in LOST! Who are these people? Is the FLOTUS really pregnant? And who is that girl on trial? Oh I think I remember something about her boyfriend dying and her being at the scene...is that was this is about?

Revenge-Meh. So the most riveting scene was supposed to be Charlotte's dramatic whisper to "Emily" at the art show? I was so happy to see Nolan, but the rest of the characters felt like strangers. And the big Victoria reveal was a knock on the door? Really? Didn't want to milk that mystery just a little bit more? Gah.

Up All Night-I'm trying not to be mad at Will Arnett for his divorce with Amy Poehler, but I am mad. Something about his skinny newly buff self is making me angry. And I think the anchor of the show was the fact that Ava and Reagan worked together on the talk show. Why is Reagan's brother there, and now Just Jack! Last season was so great...but they better pick it up fast and get some plot going if they want to see season 3.

Parks and Recreation-I'm trying not to be mad at Amy Poehler for her divorce with Will Arnett, but I am mad. Did she have work done? Her hair was different. Ron Swanson is the only redeeming part of this show at the moment. And Donna...more Donna please.

The Office-Andy is a joke. Jim and Pam need to get happy fast. I want to see one of the new guys (why are there new guys, we all know this show has to end soon) killed by the Scranton Strangler creating a desperate search for the killer during the season. At the end, it's discovered that it's Creed. The end. Also, let's see more Angela.

This is even weirder than those sister wives I used to have.

Once Upon A Time-Look, I loved season 1 even with the fantasy meets reality crossover. But let's be honest. Even though we knew that Emma was gonna be Mary's (Snow's) daughter, but then when it got here in the first episode this season it was like...awkward....I don't remember the rest, except I do like Mulan.

Maybe I wasn't in the mood, or ready for the seasons to begin, but based on what I've seen so far, my TV repertoire might get some major adjustments.

I did think that a few shows came back strong...

Raising Hope-Martha Plimpton is just fabulous. And the premise of this show never gets old. Poor is funny.

The New Girl-Who doesn't love Schmidt! Good return!

Modern Family-With the Emmy sweep it's no surprise that the show came back strong.

All of these kept me laughing.

I will discuss Dexter and Homeland as soon as I can find a way to watch them in China.
And I cannot wait to discuss 30 Rock and American Horror Story!

Awwww...I still want to be a Braverman!

But until then, what on EARTH would we do without.....
Parenthood-BEST SHOW ON TV. If you aren't watching, what ARE you doing?

TV REVIEW TIME....

What did you think about the above? 

What shows should I add to my lineup?

More Movies More Reviews

I'm gonna try to do this quickly. Because I have been watching SO MANY MOVIES lately, I want to give you my opinion of them. You never know when you will be standing at a Red Box wishing you knew what something was about or if it is worth watching. If you read this blog you know of know my tastes and you can go from there. Or if you are my friend Jill, you can do the exact opposite of what I suggest unless it comes to scary movies, which we can always agree on. Though she's still mad at me for making her watch Paranormal Activity.

Larry Crowne
Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, how can it go wrong! There's nothing profound about this movie and that's ok. But it's also got some depth to it and is pretty reflective of the times we live in when it comes to education. It's a feel good movie with not a lot of flash, other than Julia Roberts' perfect smile. WORTH IT.

 far away.

Warrior
Tom Hardy is gorgeous. Not only is he a total hunk, but he has proven that he can be terrifying, hard, and even suave like in Inception. He's like a Russell Crowe type, and in this movie about two estranged brothers who are also fighters, Tom Hardy is brilliant. Of course Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte are also wonderful in the movie. I will admit, I sobbed like a baby at this movie. Watching two men fight so hard for something they believe in, yet maintain their sensitivity, was refreshing and touching. DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

Event Horizon
Movie does not live by cast alone. If it did, this one would probably be a sure thing. Lawrence Fishburn, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs, and lots of other people you've seen before are in this Sci-Fi/Horror film about a lost ship that gets found and is discovered to have some strange life form on it. Okay, so it's a tired plot. The movie has genuine scares, though it's pretty predictable at times, and kind of leaves nothing to the imagination if you take the cues it gives you. But if this genre is your thing, you will probably enjoy it. Meh...worth it.

down below.

The Descent
I've been researching for October's blogs about scary movies, and this one makes so many lists as one of the scariest. It actually depends on which version of the movie you watch. The British made movie was release to America without the final scene because we are just that dumb. Kidding...but for real. The movie is about a group of friends who go hiking and into a cave, a year after one of them has experienced a tragic accident. As you can imagine they end up trapped in the cave and they are not alone. It's a bloody, but very well done movie with some great emotional symbolism, and one that will have you curious as to what really happened. DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

What To Expect When Expecting
If Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve got pregnant, they would give birth this movie. But for real, I love Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, and Rebel Wilson so those people alone make it worth a watch. The movie has lots of other super famous people and jumps from storyline to storyline (all loosely connected) to examine the different stages and situations that arise when expecting a baby. It's exactly what you imagine it to be. Solid enough, funny enough, entertaining enough. Worth it.

betches.

Bachelorette
This movie is so trying to ride the wave of Girls, Bridesmaids, and Hangover. It's about three friends who are asked to be bridesmaids by a girl that they used to make fun of as kids. Rebel Wilson is the bride, and Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, and Kirsten Dunst play the friends. They are HORRIBLE to her. The movie is full of stupid obscene language for the sake of stupid obscene language. I'm sure it is trying to make some statement about gender equality and how there's such a double standards about the behavior expected from women vs. that of men. And yeah, I get it. But there's a reason that Rebel Wilson's character was the one getting married and not the F-bomb dropping whoring around bitches. I think I just crossed from review to tangent. Dialing back...my verdict is out honestly. I was so annoyed by so much of it, and the three friends are so unlikeable that it was hard for me to see past it. I guess I'd say, watch it, so we can discuss it.

21 Jump Street
It's the year of the dragon here in China, but in America, it's the year of Channing Tatum. I don't care much for Jonah Hill and now that he's lost weight he's all shaped weird. But this movie was fun. It's nice to see guys as the center of a "teen" movie. These two make a great pair, and if you're looking for something just fun and light, this is it. Worth it.

Lost in Translation
I watched this one for the second time ever this week. And I must admit that being in a foreign country made me appreciate it a little more this time around. There are some great subtleties that pay tribute to this part of the world, as well as what it's like to be here. It's slow and character driven more than plot driven, but if you're looking for something easy and maybe slightly enlightening, check it out. Worth It.

What did you think of these movies? 

What have you seen lately that you would warn against, or suggest?

Cabin In The Woods: Take 2

Ok, so I re-watched Cabin In The Woods. I wasn't going to, but so many people that I respect seemed to like it, and so I thought...maybe I missed something. 

Turns out, I did. 

See...I'm a multi-tasker by nature. Usually when I sit and watch movies, I am also blogging, researching, chatting, and eating...though I probably could have not told you about that last one. My students here in China have downloaded a program on my computer that is basically a search engine for movies. Given that China really has no problems pirating American films, I get to watch a LOT of stuff for free. So on my Chinese computer, I watch movies, and on this one, I do this. But the movies on the Chinese computer aren't always great. Sometimes the subtitles get in the way of the action. Other times they are recorded right from the theater. That was the case with Cabin in the Woods. And since I hated the way it began, I think somewhere in all of that, I tuned out.

But I tuned back in recently and rented it on iTunes and stopped everything to really watch it. And it turns out, I liked it better. I appreciated what they were doing with it. The meta stuff that bothered me before was a little more fun the second time around. In fact, I think it ended up being pretty solid. I especially like the ending where they are discussing the "evil gods" and how the sun will rise in 8 minutes. It stands to reason that maybe they are talking about...us...the audience. I mean, we love horror movies, and 8 minutes after that is spoken, the movie ends...lights come up in the theater. Of course they could be referring to movie producers/studios...yeah...let's go with that. Much more evil. At any rate, this meta part of the movie was kind of fun.

Who is more likely the virgin...come on...

Except for 1 thing...

I would have changed the ending. Spoilers coming now:

So we learn that the death of the "virgin" is optional in a movie, and at the end we are left with the girl who is somewhat innocent and sweet even though we know is not a virgin from the very beginning of the movie. Sigourney Weaver explains this by pointing out that they "work with what they have." And we are left with the guy who is the "fool" the drunk, high, nerd boy who is responsible for comedy relief. So the two are both left and the boy has to die in order to keep the "evil gods" from getting mad and destroying the Earth. The girl's death is optional...because she is the "virgin." The two have a moment where she is about to shoot him, but then she is attacked by a werewolf and there's some struggle and Sigourney Weaver and werewolf end up dying. SO...now we are back to just the two, and again, to save the Earth we think that the boy must die. EXCEPT WHAT IF HE TURNS TO HER WITH THE GUN POINTED AND SAYS, "I'M THE VIRGIN!" Boom. He kills her and the world is saved. Because let's face it, he was a much more believable virgin than the girl who we KNOW has had sex. And yes, I get that they are just icons of the greater "formulas" of horror movies, but if you really wanted to meta it out and then twist it up on its end, I think my ending would have ruled. Instead...they sit there, smoke some pot and wait for the world to end. Where are the convictions of these young horror movie characters these days!

So, Cabin in the Woods...worth a watch. Just don't blame me if you aren't thrilled with the ending. I would have obviously opted for something different. 

Who wants to see the movie with MY ending on it!?

I Got Weekend Fat on Garbage Snack Movies

I watched a lot of "new" movies this week. I'm still finishing Desperate Housewives, but sometimes I need a break. I can only describe a few of these movies in the same vein as this girl describes trying the new Candy Corn Oreos. Garbage Snacks. Which might be my new favorite term EVER.

They fought someone who was trying to destroy something.

The Avengers:
Maybe I'm just late to the game on this, but I was bored. Which made me really disappointed. You guys KNOW how I love Superhero movies! What I learned in this movie was that I love the part of those movies when they are discovering their new powers, but when they already have them, it's kind of boring. Plus...what is Scarlett's power? Whoring around? And has Mark Ruffalo ever lost his temper a day in his life?  Anyway, I hung in there through the whole thing, but I'm not gonna lie, I checked out from time to time, and that's unusual. Feel free to talk me into watching a second time. I would be up for it, if you can convince me.

Strings Attached.

Jane Eyre:
One of the ways I love to connect with people is to watch the same movies. Last week, a friend of mine happened to have this recorded so I decided to watch "with" her, and sure enough the Chinese Internet Gods provided the movie! I've heard about Jane Eyre my entire life, but honestly, I just lumped her into that category of movie that I hate. I can see why Jane Eyre is considered a heroine of sorts. She pushes past a traumatic history and comes out on the other side. Her love runs deep. But this particular movie was hard to buy. The woman playing Jane looks like a child. And Michael Fassbender...does not. It held my interest, and was a pretty straightforward story. It lacks the cleverness of Austen's plots (yes, I just gave her credit), but I can see redeeming qualities. If any of you out there LOVE Jane Eyre, please, send me your explanation/defense of it. I need to be convinced.

What's your favorite meta movie?

The Cabin In The Woods:
Um. Ok. So...a meta "horror" movie. Love the concept. And I think I enjoyed the subtle (sometimes too subtle) shout outs to horror films and film-makers from the past. But....ugh! It's like, didn't Scream already meta the horror movie genre before meta was even a thing? With the exception the two teenage hunks (a Hemsworth brother and Jesse Williams!) the rest of what's good about this movie happens in the lab. The idea that you could manipulate a game-like horror movie, with the entire staff making bets on what will happen and celebrating accordingly is kind of fun. But at some point this movie goes beyond meta, beyond horror, and just gets so far over the top. I feel the same way about this that I felt about Black Swan. SO MUCH POTENTIAL. And yet, the overtness, the beating us over the head with the point kind of made it fall short for me.

A real human being...and a real hero?

Drive:
I have never been so conflicted over a movie before. I watched it twice this week and assigned it to several of my friends to watch so that I could decide whether or not I liked it through talking it out with them. Here's what's up. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan are amazing. Their chemistry is adorable/sexy in this movie. I thought this was going to be a movie about a man who drives a "get away" car, and that's how it starts. Gosling is perfect for that. His face is perfect for holding tension. But where the movie goes is surprising and a little frustrating. At times it felt like it was trying to be True Romance. It felt like it was trying to be 80's. It felt like it was trying. And maybe that's the thing that kept me from loving it. Critics have described it as a movie for hipsters, but who can even know...not like they would admit to liking it. And yet...even with my wavering opinion, I still think you should see it.

Have you seen any of these? What did you think? 

Some Complexities of Hollywood

There's a quote that I love and I recently heard it a few times in one week:

Hollywood is the only place where 

you can die from encouragement.

I heard it the same week I watched a documentary called, The Hollywood Complex, and the drama, My Week With Marilyn. Both are worth watching. 

Stunning.

My Week With Marilyn really attempts to dive into the complex person that Marilyn Monroe really was. With Smash and other mentions of her in pop-culture in the last few years, it's become clear that Monroe was not just the girl with the flying skirt standing over the vent. She loved literature, she was smart, she took her craft seriously, she wanted desperately to be taken seriously. And for every clever comment she had to enthrall the media, she was absent the practical steps to cope with her celebrity.

I happen to love Michelle Williams, even though I find most of her characters painfully tragic. I think she is beautiful and ambitious. I love that her best friend is Busy Phillips and I love that she seems generally respected and even adored in Hollywood. I will always appreciate her from the movie Dick, where she and Kirsten Dunst unwittingly happen upon Watergate. Hysterical. Williams nails the part of Monroe. I actually forgot that I was watching an actress at one point. It's a slow movie, and you must really enjoy drama and story to enjoy it. But it's worth a watch if you have any interest at all in who Monroe really was, and what those around her thought of her, and what Hollywood did to her. Though in this movie we only get a glimpse. It doesn't go into her demise, only gives hints as to how it destroyed her.

Please pick me!

The Hollywood Complex is much more blatant in its handling of what Hollywood does to people. The documentary follows a few families who live at a resort for hopeful child actors. These families come to L.A. during casting season and take classes and network hoping to land even an audition. My mouth hung open during the majority of the movie. I couldn't believe the sacrifice of time and money that these people put into hoping that their child might become one in thousands who are trying to get a small part in even a commercial. The movie also reveals another more substantial sacrifice. That of normalcy, that of family. Many of the kids and mothers live away from their fathers and other family members for over half the year. While it's a fun opportunity for the kids, I can't imagine how it plays into feeling as though they have failed when they are unable to land a gig that will cover the costs of being there. When they hear their parents fight about how long to stay, and when to return home. If you like documentaries, or have ever wondered how people try to get their kids noticed, watch it. 

Melancholia

I can't believe I am even going to attempt to blog about this movie. As I have mentioned before, I often watch the iTunes rental of the week. I've been wanting to see Melancholia, so I was stoked when it showed up as this week's rental. But I was completely unprepared for what followed.

I rarely have a problem putting my feelings into words. I am very expressive and can communicate pretty well when I want to. But this movie...THIS MOVIE. I might have to talk in circles to get my thoughts across. 

Life is only on Earth and not for long.

To be clear, I don't recommend it. For a few reasons. Firstly, because I think you will find it boring. Not that I am so much more enlightened than you, but I do probably have more time than you. Watching movies while stuck on campus this summer in China is not a luxury, it's a way of life. And so if you have one movie hole in your week or month, and you choose this one, I think you will be let down. But if you're up for something a little heavy, a little complex, slow and intense, then go for it! My second reason for not recommending it is because it is so intense. It left me feeling...so drawn into sadness. So so down. Like way down. Like I slept for about 15 hours after watching it. Woke up, watched it again. Cried a little and snapped at a friend in a text message before it expired and I finally forced myself to go for a walk. Heavy stuff. 

The reason I do want you to watch it, is because I really wanna know what you think! I want to know if it affects you, or if you were as impressed with Kirsten Dunst as I was. I have previously written about my dislike for her. That could be changing. Her acting in this movie is perfection. I want you to watch it because I want to know what you would do in the same situation. 

So let me try to explain what it's about. This might contain spoilers. 

I smile and I smile and I smile.

The movie is in 2 parts. 1 named for each sister. But before the movie begins we see about 8 minutes of some scenes that are not really from the movie, but slowed down and sort of reminiscent of the movie, even though we haven't actually seen the movie yet. Got that? These scenes end with an enormous planet crashing into Earth and enveloping it. Then Part 1: Justine begins. It's all about Kirsten Dunst who has just married Alexander Skarsgard. This is the night of their wedding and her sister, Claire played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, and brother-in-law, played by Keifer Sutherland, are throwing her an enormously extravagant and formal reception. As the night goes on we learn that Justine is clearly depressed. She ducks out of the party, takes a bath, takes a nap, and does many other strange things as the night progresses. Part 1 gives us a glimpse into what severe depression can look like in broad brush strokes. It also shows the relationship between the sisters. At some point in the night, Justine sees a red star. The next day when she goes horseback riding with Claire, it's gone. 

Part 2 picks up some time later and Justine's depression has worsened. She is coming to live with Claire, her brother-in-law, and her nephew. Upon her arrival, she can hardly walk, food has no taste, but slowly she improves under the care of Claire. Justine learns that when she saw the red star and then it disappeared, it was because it was eclipsed by a new planet, Melancholia. The planet is said to be heading toward Earth and will do a "fly by." The two planets will have a dance of death, but scientists claim that Earth not be hit. Claire's husband is obsessed with this and excited, but Claire is terrified. As the movie goes on, we see the sisters interact with each other and their emotions in light of what could be the end of the world.

He's forgotten about the magic cave.

I could say so much more. But for fear of ruining a movie that I have not recommended to you, I will just add one more thing. Lons Von Trier made this movie after visiting a therapist for depression. The therapist told him that often people who are depressed are able to handle horrible events in calm ways that people who are emotionally well, cannot. This is a beautiful and breathtaking movie that might have you rolling your eyes, or might move you beyond words. 

Indian Summer

One of my favorite, and maybe one of the most defining movies of my youth is Indian Summer. The movie came out in 1993 and stars the following: Alan Arkin, Kimberly Williams, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Pollak, Sam Raimi, Vincent Spano, and Julie Warner. You might not recognize some of those names but you would recognize their faces. Side note: On Easter 2005, I sat next to Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams at Brentwood Baptist Church outside of Nashville. They are both tiny.

We are not nice people.

Indian Summer is about a group of people who receive invites to come back to a camp they attended as youth. It's 20 years later and their lives are complicated and complacent. They arrive reluctantly and begin to relive their memories at the camp; the good, the bad, and the hilarious. Alan Arkin, the camp director, reveals that his reason for inviting them back is because he can no longer run the camp and has to sell it. They are all devastated at this news, and try to figure out ways to intervene. In the process they have a ton of laughs as well as some moments that remind them of who they used to be and challenge them to change who they are.

I love everything about this movie. I love the title. I love the scenery. I love camp. There are lots of silent moments that end up being very thoughtful or very funny. The dialogue is clever and forwards the story. The acting is great and it's a really sweet story. This movie made me want to be Elizabeth Perkins because she manages to have the funniest one liners in it. She is so cynical and yet a softy at heart. Diane Lane is so lovable in it, and Bill Paxton is hilarious! The movie celebrates all the greatest things about camp: traditions, pranks, and barely running water.

Uncle Lou! You know I hate boxing!

This movie is easily in my top 10, and I could watch it over and over. If you haven't seen it or haven't seen it lately, then watch it!

I Need The Eggs: Thoughts After (Finally) Watching Annie Hall

Annie Hall is one of those movies you hear referenced from the time you are old enough to hear, but you have to go out of your way to actually watch. There's no edited for TV version that plays on repeat during the cold winter months. No one in my life has ever said, "Let's watch Annie Hall tonight!" And so, even though I am well into my 30's...I have never seen this classic. It doesn't help that Woody Allen and Diane Keaton are not on my list of favorite celebrities. I probably could go my entire life without seeing this, but of course Tina Fey intervened. A few weeks ago, I saw a brief interview where Fey mentions Annie Hall as her favorite movie. And so I began to search and found it on sale for $4.99 in iTunes. I bought it. I kind of assumed that if Tina Fey likes it enough to call it her favorite, than I would like it enough to own it. Tonight seems like a great time to watch it. I will return soon with my review.

So I can now say I've seen Annie Hall. Let me just dive right in.

Woody Allen drives me crazy and not in a good way. His voice and nervous gestures do not inspire him as a leading man. Diane Keaton is no better. Her "fashion" has always bothered me, and she awkwardly stutters almost every line she delivers in this movie. How does she manage to avoid eye contact completely? He's a controlling intellectual above current cultural trends. She's a slightly insecure free spirit who embraces the moment. Alvy and Annie are caricatures!

And yet, I totally get why this movie is considered to be a classic.

The format is clever. It was probably one of the first movies of this kind to pull off some of the formatting tricks it attempts. Side bars, narration, bizarre imagined honesty, cartoons, split screen shots. The dialogue is really fast and witty. There is no real glamour in this movie outside of the subtle quips giving tribute to New York and a little to California. It's in the Rom-Com genre, but it's not out and out funny, nor is it overly romantic either. If anything, it tells the story of how we deconstruct, and in some ways, destroy each other. In other words, it's a little depressing.

Spoiler Alert for any of you living even further under a rock than me: Annie and Alvy do not end up together. But that's really not what the movie is about. We've been kind of spoiled and sheltered by movies of the 80's up until the early 2000's. I'm talking about anything John Hughes touched or influenced. The goal in those movies is for the two people to fall in love and live happily ever after. I know people who are disappointed if a movie doesn't conclude with a wedding scene! But that's not real life! Sure, people live happily ever after together, but not everyone fits. And it's disappointing and heartbreaking and makes you think you will never love again. But even with the failed relationships, it can't be denied that love changes you. And that's what this movie is about.

Without Annie Hall, we wouldn't have the following: (500) Days of Summer, Juno, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, When Harry Met Sally, Ally McBeal, French Kiss, You've Got Mail, and The Break Up to name a few. The influence this movie has had on directors, writers, and actors, shows up in most of my favorite things to watch. And for that, I can appreciate Annie Hall.

Have you seen Annie Hall? What did you think?