Happy Easter, everyone! We've been watching General Conference at home today and yesterday, and I decided to be modern and type my notes on the computer this year. So far no one has complained about the tapping noises, and I enjoy giving my right hand a break (and conserving the ink in my rare and precious pens which I use to take notes at school) and honing my typing skillz. Um, skills.
So anyway, it's April, and here's what I watched and read in March:
Movies:
Straight, No Chaser: I was very upset to miss this film at the International Cinema the week it was playing, so you can imagine my delight to find that it was coincidentally playing at the Orem Public Library. And my later anguish after discovering that it was probably the most difficult, tedious jazz movie out of the entire lot that I saw in February. But at least I know now that the guy's name was Thelonious Monk, not Theophilus Monk.
Departures: A well done film about an unlikely subject - an Asian musician who ends up changing his career to one that requires him to prepare dead bodies for burial. It was gently funny and also touching, though a little bit drawn out in my opinion. Won the Foreign Language Academy Award.
The Stepford Wives: A bit of a ridiculous film. I was unnerved and slightly bored at the same time. Which is the first time I can recollect having that emotion, so congratulations, movie. You're the first.
The Mask of Satan: With a title like that, you know it's GOTTA be good, right!??? Well, at least it wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. That's all I'm gonna say.
Dr. No: Pretty fun. James Bond. The infamous bikini scene. I feel "cultured."
Hero: Wonderful, fabulous, glorious, remarkable, magnificent. One of the most breathtaking films I've ever seen in terms of effects and aesthetics. The colors! The details! The implausible, unrealistic, exquisitely choreographed fight sequences! It's like a film dessert :)
Man on Wire: A terrific film, so interesting and unusual, and it REALLY HAPPENED! It doesn't even feel like a documentary, it's so engrossing. The version that I saw was unfortunately difficult to understand for a large part of it, since several of the characters spoke English with decidedly French accents and the DVD didn't give us the help of subtitles during those parts.
Slumdog Millionaire: Great film, and the huge crowd at BYU who saw it with me definitely helped add to the energetic ambience. I found myself tearing up a bit more this time, and I saw a few more details that I had overlooked the first time I saw it.
The Apartment: I thought this was a very well made film. Even if it did nearly break my heart to see Fred McMurray play such a terribly sympathetic yet ultimately awful character. Why, Fred, why?
Kabei: Confession - I didn't see all of this film, I had to run out for a bathroom break. It was about a mother whose husband is arrested for the usual, anti-government reading and thinking, and then how the family has to cope. It wasn't spectacular, but it was okay.
Repulsion: A very artistic film, but surprisingly still very accessible and not that difficult to understand. There are a few "gotcha" moments that resulted in some exclamations and nervous laughs from the class I watched it with, which is always fun.
Hour of the Wolf: An Ingmar Bergman film to be sure (Oooh, look how interesting my face is.... Mmmmm, this angle is disorienting.... Oh, a loud sound! That's creepy!), but left me with a greater sense of truth and enlightenment than "Personae," my unfortunate first exposure to Bergman which left me forever wary of him at the age of 19. I was impressed with the concept, and there was enough coherence and unity between the beginning and end for me to survive with some dignity.
The White Balloon: I was expecting a humdrum, sappy little film about children, and was completely taken unawares by this heartfelt, truthful depiction of a little girl and her brother who are preparing to celebrate the New Year. The way the film made each event that unfolded seem so important and meaningful kept me riveted to the screen, and I was very impressed by the authenticity of the child actors (yeah, the girl was a little bit annoying, but she was so gosh darn cute that I couldn't stay angry with her). It reminded me of the Beverly Cleary and Eleanor Estes books in a way, making regular, normal things into interesting, insightful events.
The Return: It's simple and subtle, but don't be fooled - this is an amazingly dramatic and emotional film. The events are again that of a rather normal Russian family, but the realism is palpable. I was...ahhhh, I already said it....but there's just no other way to say it...RIVETED, folks.
Downfall: Probably the longest film I've seen this year at 156 minutes, but for that amount of time, it seemed to go pretty quickly. It covers the last ten days of Hitler's life and feels like a definite roller coaster as people argue, worry, and hope over their lives and the lives of their loved ones. There's some really raw stuff here, but I appreciated the sincere and detailed look into this terrible and terrifying moment in history.
Evan Almighty: Oh, Steve Carell. You are so silly.
Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb: I enjoyed it a lot more this time than I did the first time I saw it, probably because I hadn't learned then to stop worrying and just love the individual performances and lines ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the war room!").
Targets: In some ways this film didn't seem like a real horror film (So passive! So detached!) but in other ways it was absolutely terrifying. I thought the casting and the performances were excellent, though. Boris Karloff as a good guy - me likey!
Night of the Living Dead: A classic. I was very sad at the end.
Bringing Up Baby: I have now "lived," according to authorities in my Humanities classes. It was hard at first for me to believe Katharine Hepburn's character (I never believe any of Cary Grant's characters anyway, so that wasn't a problem), but I eventually stopped worrying about it and enjoyed myself.
Annie Hall: I found it to be a string of depressing Seinfeld-esque episodes.
Rhapsody in August: Very lovely and thoughtful tribute. It felt honest without being one-sided.
Barefoot Gen: Without a doubt, the most graphic, horrifying, and disturbing animated film I have ever seen. It definitely had some important things to communicate, but I still feel sick thinking about it.
Eraserhead: A bizarre film that feels a bit too simple to be surreal, and way too weird to be normal. Very symbolic. Also, very gross.
Suspiria: Rather a roller coaster of a film. Full of shocks and surprises, blood'n'guts, crazy colors, and sensational moments. Thank goodness for the ending.
Get Smart: I liked it more than I want to admit.
The Man in the Moon: Sweet, emotional coming-of-age movie until the ending, which seems to fall apart with a weak, simplified resolution. The beginning is the best part - sincere, touching and beautiful.
The Triplets of Belleville: How to describe!?? Lots of weirdly wacky weirdness. LOTS. A very visual film - perhaps the best example of a film where dialogue is not at all important to understanding what's going on.
Together: A fairly enjoyable film, though a tad predictable. Aw, the dad and his son love each other. Oh, and the son's a brilliant musician, so good for him.
I am Cuba: An amazing film, probably the most pleasant surprise I've had in the difference between my expectations and my experience. It's rather long, but definitely worth the viewing. Each of the four stories was conceived and performed with wonderful sincerity and authenticity. My favorite was the third, about the students. But the first was really good too. Hey, you wanna know more, look it up.
Grave of the Fireflies: Well, it was a month for devastating animated films, I suppose. I preferred this film to Barefoot Gen, however; it seemed gentler while still being very poignant and powerful.
EXistenZ: We watched it in horror class, but it felt more like sci-fi with a few dashes of mostly intellectual horror and some action sequences. I still liked it. Especially the title. It feels so postmodern, y'know!?!
Theater:
Blood Wedding: A depressing Spanish play. Not as powerful or provoking as Fuente Ovejuna. Had some good music and choreography, though.
As You Like It: Pretty fun. Not my most favorite of Shakespeare's comedies, but I enjoyed certain concepts (the sequences with the ski-mask clad usurpers were exciting and creative), lines and performances (Jaques and Phoebe were both more interesting than usual, and I really liked the Adam character) very much.
Books:
Sunset Limited: A novel in dramatic form, so it should be in a category of its own, I suppose. Anyway, it's a profound little work with a lot to say in a little bit of space. I will be reading it again.
Evil Genius: I found it somewhat tedious and difficult to keep track of all the characters and complicated order of events, but I still admired the concept, and I still finished the book, so... it couldn't have been awful. I need a break before I get to the sequel, though.
The Lovely Bones: I'm not really sure what I thought of this book. Overall I didn't really like either the concept or the execution, but there were still some parts where I admired the author's style and agreed with the points she was making.
The Crying of Lot 49: This book is a MONKEY. That is all.
Fablehaven: I'm re-reading the series to prep myself for the fifth book, which was released around last week (and which Daniel bought for me for an early birthday present - squeeeee!). Anyway, I have only three words to say: Fabulous! Wonderful! Amazing!
Fablehaven 2: (Gushing) Remarkable! Brilliant! Marvelous! My favorite book of the series (so far...), though I think the 4th is better written.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Media Inventory for February 2010!
Here's what I watched and read in February:
Movies:
For Love of the Game: Not bad at all, although I will never like Kevin Costner in anything as much as I did in "Dances with Wolves."
The Day the Earth Stood Still: The Keanu Reaves version. Before you shoot me, I hasten to add that I've seen the old version twice and yes, it is infinitely better.
Ugetsu Monogatari: I don't know why I liked this movie. It's very long, depressing, un-scary, and grossly imbalanced in its view of men and women. Maybe I just like impressing people by saying the title.
'Round Midnight: Sigh. The first of TOO MANY Jazz films that I forced myself to see because of the pledge I made to see every International Cinema film this semester. Why did this have to be the first semester they decided to show a Jazz film every week in February? Why? Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that all Jazz films are too long, pointless, and depressing.
The Lady Vanishes: An early Hitchcock, very fun!
Katyn: A wonderful but terribly depressing film, though I must say, it was refreshing (and a bit shocking) to experience such a blunt, truthful approach to a horrible event in history.
Munyurangabo: One of the very few African films I've seen. It was interesting to see the scenery and lifestyles, but it was hard for me to become invested in the story or the acting. I found myself checking my watch and yawning a lot.
Jane Eyre: #4 in my Romance Movies Collection! And guess who plays Jane Eyre? That's right, Harriet Smith (from the Kate Beckinsale Emma)! She does a surprisingly good job at it, too, and of course we all loved Ciaran Hinds as Mr. Rochester. Who wouldn't, right?
My Dear Enemy: Cute Asian (I think Korean?) film. Good for a date or Valentine's Day activity, but it can be a little slow, so make sure you're prepared. I actually had to leave in the middle to go the bathroom. But I'm still saying I saw it. And now I feel guilty.
The Thing from Another World: I've now seen this movie three times at BYU, all in different official venues, and I've come to the conclusion that it's a delightful little horror/action/sci-fi/romantic/comic film.
The Host: The weirdest combination of comedy and horror. Also featuring one of the weirdest monsters you've ever seen.
Sullivan's Travels: I enjoyed this Preston Sturges film. It's sort of Capra-esque, if you know what I mean.
Paris Blues: It was nice seeing Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward together again. Other than that, yawn.
Andrei Rublev: Fantastic Tarkovsky film. I enjoyed the WHOLE thing. No, seriously.
Waltz with Bashir: It wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be, but it's not bad either.
Lorna Doone: #5 in my Romantic films collection. Sarah and Hannah watched this with me, and I think we can all agree that Lorna should have married Carver. I mean, really.
Quantum of Solace: Daniel Craig was the first James Bond I ever saw, and I gotta say, he's my favorite.
Miracle at Morgan's Creek: Another Preston Sturges film. It was okaaaaaay (meaning I wasn't a fan).
Night of the Hunter: This the first time I've seen Robert Mitchum play a villain, and he is absolutely AMAZING.
Casino Royale (2006): This was the first James Bond film I ever saw, and so far, my favorite Bond film ever. Can I just reiterate again how awesome Daniel Craig is?
The Scarlet Pimpernel I, II, and III: #6 of the Romantic films. I was wary going into this, what with the dark subject matter and the less well-known cast, but it turned out to be pretty good. If you're in the mood for, y'know, guillotines and conspiracies and kidnappings and all that. I still think Ian McKellen makes a better Chauvelin, though.
The Way Home: A very quiet, gentle film. Don't watch it when you're sleepy!
The Blind Sunflowers: A tragic Spanish film. Not as good as Pan's Labyrinth, but worth seeing.
The Five Obstructions: It wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be, and it was rather long, but it was a pretty interesting film all in all. I had trouble staying awake part of the time - but I'm going to blame that on stress and school rather than the movie.
Peeping Tom: A surprisingly decent horror film. I was greatly impressed by the lead performances (a young Aunt Norris in the female lead!)
Carnival of Souls: "Weird" and "creepy" were the first words to come to mind, but this film actually isn't bad. The acting (except for that of the lead character) and dialogue can be amateurish, and sometimes I felt the plot lagged, but when it hit, it hit hard.
The Class: A thoroughly interesting and engaging film. Highly, highly recommended.
The Great Dictator: I thought it was funnier than Modern Times, but I liked Modern Times more. Hmm - why is that?
Dingo: Way too long. As is every jazz film that I've seen.
Northanger Abbey: Silly and superficial, while simultaneously sweet and soothing.
Theater:
Tartuffe (BYU): Fantastic! I was excited to see how BYU built on the literary framework of the play with acting, costuming, set design (there were a lot of fun things with shadows and balconies), music and choreography. The actor playing Tartuffe gave the best performance that I've seen at BYU in a while.
A Thousand Cranes (BYU): It felt a bit amateurish, and at times slightly dull and preachy, but was still mildly enjoyable.
Books:
Blood Meridian: This book took me FOREVER to read, but whaddya expect from the book that some say is McCarthy's most profound work? Very difficult (not for the faint of heart, shall we say?) but rewarding and thought-provoking read. I'm writing my conference paper on Judge Holden, and I'm stoked.
No Country for Old Men: I tried to read this book a couple of years ago and found it too inaccessible. Now I wonder why on Earth I had any problem getting through it. A book with a lot of depth, which unfortunately can get glossed over because it reads so smoothly and quickly compared to other McCarthy books (cough/Blood Meridian/cough).
The Road: Of the three books I read this month (all of which were for my McCarthy class - busy much?), I found myself identifying most with this one. I can't even think of anything to criticize about it, I'm still so overwhelmed by the powerful and intimate emotional experiences I had reading it. Again, it's not for the faint of heart, but I think it will more than amply reward anyone who is willing to give it a chance.
And that's it for February! I promise I'll try to stay on top of the changes of the months for the rest of the year :)
Movies:
For Love of the Game: Not bad at all, although I will never like Kevin Costner in anything as much as I did in "Dances with Wolves."
The Day the Earth Stood Still: The Keanu Reaves version. Before you shoot me, I hasten to add that I've seen the old version twice and yes, it is infinitely better.
Ugetsu Monogatari: I don't know why I liked this movie. It's very long, depressing, un-scary, and grossly imbalanced in its view of men and women. Maybe I just like impressing people by saying the title.
'Round Midnight: Sigh. The first of TOO MANY Jazz films that I forced myself to see because of the pledge I made to see every International Cinema film this semester. Why did this have to be the first semester they decided to show a Jazz film every week in February? Why? Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that all Jazz films are too long, pointless, and depressing.
The Lady Vanishes: An early Hitchcock, very fun!
Katyn: A wonderful but terribly depressing film, though I must say, it was refreshing (and a bit shocking) to experience such a blunt, truthful approach to a horrible event in history.
Munyurangabo: One of the very few African films I've seen. It was interesting to see the scenery and lifestyles, but it was hard for me to become invested in the story or the acting. I found myself checking my watch and yawning a lot.
Jane Eyre: #4 in my Romance Movies Collection! And guess who plays Jane Eyre? That's right, Harriet Smith (from the Kate Beckinsale Emma)! She does a surprisingly good job at it, too, and of course we all loved Ciaran Hinds as Mr. Rochester. Who wouldn't, right?
My Dear Enemy: Cute Asian (I think Korean?) film. Good for a date or Valentine's Day activity, but it can be a little slow, so make sure you're prepared. I actually had to leave in the middle to go the bathroom. But I'm still saying I saw it. And now I feel guilty.
The Thing from Another World: I've now seen this movie three times at BYU, all in different official venues, and I've come to the conclusion that it's a delightful little horror/action/sci-fi/romantic/comic film.
The Host: The weirdest combination of comedy and horror. Also featuring one of the weirdest monsters you've ever seen.
Sullivan's Travels: I enjoyed this Preston Sturges film. It's sort of Capra-esque, if you know what I mean.
Paris Blues: It was nice seeing Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward together again. Other than that, yawn.
Andrei Rublev: Fantastic Tarkovsky film. I enjoyed the WHOLE thing. No, seriously.
Waltz with Bashir: It wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be, but it's not bad either.
Lorna Doone: #5 in my Romantic films collection. Sarah and Hannah watched this with me, and I think we can all agree that Lorna should have married Carver. I mean, really.
Quantum of Solace: Daniel Craig was the first James Bond I ever saw, and I gotta say, he's my favorite.
Miracle at Morgan's Creek: Another Preston Sturges film. It was okaaaaaay (meaning I wasn't a fan).
Night of the Hunter: This the first time I've seen Robert Mitchum play a villain, and he is absolutely AMAZING.
Casino Royale (2006): This was the first James Bond film I ever saw, and so far, my favorite Bond film ever. Can I just reiterate again how awesome Daniel Craig is?
The Scarlet Pimpernel I, II, and III: #6 of the Romantic films. I was wary going into this, what with the dark subject matter and the less well-known cast, but it turned out to be pretty good. If you're in the mood for, y'know, guillotines and conspiracies and kidnappings and all that. I still think Ian McKellen makes a better Chauvelin, though.
The Way Home: A very quiet, gentle film. Don't watch it when you're sleepy!
The Blind Sunflowers: A tragic Spanish film. Not as good as Pan's Labyrinth, but worth seeing.
The Five Obstructions: It wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be, and it was rather long, but it was a pretty interesting film all in all. I had trouble staying awake part of the time - but I'm going to blame that on stress and school rather than the movie.
Peeping Tom: A surprisingly decent horror film. I was greatly impressed by the lead performances (a young Aunt Norris in the female lead!)
Carnival of Souls: "Weird" and "creepy" were the first words to come to mind, but this film actually isn't bad. The acting (except for that of the lead character) and dialogue can be amateurish, and sometimes I felt the plot lagged, but when it hit, it hit hard.
The Class: A thoroughly interesting and engaging film. Highly, highly recommended.
The Great Dictator: I thought it was funnier than Modern Times, but I liked Modern Times more. Hmm - why is that?
Dingo: Way too long. As is every jazz film that I've seen.
Northanger Abbey: Silly and superficial, while simultaneously sweet and soothing.
Theater:
Tartuffe (BYU): Fantastic! I was excited to see how BYU built on the literary framework of the play with acting, costuming, set design (there were a lot of fun things with shadows and balconies), music and choreography. The actor playing Tartuffe gave the best performance that I've seen at BYU in a while.
A Thousand Cranes (BYU): It felt a bit amateurish, and at times slightly dull and preachy, but was still mildly enjoyable.
Books:
Blood Meridian: This book took me FOREVER to read, but whaddya expect from the book that some say is McCarthy's most profound work? Very difficult (not for the faint of heart, shall we say?) but rewarding and thought-provoking read. I'm writing my conference paper on Judge Holden, and I'm stoked.
No Country for Old Men: I tried to read this book a couple of years ago and found it too inaccessible. Now I wonder why on Earth I had any problem getting through it. A book with a lot of depth, which unfortunately can get glossed over because it reads so smoothly and quickly compared to other McCarthy books (cough/Blood Meridian/cough).
The Road: Of the three books I read this month (all of which were for my McCarthy class - busy much?), I found myself identifying most with this one. I can't even think of anything to criticize about it, I'm still so overwhelmed by the powerful and intimate emotional experiences I had reading it. Again, it's not for the faint of heart, but I think it will more than amply reward anyone who is willing to give it a chance.
And that's it for February! I promise I'll try to stay on top of the changes of the months for the rest of the year :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Ruth's Media Inventory: January 2010
For the new year, I've decided to keep track of all the books and movies ("entertainment," if you will) I read/watch and post a list each month. I've kept track pretty faithfully so far, even though I haven't posted yet and it's...ah...March?
Anyway, here's what I read and saw in January (in chronological order, I might add):
Movies:
Ordet - Doesn't really count, because we watched it on December 31st, 2009. But it's a wonderful film (currently in my top 5 in rating great, monumental important films) and I want to say that I started my year out watching it.
The Hustler - I learned more about how to play pool in this film than I will ever need or wish to know. But I also got to watch Paul Newman for 134 min, so, y'know, you cut your losses.
Love Story - I always wondered what Harvard was like in the 70s. Now I know - cold and lifeless.
Drag Me to Hell - Our first horror film of the semester! Scaried the heebie jeebies out of me and nearly persuaded me to never come back, even if I am only "auditing" the class.
Pan's Labyrinth - Such a beautiful film in so many ways.
Mrs. Miniver - Eh. Glad I saw it.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips - with Peter O'Toole. Favorite part of this was the song "Where did my Childhood Go?" I didn't cry much of the rest of the film, but this part had me in tears.
20,000 Leagues under the Sea - I was in the mood. And that "Whale of a Tale" song is catchy!
Inkheart - I hate to say it, but the book was better. And the book wasn't even that good. Oh, but Paul Bettany was spot-on as Dustfinger. The spitting image of the picture I had in my head (which was a little bizarre, come to think of it). But wow. Just, wow.
The Unknown - Good film. I was impressed by the quality of this oldie.
Chinaman - Sweet. Simple.
Kidnapped - Ah, Alan. I never could resist a rogue. Oh, and can I just say here that the Disney commercial before all of these films is possibly the best thing ever made?
Stardust - Funny and fairy-tale like. I liked it.
Three Colors: Blue - I liked the characters, but was missing dialogue after a while.
Himalaya - Surprisingly informative if you want to know more about life as an ancient wandering tribe. Very nice scenery; LOTR-esque, if you know what I mean.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - I get it, but I still hate it.
Brigham City - Good until the end - how lame.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - I loved this film. Paul Bettany was wonderful as usual, and Russell Crowe just might be my favorite actor for a while. The guy can act, y'know?
Pride and Prejudice - #1 in my Romance Movies Christmas Present (Thanks Mary Alma!). It doesn't matter how many times I watch it - Mr. Collins at the Netherfield Ball always cracks me up.
Three Colors: White - I absolutely loved this one. It was by FAR my favorite of the trilogy.
The Place Promised in our Early Days - Animated Asian film. Thought-provoking, but also rather weird.
Freaks - There's no other way of saying it. This film was freaky.
Mad Love - Peter Lorre, you are not the man you were. In 20,000 Leagues, that is. Don't watch this one alone.
Dear Frankie - I want to say that I "heart" this film.
Nights of Cabiria - Emotionally exhausting, but worth watching. There aren't too many decent films about Italian prostitutes out looking for love to begin with, so at least it was fresh.
A Knight's Tale - I admit I enjoyed it (Paul Bettany again? For the third time in one month?! Squeal!!!), but it was rather impertinent and vexing at times.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - The first five minutes of this film more than made up for any flaws that it might have contained in the remainder of its duration.
Victoria and Albert - #2 in my Romance Movies Christmas Present! I know what you're thinking - stuffy British miniseries about arranged marriages and affairs of state. But it's actually really good. Just don't let your mom walk in during THAT ONE SCENE.
An Affair to Remember - I'm a fan of Cary Grant and of Deborah Kerr, so I can't imagine why it was that I wanted to throttle both of them after watching this film.
Three Colors: Red - Overrated... Better than Blue, but a let down after the magnificent White.
Cat People - Underrated!
The Seventh Victim - Weird. Not very scary, not very funny, not very memorable. Not very anything, actually.
Modern Times - I wrote a paper about this film! Go see it! (The film, that is, not the paper)
Sansho the Bailiff - One of those long important Asian films that I hope to brag about seeing one day to someone who has not.
Duck Soup - I wrote a paper about this film too! Oh, and in case you were wondering, Chico is my favorite Marx brother.
Stranded: I've come from a Plane in the Mountains - One of the most heartwrenching, emotionally devastating films I've ever seen, right up there with Sophie Scholl: The Final Days. It's not for the faint of heart or stomach, or for those short on time.
The Long Hot Summer - Aw, it's Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. They're soooo cuuuuute!!! (even if the movie is kind of, um, dumb)
Emma - #3 in my R. M. C. P.! I was very excited this time to learn that the same actor (Mark Strong) who plays Mr. Knightley plays the evil Septimus in Stardust. And you'll never guess who Harriet Smith plays... but you'll have to wait until my February post to find out, as Emma was the last movie I watched in January.
Books:
Unwind - I don't like to use this word, but there's really no better way to say it. This book is RIVETING. So well-crafted in terms of creativity, suspense, and sequence. A ton of thanks to Joseph and Kirsti for getting it for me for Christmas!
Darkness Creeping - A collection of short weird stories by the author of Unwind, Neal Shusterman. It was easy and fun to read.
Everlost - Yet another Shusterman book. A bit slower and more laborious than Unwind. I enjoyed it, but not as much.
Catching Fire - I really loved The Hunger Games, and thought the sequel was interesting and exciting, but not quite as brilliant in the overall package as its predecessor. Still, I admire her creativity and hope she keeps writing.
The Orchard Keeper - the first book for my Cormac McCarthy class! It's difficult to get into, but the detail and the insights are really astounding.
Child of God - Another Cormac McCarthy, and a messed up book, as my teacher would (and did) say. But at least there's no danger of getting bogged down by details or descriptions! I'm a super slow reader, and it only took me two or three days to finish.
Everwild - Interesting, but again somehow lacking in comparison to the compelling motivation and disturbing intimacy of Unwind.
Sideshow - A collection of short original stories about circus freaks that helped me clear my head. Yes, I know it sounds weird.
And that's my January inventory! February to come soon! Meanwhile, classes are going well and I hope to write more regularly with updates now that we have faster Internet at home and my computer seems to have recovered from the various viruses that have been plaguing it of late.
Anyway, here's what I read and saw in January (in chronological order, I might add):
Movies:
Ordet - Doesn't really count, because we watched it on December 31st, 2009. But it's a wonderful film (currently in my top 5 in rating great, monumental important films) and I want to say that I started my year out watching it.
The Hustler - I learned more about how to play pool in this film than I will ever need or wish to know. But I also got to watch Paul Newman for 134 min, so, y'know, you cut your losses.
Love Story - I always wondered what Harvard was like in the 70s. Now I know - cold and lifeless.
Drag Me to Hell - Our first horror film of the semester! Scaried the heebie jeebies out of me and nearly persuaded me to never come back, even if I am only "auditing" the class.
Pan's Labyrinth - Such a beautiful film in so many ways.
Mrs. Miniver - Eh. Glad I saw it.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips - with Peter O'Toole. Favorite part of this was the song "Where did my Childhood Go?" I didn't cry much of the rest of the film, but this part had me in tears.
20,000 Leagues under the Sea - I was in the mood. And that "Whale of a Tale" song is catchy!
Inkheart - I hate to say it, but the book was better. And the book wasn't even that good. Oh, but Paul Bettany was spot-on as Dustfinger. The spitting image of the picture I had in my head (which was a little bizarre, come to think of it). But wow. Just, wow.
The Unknown - Good film. I was impressed by the quality of this oldie.
Chinaman - Sweet. Simple.
Kidnapped - Ah, Alan. I never could resist a rogue. Oh, and can I just say here that the Disney commercial before all of these films is possibly the best thing ever made?
Stardust - Funny and fairy-tale like. I liked it.
Three Colors: Blue - I liked the characters, but was missing dialogue after a while.
Himalaya - Surprisingly informative if you want to know more about life as an ancient wandering tribe. Very nice scenery; LOTR-esque, if you know what I mean.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - I get it, but I still hate it.
Brigham City - Good until the end - how lame.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - I loved this film. Paul Bettany was wonderful as usual, and Russell Crowe just might be my favorite actor for a while. The guy can act, y'know?
Pride and Prejudice - #1 in my Romance Movies Christmas Present (Thanks Mary Alma!). It doesn't matter how many times I watch it - Mr. Collins at the Netherfield Ball always cracks me up.
Three Colors: White - I absolutely loved this one. It was by FAR my favorite of the trilogy.
The Place Promised in our Early Days - Animated Asian film. Thought-provoking, but also rather weird.
Freaks - There's no other way of saying it. This film was freaky.
Mad Love - Peter Lorre, you are not the man you were. In 20,000 Leagues, that is. Don't watch this one alone.
Dear Frankie - I want to say that I "heart" this film.
Nights of Cabiria - Emotionally exhausting, but worth watching. There aren't too many decent films about Italian prostitutes out looking for love to begin with, so at least it was fresh.
A Knight's Tale - I admit I enjoyed it (Paul Bettany again? For the third time in one month?! Squeal!!!), but it was rather impertinent and vexing at times.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - The first five minutes of this film more than made up for any flaws that it might have contained in the remainder of its duration.
Victoria and Albert - #2 in my Romance Movies Christmas Present! I know what you're thinking - stuffy British miniseries about arranged marriages and affairs of state. But it's actually really good. Just don't let your mom walk in during THAT ONE SCENE.
An Affair to Remember - I'm a fan of Cary Grant and of Deborah Kerr, so I can't imagine why it was that I wanted to throttle both of them after watching this film.
Three Colors: Red - Overrated... Better than Blue, but a let down after the magnificent White.
Cat People - Underrated!
The Seventh Victim - Weird. Not very scary, not very funny, not very memorable. Not very anything, actually.
Modern Times - I wrote a paper about this film! Go see it! (The film, that is, not the paper)
Sansho the Bailiff - One of those long important Asian films that I hope to brag about seeing one day to someone who has not.
Duck Soup - I wrote a paper about this film too! Oh, and in case you were wondering, Chico is my favorite Marx brother.
Stranded: I've come from a Plane in the Mountains - One of the most heartwrenching, emotionally devastating films I've ever seen, right up there with Sophie Scholl: The Final Days. It's not for the faint of heart or stomach, or for those short on time.
The Long Hot Summer - Aw, it's Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. They're soooo cuuuuute!!! (even if the movie is kind of, um, dumb)
Emma - #3 in my R. M. C. P.! I was very excited this time to learn that the same actor (Mark Strong) who plays Mr. Knightley plays the evil Septimus in Stardust. And you'll never guess who Harriet Smith plays... but you'll have to wait until my February post to find out, as Emma was the last movie I watched in January.
Books:
Unwind - I don't like to use this word, but there's really no better way to say it. This book is RIVETING. So well-crafted in terms of creativity, suspense, and sequence. A ton of thanks to Joseph and Kirsti for getting it for me for Christmas!
Darkness Creeping - A collection of short weird stories by the author of Unwind, Neal Shusterman. It was easy and fun to read.
Everlost - Yet another Shusterman book. A bit slower and more laborious than Unwind. I enjoyed it, but not as much.
Catching Fire - I really loved The Hunger Games, and thought the sequel was interesting and exciting, but not quite as brilliant in the overall package as its predecessor. Still, I admire her creativity and hope she keeps writing.
The Orchard Keeper - the first book for my Cormac McCarthy class! It's difficult to get into, but the detail and the insights are really astounding.
Child of God - Another Cormac McCarthy, and a messed up book, as my teacher would (and did) say. But at least there's no danger of getting bogged down by details or descriptions! I'm a super slow reader, and it only took me two or three days to finish.
Everwild - Interesting, but again somehow lacking in comparison to the compelling motivation and disturbing intimacy of Unwind.
Sideshow - A collection of short original stories about circus freaks that helped me clear my head. Yes, I know it sounds weird.
And that's my January inventory! February to come soon! Meanwhile, classes are going well and I hope to write more regularly with updates now that we have faster Internet at home and my computer seems to have recovered from the various viruses that have been plaguing it of late.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmasy Ramblings
It's only five days until Christmas, and I am STOKED. Why am I so much more motivated to work on Christmas presents for nine people than I am to grade my 202 and 250 students' music papers and final exams? It's a Christmas mystery...
Anyway, in between making 100 presents this week, here are the things I'm hoping to get done:
a. Finish all my grading - gotta give those poor students something for Christmas.
b. Organize all my school stuff - can you believe the new semester starts January 4th?!?!? Yikes!
c. Play with my adorable nephew, Eddie. He is so adorable now that he can run around and make babbling noises. He has hardly cried at all since he's been here, and spends a lot of time playing with my hair (he likes to touch his forehead to mine and then touch my braid) and chasing Teddy, trying to give him a hug.
d. Christmas shopping. Shhhh.
e. Take Sarah and Hannah to see "New Moon." Sisterly obligation, of course. They still can't drive. And I was too busy to get them a birthday present this year, so...you know.The things I'm willing to do for them... !!!
f. Go to the airport with Mom to pick up Uncle Val (aka Unc) on Tuesday. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
g. Go to our ward family home evening. I have no excuse to miss it now that school's out :(
Today was a good day. I went to church by myself since Daniel wanted to attend the family ward and see their Christmas program. I had to play the organ. Sacrament meeting went well, and then Daniel came back for Sunday School, and then we had a nice Relief Society which was our last lesson on the life of Joseph Smith. I have really enjoyed studying his teachings for the past two years, and am grateful for all the good things that have come from his work.
Joseph came by for dinner without Kirsti and Edward (K. has been feeling sick), and he stayed for family home evening and Teddy's walk. It was fun just having the siblings together (except Mary Alma :(...), and it reminded me of the times we had when Joseph would tell us funny stories and organize us to do crazy things when we were little. Ah, good old memories...
Speaking of sick people, Teddy has apparently come down with something. He woke the twins up three times last night to go potty and then threw up two or three times today. Ugh! It's funny how we react to our pets - my rabbit Jacques never threw up, and our dog Yeller threw up so much it was just accepted as normal behavior. We think Teddy could be reacting to the stress of having Eddie chase him around whenever he's here, so it's probably for the best that he had a day off.
Well, time to see if I can make one more Christmas card before going to bed tonight.
Anyway, in between making 100 presents this week, here are the things I'm hoping to get done:
a. Finish all my grading - gotta give those poor students something for Christmas.
b. Organize all my school stuff - can you believe the new semester starts January 4th?!?!? Yikes!
c. Play with my adorable nephew, Eddie. He is so adorable now that he can run around and make babbling noises. He has hardly cried at all since he's been here, and spends a lot of time playing with my hair (he likes to touch his forehead to mine and then touch my braid) and chasing Teddy, trying to give him a hug.
d. Christmas shopping. Shhhh.
e. Take Sarah and Hannah to see "New Moon." Sisterly obligation, of course. They still can't drive. And I was too busy to get them a birthday present this year, so...you know.The things I'm willing to do for them... !!!
f. Go to the airport with Mom to pick up Uncle Val (aka Unc) on Tuesday. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
g. Go to our ward family home evening. I have no excuse to miss it now that school's out :(
Today was a good day. I went to church by myself since Daniel wanted to attend the family ward and see their Christmas program. I had to play the organ. Sacrament meeting went well, and then Daniel came back for Sunday School, and then we had a nice Relief Society which was our last lesson on the life of Joseph Smith. I have really enjoyed studying his teachings for the past two years, and am grateful for all the good things that have come from his work.
Joseph came by for dinner without Kirsti and Edward (K. has been feeling sick), and he stayed for family home evening and Teddy's walk. It was fun just having the siblings together (except Mary Alma :(...), and it reminded me of the times we had when Joseph would tell us funny stories and organize us to do crazy things when we were little. Ah, good old memories...
Speaking of sick people, Teddy has apparently come down with something. He woke the twins up three times last night to go potty and then threw up two or three times today. Ugh! It's funny how we react to our pets - my rabbit Jacques never threw up, and our dog Yeller threw up so much it was just accepted as normal behavior. We think Teddy could be reacting to the stress of having Eddie chase him around whenever he's here, so it's probably for the best that he had a day off.
Well, time to see if I can make one more Christmas card before going to bed tonight.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Free at last, free at last!
Is it surprising that the first music that rushed into my head after I finished my Civil War Exam was "Amazing Grace"? The answer is yes it was, especially since for no reason whatsoever last night I was overcome with a feverish urge to download four Elvis songs on YouTube and play them over and over again while I read my notes. I studied until about 2 am last night, slept until 6, got up and drove off to get a side-aisle seat before 6:45, and finished that sucker in 2 hours and 50 minutes - a new record for the shortest amount of time it has taken me to take a history test! After I finished, I shook my professor's hand and he said I could pick up the final at his office next semester - yeah! It felt SOOOO wonderful to be done. Not even the 95 on my film journal which I went to pick up today could dampen my mood. I couldn't be happier if the South had won the war! Hmmm...Nah, I like that sentence.
So, to catch y'all up with my life (y'all don't mind if I start calling y'all y'all, do y'all?) since my last post back in the antebellum period - that would be October - and just to engage in some bragging and back-slapping, here's what I managed to accomplish:
a. Got an A- on a Civil War Paper which I researched and wrote in less than a week. This may not sound like much to you, but I was THRILLED. For some reasons, history teachers always give me higher grades on papers than on essay tests. Oh, ugh - now you all know that I've gotten a B+ or less on my tests...
b. Wrote an Emerson paper in, ah, 2-3 days. I don't know how that one's turned out yet, though...so...who wants chocolate?
c. Got 100 points on my American Studies journals, proposal, and paper (minus 10 on the last). There will be an A on that transcript, folks.
d. Got complimented by my film teacher after class - he said I was welcome to come to his class next semester even if I couldn't enroll, and also encouraged me to go to grad school. Hmmm...letter of recommendation possibility?
e. Did 100% of all the reading for my AmSt class. Yeah, I know, I already talked about it in point c), but this is a mile marker worthy of its own letter. This might be the first time since I was a freshman that I've done 100% reading for anything.
f. Stayed well the WHOLE semester! I had a rash and a stiff ankle for a week or two, but other than that, nothing. Wow.
g. Watched some gooooooooood movies. Oh, you'd better believe it. Recommendations TBA.
Well, time to do some of my postponed TA business and start getting excited about Joseph and Kirsti's visit later today (and of course, their presents for us - I mean, Edward!).
So, to catch y'all up with my life (y'all don't mind if I start calling y'all y'all, do y'all?) since my last post back in the antebellum period - that would be October - and just to engage in some bragging and back-slapping, here's what I managed to accomplish:
a. Got an A- on a Civil War Paper which I researched and wrote in less than a week. This may not sound like much to you, but I was THRILLED. For some reasons, history teachers always give me higher grades on papers than on essay tests. Oh, ugh - now you all know that I've gotten a B+ or less on my tests...
b. Wrote an Emerson paper in, ah, 2-3 days. I don't know how that one's turned out yet, though...so...who wants chocolate?
c. Got 100 points on my American Studies journals, proposal, and paper (minus 10 on the last). There will be an A on that transcript, folks.
d. Got complimented by my film teacher after class - he said I was welcome to come to his class next semester even if I couldn't enroll, and also encouraged me to go to grad school. Hmmm...letter of recommendation possibility?
e. Did 100% of all the reading for my AmSt class. Yeah, I know, I already talked about it in point c), but this is a mile marker worthy of its own letter. This might be the first time since I was a freshman that I've done 100% reading for anything.
f. Stayed well the WHOLE semester! I had a rash and a stiff ankle for a week or two, but other than that, nothing. Wow.
g. Watched some gooooooooood movies. Oh, you'd better believe it. Recommendations TBA.
Well, time to do some of my postponed TA business and start getting excited about Joseph and Kirsti's visit later today (and of course, their presents for us - I mean, Edward!).
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
It's only October, for crying out loud
And already, look at what I have to do THIS WEEK:
Grade exams, papers, quizzes, more exams, more papers, more quizzes. Did I use to think this was actually fun?
Rewrite a prospectus for my Civil War research paper since the one I wrote before was a) on a topic that I'm no longer interested in, b) quite awful, according to my professor, and c) counts for quite a bit of my grade. Did I mention I got points knocked off because it was marked "Late" when I distinctly remember bringing it to class and turning it in on the day marked in the syllabus? Mmmm-hmm. Oh, you better believe this is not the end of that little story. My professor will be in London over the weekend preparing a conference, but when he gets back, there will be a conflict beyond all comparison with the Civil War ones.
Write up a (immodestly humongous) proposal for a huge AmSt project that is supposed to take over my life for the next two months and change history for all time. I'm pretty much supposed to know exactly everything in the world about the project BEFORE I've researched it, and it's worth roughly 10,000,000 points plus my immortal soul, so yeah, it's kindofabig deal.
Write a 3-4 page paper on Emerson, due Monday. I've already got the outline and am pretty sure I could do it in a day, but WHO HAS A DAY TO SPARE!?
Read until my brain or my eyes give out - I have chunky (thick), clunky (boring) readings for all four of my classes, not to mention a ton of extra reading to do for the CW and AmSt paper/project/big monstrous deathtraps.
Spend all day Saturday at a (required) field trip - we're going to Arches National Park. Can I bring my laptop and write in the car? Maybe. Will I do it anyway? Yes.
And this is all for THIS WEEK. Next week, I've got THIS to look forward to:
10 reviews to start (thankfully, not finish) writing for my film class
Assignment on Experiment in Criticism for my film class (15 paragraphs... that's like, SEVEN PAGES!)
3 novels, whups, JOURNAL ENTRIES, required for my AmSt class
CW test and notes to type up (a relatively low priority, but essential nonetheless if I hope to raise my grade beyond its current status of "UGH!!!")
Finish Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (which wouldn't take so long if he didn't insist on techniques such as using at least 20 different words to say "rock" and 30 adjectives to describe "dirt.")
Grading, grading, grading - I guess this is why professors need TAs, huh?
I haven't even talked about my life outside of school, but that's pretty much because it doesn't exist. I still go to the International Cinema, the Asian Cinema Club (well, actually I missed the last one - Yip Man - have you seen it, Kirsti? Joseph?), the occasional lecture (LOVED Terryl Given's presentation on the provenance and prominence of Christian themes in the Book of Mormon, by the way), and plays at BYU when I can. Yesterday I took Sarah and Hannah to BYU to see "Psycho" (1960) - it was the first time any of us had seen it, and I think we all enjoyed the experience, though none of us is likely to repeat it any time soon.
As for the movie itself, four things jumped out at/surprised/intrigued me: 1) How calm and tame the shower scene appeared in contrast to my expectations - the violin music didn't even seem all that grating or frightening, to be honest. 2) How many times I had to keep reminding myself that Norman Bates was despicable and villainous, and never mind that he's so attractive and friendly and softspoken and really just a poor troubled....ah, there it goes again. It was just so much easier to dislike him before I ever saw the film! 3) How WELL the strings-only musical score worked - it never felt lacking or inappropriate for the scene, kept the tensions high but not unbearably so, and gave me real live heebie-jeebies during the second murder and the fruit cellar scenes - yipes! Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine. Don't you looooove that feeling!?????? The answer is yes. Especially in October. 4) It's rated "R." I did not know this until the movie was over, and it struck me as odd since I couldn't remember any cursing, excessive or degrading nudity, or graphic violence at all in the film. I don't how big of a deal the "R" rating was in 1960, and ratings don't really bother me since I've come to terms with the fact that my own "moral sentiment," as Emerson calls it, is a stricter and more authoritative (as well as more correct) judge than the MPAA in my experience, but anyway, that little "R" ignited a heated debate in the car, which developed into a quarrel, which climaxed into a full-blown argument with all the family involved in a battle over grandiose themes of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There were yells, there were tears, there were interruptions and impassioned pleas - it was like the Civil War happening right here in our living room. Anyway, we eventually separated, the North to the upstairs and the South to the downstairs, licking our wounds and preparing future amunition for counterattacks in our minds, but we eventually reconciled the next morning in the Appomattox Bathroom. So all's well that ends well, I guess. Though, as we know from both Reconstruction and "Psycho 2," it ain't over till it's over.
Grade exams, papers, quizzes, more exams, more papers, more quizzes. Did I use to think this was actually fun?
Rewrite a prospectus for my Civil War research paper since the one I wrote before was a) on a topic that I'm no longer interested in, b) quite awful, according to my professor, and c) counts for quite a bit of my grade. Did I mention I got points knocked off because it was marked "Late" when I distinctly remember bringing it to class and turning it in on the day marked in the syllabus? Mmmm-hmm. Oh, you better believe this is not the end of that little story. My professor will be in London over the weekend preparing a conference, but when he gets back, there will be a conflict beyond all comparison with the Civil War ones.
Write up a (immodestly humongous) proposal for a huge AmSt project that is supposed to take over my life for the next two months and change history for all time. I'm pretty much supposed to know exactly everything in the world about the project BEFORE I've researched it, and it's worth roughly 10,000,000 points plus my immortal soul, so yeah, it's kindofabig deal.
Write a 3-4 page paper on Emerson, due Monday. I've already got the outline and am pretty sure I could do it in a day, but WHO HAS A DAY TO SPARE!?
Read until my brain or my eyes give out - I have chunky (thick), clunky (boring) readings for all four of my classes, not to mention a ton of extra reading to do for the CW and AmSt paper/project/big monstrous deathtraps.
Spend all day Saturday at a (required) field trip - we're going to Arches National Park. Can I bring my laptop and write in the car? Maybe. Will I do it anyway? Yes.
And this is all for THIS WEEK. Next week, I've got THIS to look forward to:
10 reviews to start (thankfully, not finish) writing for my film class
Assignment on Experiment in Criticism for my film class (15 paragraphs... that's like, SEVEN PAGES!)
3 novels, whups, JOURNAL ENTRIES, required for my AmSt class
CW test and notes to type up (a relatively low priority, but essential nonetheless if I hope to raise my grade beyond its current status of "UGH!!!")
Finish Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (which wouldn't take so long if he didn't insist on techniques such as using at least 20 different words to say "rock" and 30 adjectives to describe "dirt.")
Grading, grading, grading - I guess this is why professors need TAs, huh?
I haven't even talked about my life outside of school, but that's pretty much because it doesn't exist. I still go to the International Cinema, the Asian Cinema Club (well, actually I missed the last one - Yip Man - have you seen it, Kirsti? Joseph?), the occasional lecture (LOVED Terryl Given's presentation on the provenance and prominence of Christian themes in the Book of Mormon, by the way), and plays at BYU when I can. Yesterday I took Sarah and Hannah to BYU to see "Psycho" (1960) - it was the first time any of us had seen it, and I think we all enjoyed the experience, though none of us is likely to repeat it any time soon.
As for the movie itself, four things jumped out at/surprised/intrigued me: 1) How calm and tame the shower scene appeared in contrast to my expectations - the violin music didn't even seem all that grating or frightening, to be honest. 2) How many times I had to keep reminding myself that Norman Bates was despicable and villainous, and never mind that he's so attractive and friendly and softspoken and really just a poor troubled....ah, there it goes again. It was just so much easier to dislike him before I ever saw the film! 3) How WELL the strings-only musical score worked - it never felt lacking or inappropriate for the scene, kept the tensions high but not unbearably so, and gave me real live heebie-jeebies during the second murder and the fruit cellar scenes - yipes! Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine. Don't you looooove that feeling!?????? The answer is yes. Especially in October. 4) It's rated "R." I did not know this until the movie was over, and it struck me as odd since I couldn't remember any cursing, excessive or degrading nudity, or graphic violence at all in the film. I don't how big of a deal the "R" rating was in 1960, and ratings don't really bother me since I've come to terms with the fact that my own "moral sentiment," as Emerson calls it, is a stricter and more authoritative (as well as more correct) judge than the MPAA in my experience, but anyway, that little "R" ignited a heated debate in the car, which developed into a quarrel, which climaxed into a full-blown argument with all the family involved in a battle over grandiose themes of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There were yells, there were tears, there were interruptions and impassioned pleas - it was like the Civil War happening right here in our living room. Anyway, we eventually separated, the North to the upstairs and the South to the downstairs, licking our wounds and preparing future amunition for counterattacks in our minds, but we eventually reconciled the next morning in the Appomattox Bathroom. So all's well that ends well, I guess. Though, as we know from both Reconstruction and "Psycho 2," it ain't over till it's over.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
P.S.
Kirsti's comment and an unexpected blessing today - in the form of my Civil War professor coming down with the stomach flu and cancelling class (bless these little children who make their daddies sick!) today - have compelled me add one more thing to the "Good" list: I'm NOT SICK!
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