Recently in Flicks Category

"Raise the Red Lantern" = depressing

Netflix = a single mom's best friend

I was a little melancholy last night. I am not sure what it was - a combination of missing my friends, missing having someone to go home to, and missing having the energy, time and enthusiasm to cook a decent meal. My office had had a work party during the day, and it was actually really fun, but I had to leave it early to get the babe. I think having had the taste of a social life - albeit only with my coworkers - and then return to a quiet house that suddenly felt quite lonely by 7:45... well, the combination just left me feeling a little blue.

For the last ten days, I've been traipsing around town with the movie "Once" in my bag. For some reason, the idea of a musical set in Ireland just wasn't speaking to me. But last night, exhausted by 8:30, I decided the best thing I could do with my time would be to curl up with a movie I had already technically paid for.

Good Lord, I loved that movie. Everything about it. The actors were great, the music was fabulous, and the ending was perfect. Seeing Ireland made me happy, and the movie was quiet and emotional in all the ways that fit my mood. I woke up this morning and immediately downloaded the soundtrack.

I think I need to start treating myself to movies more regularly. I am open to suggestions.

Tonight I think it is going to be "The Big Lebowski" which is, from what I understand, probably a complete 180 from last night's film.

Last night, Vegas and I went to see Little Miss Sunshine.

I'm not sure whether I wanted to laugh or to cry (from either/both happiness or/and sadness), but mainly I spent the whole film hoping it would never end. I am hopelessly in love with it, and wish I could have the experience of seeing it again for the first time all over again.

I can't say anything else to do it justice. And that's saying a lot.

So here's the funny thing: yesterday, I saw Marie Antoinette.

And I liked it.

So there.

Also, the theater was not exactly packed, but somewhat crowded nonetheless. I was sitting by myself (I like seeing movies alone) with two empty seats next to me. A middle-aged guy showed up and sat next to me, which irked me even though I was aware he didn't have many options. I know I don't deserve more than my fair shaire, but I like having space.

But then the guy's hand started sort of sliding over to my seat. I don't know how many of you remember my experience during "In the Mood for Love", but I'll sum it up by saying it involved an empty theater, me, and the wacko sitting next to me. A wacko wacking like wackos would. I am still a little traumatized by that event and get a little hypersensitive about personal space issues in cinemas.

After a particularly difficult day at work, I decided to empty my brain of any substance whatsoever and go see "American Dreamz."

It was bad. Very, very bad. Bad in ways that made me cringe.

For example, I blinked repeatedly when we saw the terrorist training camp on the Afghan-Pakistani border where everyone spoke English with a generic Middle-Eastern accent.** Sure, sure, it was a comedy, so it's all for fun anyway. But I didn't find that aspect particularly fun, especially since the whole master plot involved a poor young Afghan who just wanted to sing Broadway show tunes, but was asked to strap a bomb onto himself instead. Again - I'm taking comedy too seriously. But in order for me not to do so, the actual shtick has to be funny on SOME level, and this just wasn't.***

Hugh Grant, meanwhile, is sitting dangerously on the fence seperating the young and attractive from the old and creepy. I know he's not actually all that old (46?), but I do think he's too old to be putting the moves on Mandy Moore. They didn't even bother covering up his wrinkles. I normally find his wrinkles sort of cute, but something has shifted in his face and I just don't think he can pull of the The Typical Hugh Grant Character anymore.

And as for the whole presidential side-story: meh. First off, if they're going to make such a fuss over the presidential aspect to this whole gig, they should follow through and make him have a reasonable role at the end of the film. For all of the bruhaha they made over his "enlightenment," he could have had some glorious moment of coolness/intelligence at the end. I won't give away the ending (EVERYBODY DIES!!! Aha hah ah ahah. Ok, just kidding) but I wasn't impressed with the president's realization that he doesn't have to be Dick Cheney's - er I mean, the Chief of Staff's - mignon.

Overall: not a good film. It's summer now, and I still have my unlimited movie pass. I have a bunch of movies I haven't discussed here, and I'm thinking about doing a sub-site (like with the books) that I update once in a blue moon. If I get around to it, I'll update them there.

Do any readers in France know if An Inconvenient Truth or The Heart of the Game will have a public release in France? Both are documentaries that premiered in Cannes, and have been released in the US.

I might - maybe - have gotten a little weepy when Cameron Diaz's character in "In Her Shoes" realizes how much her big sister protected and loved her as they were growing up. I do believe there were some tears forming in the bottom right corner of my right eye (always the first side to go), and for that I can accurately be called "lame" until at least February, 2006. As embarassing as it is, the whole emotional reaction is pretty funny because three minutes later I couldn't even stand the cheese anymore and I made gagging sounds as e.e. cummings was recited by a supposedly dyselexic Cameron.

But still. That sister-bonding scene sort of got to me.

For that, I sort of recommend the movie. Plus, old people with a sense of humor are funny no matter what lame shit Cameron is doing. I chuckled a lot.

And a side note? Don't go to Arabic after only sleeping for three hours. I embarassed myself a whole lot today, which was... well... embarassing.

I'm over it. Ok, no I'm not. Good night.