Tonight was the return of one of my most favorite TV shows – Chuck. I absolutely adore this show. It is just about everything I love all wrapped up into one. In fact I can’t think of anything it’s not.
Showing posts with label brain candy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brain candy. Show all posts
1/10/10
Chuck!
11/30/09
11/28/09 - New Moon
I talked my husband into seeing New Moon with me. Those of you who think I’m a big silly silly for loving the Twilight series as much as I do should probably just skip ahead to tomorrow’s post.
I loved, loved, loved this movie. New Moon is my least favorite book of the series so I didn’t have high hopes for the movie (especially after the debacle that was the first movie), but it was awesome. The new director, Chris Weitz, did an amazing job of staying really close to the book without it feeling like he was going page for page. He even managed to bring in some pieces that were left out of the first movie back into this one to lay down some history.
11/16/09
Confessions, Part Two
I’ve several things which if asked point blank, I would deny outright. Because these are things the little bit of my ego and “cool girl” status just couldn’t take copping to. But here I go. I’m going to cop to them. For all to read about. This, ladies and gentlemen, is Confessions, Part Two.
I loved, loved, loved Def Leppard when I was in middle school and early high school. I knew all the band members’ back stories. I felt a certain “kinship” to the drummer because he was an amputee like my mom. I loved their music and thought they were just about as cool as it gets. Now this particular confession is not deniable because of the band itself, but because I was seriously punk at the same time as this foray into hair band Mecca started. There’s no greater treachery to my punk/Goth/new wave roots than to admit to loving a hair band.
When I was in college I followed wrestling. Not the school sponsored, takes immense skill and strength and is also an Olympic sport wrestling. The guys dressed up in copious amounts of spandex all decked in makeup acting out invented personas of varying degrees of sociopathic nature. My best friend in college, her husband and I used to pay actual money for the pay per view events. We’d plan them for weeks. What we were going to eat, what drinks we were going to have on hand, who we’d invite. I even watched the shows by myself sometimes. Oh, yeah, I was a total geek for Sting, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall (aka The Wolf Pack), Triple H and I’m fairly sure I had a dream once or twice about Goldberg.
Lastly? I am so totally in a dither, over the top, can hardly contain myself excited about New Moon opening on Friday. I won’t get to see it for a couple of weeks, if that, but I still cannot wait. Seriously. Cannot. Wait. I stalk Stephenie Myers’ website. I’ve read the books all the way through 4 times in the last year alone. Oh yeah, I’m a total Twlighter.
There you go. Please don’t hold it against me.
I loved, loved, loved Def Leppard when I was in middle school and early high school. I knew all the band members’ back stories. I felt a certain “kinship” to the drummer because he was an amputee like my mom. I loved their music and thought they were just about as cool as it gets. Now this particular confession is not deniable because of the band itself, but because I was seriously punk at the same time as this foray into hair band Mecca started. There’s no greater treachery to my punk/Goth/new wave roots than to admit to loving a hair band.
When I was in college I followed wrestling. Not the school sponsored, takes immense skill and strength and is also an Olympic sport wrestling. The guys dressed up in copious amounts of spandex all decked in makeup acting out invented personas of varying degrees of sociopathic nature. My best friend in college, her husband and I used to pay actual money for the pay per view events. We’d plan them for weeks. What we were going to eat, what drinks we were going to have on hand, who we’d invite. I even watched the shows by myself sometimes. Oh, yeah, I was a total geek for Sting, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall (aka The Wolf Pack), Triple H and I’m fairly sure I had a dream once or twice about Goldberg.
Lastly? I am so totally in a dither, over the top, can hardly contain myself excited about New Moon opening on Friday. I won’t get to see it for a couple of weeks, if that, but I still cannot wait. Seriously. Cannot. Wait. I stalk Stephenie Myers’ website. I’ve read the books all the way through 4 times in the last year alone. Oh yeah, I’m a total Twlighter.
There you go. Please don’t hold it against me.
11/15/09
Bring it!
It’s Sunday. And Sunday means football. And can I just say, first of all, that I am tired of getting my ass kicked in my fantasy league. For three weeks in a row, I’ve been the one projected to win all my matchups and for three weeks in a row, I’ve gotten my ass handed to me. As the reigning two time champion of this league I am more than just a little irritated to have a losing record going into the last quarter of the season.
Also? What the hell does Faith Hill have to do with NFL football? I don’t get her singing the Sunday Night Football song.
And tonight it’s the matchup of all matchups for my team. It’s Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Peyton has been my boy for years. I loved him before I even knew much about the Colts. But now the whole team is MY team. They are just a bunch of guys who love to play the game of football and they play their hearts out every single week. They work hard, they study hard and they play even harder. Dallas Clark is hands down the best tight end in the league. Reggie Wayne is a fly beneath the radar amazing wide receiver the likes of which you just don’t see often. The defensive line is brilliance in a gigantor package. They are just a really fun team to watch, especially when they are in a grudge match game like this one.
I’ve already made plain my feelings towards Tom Brady. He’s a pompous ass who struts around the football field like he’s king instead of the egotistical Neanderthal that he is. And I don’t think much about the Patriots in general. They are the Yankees of football. Which is to say they buy their team instead of nurturing and creating one. They’re in it to win it instead of playing for the love of the game. And it’s just hard for me to respect that all that much.
So I’ll be yelling from the couch tonight and hoping like hell that Peyton teaches Brady a lesson or two about how to play football like a gentleman.
Also? What the hell does Faith Hill have to do with NFL football? I don’t get her singing the Sunday Night Football song.
And tonight it’s the matchup of all matchups for my team. It’s Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Peyton has been my boy for years. I loved him before I even knew much about the Colts. But now the whole team is MY team. They are just a bunch of guys who love to play the game of football and they play their hearts out every single week. They work hard, they study hard and they play even harder. Dallas Clark is hands down the best tight end in the league. Reggie Wayne is a fly beneath the radar amazing wide receiver the likes of which you just don’t see often. The defensive line is brilliance in a gigantor package. They are just a really fun team to watch, especially when they are in a grudge match game like this one.
I’ve already made plain my feelings towards Tom Brady. He’s a pompous ass who struts around the football field like he’s king instead of the egotistical Neanderthal that he is. And I don’t think much about the Patriots in general. They are the Yankees of football. Which is to say they buy their team instead of nurturing and creating one. They’re in it to win it instead of playing for the love of the game. And it’s just hard for me to respect that all that much.
So I’ll be yelling from the couch tonight and hoping like hell that Peyton teaches Brady a lesson or two about how to play football like a gentleman.
10/22/09
The Symptoms of Brain Death
I am exhausted. And apparently also brain dead. Because I’ve sat down to write at least a dozen times today and I’ve come up with nothing. So you’re all going to be graced with my powers of stream of consciousness writing today because I got nothing else at the moment. Feel free to stop reading and just come back tomorrow. I wouldn’t blame you really. (How I know when I’m really brain dead? When I’m writing my blog posts and have to stop myself from putting little smileys or winking smileys at the end of my sentences. That’s just bad.)
I got to have coffee with my dearest L this morning. I don’t get to hang out with her nearly as much as I’d like so I always savor the coffee dates we try to pull off every few weeks or so. She gets me on a level that only a handful of girl friends ever have so it’s always a gift to share space with her (plus we went to this super cool little coffee house around the corner from the preschool our little girls go to and the barista drew a pumpkin in the foam of my latte, how cool is that?!?).
Thursday nights are my chick show nights. I don’t even see my husband for the most part of Thursday nights. It’s Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice and Project Runway. Shows that I’ve watched since their inception. And the newcomer this year, which I am totally embarrassed to admit to watching but I’ve already copped to Dawson’s Creek so why not, The Vampire Diaries. It’s teenage angst ridden drivel, but what can I say, I’m a sucker (pun unintended). So I am curled up on the couch under blankies, wishing my sore throat away, hoping that I wake up in the morning feeling just a little bit better than I do today.
We have The Boy’s first real parent/teach conference tomorrow morning. I’m excited for the chance to talk to his teacher and really see how he’s doing in her opinion. Because in my opinion he’s doing great. He’s doing over the top fantastic and he’s also growing up entirely too fast.
I got to have coffee with my dearest L this morning. I don’t get to hang out with her nearly as much as I’d like so I always savor the coffee dates we try to pull off every few weeks or so. She gets me on a level that only a handful of girl friends ever have so it’s always a gift to share space with her (plus we went to this super cool little coffee house around the corner from the preschool our little girls go to and the barista drew a pumpkin in the foam of my latte, how cool is that?!?).
Thursday nights are my chick show nights. I don’t even see my husband for the most part of Thursday nights. It’s Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice and Project Runway. Shows that I’ve watched since their inception. And the newcomer this year, which I am totally embarrassed to admit to watching but I’ve already copped to Dawson’s Creek so why not, The Vampire Diaries. It’s teenage angst ridden drivel, but what can I say, I’m a sucker (pun unintended). So I am curled up on the couch under blankies, wishing my sore throat away, hoping that I wake up in the morning feeling just a little bit better than I do today.
We have The Boy’s first real parent/teach conference tomorrow morning. I’m excited for the chance to talk to his teacher and really see how he’s doing in her opinion. Because in my opinion he’s doing great. He’s doing over the top fantastic and he’s also growing up entirely too fast.
10/14/09
Liking what I Like
The people in my life are extraordinary. Some are extraordinary writers; some are extraordinary artists and/or actors. Some are extraordinarily compassionate and open-hearted. Every single one of them is an extraordinary thinker in one way or another. And I’ve spent most of my life just trying to keep up with them.
I’ve spent time trying to keep up with them by rebelling against them of course. By rejecting their favorite authors or directors, artists or schools of thought. Thinking perhaps that if I could shoot down these chosen masters that perhaps even though we disagreed I’d still be at their level.
I’ve also spent time devoting myself to being an utter cultural snob. Only choosing the artsy movies, the indie bands, the out of mainstream books, the underground thinkers. Attempting to elevate myself above the common trends by only exposing myself to the best.
Over the years however I’ve pretty much just accepted that most of the people around me are just flat smarter than I am. And that’s totally cool. I mean first of all, they choose to hang out with me even though they’re smarter and they constantly challenge me and I think that rocks. But I’ve also had to strike a kind of balance between the challenge and just what I like.
And much to their dismay, I really like things like Dan Brown’s books, beat ‘em up blow ‘em up movies, Dawson’s Creek, tomato beers and queso dip made with Velveeta. I could totally overanalyze myself and trace back their etymology to some childhood event or how they may be tied to a very special memory thereby forever tying them to my internal list of favorites. But at the end of the day, I just like what I like. And I’m cool with that. I don’t really care anymore that I look at a piece of modern art and think that The Boy could do it better. I don’t mind when friends laugh at me for getting emotionally invested with teenage TV characters embroiled in overwrought angst.
They love me anyway and that’s just how I roll. I’ll take their challenge any day just as soon as I’m done watching X-Men.
I’ve spent time trying to keep up with them by rebelling against them of course. By rejecting their favorite authors or directors, artists or schools of thought. Thinking perhaps that if I could shoot down these chosen masters that perhaps even though we disagreed I’d still be at their level.
I’ve also spent time devoting myself to being an utter cultural snob. Only choosing the artsy movies, the indie bands, the out of mainstream books, the underground thinkers. Attempting to elevate myself above the common trends by only exposing myself to the best.
Over the years however I’ve pretty much just accepted that most of the people around me are just flat smarter than I am. And that’s totally cool. I mean first of all, they choose to hang out with me even though they’re smarter and they constantly challenge me and I think that rocks. But I’ve also had to strike a kind of balance between the challenge and just what I like.
And much to their dismay, I really like things like Dan Brown’s books, beat ‘em up blow ‘em up movies, Dawson’s Creek, tomato beers and queso dip made with Velveeta. I could totally overanalyze myself and trace back their etymology to some childhood event or how they may be tied to a very special memory thereby forever tying them to my internal list of favorites. But at the end of the day, I just like what I like. And I’m cool with that. I don’t really care anymore that I look at a piece of modern art and think that The Boy could do it better. I don’t mind when friends laugh at me for getting emotionally invested with teenage TV characters embroiled in overwrought angst.
They love me anyway and that’s just how I roll. I’ll take their challenge any day just as soon as I’m done watching X-Men.
10/13/09
Dan Brown in a Day
Man do I love Dan Brown. He has a new book out that is the next story in the Robert Langdon saga. And I gotta say that this character must have some serious karma to repay. He must have hit some sort of karmic wall that triggered an immediate repayment order. He went through his whole life without much happening to him and then all of a sudden every couple of years he gets involved in the middle of some maniac’s plan to prove some mystical artifact as fact in an effort to change all of humanity for better or for worse. Robert Langdon seriously keeps getting the shit end of the stick man and he totally deserves an extended vacation to one of those super fancy resorts in Fiji where you get your own private hut out in the middle of the ocean where the floor is made of glass and you can spend hours watching fish swim underfoot while you sip a fancy umbrella drink.
But even though I feel for the guy, it makes for some awesome brain candy reading. I started this book about an hour before I went to bed last night and am almost finished with it tonight.
This book really takes you into a much more mystical realm than his previous two. I mean they all deal with legends rooted in mysticism and religion but this one takes that to a whole different level. And while it is an enthralling story, it feels a bit rushed. Both Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code were just as informational as they were engaging and this one feels like it skips a lot of those opportunities to teach for just moving forward. Which makes me a little sad because those insights into ancient symbology and history were some of my favorite parts of his writing. I’m a total sucker for a conspiracy theory that has just enough evidence behind it to make you wonder. And he brings those in spades with his storytelling.
But his books always make me wish I read more slowly. So I could savor them a bit more instead of plowing through them in a day.
But even though I feel for the guy, it makes for some awesome brain candy reading. I started this book about an hour before I went to bed last night and am almost finished with it tonight.
This book really takes you into a much more mystical realm than his previous two. I mean they all deal with legends rooted in mysticism and religion but this one takes that to a whole different level. And while it is an enthralling story, it feels a bit rushed. Both Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code were just as informational as they were engaging and this one feels like it skips a lot of those opportunities to teach for just moving forward. Which makes me a little sad because those insights into ancient symbology and history were some of my favorite parts of his writing. I’m a total sucker for a conspiracy theory that has just enough evidence behind it to make you wonder. And he brings those in spades with his storytelling.
But his books always make me wish I read more slowly. So I could savor them a bit more instead of plowing through them in a day.
10/12/09 - Day 'o Star Wars
What to do on a day when my husband has the day off, the children are with my parents and I am still feeling crappy? How about lie on the couch all day and have a massive Star Wars marathon? Yes, please.
We meant to just hang out, enjoy the quiet, delve deeper into the first season of Six Feet Under and maybe watch a movie. Instead, we happened upon one cable channel doing a mammoth Star Wars marathon and got totally sucked in. After watching Episodes 2 and 3 on TV, I pulled out our DVD’s and we watched the last three blissfully without commercials.
The Boy is sort of on the Star Wars bubble. I mean he’s totally into Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated series that started last year. We have a Friday night ritual of making dinner and then sitting down to watch Clone Wars while we eat. So he knows that particular set of character thoroughly, which is pretty cool because he gets an expanded view on characters that we mostly only got to hypothesize about unless you picked up the books, which I did not. He gets to know more of the individual Jedi; their personalities and traits. Which is actually probably my favorite part of the series. But we’ve set him down a couple of times to watch the original Star Wars movies and he gets intermittently bored. There is quite a bit of dialogue and not that many super cool, engaging for a 6 year old boy light saber fights. Even Episodes 1-3 have more action in them than the original three.
So I get it. But it was awfully fun to sit back and watch the originals. Took me right back to my childhood and the initial awe I felt at watching this whole new world unfold before my eyes. Wanting to get more into the mythology of Star Wars but not having the faintest clue as to where to start as none of my friends were quite as intrigued as I was.
It will be with great pleasure to take The Boy and guide him backwards towards the beginning of the Star Wars universe.
We meant to just hang out, enjoy the quiet, delve deeper into the first season of Six Feet Under and maybe watch a movie. Instead, we happened upon one cable channel doing a mammoth Star Wars marathon and got totally sucked in. After watching Episodes 2 and 3 on TV, I pulled out our DVD’s and we watched the last three blissfully without commercials.
The Boy is sort of on the Star Wars bubble. I mean he’s totally into Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated series that started last year. We have a Friday night ritual of making dinner and then sitting down to watch Clone Wars while we eat. So he knows that particular set of character thoroughly, which is pretty cool because he gets an expanded view on characters that we mostly only got to hypothesize about unless you picked up the books, which I did not. He gets to know more of the individual Jedi; their personalities and traits. Which is actually probably my favorite part of the series. But we’ve set him down a couple of times to watch the original Star Wars movies and he gets intermittently bored. There is quite a bit of dialogue and not that many super cool, engaging for a 6 year old boy light saber fights. Even Episodes 1-3 have more action in them than the original three.
So I get it. But it was awfully fun to sit back and watch the originals. Took me right back to my childhood and the initial awe I felt at watching this whole new world unfold before my eyes. Wanting to get more into the mythology of Star Wars but not having the faintest clue as to where to start as none of my friends were quite as intrigued as I was.
It will be with great pleasure to take The Boy and guide him backwards towards the beginning of the Star Wars universe.
9/24/09
Premier Week
It’s premier week. And that makes me pretty darn happy. It’s sort of like starting a new book full of your favorite characters (speaking of favorite characters in books, Dan Brown has a new Robert Langdon book that I’m totally stoked about). There were a couple of new shows that I got totally addicted to last season, so I’m especially looking forward to their return.
Sons of Anarchy started last week. Going into its second year, it’s far and away the one I was most looking forward to. Which probably seems weird. I mean, it’s a show about an old school motorcycle gang that is violent and illegal and mean. They do awful things to people and those things inspire other people to do even more awful things back to them. But the writing is brilliant. The characters are utterly intriguing and I’ve always had a soft spot for bad boys. Plus Charlie Hunam is hot, I love Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman is just fun to watch.
Also? There’s Castle. I could watch Nathan Fillion fix a light bulb and call it perfect TV. I just flat love the guy and he can do no wrong in my eyes. Which is a good thing because this show is not really all that good. His co-star, Stana Katic, is sorta funny and smart, but pretty much the whole show revolves around (and works because of) Nathan Fillion. And even though I’d much rather watch his talents be utilized in a way that is much more befitting of his talent, I’ll take what I can get.
Then of course there are the returning favorites, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Bones, House, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory and Numbers as well as a few others (that I would also name but I just noticed how long the list is and I’m suddenly very self-conscious).
And Chuck and LOST will be back after the beginning of the year.
There are a few new ones this year as well, although none that I’ve been impressed with enough to really give that much thought to so far.
Time to put the Netflix account on hold again.
Sons of Anarchy started last week. Going into its second year, it’s far and away the one I was most looking forward to. Which probably seems weird. I mean, it’s a show about an old school motorcycle gang that is violent and illegal and mean. They do awful things to people and those things inspire other people to do even more awful things back to them. But the writing is brilliant. The characters are utterly intriguing and I’ve always had a soft spot for bad boys. Plus Charlie Hunam is hot, I love Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman is just fun to watch.
Also? There’s Castle. I could watch Nathan Fillion fix a light bulb and call it perfect TV. I just flat love the guy and he can do no wrong in my eyes. Which is a good thing because this show is not really all that good. His co-star, Stana Katic, is sorta funny and smart, but pretty much the whole show revolves around (and works because of) Nathan Fillion. And even though I’d much rather watch his talents be utilized in a way that is much more befitting of his talent, I’ll take what I can get.
Then of course there are the returning favorites, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Bones, House, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory and Numbers as well as a few others (that I would also name but I just noticed how long the list is and I’m suddenly very self-conscious).
And Chuck and LOST will be back after the beginning of the year.
There are a few new ones this year as well, although none that I’ve been impressed with enough to really give that much thought to so far.
Time to put the Netflix account on hold again.
7/27/09
Deadwood
So here’s the downside to getting so invested in silly TV shows. You spend entire afternoons allowing yourself to get completely sucked into some show concocted by someone much funnier/wittier/smarter and a much better writer than I could ever be. I spend all of this time getting to know these characters within the context of the world that has been created. Speculating on who is the bad guy and who is the good guy. And then out of the blue, some mealy-mouthed punk walks up behind Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood and shoots him right in the head. One of the best gunslingers in the history of the Wild West gets gunned down by an idiot out of the blue for no good reason. And I sit on the couch waiting for it to be some sort of cowboy stunt to get this prick out of Wild Bill’s way as the realization dawns that there is so no such thing in this time period. And then I’m yelling at the TV on the verge of tears because one of my most favorite characters is now gone forever. And it’s only the fourth flipping episode!
I’m a reasonably intelligent woman who has a well documented my love of brain candy TV, but seriously. I was screaming at the TV begging it to not be true. Hoping that Montana (Bullock) finds this dipshit and guns him down in the street. And yes, I’m aware that if you don’t watch Deadwood, that you have no idea what I’m ranting on about this time. But bear with me. Because tomorrow is my last day of staycation and then I promise that I will plug the holes in my Swiss cheese brain with things like getting The Boy ready to start first grade and getting back to the pro bono projects I started and grocery shopping and coming up with a plan to save us from financial ruin.
But for today and tomorrow, the only soapbox I want, the only item on my to-do list, is to be simultaneously enraged and saddened by the sudden death of this character on this show that I’ve only just discovered and now adore.
I’m a reasonably intelligent woman who has a well documented my love of brain candy TV, but seriously. I was screaming at the TV begging it to not be true. Hoping that Montana (Bullock) finds this dipshit and guns him down in the street. And yes, I’m aware that if you don’t watch Deadwood, that you have no idea what I’m ranting on about this time. But bear with me. Because tomorrow is my last day of staycation and then I promise that I will plug the holes in my Swiss cheese brain with things like getting The Boy ready to start first grade and getting back to the pro bono projects I started and grocery shopping and coming up with a plan to save us from financial ruin.
But for today and tomorrow, the only soapbox I want, the only item on my to-do list, is to be simultaneously enraged and saddened by the sudden death of this character on this show that I’ve only just discovered and now adore.
7/19/09
The Half Blood Prince
I finally got to see Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince today. I was so excited to see it. The past several movies have been so good that I had every reason to believe that this one would be as well.
After having re-read the book just a couple of weeks ago, I had some questions about how they were going to fit it all in. This book more than all the others, except maybe the last one, has the most history and the pivotal pieces of information. There is a tremendous amount going on in this book. And I knew that it wouldn’t all make the cut, but I was worried about some of the choices they might or might not make.
And as it turns out, I had every reason to be worried.
It’s not a bad movie, don’t get me wrong. But I really disagree with a good many of those choices. Such as making up an entire scene which did nothing to move the plot forward (I think they just needed to make sure the special effects people were earning their keep) and then cutting out several other scenes that are vital to the story. I mean they cut out the hugely gigantic fight scene at the end. They cut out entire characters. They cut out huge pieces of history that are important to understanding the quest that Harry must now undertake.
The only thing I can hope for is that in organizing the last three movies (because they are splitting the last book into two movies you know) that they rearranged some of the plot points to make the movies flow better. I’m hoping against hope that that is their reasoning, because otherwise I’m not entirely sure how they got JK Rowling to sign off on this movie.
It just makes me sad I think, more than anything else. And disappointed. Except for a few scenes here and there, it just really didn’t feel like the actors had their hearts in this movie. And I guess that’s the crux of my response to this movie. In an effort to consolidate a gigantically huge story, they cut out its heart.
After having re-read the book just a couple of weeks ago, I had some questions about how they were going to fit it all in. This book more than all the others, except maybe the last one, has the most history and the pivotal pieces of information. There is a tremendous amount going on in this book. And I knew that it wouldn’t all make the cut, but I was worried about some of the choices they might or might not make.
And as it turns out, I had every reason to be worried.
It’s not a bad movie, don’t get me wrong. But I really disagree with a good many of those choices. Such as making up an entire scene which did nothing to move the plot forward (I think they just needed to make sure the special effects people were earning their keep) and then cutting out several other scenes that are vital to the story. I mean they cut out the hugely gigantic fight scene at the end. They cut out entire characters. They cut out huge pieces of history that are important to understanding the quest that Harry must now undertake.
The only thing I can hope for is that in organizing the last three movies (because they are splitting the last book into two movies you know) that they rearranged some of the plot points to make the movies flow better. I’m hoping against hope that that is their reasoning, because otherwise I’m not entirely sure how they got JK Rowling to sign off on this movie.
It just makes me sad I think, more than anything else. And disappointed. Except for a few scenes here and there, it just really didn’t feel like the actors had their hearts in this movie. And I guess that’s the crux of my response to this movie. In an effort to consolidate a gigantically huge story, they cut out its heart.
6/26/09
Into the Wild
My mom and I watched Into the Wild tonight. It’s a movie that I’ve wanted to see for quite a while and just never really got around to. It’s not really up my husband’s alley as the only guns it has are being used to shoot game, not bad guys, and there are exactly zero car chases. And to be honest when I do have time to watch movies, especially as of late, what I really want to watch is brain candy. The shoot ‘em up, blow ‘em up variety is best; this particular non-brain candy movie got pushed further and further down my queue mostly because of its tear inducing nature. I’ve got enough tear inducing in my daily life lately, so I’m not really down with choosing to cry on purpose.
But I’m really, really glad that I finally watched it. Because even though it’s sad and tragic and most definitely tear inducing, it’s also beautiful and brave and incredibly romantic. I love that it was directed by Sean Penn, he of the “movies are for serious statements, if I wanted to have fun I’d go score an 8 ball and a hooker,” (this is an almost exact quote from him from his Inside the Actor’s Studio interview). He who doesn’t smile when being awarded another Oscar or being lauded for anything for that matter. This movie, his vision and statement, through this movie is one of such hope, joy and love for his fellow human beings that I worry for his profound sense of chagrin and cynicism.
Ok, not really, but you know what I mean.
Between this movie and Milk, I do believe there is hope for Sean Penn yet.
And Emile Hirsch is just gorgeous in this film. He has a way of being in his own skin that is just lovely to watch. His character just embodies catharsis in this movie. For himself and everyone around him; he is a force to be sure.
It’s an amazing journey that gave me a chance to watch someone else walk their own path for a couple of hours. And right now, that is exactly the kind of brain candy I need.
But I’m really, really glad that I finally watched it. Because even though it’s sad and tragic and most definitely tear inducing, it’s also beautiful and brave and incredibly romantic. I love that it was directed by Sean Penn, he of the “movies are for serious statements, if I wanted to have fun I’d go score an 8 ball and a hooker,” (this is an almost exact quote from him from his Inside the Actor’s Studio interview). He who doesn’t smile when being awarded another Oscar or being lauded for anything for that matter. This movie, his vision and statement, through this movie is one of such hope, joy and love for his fellow human beings that I worry for his profound sense of chagrin and cynicism.
Ok, not really, but you know what I mean.
Between this movie and Milk, I do believe there is hope for Sean Penn yet.
And Emile Hirsch is just gorgeous in this film. He has a way of being in his own skin that is just lovely to watch. His character just embodies catharsis in this movie. For himself and everyone around him; he is a force to be sure.
It’s an amazing journey that gave me a chance to watch someone else walk their own path for a couple of hours. And right now, that is exactly the kind of brain candy I need.
6/6/09
True Blood
I have a new TV obsession. As if I needed yet another show to get totally into and anticipate every week. There is a slight problem (or bonus depending on how you look at it) with this one though. It’s an HBO show, which is a channel we don’t get.
I initially decided to give this show a shot because I remembered an interview I heard with its creator and writer (Alan Ball) on NPR, who also created and wrote Six Feet Under which I was able to grab snippets of here and there and always loved. Plus the interview with him stuck with me because he was just so cool. So now that the entire first season of his new show, True Blood, is out on DVD, I decided to give it a try. I needed some brain candy and I have a love for all things vampire, so why not, right?
I truly was not expecting anything other than amusement. Perhaps some clever writing, because it’s Alan Ball. But not anything that would really grip me. And I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I love it! It is easily the best thing I’ve seen Anna Pacquin do since The Piano. Her character is strong and willful, which stands in such sharp contrast to so many of the roles she’s played of late. The ancillary characters are probably the best so far; they are funny, clever and so completely full of the broadest spectrum of life. And there is some shock value (at least to my suburban living, out of practice eyes) in the truly explicit sex scenes. Holy cow…My mom is coming into town for our birthdays (hers is tomorrow and mine is Monday, yeah you can count on a “growing up with a birthday the day after your mother’s” post in the VERY near future) and this will NOT be a show that I watch with her. Holy uncomfortable scenario Batman…
Anyway, I’m far from a TV critic, I just thought I’d share some thoughts on a new distraction that I’ve found. It’s good stuff, you should check it out if you have some free time you’d like to devote to brain candy.
I initially decided to give this show a shot because I remembered an interview I heard with its creator and writer (Alan Ball) on NPR, who also created and wrote Six Feet Under which I was able to grab snippets of here and there and always loved. Plus the interview with him stuck with me because he was just so cool. So now that the entire first season of his new show, True Blood, is out on DVD, I decided to give it a try. I needed some brain candy and I have a love for all things vampire, so why not, right?
I truly was not expecting anything other than amusement. Perhaps some clever writing, because it’s Alan Ball. But not anything that would really grip me. And I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I love it! It is easily the best thing I’ve seen Anna Pacquin do since The Piano. Her character is strong and willful, which stands in such sharp contrast to so many of the roles she’s played of late. The ancillary characters are probably the best so far; they are funny, clever and so completely full of the broadest spectrum of life. And there is some shock value (at least to my suburban living, out of practice eyes) in the truly explicit sex scenes. Holy cow…My mom is coming into town for our birthdays (hers is tomorrow and mine is Monday, yeah you can count on a “growing up with a birthday the day after your mother’s” post in the VERY near future) and this will NOT be a show that I watch with her. Holy uncomfortable scenario Batman…
Anyway, I’m far from a TV critic, I just thought I’d share some thoughts on a new distraction that I’ve found. It’s good stuff, you should check it out if you have some free time you’d like to devote to brain candy.
5/13/09
LOST
I have documented the extent of my TV addiction on here before. It’s my brain candy time. It’s my fantasy, fun time. But what I’ve never really said (that I can remember anyway, things are starting to fall through the cracks of my memory) is that there are only really a few shows that I get so into that I look forward to them every week. That I get emotionally involved with the characters. That end up becoming more than just brain candy and wind up becoming leading members in my own personal pop culture.
LOST is one of those shows. And jiminy fucking Christmas did they do the cliff hanger to end all cliff hangers on the season finale tonight! Truth be told, I almost gave up on LOST last season. It got boring and there no longer seemed to be any point to the mythology. The questions were getting asked simply for the sake of asking them not because there was ever going to be any answers of consequence. Well this season it really kicked back into gear and it’s been ohmygod good. And now the season finale that had me cheering and crying and laughing and crying. And I have to wait until next YEAR (yes that says year, as in 2010) to find out what’s going to happen. Which will, in and of itself, be bittersweet. Because next season will be the last season. They announced two years ago that the series would be finite, with a very foreseeable end in sight. And to be honest, I haven’t really cared that much about the series ending until tonight.
Tonight’s episode was a perfect example of why I got so hooked on this show to begin with. I even found myself not cussing out Kate every other thought. I actually found myself sort of rooting for Jack. It was just a brilliant episode. Totally kept my brain engaged and my butt on the edge of its seat. This was an episode that made me want to jump into the crazy LOST fan sites and research and nurture theories to post on those crazy fan sites.
Oh yeah, it’s just that damn good.
LOST is one of those shows. And jiminy fucking Christmas did they do the cliff hanger to end all cliff hangers on the season finale tonight! Truth be told, I almost gave up on LOST last season. It got boring and there no longer seemed to be any point to the mythology. The questions were getting asked simply for the sake of asking them not because there was ever going to be any answers of consequence. Well this season it really kicked back into gear and it’s been ohmygod good. And now the season finale that had me cheering and crying and laughing and crying. And I have to wait until next YEAR (yes that says year, as in 2010) to find out what’s going to happen. Which will, in and of itself, be bittersweet. Because next season will be the last season. They announced two years ago that the series would be finite, with a very foreseeable end in sight. And to be honest, I haven’t really cared that much about the series ending until tonight.
Tonight’s episode was a perfect example of why I got so hooked on this show to begin with. I even found myself not cussing out Kate every other thought. I actually found myself sort of rooting for Jack. It was just a brilliant episode. Totally kept my brain engaged and my butt on the edge of its seat. This was an episode that made me want to jump into the crazy LOST fan sites and research and nurture theories to post on those crazy fan sites.
Oh yeah, it’s just that damn good.
2/24/09
Brain Candy
I am a big fan of brain candy. It feels like my brain is going all the time. From the time I get up until long after I should be sound asleep. Running with ideas for what to write about, running with plans for the future, running with stuff I should do with the kiddos, running with daily to-do’s that need to get done. Running, running, all the time running.
So I’m a big fan of brain candy. Stuff that I can do or watch or read that just lets my brain run without me needing to pay attention to it all the time. I have a weekly TV lineup that I watch religiously. I’m reading The Watchmen right now, because I love superheroes and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about (and by the way, the fuss is really deserved). I love to go have cocktails with girlfriends. And there’s Facebook. I’ve been hopelessly sucked into a couple of applications that I’ve spent enough time on that I’m sure my friends who see me on there all the time must think the worst of me.
One Christmas break, my college roommate and I got completely obsessed with this video game at Dave & Buster’s in Denver. We spent entirely too much time and an obscene amount of money there trying to beat it. And because we’re both over-achievers at heart, we beat that sucker so bad it was calling for its mommy.
The Boy is totally into Webkinz and for a while I got just as into it as he was. We’d spend time while The Girl was napping looking up new animal releases and plotting ways to find them first. We spent countless hours on there playing games and “tending” to our pets.
And I’ve already detailed my love for action movies. Which would probably account for why I only saw one of the Oscar nominated movies this year even though I want to see them all.
As I get closer to my mid-30’s, I have to keep giving myself permission to play. Permission to be a kid with my kids. Permission to check out every once in a while.
So I’m a big fan of brain candy. Stuff that I can do or watch or read that just lets my brain run without me needing to pay attention to it all the time. I have a weekly TV lineup that I watch religiously. I’m reading The Watchmen right now, because I love superheroes and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about (and by the way, the fuss is really deserved). I love to go have cocktails with girlfriends. And there’s Facebook. I’ve been hopelessly sucked into a couple of applications that I’ve spent enough time on that I’m sure my friends who see me on there all the time must think the worst of me.
One Christmas break, my college roommate and I got completely obsessed with this video game at Dave & Buster’s in Denver. We spent entirely too much time and an obscene amount of money there trying to beat it. And because we’re both over-achievers at heart, we beat that sucker so bad it was calling for its mommy.
The Boy is totally into Webkinz and for a while I got just as into it as he was. We’d spend time while The Girl was napping looking up new animal releases and plotting ways to find them first. We spent countless hours on there playing games and “tending” to our pets.
And I’ve already detailed my love for action movies. Which would probably account for why I only saw one of the Oscar nominated movies this year even though I want to see them all.
As I get closer to my mid-30’s, I have to keep giving myself permission to play. Permission to be a kid with my kids. Permission to check out every once in a while.