A Return

Hey guys, check it out! I'm alive! Whoa, I know, it was doubtful there for a second.

Life has been a little busy, a little not. I've been working a little bit. Not the full time job I was hoping to have found by now but little odds and ends here and there. A couple of days as a story assistant, a night helping a friend with a wrap party, a day taking notes for someone else... that sort of randomness. Whatever pays the bills I guess.

I have been going through a bit of soul searching, a bit of that "what am I doing with my life?" business. All kind of boring really!

And since I don't want my first post in over a month to be BORING, let me share fun stuff.

Um... Fun stuff... I have to have something good to share, right? Okay, maybe not much.

I can leave you with a list of what I've been reading, watching, etc. All stuff that's worth checking out.

Watched the Super Bowl yesterday. But that's yesterday's news really. Not today's.

Reading Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)by Anthony Bourdain. Finally. Have loved him forever, No Reservations is a fabulous show, and his book is just as wonderful as I was hoping it would be. Sex, drugs, the seventies, food atrocities, mobsters, this book has got it all. Love it. And him. True story.

Watched An Education this weekend with the roommate. It is also wonderful. Carey Mulligan's performance lives up to the hype and her nominations are well deserved. I really enjoyed the screenplay by Nick Hornby. I have to admit to a bit of the nostalgia factor with all of the talk of French cinema, existentialism, jazz clubs, the wonderful dresses, etc. And there's the whole thing where I love almost all things British... including good looking men with British accents... The ending did leave me a bit unsatisfied, a feeling of "this is it?" Either way, it's a lovely movie that's well acted and I enjoyed it a lot. I'd actually love to see it again so I can think though a few things a bit more but that's what DVDs are for.

On TV I've been watching a lot of Chuck, which is delightful as always, Doctor Who, those last few episodes with David Tennant are Excellent and not to be missed if you're at all a fan, and The Inbetweeners on BBCA. OMG, have you guys seen this show yet? Please do. It's awkwardly hilarious. The kids in that show are such little shithead trouble makers... The episodes leave me in giggles for days.

Also worth noting that this week is the final episode of Friday Night Lights that's been airing on DirecTV. I actually still have the last two episodes to watch so Wednesday I fully plan on having a three episode FNL marathon to be followed up by an episode of The Inbetweeners. When did Wednesday get to be so good for television? I don't know.

Alright, that's what I've got. I will be back for more later.

I Can't Wait For A Scanner

Warning, I'm very rambly tonight. In that I ramble a lot. Rambly isn't really a word guys, I just made that up. In case you were wondering.

 

I can do only so much with the camera on my cell phone. My scanning abilities will be returning shortly though! We are all very excited for this, no? And yes, that's supposed to be me. There is more that goes along with that! Like, a whole story about how I got stuck in a tree! See why I need a scanner???

 

It's the Thinking Mud Puppy. Did anyone else know that mud puppies are stupidly adorable? I mean, my thinking man kind of moved away from adorable. But check this guy out:  

Cute right?

Then there's the unstoppable partners Cobra and Shark. Great White Shark to be exact.

 

 

I have to admit that these guys were super fun to sketch. I mean come on, the guy has a cobra for a necktie. The guy is a Great White Shark! With an Indian Cobra tie (the only cobra long enough for the Windsor knot, apparently).

I have odd friends with bizarre ideas. I love it.

Hey! Other stuff!

My friend Lauren talked about cool t-shirts over here.

If you're in LA you should check out Little Radio and the stuff that they do. I went out to their September Camp on Sunday in downtown and it was pretty great. Good music, tasty food and beverages, a pool... I believe it was the last of the Summer Camp events but they're around doing other stuff. Totally worth the time and $10.

Spotted this guy on the street walking up to the Little Radio thing.

It's a Green Pussy Monster? Um. Okay, I may have just wanted an excuse to call something a Pussy Monster on my blog. It also kind of looks like a weird cactus thing but that might just be me.

Moving on in the rambly...

Am I the only one who thought the True Blood season finale on Sunday was a little bit of a let down? Not that it was terrible... but... I just feel like it could have been so much more. I think that Maryanne storyline was dragged out way too much. There just wasn't enough there to be interesting for as long as they tried to keep it interesting.

I hate to end this on a sad note and unless you're living under a rock you've probably all ready heard, but Patrick Swayze died today of cancer at 57. It's not a huge shock as he had been sick for quite sometime but it's sad nonetheless. I still have a huge crush on Dirty Dancing Patrick. I probably always will.

Good man, Patrick. Good man.

Girl Talk Thursday: The Five.

This week's GTT is about your five. You know... those five. The five freebies you're allowed to have and it won't be cheating. Or however that works. That is how it works, right?

Straight up, this list is hard! Especially working out here in LA land. Like, I might actually meet these people someday! And work with them. And have them become my best friends. And, um, I'm not creepy? I've all ready eliminated Michael Vartan off the list cause I've seen him irl (Hottest man I've ever seen) and crossing this over into reality seems to take away some of the fun of the fantasy. Or maybe that's just me.

I also change my mind a lot.

1. Johnny Depp

Been in love with him forever. No way he wasn't getting on this list. I don't remember when it started, but I do know I watched Chocolat countless times because of him.

2. Gerad Butler

I watched The Ugly Truth for him. That's commitment to a cause right there.

3. Robert Downey Jr.

I blame Ally Mcbeal. For the crush part at least. I also think he's a fantastic actor and I'm very, truly happy that he seems to have gotten his life together.

4. Nathon Fillion

Everytime I hear "Bam, said the lady" or some variation thereof I get all tingly. He's just so cute!

5. Russell Crowe

Maybe not always but for sure in the L.A. Confidential Bud White mode. Also a fan of the 3:10 to Yuma Russell. And a few others. Something about the bad guy or the tough guy who can still do good. 

I feel like all of these guys sort of fall into the same sort of physical category. Am I really this predictable? I guess I'm a sucker for tall, dark, and handsome. Also, good arms. I'm totally a sucker for good arms.

**EDIT**

Okay, so after reading a few other lists I just have to add a few honorable mentions here. So many cute guys to drool over!

Hugh Jackman
George Clooney - I adore him. I once even had a dream we made out in a pink hair salon. Okay, maybe that's just a little weird and TMI...
Jason Bateman
Taye Diggs - He is so beautiful
Jonny Lee Miller - I had SUCH a crush on him after Hackers. HA!
Justin Long - I know, nerd.

And, last but certainly not least, Alexander Skarsgard.

 I am definitely a Vampire Eric girl. I actually almost, almost put him on my list. I'd say he's number 6. Although, ask me in another week and he may move up...

LA is Burning. And Other Stuff.

The Station Fire in Angeles Forest is still burning like crazy. The view of the smoke today was epic, even from the Marina. Apparently brush that hasn't burned in over five decades is now burning and parts of Glendale are even being evacuated.

Down here in the Marina we're plenty far away but the air quality is still pretty gross. The last few days have not been good for breathing. Combine the bad air with today's heat, not fun. Apparently parts of the westside were even experiencing brown outs but if we lost power at any point today I didn't notice.

Here's an AP article with more info on the fire along with a few images.

In other news.

I'm baking my cake! I'm actually in the middle of it. I've just taken the cake out of the oven and it's currently cooling. In a minute I'll start on the frosting. So far it's going well! I've taken pictures, of course, and those will be up just a little later.

I even bought a real vanilla bean for the frosting. It's my first vanilla bean guys! I'm inordinately excited about this vanilla.

Speaking of pictures, Thomas Lennon just posted a good one on Twitter.



Last night was, as a friend put it, classic. Not really sure there's a better way to describe it. It was really great to see cast and crew that I haven't seen since December but sad as well, given the circumstances. So classic is one way to describe it. Bittersweet another.

Strangely I did not actually have a camera with me last night. A few friends did though so hopefully I'll get to see other pictures. Or maybe it's just better if this particular evening lives on only in my memory. Either way.

All right, time to make some frosting. Expect another post once the cake is finished and tasting has commenced. There shall be details and pictures. I'm convinced this is going to be delicious!

Video Overload

Lots of videos to share tonight. There are some cool things to be found on the internet.

I probably don't really need to share this is one as it's all ready all over the place. That's right, Jed Whedon's Guild music video Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? Featuring Felicia Day and the rest of The Guild cast members in all their Avatar-y glory. You can watch it for free on YouTube but the single is also available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes. If you buy it you're supporting The Guild and all things geeky. Why not?



Season 3 of The Guild premiers September 1st.

District 9 is another big thing of the moment. It rocked the box office this weekend and everyone I know who has seen it loved it. I haven't gotten to it yet but I'm hoping to check it out maybe Thursday evening with my mom. In the meantime, I have watched Neill Blomkamp's original short film that District 9 is based on, Alive in Joburg. You can find it here on the Spy Films website.



Going an entirely different direction is this Episode 1 of Creature Cast. Guys, it's about squid! It's very cool and even a bit educational.

CreatureCast Episode 1 from Casey Dunn on Vimeo.

In other news, I've been watching True Blood and Eric is hot. Er, well, I guess that's not really news. That's just stating the obvious.

In other news (for real this time), a friend of mine is making a movie! My friend Cherie is getting set to shoot this fall in Northern Florida. Check out the website and throw some love, and maybe even a little cash, her way.

No Matter What

That's all I've got at the moment. Look for another post tomorrow detailing what I do when I'm unemployed and bored (beyond trolling the interwebs for videos). It shall involve bad art and a recipe for baked eggs.

Video: Walk On The Wild Side

A friend linked to this YouTube video earlier and I have to share it. Watching it, I cannot stop laughing.

It's a clip from a BBC show and if you're in the UK you can actually watch the entire episode here. Sadly, it's UK viewing only (no fair!).

For the rest of us, we can at least watch this clip with the a Marmot named Alan and singing sharks.

Links for Friday

I have so many random things I've been looking at today. I shall share them with you now! There will be links. Oh yes. Links there will be. And appreciate this because I'm taking a break from my Mad Men to share goodness with the world. Does that make me a philanthropist? Okay, maybe not.

Anyway, on to the linking...

Speaking of Mad Men, The New York Times has this article about the series. It does contain spoilers so if you haven't finished season 2 yet, be careful. To say it one more time, the new season premiers this Sunday at 10 PM. So make sure you're home or set your DVR or, like me, try and do both.

Another interesting New York Times article about Photography in NYC. It details a fascinating portrait of the city. If I was in New York I would definitely try and check out some of the photography being exhibited at galleries around the city. Someone on the east coast should go look at it for me.

This feeling seems familiar... Image from explodingdog.

This story from Mark Evanier made me laugh. How very Hollywood! I'm just curious to know who that Very Big Movie Star was.

Finally, I leave you with this video detailing the lovely harmonies of the Beach Boys. Yes, I still love Pet Sounds. Personally, I think it's brilliant.



What else?

Oh yes! I shall be going here tomorrow night to see a gallery filled with expensive toys. As someone who still loves her My Little Ponies, I fully appreciate the toys-as-art (or whatever it is) idea. Plus, they're really cute. And awesome.

And that's it for now! At some point I'll actually be posting an original little flash fiction I wrote yesterday so stay tuned for that. Guys, I'm going to let you read something FICTIONAL that I've written. I'm just as in awe as you are. That may happen tonight or may happen tomorrow. I promise I won't keep you in suspense for too long.

Otherwise, I hope you all have fabulous weekends full of good news. I'm tired of bad news. I've decided that it's time for me to stop receiving it. I will only be accepting good news from this point forward. Just an FYI. Send good news my way!

Goodbye Reno 911!

Since Tom Lennon has now Twittered it I guess I can spread the news as well. I heard from a friend this afternoon that Reno 911! will not, in fact, be returning for Season 7. Along with many fans I am incredibly sad.

As some of you know I worked on season 6 last fall. I was the Assistant Production Coordinator (means I worked in the office, answered a lot of phones, sent the PAs on runs, and helped our fabulous coordinator out with whatever).

Ah, what can I say about Reno? It was one of the best places I've so far worked. The crew was fantastic, the people amazing, there were constantly funny and absurd things going on and being said. Beyond that, I met some of my favorite people and made some of my best friends that I've made since moving to LA.

Working on Reno was almost everything that working in this industry should be. Of course it wasn't always all sunshine and smiles, there were egos and politics and the usual nonsense, but in the end it was a great production making a fun show and I would have gone back to it in a second.

So there's that.

The A.V. Club says a word.

And here on the Hollywood Reporter.

Goodbye and cheers to Reno 911!



May you live long and prosper on DVD.

Surprise Party Saturday and Mad Men Monday

AMC is running a Mad Men marathon today in anticipation of season 3’s premier next Sunday. I have a feeling I am going to get nothing accomplished today. I’ve seen bits and pieces of Season 2 but I missed most of it. Today is the day I catch up.

If you haven’t seen Mad Men yet, I highly recommend checking it out. The show is fantastic. It’s well done on every level, from writing to acting to production design and wardrobe. It’s also incredibly addictive. Whenever I start watching, I never want to stop.

Start at the beginning if you can but make sure you don’t miss the end of season 1. The bit with the Kodak slide show is fantastic.

Whatever acclaim this show has received, it’s well deserved.

Mad Men Season 3 premier: Sunday, August 16 at 10 PM on AMC.

***

Today is my roommate K’s birthday. About a month ago our other roommate J and I decided we were going to throw her a surprise party. Along with our friend L we took a month to tell people about it, plan it, and get everything together. I never thought we would all actually be able to keep the surprise and pull everything off but somehow we managed.

It was a summer time cookout. The yard was strewn with streamers and balloons, there was a piñata, we grilled. The turn out was great and most importantly K had a good time. Her family even came to town from Phoenix and their presence more or less guaranteed the success. It was wonderful.

Of course every summer cookout needs some sort of delicious summer sides. J made a beautiful fruit salad with lovely fresh seasonal fruit. Melon, berries, kiwi, pineapple. Tasty!

My contribution was a delicious pasta salad from Smitten Kitchen. The dressing alone was sublime.

Summer Pea and Roaster Red Pepper Pasta Salad from Smitten Kitchen.

I really didn’t change a thing beyond using canned peas instead of fresh. I didn’t have any fresh ones and even less time to shell them if I had. The dressing is what made this so good anyway.

Since the first step does involve roasting the pepper for an hour, make sure you’ve got the time. Otherwise, it’s super easy and even more delicious.

My other contribution was spicy corn and peppers. Also incredibly easy to toss together. This recipe actually came from my little brother.



I prefer fresh corn for this one but again I was lacking on the time so I went with a giant can. Worked well enough. Since I was making this for the party I also used more pepper and onion when I normally make it as just a side. For a smaller serving size, go with 2 ears of corn, 1 pepper and half an onion or so.

Spicy Corn & Peppers

1 large can of corn or 2 small
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 white onion
3 cloves garlic
Cayenne Pepper
Hot Sauce (I love the Louisiana Hot Sauce but use whatever your preference is)
2 Table Spoons Olive Oil

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic, sauté until the onion is soft but be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the peppers and corn. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cayenne pepper and hot sauce to taste. I like it spicy so I usually end up going pretty heavy on them.

That’s pretty much it. Once everything is heated, the peppers are soft, and it’s spicy to your taste, you’re good to go. An easy, fresh summer dish that’s been a hit every time I’ve served it.

***

Happy Summer everyone! And Happy Birthday K!

Links: A Comic, a Video, and a Purple Raccoon

I promised things that make me smile and I deliver on my promises.

Dog Hates ME

Short little comics by Sam Brown that make me smile. This one suits my mood at the moment but many of them make me smile. He updates a few times a week for guaranteed entertainment.

An Endless Cycle

My friend took a motorcycle trip from New Orleans to Chicago to the West coast and then back to NO. He promises updates and even if there aren't many it's a fascinating trip to follow. I have to admit to complete jealousy. What I wouldn't give to be able to take a crazy journey like that... Maybe someday I will.

Never Gonna Give You Up

KT sent me the link to this video to make me feel better. It worked. That bartender is awesome.

Then there's this guy:



Dude! He's a purple raccoon named Boris! I'm in love.

I honestly don't know why I love this guy so much. Maybe because he's awesome?

He's brand new from artist cool guy Nathan Hamill (yes, he's related to THAT Hamill). Nathan's got a blog too, go check him out.

You can also find Boris online at U1 Toy Arts.

This weekend also made me smile. I spent it with the family in San Diego since my little brother was in town for the week. He's in his second year of law school so he hasn't had much time for the visiting and whatnot over the last year. It's always nice to see him and his girlfriend and spend time with the folks.

The weekend really was a good one. Family time, delicious pizza, an afternoon spent at Stone Brewery in Escondido, beer, a little beach, onion rings, True Blood watching. Pretty good right?

As always, there are a few pics up. San Diego pictures.

EDIT:

One more thing to add. If you're on Twitter, check out @robhuebel. His updates are top notch and make me laugh without fail.

Links: M4M in LA

Medicine For Melancholy at the Laemmle Sunset 5

What Justin says:

Come see the little movie that could starting this weekend at the Sunset 5! Wyatt, Tracey and Barry will be there for Q&A's after the 8 & 10pm screenings.

ALSO! Watch us lose to Charlie Kaufman at The Independent Spirit Awards this Saturday on IFC Channel or AMC (www.spiritawards.com)

Also, be sure to watch the Spirit Awards this weekend! I'm out of town but I definitely have my DVR set. Steve Coogan is hosting and it promises to be a good show. Support independent film!

Links: Book of Caleb and Colbert Report

As if I didn't all ready love HULU enough.



The Book of Caleb, that little ol' movie I worked on out in Bucks County way back in the day, is now available on HULU for your watching pleasure. I love how the internet is giving us all of these fabulous new ways to see indie film.

Watch away!

AND!

I really have to share tonight's Colbert Report. Mostly for the bit about Neil Gaiman and his NEWBERY AWARD winning The Graveyard Book. But that stuff with Steve Martin was pretty good too. Yeah.

What was that about?

ALSO:

In actual life stuff, I have an interview for a job as an APOC on a pilot tomorrow. Wish me luck friends!

And Coraline opens this weekend (speaking of Neil Gaiman love). It's only in 3D for a few weeks apparently so you should go this weekend! If, you know, you like 3D and all that. I know I do.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 12/9

Before I say anything about anything, can I mention that yesterday was completely ridiculous? Because it was. Completely. It was busy from (literally) the second I walked into the office. Maybe I'll go into the details later but it included everything from an incredibly stupid mistake by me (try booking a car in the wrong city) to having a bird shit on my head. No kidding. That was awesome.

Okay, enough of that.

The first thing I want to mention (or would this be the second? Whatever...) is that the film that was once called Kids In America (and is now apparently called Young Americans) seems to have finally gotten a release date. KIA was my first gig as an Office PA. We shot out in Phoenix back at the beginning of '07 and for a long time there's been no word on when the film would actually be released. Until now. Now, according to IMDB, Kids In America aka Young Americans will be coming out on January 30, 2009. Of course, this is IMDB and therefore not always 100% reliable. And these things are always subject to change. But it's exciting and maybe it's even a little bit true. I'm not sure I really want to give them money to let me in the theater to watch it, but I am curious. We'll see I suppose.

Onto the weekend.

Friday PM:

We wrapped a little on the late side and by the time I got home I barely felt like dinner, let alone going out anywhere. So J and I parked in front of the TV, grabbed some drinks, and wandered through the oh so interesting programming that occupies the Friday night schedule. Luckily IFC was there to rescue us from the other mediocre options we were presented with.

They were totally showing Reefer Madness.

J and I decided that this crazy guy is awesome.

J has more of a relationship with the flick than I do, having once owned it on VHS. The only time I've seen it has been streaming online (I once watched it over the course of two days during a particularly boring stretch at ANTM). The reefer madness never really entered my life until I was a little older.

Reefer Madness is a riot. It's "scare tactics" really only serve to glorify the use of Marijuana. Those "awful" parties the kids go to look like a blast to me. Dancing, drinking, making out with strangers... what's so bad about that??? I guess there is always the madness, murder, and mayhem that eventually ensues. Eh, whatever!

The transfer on IFC looked not horrible but man oh man did that sound bad. I guess Reefer Madness isn't the kind of fare Criterion is going to pick up and restore anytime soon. Can't say I blame them. It's entertaining, maybe even subversive, and definitely exploitative but yeah. It's Reefer Madness.

And being that it's in the public domain, it's available online for watchin'.

After Reefer Madness I actually attempted to give The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake a chance. Um. Bad call. Not only is it awful (it's really awful) it's just plain, straight boring. After 40 minutes I just could not take anymore of Jessica Biel's stomach. I mean sure, it's a nice stomach, but come on.



And that guy who plays her fiance? So trashy! Why do movies and television always stick the absurdly hot girl with the really gross guy? It's so not fair. I mean, I know it's playing into a male fantasy, letting your regular Joe guys imagine for a second that they could ever have a chance with a girl like that (yeah right). But come on. NO FAIR. Chicks watch these movies too. If you're going to give Jessica's stomach that much screen time, at least give me a comparable set of male abs to stare at too.

TCM 2000 sucks.

*It's also bad beyond her stomach. It's just more of the same, slicked up Hollywood Horror. It has none of the grittiness or raw energy of the original. It looks horrible. It completely fails at building tension. And it's boring. I'm not really sure which offense is worse.

Saturday Afternoon:



After a lazy morning and moderately productive early afternoon, I finally got into my Friday Night Lights marathon. I watched the first four episodes of season 1 and I love it. It's so good! The show shot in what's very much so Peter Berg's style so it looks incredibly cinematic. Which is to say it looks good. Beyond the visuals though, what really makes the show great, is the story telling and the character treatment. The writing is just brilliant. These people come across as "real"; their relationships, the plot developments, the depiction of life in a small football town, it's all believable. I'm completely hooked.

I hear season 2 isn't as good but after what I've seen of season 1 I will watch all of it and be glad for it.

Sunday:

Another reason why I love TCM (Turner Classic Movies not Texas Chainsaw Massacre): all day Sunday they were doing a Disney movie marathon.

I started with:

Swiss Family Robinson



I adore Swiss Family Robinson. What kid wouldn't love that story of adventure? fighting Pirates, chasing off tigers, wrestling giant snakes, and living in the coolest tree house imaginable. No wonder they all decide to stay on the island. I wouldn't want to leave either!

Followed By:

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea



This movie was always one of my favorites as a kid. Personally, I think it shows my good taste. The stellar cast alone is reason to watch. Kirk Douglas, Petter Lorre, James Mason. Damn that's some casting. Sure the effects look a little cheesy now but I can still appreciate how groundbreaking they were for the time.

Kirk Douglas's little song routine is still one of my favorites ever. I'm not a huge fan of musical things, but I love that song.

Followed By

Old Yeller



Is it weird that I never saw this as a kid?

Followed By

The Parent Trap

Which I didn't actually watch because I had to go grocery shopping and eat and run to the airport to pick-up K.

Followed By

Pollyanna



It's been YEARS since I last saw Pollyanna. I still think the "Glad Game" is silly but I like the movie. I'd still really like to see the silent version starring Mary Pickford.

I'd also really like to see Happy-Go-Lucky. An apparently modern take on the story. It's been getting pretty good reviews and sounds fun.

***

Apologies for the brevity, but it's another busy day in the office. We wrap shooting today so probably needless to say, there's a lot going on. Moving all of the wrap gifts from the office to our cars not being the least of it. But yes, enough slacking for me. Back to work.

***

On the Slate:

I honestly don't really know. Haven't had time to think about it.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 11/24

I feel like I had such a productive weekend that involved a lot of doing nothing. Hey, whatever works right?

Friday PM:

Shooting was on hiatus last week which meant we were able to get out of the office fairly early on Friday. And by early I mean before 7 PM. It was pretty awesome.



I spent most of the night just hanging out and appropriately enough the one movie I watched was the Reno 911! movie. Not something I bothered to watch previously. I wonder why...

The movie had a few moments that made me giggle but I really don't think Reno is a show that lends itself to the feature format. The improv bits come together nicely in short bursts but over the extended storyline... It was exceptionally silly.

Whatever. There are worse things I could have watched. Like Twilight... (am I going to be attacked by angry tweens if I proclaim my complete disinterest in this film publicly? I said nothing!)

Saturday AM:

Why did I wake up so early??? And why did I spend so much time on the damn couch after actually waking up early? Oh yeah. Headache. Too much beer the night before. Skins!



Oh man, of all the bad TV I watched Saturday morning (there was kind of a lot) I am totally in love with this British import. I <3 BBCA. I can't believe I have to wait for January to Netflix it all. *Sigh* I guess that's what the DVR is for.

Seriously though, if you think the hijinks of Gossip Girl are tasty, please oh please check this silliness out. It's a bunch of British teens drinking and getting high and F'ing. Plus all of the drama and scandal that that all entails.

I watched an episode (or maybe it was two, I'm not sure, I was kind of hazy with the hangover) and baby. I want more!

What else did I watch? Um. I dunno. Some South of Nowhere. A little bit of Pee Wee. Some other nonsense. Skins was all that was really interesting.

Oh wait! I'm a liar. I also watched Friday Night Lights. Now that is an actually quality show. One I'm not ashamed to admit I like (as if I have any shame anyway). I'm so going to Netflix this one.

Saturday PM:

I did some other stuff in the afternoon. Ran some errands. Ate food. You know. Life. Exciting!



Before it was time to go out for the evening I watched one of my Netflix DVDs, The Pillow Book.

The Pillow Book first caught my interest years ago during my Ewan McGregor phase. Mmmm... that was a phase that should have probably never ended. He's so cute.

Anyway. I stuck it on my Netflix queue ages ago as part of my search for really good, sexy films (think of classy stuff along the lines of Y Tu Mama Tambien not porn please). I had this idea in college for having a "Sexy Cinema" themed movie night, that never happened, and I still kind of like the idea. I've yet to put together the perfect list of films but I'm working on it. Suggestions are always welcome!

Sorry, tangent. Back to The Pillow Book. The flick is alright. There are some hot moments, the story is intriguing. I was hoping for more visually but I don't think it quite lives up to the hype. I also found it kind of slow and not in a good way.

Not my favorite movie. But if you want to see more of Ewan's junk (this boy is not shy!), that's one place you won't be disappointed.

Saturday Night:



Hung out with some friends and ended up watching a LOT of Triumph the insult dog from Conan. Not something I would normally sit and watch a lot of but I have to admit the dude is funny. Especially that Star Wars one. I also particularly liked the Hollywood Squares bit. Good times.

I know. I lead a very exciting life.

Sunday:

I slept in Sunday morning which was glorious. It's my favorite way to spend Sundays. I don't get nearly enough sleep. After hardly sleeping Friday night and waking up way too early Sunday, it was nice to spoil myself.

After reading for a while (I finally finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which has consequently all ready been adapted into a film due out in '09), getting my car smog check done and grocery shopping, L came over for some lazy TV time. We watched some Oprah, I cooked, K came back from PHX. The Wedding Singer was on TV.



The Wedding Singer is all about nostalgia for me. It's a nostalgia film, made for anyone who has any memory of the 80's. And, ironically perhaps, it's a nostalgia film for me in the sense that it always makes me think of high school. It came out when I was still happily dating my high school EX. He was my first serious relationship and a lot of my high school career involved him. There are a lot of memories, good and bad. It was also during this time when I found myself more seriously invested in film. A lot of movies bring back a lot of memories, again good and bad. It was at his house that I first discovered Kubrick and watched Dr. Strangelove. He was the reason I missed the theatrical re-release of The Exorcist (he wanted to see Deuce Biggolo: Male Giggolo. Again. Don't even get me started on that one!). He loved The Wedding Singer.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the movie. I'd probably enjoy it no matter what. But watching it now for me is never about the eighties jokes or the hair or the bad clothes. It's always a trip down memory lane. It brings back warm fuzzy feelings for a time that I really have no desire to revisit but still occasionally miss.

People who say that high school encompasses the best years of your life are either liars or haven't led very exciting lives. High school was no where near the best years of my life. Neither was college for that matter. But there were certainly good times and good people and every once in a while I don't mind a movie that takes me back there. The Wedding Singer is one of those movies.

Sunday PM:

If The Wedding Singer was the warm and fuzzy part of the evening then this next bit was the "gouge my eyes out" part. Oh no. Someone put on Charm School. You know. The thing on VH1 with Sharon Osbourne and the girlies from Rock of Love.



I have nothing to say about this trash. It was so godawfulbad. Do people like that really exist? Do people really like this show?? Whyyyyyy???

After that I had to save my brain cells somehow. What better way than with Fellini and 8 1/2?

Yes. I know. I'm a snob.



I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of Italian cinema is sadly lacking. I have a cursory acquaintance with most of the big names: Fellini, De Sica, Antonioni, etc but I have not seen nearly enough. I'm using Netflix to reconcile this sad lack and fill the gap.

I have to say, I loved 8 1/2. I think it's a beautiful film that captures filmmaking so neatly. It's true that there are many insider jokes, but I don't think it's so obtuse that people will be left out. I mean, as long as you like old Italian flicks.

It's such an intriguing mix of memory, fantasy, and reality. Where do the lines end? Guido is great. He's such a Man/Boy. Trying to make life fit his fantasy, to make his film fit his memories, to make his fantasy his film. To have it all either fall apart or come together, depending on how you look at it.

This film frequently finds itself at the top of Best Of Lists. You better believe there's a good reason for it. What I wouldn't give to see a print of this in a theater. If anyone hears of a screening in the LA area, please let me know.

On The Slate:

You may have noticed that I still haven't seen Quantum of Solace. I know, excuses. But my parent's have seen it either and they like the Bond stuff and I'll be home for Thanksgiving. So that's now the plan.

Coming from Netflix: Play Misty for Me and Day for Night. Eastwood and Truffaut. I sort of have mixed feelings about Truffaut so I'm especially curious to check this one out. I'm also continuing with the theme of artsy meta-filmic flicks. I'm getting my film nerd on hardcore. Go me?

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 11/9

Here it is, a week into November, and I'm finally making my return to weekend writing! It's been an interesting few months. Interesting... There has been a lot going on with work and life. Last week I transition from one job to another and it now seems like I may actually have time for a life again. Yay!

I like having a life.

Friday PM:




After a late night at work I decided to relax with a couple of episodes of Dexter. After friends have been recommending it to me for years, I finally started watching season one. I only planned on watching an episode or two and then going to bed.

I curled up in bed, hit play on my laptop, and... nine episodes later my roommate was leaving for her Saturday morning marathon training and I thought it might be a good idea to hit stop. So much for one or two episodes. I guess you could say it sucked me in.

While there are a few moments where the production values took me out of the show (what was up with the sound design in the hockey arena???), overall this show is awesome. Hey Netflix, can you mae Season 2 available for instant watching? Thanks!

Also, Netflix making it's streaming video watcher available for Mac users is one the best things that's happened for my movie watching in a long time. It's what got me to finally return to Netflix after I put my account on hold several months ago. I missed my Netflix.

Saturday:

After finishing Dexter I decided that it was time to catch up on some Gossip Girl. I missed all of October so I had a few episodes to catch up on.




GG is one of my guilty pleasures. It can be so bad but it tastes so good! Season two has had its ups and downs. I loved the Shakespearean flavor to Chuck and Blair's plan to humiliate Vanessa but was disappointed in the subplot's execution. Dan's been kind of annoying but I'm loving everything Jenny. Tomorrow's episode looks to be pretty hot.

And who knows, maybe I'll actually be out of work early enough to watch it! Imagine that!

Saturday PM:



Saturday night I passed on party plans and instead committed my evening to finally watching David Fincher's True Crime thriller Zodiac. Burritos, Sangria, and serial killers, what more could you ask for in an evening?

I'm still a little torn on how I feel about the movie. It had moments that really got me but overall I found it lacking. The pacing at the beginning is awkward and I didn't really get into it until at least a third of the way into it. I did enjoy it though and L and K seemed to like it a lot so there you go.

On The Slate:

Quantum of Solace baby! Need I say more?

Thoughts: TCM's Summer Under The Stars

I know I've been very quiet this last month but I had to break the radio silence for this. One of my favorite parts of television in the summer is TCM's Summer Under the Stars. Every day in August they will devote their programming to one star. There have been so many classic movies that I've been introduced to through TCM's summer over the past years, Robert Mitchum in Night of The Hunter, Bette Davis in The Letter, Anthony Perkins in Friendly Persuasion.

This year's summer began last night with Michael Caine and continues today with Charlie Chaplin. Gregory Peck is tomorrow and I may have to not leave my house.

Check out TCM's website for more info: Summer Under The Stars

Here's the full schedule:

Michael Caine Friday, August 1
Charlie Chaplin Saturday, August 2
Gregory Peck Sunday, August 3
Marie Dressler Monday, August 4
Claude Rains Tuesday, August 5
Anne Bancroft Wednesday, August 6
Greta Garbo Thursday, August 7
James Garner Friday, August 8
Fred MacMurray Saturday, August 9
Doris Day Sunday, August 10
Richard Widmark Monday, August 11
Kim Novak Tuesday, August 12
Peter Lorre Wednesday, August 13
Greer Garson Thursday, August 14
Rita Hayworth Friday, August 15
Fred Astaire Saturday, August 16
Gene Kelly Sunday, August 17
Jack Palance Monday, August 18
Barbara Stanwyck Tuesday, August 19
Edward G. Robinson Wednesday, August 20
Ava Gardner Thursday, August 21
Trevor Howard Friday, August 22
Laurel & Hardy Saturday, August 23
Henry Fonda Sunday, August 24
Ingrid Bergman Monday, August 25
Janet Leigh Tuesday, August 26
Tony Curtis Wednesday, August 27
Charlton Heston Thursday, August 28
Marlon Brando Friday, August 29
Katharine Hepburn Saturday, August 30
Spencer Tracy Sunday, August 31

***

As for myself, I've just had a lot of life stuff going on. I'll return to regular posting eventually. Until then, go see The Dark Knight. It's amazing.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 6/9

After a crazy April/May, I decided to give myself a little mini-vacation. I escaped LA and spent the weekend with my parents in Phoenix, AZ. A lot of sun, a lot of pool, mini-golf, batting cages, and new glasses. All in all a good weekend.

Movie watching this weekend was a little sparse. With You Don't Mess With the Zohan and Kung-Fu Panda being the only major releases this weekend, I was in no rush to get to the theater. Of course, Mongol wasn't playing in Phoenix. That I would have gone to see.

I mostly spent my weekend hanging out with my parents and friends, but there was a little watching going.

Friday PM:

I caught the last flight out of LA to PHX so I had a bit of time to kill after work. I wisely spent it watching last week's episode of Top Chef.



The series finale of Season 4 is on this Wednesday and I'm pretty excited. I've watched Top Chef on Bravo since Season 1 and this is the first time since that season where I've really liked the chefs. Harold is still my favorite but I liked Leanne and even Tiffany of Season 1. Season 2 gave us Sam Talbot, and who doesn't love Sam. And season 3... well, I mean, the competitors were likeable. They just weren't very competitive. I just feel like talent-wise (which is sort of unfair to judge from home because we can't actually taste the food) this season gives us chefs who I feel like could compete with the Top Chefs of season 1. Season 2 didn't and neither did season 3. But Richard and Stephanie are awesome. They seem amazingly nice and genuinely talented. No offense Lisa, but I think it's pretty much down to the two of them to win.

And I'll be happy with either one of them. It would be cool to see a woman chef win but Richard is so awesome that I won't hold his gender against him. Either way, I'm looking forward to Wednesday's season finale.

Saturday PM:

Before the cold medicine kicked in and I passed out on Saturday, I watched The Rock. I know, what was I thinking? Voluntarily watching a Michael Bay movie? She really must be ill!



Actually, I used to really enjoy this movie. I never necessarily thought it was exceptionally good. But it was entertaining.

Watching it again... I can see where I enjoyed it as a teenager. Now though? Eh. Nicholas Cage is horrible. The dialog is so incredibly cheesy. I remembered that line at the end about the bad guy being Rocket Man (who could forget that garbage?) but seriously. The whole movie is just as bad.

Oh well, at least the Benadryl kicked in pretty fast and knocked me out. There are worse things to fall asleep to.

Sunday:

No movies. But I did get new glasses. To better enjoy future movie goodness. Mmmm... more goodness...

Anyway, yeah...

On The Slate:

Mother of Tears - Plans to go on Wednesday. Yay!

Mongol - At some point this week. I hope.

The Incredible Hulk? The Happening? I dunno. Maybe. We'll see.

Review: Sex In The City: The Movie

Before I get into this review I’m just going to come out and say it. I hated the movie. Completely, flat out, hated it. Looking around at other reviews I can see that while I’m not alone I am in the minority. I guess my point is that while I hated it, you may very well love it. So read on or don’t, enjoy it or don’t, maybe I just didn’t get it.

It’s not that I’m not a fan of the show (if you've read this blog, you know otherwise). I’ll admit that I haven’t seen every episode but I do watch it on a regular basis, have watched it for years, and I enjoy it. Yes I think it’s silly and shallow and I really never have understood SJP’s wardrobe. But it’s fun escapist television about women having sex in a city that I love. I can turn my brain off for a while and go with it.

It’s also not that my expectations were too high. Honestly, they were pretty low. All I was looking for was a fun movie about characters that I like and know.

That’s not what I feel like I got. I feel cheated.

Almost immediately I was thrown for a loop. The lights went down, the picture came up, the familiar music started to play… and then… Fergie? Uh. Huh? Where is the rest of our theme song? Where is Carrie in her tutu?

Granted, it is four years later. A lot can change in four years. Carrie and Big are still together! And they’re happy! Miranda is a workaholic, Steve is trying his best, and Brady is still adorable. Charlotte and Harry have adopted their beautiful Lily and are living their fairytale life. Samantha and Smith are out in LA (Really? Samantha left NYC? The sex really must be good!).

That’s our status quo. I don’t really want to say much more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything for those of you who have been kind enough to keep reading. So with that in mind I won’t say anything more about the plot points and I’ll instead tell you what this movie did (or didn’t do) to earn my absolute loathing.

First of all, spoilers aside, the plot is awful. Rather than any reasonably developing progression where point A follows point B, where we see a cause and effect, instead I feel like we are given a scenario where This happens and then This happens and so on and so forth. Nothing feels motivated by what precedes it in the film, let alone the six years of television history. There is the occasional reference to something we remember happening, the occasional name-dropping (remember that guy Aidan?), That’s pretty much as far as it goes.

In fairness to the story, they do try to give us something for everyone. Each of the girls is featured at some point.

Honestly though, I hate what they do with Carrie. She is so passive for the entire film. I feel like her character is completely lost, she has no voice. I’ve always thought Carrie was silly but she was silly in her own special way. In the movie she isn’t just depressed; she is silenced.

As for everyone else… Miranda is an uber- (word that is censored). She is beyond the tough lawyer I occasionally roll my eyes at but like in general. She is uncompromising and unlikable. It is her character taken to a simplified extreme that loses any of the minimal complexity she was originally given. What made her an interesting, empowered female character in the series is completely taken away and instead we’re given an insulting version of what is in store for any female who decides to attempt a challenging career in addition to a family.

Charlotte… poor Charlotte. She isn’t so much a human being as she is a shrieking doll. Did Charlotte do anything other than screech? In a rare self-aware moment, Miranda is given a line commenting on Charlotte’s screeching. That doesn’t excuse it! Then that whole thing with Charlotte in Mexico? Really? Give me a break.

As for Samantha. Meh, I honestly don’t have much to say about the roll she and Smith are given. It’s more like our lovely writer said “Hey, here’s who they were in the series, let’s just do the same thing with them we’ve done a million times before. And Samantha can adopt a puppy. No one will notice that we completely throw away these characters if there is a cute humping puppy involved!” The puppy humps more than Samantha does. I’m not kidding.

The one new character Louis (played by Jennifer Hudson) is an improvement and welcome break from everyone else but that is saying next to nothing.

I could go on at this point about Steve and Big and the gay boys and others. I think you get my point though. Yes, we see almost everyone we cared about. Yes, they are doing the same wacky things. That’s it though; there is no depth. There is nothing to them. They never come alive. The fault may be with the actors but based on David Eigenberg’s and even Chris Noth’s performances, my opinion is just that the script and the direction failed. Completely.

Where is the wittiness? Where are the clever lines? Comebacks? Commentary? A cute line or two that we've all ready seen in the trailers. A joke about Vogue airbrushing and a surprising reference to Diane Arbus. A vulnerable moment with Charlotte, an actually convincing moment with Steve. Occasionally the heart of Sex in the City shows through. Unfortunately these moments are rare and the film is bogged down with clichés, bad jokes, gross out humor, and a plot that is never developed but instead thrown at us.

Sometimes a movie adapted from a television show runs the risk of seeming like an overly long episode. For Sex in the City, that scenario would have been a welcome improvement.

When it comes down to it, this movie is insulting. Samantha has to call Miranda out on an overgrowth of a certain type of hair? Everyone has to call Samantha out on gaining, what, five pounds? The only things that matter are weddings, babies, and expensive accessories? Is that really all we’re supposed to care about?

Say what you will about the show, but I never felt as angry or insulted watching it as I did almost every minute of this movie. I wanted to like it. I really, really did. I knew it wasn’t going to be great but I would have been happy with fun. Instead, the only thing that made me want to cry was the fact that I spent over ten dollars ton the ticket price.

I really hope for your sake that you avoid this absolute mess of storytelling and waste of time. Or that if you must go see it, and I can understand if that might be the case, that you get more enjoyment out of it than I did.

As it is, I will never willingly watch this movie again and it’s going to be a very long time before I’ll be able to stomach any more Sex in the City. If everything else wasn’t enough to make me angry, that right there is.

Goodbye Sex and the City. It was fun while it lasted but, alas, it was apparently never meant to be. Thank you Michael Patrick King. You’ve effectively ruined a decade of pop culture entertainment in two hours and twenty-five minutes. If that was your goal, couldn’t you have at least spared me that last half hour? For a few minutes I thought about giving you two stars. And then I remembered that last half hour. I’m taking a star back.

Sex in the City: The Movie. One very generous star. I’m not convinced you deserve even that.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 5/26

Yay for Memorial Days and three day weekends! The day off was enjoyed greatly and I used my extra time for extra movie watching (among other things). It was pretty sweet.

I also apologize in advance if this post seems a little out of it. My allergies have got me feeling all icky today. It's only taken me three hours to write this. I'm sure it's completely coherent and awesome.

Friday PM:

While I didn't watch any movies I did go see a live performance of R. Kelly's Trapped In The Closet.



For those of you not familiar with it, Trapped in The Closet is a Rock Opera about a web of people involved in various affairs and other nonsense. It's pretty ridiculous and very amusing. It's available on DVD but you can actually watch the episodes online as well over at IFC's website.

This particular performance that I went to see was done by a bunch of white kids acting out the first 12 chapters. It was done by a talented bunch of performers and I don't think I stopped laughing once. I even only yawned once which is an accomplishment in and of its self considering the fact it was a midnight performance on a Friday night. There's a reason I usually don't go out on Fridays. Anyway, yeah, it was really good and I'm hoping they do the next ten chapters soon.

Saturday:

I actually spent most of my day Saturday at wedding so no movie watching going on there. Wedding was beautiful though. I even teared up a little during the ceremony.

Sunday Early Evening:

I spent Sunday wandering around my neighborhood, walking, drinking coffee, doing a little bit shopping. Both J and K were out of town so I pretty much had the day to myself. It was nice to not have a schedule and just be able to do whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like it.



I stopped back at home for a bit after shopping and decided to watch MASH. In honor of Memorial Day and all that (the irony is part of the point). I love MASH so much. I haven't seen as much Altman as I really should have but MASH is by far my favorite of what I've seen. The performances are great and Altman's style compliments the story so very well.

I was somewhat of a fan of the TV Series but until recently had never seen the movie. Watching the movie, I must say that it's far superior to the show. I still enjoy the show as much as I ever did but I'll take the movie over it any day.

Sunday PM:



After MASH I once again left my couch and ventured to the local theater to catch Prince Caspian. I like the first Chronicles of Narnia movie well enough and grew up with the books so I was happy to watch Prince Caspian. It's pretty good. I did like it a bit better than the first but I think I have the same problem with it that I had with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

It just seems like they can't decide who they want their audience to be. The films fall into this weird place where they're really too old for kids but too young for adults. Prince Caspian is pretty dark and violent, not something I would think to necessarily take a kid to. At the same time, it's still pretty young. I just think they would have a wider appeal if they went one way or the other. Honestly, I think going more in the direction kids movie would really work best. That may just be because the books were a part of my childhood.

Either way, if you liked the first you'll probably like the second as well. And I liked them both enough that I'll continue to see the series in the theater. Not as good as Lord of The Rings or some of the Harry Potters but good enough.

Sunday Late PM:

After the movie and a bit of work I decided to channel surf for a while. Have I mentioned that I'm a big fan of my couch?



I settled on watching the second half of Clueless. I've got to say, Clueless is still one of my favorite movies and it's easily one of the best teen movies ever. An adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, Clueless is an intelligent, witty look at the lives of spoiled Beverly Hills teens. It's goofy and fun and I still love Cher's wardrobe.

It's one of those movies I will almost always turn on if I see it playing on TV. I've seen it so many times I've lost count. And yeah, I own the DVD. I've also been to the place where Cher is held up after the valley party. My friend lives down the street.

And. I have to point out the amount of tongue in that final kiss. Damn that's a lot of tongue.

I love it.

Monday AM:



Before Memorial Day BBQ fun I decided to veg on the couch for a while. Men In Black was on and I was honestly just too lazy to change the channel. I know. Go me and lazy. It's not my favorite movie ever but I love Will Smith and it was plenty entertaining for a quietly spent morning.

Speaking of Will Smith, I am so up in the air about whether or not I'm excited for Hancock. The premise sounds great, the second trailer looks decent, and my friend worked on it. It's just that the marketing is making me nervous. And the fact that the premier was canceled so they could go into reshoots. Less than a month before it's scheduled release. In addition to that they showed a trailer for it before Prince Caspian. Hancock mixed in with a bunch of family movies. It all seems like they're trying to market it as a goofy fun comedy which is NOT what the original premise of an alcoholic, troubled super hero seemed to be.

I'll still probably go see it but I don't have much hope for it being very good. Which is a shame because it seems like it could be such a cool, actually original, summer action film. Ah well. Maybe I'll be wrong. That would be nice.

Here's the trailer if you haven't seen it yet:



Monday Late PM:



After the BBQ and tie dyeing and other activities K and I decided it was as good a time as any for Dazed and Confused. Another of my favorite teen movies, Dazed and Confused is pretty much the perfect high school movie about nothing. The characters drive around, drink, get stoned, hang out, get into a moderate amount of trouble. It all ends in an awesome looking kegger that makes me a little jealous. How come we never had parties like that when I was in high school? If the kids I went to school with were that cool, I may have actually enjoyed my time there better. Oh well. Dazed and Confused is fun.

A word of advice though. Playing a drinking game where your one rule is take a drink whenever someone is paddled... not the best idea ever. You probably won't make it through the movie. My friend in college who tried certainly didn't. And I did not envy the hangover it gave her either.

On the Slate:

Rules of Attraction - after being told that I'll really like this by numerous friends I finally got it from Netflix. If I have my way I'll be watching it tonight.

Sex and The City - comes out this weekend. Of course K and I will be seeing it.

Not sure what else yet. We'll see.

Thoughts: Spaced

Before Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, there was Spaced.

Spaced was a show about two people, played by Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, who pretend to be married so they can rent a flat. It follows their cohabitation, their crazy neighbors, and all of the wackiness that ensues. A British show, it hasn't been available on DVD in the States.

That is, until now. Finally it's getting a US release. The show is brilliant and I can't wait to see the DVDs. Until now I've only seen it on a friend's VHS copy of a copy of... You get the idea.

For more info check out Scarecrow Video.