October 2010 Media Inventory

So, a lot went on this October. I did homework, took the GRE, and went to Texas, among other things. Among the things that I did not do this October were watching a lot of movies and reading a lot of books, apparently. I'm pretty sure this is the shortest media post to date.

Movies:

Emma: Here I was, at age 22, thinking that I had seen every version of Emma ever produced, including Clueless, and up pops another one! A four-hour one with extended scenes of romantic goings-on and witty exchanges for the entire family to enjoy! I had a little bit of Emma-fatigue after seeing it, I'll confess, but it is a worthwhile version, particularly if you have a couch and someone to cuddle with while watching it.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape: There are some fine performances in this film which deserve to be commended. The story is also touching, mostly due to a quality of realism which you don't get too often from films. The resolution is a bit perplexing and ultimately, I feel, regrettable. But so is life sometimes, right?

Oscar: A comedy gangster film. Had some really funny moments and quotable lines, but I felt it would make a better stage play than a movie.

The Nightmare before Christmas: I've been meaning to see this for SO long, and it was fun to see it just before Halloween. The dark humor can make me cringe at times, and I got a little tired of the characters breaking into song every 1.5 minutes of film, but these things didn't keep me from enjoying this creative and quirky film.

Arsenic and Old Lace: I know I already saw most of it on TV a month or so ago, but I just have to reiterate that it is. Freaking. Hilarious. And so much more fun to see when one is in the Halloween mood.

Failure to Launch: I lost interest somewhere in the middle, and now I can't even remember how it ends. Probably the usual way. They fight, make up, kiss, whatever.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: Love, love, LOVE this movie! I started out just humming the theme one day, then I had to satisfy an urgent craving to watch the barn dance, then I just couldn't stop thinking about anything else until I watched it. I did skip the winter scenes, but c'mon, I've paid my dues.

Prince Caspian: I am now in the mood and thoroughly excited to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

How to Train Your Dragon: I enjoyed seeing it for the first time better - everything seemed a little less obvious and prototypical. But it's still a good movie.

The Making of All the Pretty Horses (a documentary): Saw this at the McCarthy conference (more to come - promise!). Mostly comprised of interviews with cast members and major crew members. It was fun to see how much thought, effort, and detail went into acting and directing the film, and the interviews were very entertaining and enlightening even from a scholarly perspective. And now, I've really GOT to see No Country for Old Men and The Road!

The Gardener's Son: The story is pretty straightforward McCarthy realism and harshness (without as much complexity or ambiguity as some of the later works, in my opinion), but my greatest impression after watching the film is that Brad Dourif is a really incredible actor. Every time I see him in a new film, he's playing someone who is the complete opposite of his last character. And EVERY TIME HE'S PERFECT.

The Court Jester: Funniest movie I've seen in a while. Great songs, great story, great cast, great quotes (heavens! The quotes!). I want to see it again in slow motion so I can catch all the details.

Books:

Tales of H. P. Lovecraft: Lovecraft isn't my favorite horror writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I did learn a lot of interesting stuff and picked up some cool references to throw out while we were visiting a haunted house ("Oh look - Cthulu!" "Wow, this room is so abject!").

The Haunting of Hill House: Say what you want, but I think Shirley Jackson is an incredibly talented writer with a lot of interesting, insightful things to say. I almost felt the book was too simple, but the more I read it, the more I see how subtle and complicated her characters and themes really are. Fascinating.

I Am Legend: What a horrific, depressing, frightening, exhausting book this is! And yet it's probably one of my favorite things I've read all year (and not JUST because he named the next-to-only sort of sympathetic character Ruth, either). We read the graphic novel instead of the actual novel, and I'd highly recommend the experience. Just be prepared for some really powerful, upsetting, deep stuff.