Monday, June 15, 2009

Just Guess

Saw Away We Go again. Glorious. I think I liked it better than the first time. And also, the thing I said about Krasinski falling out of character when he's not the quirkiest in the room... well... MAYBE it wasn't a mistake. MAYBE it was to show that Burt's very loose and light-hearted around Verona, who he loves, but when he's with crazy people, you can see that he is quite grounded. I'm going to assume that that's what it is. Also, and I don't think this gives anything away at all, but it's just nice that they don't make the story about the two characters being together at all. You know that they are in love, and not in the lusty, temporary way, but they make it clear that ... at no point should you even question them... because that's not what the story is about. It's really just two halves of a main character and that's so nice because all these other movies make it seem like if there is any drama at all, it's going to at least involve the person you love or don't love or something. I feel like people aren't usually in it together in movies. But this is about their lives together... no drama with their relationship. And they both love that baby. No drama there either. No one is panicked in a like... abandoning type of way. That's REALLY special. And...
DON'T LOOK RIGHT BELOW HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A SPOILER!!!
It's really beautiful that they didn't even make them get married at the end... and they didn't even need to SHOW having the baby at the end because that wasn't what the movie was about. Perfect ending. 

Sorry but all I have to discuss today are more movies... mostly because I don't do anything else. Although I did buy a scrapbook online and tonight I will HOPEFULLY start a new painting. Although I think I only have a HUUUUGE canvas, so we'll see. Also, Cayla's cupcake and champagne cocktail 21st birthday party is tomorrow, which I was aware of and excited about, but then I remembered that we have to wear a dress. And now I have anxiety as I only have 7 shirts and certainly no dresses. In fact, the shirts in question are not even clean. And I'm wearing boxers. 

Blythe's conscience: Blythe, why, if you do nothing all day, have you still not done your laundry?
Blythe: ummm... I....
Blythe's conscience: Are you even going to TRY to get a job anymore?
Blythe: Well... I mean...
Blythe's conscience: It's almost the middle of June.
Blythe turns on itunes.

(Loosely based on several real conversations that I've had, ALOUD, with myself.)

Weeds: I know I already endorsed it, but AMAZING. Although, now I wonder whether shows like Grey's Anatomy ARE actually great and I just never watched them. Although I KNOW that I don't like Ugly Betty. Regardless, netflix allowed me to watch season 1 and 2 online, but I have to GET season 3 and 4. But I CAN watch season 5 as it comes on. Tricky tricky. I can't decide if it's nice because at least I get to watch season 1 and 2 while I'm waiting for season 3 (although I've obviously finished 1 and 2 and disk ONE is still not here for season 3... so mission failed... but still...) or if it's mean because they got me hooked and now I HAVE to get season 3 and 4. It seems more logical to be the latter, but I'm going to believe it's the former because netflix is a little bit my most loyal and favorite companion. 

The other day at 4am I was on netflix, browsing Robert Downey Jr. movies because netflix knows that I love him (they also regularly give me a list of Diane Keaton movies... because they KNOW), and I saw that the ratings were gone from the sides of the movies. I PANICKED! for like... a good 3 minutes before I realized that they were probably updating their site, because they definitely wouldn't take away the rating system. So I just picked a random Robert Downey Jr. movie and started watching it (Johnny Be Good)... but it was so terrible that I couldn't get past 10 minutes, so I went back to the site... and low, the ratings were back and they told me I would hate it. And that's why I'm addicted! I need to know what netflix thinks a la how Hugh Grant feels about Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice. "I was capable of making all kinds of decisions until you showed up. Now I can't. I need to know what you think!" (I tried to find the exact quote for like... 15 minutes. But it turns out, it's difficult to find a largely unmemorable quote from a largely unmemorable movie. I even tried to find the my copy to watch the part, but I loaned it to Caroline. AND I tried to look online for a free version but no such luck. Damn. The paraphrasing must suffice. (THIS IS WHAT I DO ALL DAY!!))

AAAANYWAY!!!
I watched Groundhog Day for perhaps the ... 3rd time? I LOVE that movie and honestly believe it could be defended to the death... and NOT because I'm nostalgic for early 90s movies. I just love when movies cover all the things that someone would realistically do in that situation. That's partly why The Time Traveler's Wife is so good. Because he TELLS people! That's what I would do. And he goes to the doctor. Great! In Groundhog day, he's kind of a pissed off guy to begin with... and then he doesn't get it at first. And then he gets SUPER pissed! Then he seduces some girl by knowing everything about her... but that's only so good. THEN he tries to get Andie MacDowell the same way as the other person, which works a bit, but not enough and she gets pissed... but he doesn't just try once, nay, he REALLY tries. Then he tries to kill himself. A LOT. Then he thinks he's God. Then he tells Andie. Then he goes to the doctor. Then he realizes he loves Andie but he's straight up not good enough for her because she's great and he's a shithead. Then he tries to better himself. And THEN, in a kind of realistic-ISH way, she comes to him just because he's great. And it takes place over like... a year or something I think.  I just like that they cover the bases (sorry I just summarized the movie...). And then end kind of tells you that the universe had a plan for him.... which I can suspend my belief for. Although I do still enjoy movies that don't make as much sense. For instance, Big is a little stupid. But it's still possibly my favorite Tom Hanks movie... and I love MOST of his movies. 

Ok ok. Also I watched The Other Boleyn Girl, which I wasn't THAT interested in, but I got caught up watching interviews with Natalie Portman, who really is terrific. I would like a movie with her and Rachel McAdams, who I do think could be almost as great as Natalie. ANYWAY, I needed to watch the movie by default. Really, it wasn't NEARLY as poor as I had been lead to believe. I don't know what people wanted. In fact, it was one of the most understandable movies I've ever seen from that age. I had to watch Elizabeth like.. 3 times before I really understood what was going on. And Elizabeth is not more factually correct either... I wikipedia-ed it. Although I enjoyed Elizabeth more... maybe because Scarlett Johansson is starting to get on my nerves. LIKELY it was also because I had no interest in Eric Bana (not that he did a bad job... he did what he was supposed to, but that doesn't make me like him (hope he's better in The Time Traveler's Wife)) but Joseph Fiennes in Elizabeth is HOT! Like... REALLY hot! Ugh, I'm sad I threw away my copy of that movie because it was a vhs/ I just need to replace it. Mmmm. Regardless, The Other Boleyn Girl was just fine to me. Although if you want to watch a Natalie movie, I would first recommend Where the Heart Is, V for Vendetta, Closer, and Garden State

THEN I requested netflix to get me a more smutty romantic movie to watch instantly. And netflix delivered me with a lovely cornucopia of movies to choose from, noting that I would probably like Dangerous Beauty the most. Done. I trust you netflix.
Watched it. It was OK. I don't know why netflix thought I would like it more than I did. VEEERY pro-prostitute... but it took place in 1500s Venice when they were called courtesans and were more educated than the proper ladies. The thing that pissed me off was that AT THE END (SPOILER AAAGAIN-- but who's really going to watch it anyway?) she's on trial for being a witch that seduced the men and she could either confess and repent or she was going to be killed. But she REFUSED to confess. Like honestly, why the fuck not? She was like "I don't want to deny my life" but really? I would confess in a fucking heartbeat. It's not like prostitution is the most honest profession to begin with anyway. Sooo it was very hard for me to feel emotion at the end when I just thought she was just being an idiot. I don't even understand when people refuse to deny their religion, because I always imagine that God would forgive you for saving your own life and worshipping in secret... but at least I KIIIIND of understand that. Sometimes it's very touching and I just think they are being beautiful people. But honestly, refusing to confess to being a witch, refusing to deny that prostitution is bad? For your LIFE? I can't feel for that. 

AAAAAALSO I watched This is Spinal Tap, which I enjoyed, but kind of the way I enjoy Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Extremely funny, I'm very glad I saw it, but ultimately more fun to remember than to actually watch. Also, good reminder that Christopher Guest is INCREDIBLY versatile. I think he's quite old now, but wouldn't you like to see Hank Azaria, Toni Colette, ... maybe Tracy Ullman... and him? Some people are CRAZY good character actors. Maybe Joan Cusack. 

And that is all until tomorrow when I announce I've watched 100 MORE movies. Not a bad life. But I do feel a lot of guilt... which I mask by entering the world of yet another movie. 

(I, a little bit, feel like those anorexic people who unconsciously always talk about food. I keep word-vomiting about my joblessness because it's all that I think about. And I know that I just need to fix it up and move on... and I can feel myself getting just... more and more annoying by bringing it up. I would love to say that I won't talk about it as much anymore, but as this is my blog, and it's what I think about... all I can promise is that I am AWARE that I'm doing it... and I DOOOO want to make it better... but clearly not enough... ugh)

Also, last minute mention, but I haven't been wearing eyeliner even NEARLY as much as I have in the past. I'm not sure how it started, but my theory is that my new-ish eyeliner (month old?) is VERY light and it kind of seems gone after an hour anyway. The miracle is that I didn't feel like I needed to buy a new one. 
Buuuut it's super nice not wearing it as much because my eyes tear up all the time (laughing, crying (every movie I watch alone, happy OR sad), allergies...). When that happened a) I would have to be careful about rubbing my eyes and b) it would get into my eyes and sting. So... great news. 

1 comment:

Claire said...

"Extremely funny, I'm very glad I saw it, but ultimately more fun to remember than to actually watch." This is incredibly true and spot-on!