Being sick for a week and starting spring semester might have something to do with this being my lowest media-consuming month: only 21 movies! On the other hand, 5 books is pretty decent for one month.
Movies:
The Vikings: What a great film! About vikings! The Kirk Douglas-Tony Curtis partnership worked a little better in Spartacus, I thought, but still, this was well worth watching. Lots of good old fashioned bullying, bragging, and brawling, and even a little bit of tragedy too. I hadn't really considered myself a Kirk Douglas fan until this year, but hey, why not?
Barabbus: Despite my fondness for Anthony Quinn and my curiosity over the actual character of Barabbus, I didn't "get" this movie. I wanted to stone it.
Titanic: I get the feeling that I would have been more impressed if I had seen it in 2002. However, it wasn't a bad film (fine, that ONE part...) and still impressed/teared me up some.
Finding Neverland: I went on a bit of a Johnny Depp kick this month, so I naturally enjoyed this film with him as a rather introverted yet endearing English gent. And it has Kate Winslet too, who looked so familiar for SOME reason.
Edward Scissorhands: A must-see film. It's beautifully stylized and so creative and so sweet yet sad (you could easily spend half of it making sympathetic sounds). It's a modern fairy tale! And it has Johnny Depp! (though he isn't really Johnny Depp-ing it here, if you know what I mean.)
Waitress: Not an easy film to watch, but still worth watching. The story and message were a bit complicated (and ok, disturbing), but I felt the characters and circumstances were handled in a realistic yet satisfying way. And it made me want to eat more pies.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail: What can I say? Look at the films above this one - I needed some comedy, okay?
When Harry Met Sally: I'd heard about it for a long time before finally deciding to watch it. A pretty upfront romantic drama but sort of tiresome. I liked Harry a lot better than Sally, but by the end of the movie, I was tired to death of both of them. Thank goodness they finally shut up and got together.
A Room with a View: The best part was seeing Denholm Elliott, one of my favorite talented older English actors (how's that for an editing noun-string nightmare!). I wasn't terribly impressed by the story or the other characters (this isn't completely true: Maggie Smith is always perfect, and I must admit it was kind of interesting to see Daniel Day Lewis as a stuffy Englishman). Stuffy movie-watchers might enjoy, but then again, there is a scandalous skinnydipping scene.
Two Weeks' Notice: Not a great film in any way, but provided me with some much needed comic relief. Lots of Hugh Grant silliness - he's a much more believable idiot to me than Sandra Bullock.
Ponyo: Amazingly creative with almost everything you could ask for in a Hayao Miyazaki film. The plot turns out to have a lame resolution, but who cares about the plot really when you have so many cute, weird, and magical things going on?
50 First Dates: I've forgotten it already.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead: A "brainy" film with a lot of wit and weirdness, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it thoroughly. R and G are perfectly cast, and the verbal and physical interactions between them are priceless. I came off feeling entertained and inexplicably wiser.
Date Night: Meh. Fun, but nothing special. I should have waited for the library to get a copy.
Guarding Tess: Yawn. Losing faith in Nicolas Cage.
Groundhog Day: A thoughtful and humorous film with some really inspirational conclusions. Hey, that's a pretty good description.
Raising Arizona: Hee-larious. Faith in Nicolas Cage restored.
Nights in Rodanthe: I can't really explain why I liked this film; it's just a generic corny romantic comedy with middle-aged people. But I liked it anyway. Maybe it was the beach (have I told you about my love of water?). Or the storm (and you know about my love affair with storms, right?) Or Richard Gere, who is handsome. (for proof of this, see "Rhapsody in August.")
Erik the Viking: Not quite as hilarious as it could or should be (especially towards the end), but still definitely has its moments. The beginning is terrific.
Public Enemies: I was thrilled to see the trailer for this film when it first came out, and can't think why I waited so long to see it. I should have seen it in the theater. But on the other hand, seeing the DVD let me rewind and rewatch so many great parts! The life of John Dillinger is utterly fascinating (you better believe I have pictures of his exhibit in D.C.'s National Museum of Crime and Punishment), so I was only worried about the casting and direction, but both of them held up to par. I usually have a hard time with Christian Bale, but he convinced me as a dogged, confused agent. I had never heard of Marion Cotillard, but she was utterly believable. It was fun to see David Wenham (Faramir) as a gangster. And Johnny Depp was . . . (deep breath, brief, unsuccessful attempt to restrain girly gushing) PERFECT!!!!! I can TOTALLY see why America was enthralled with Dillinger.
Cast Away: I've never considered myself a Tom Hanks fan, but I think I'm starting to relent. The guy can act. And I have never looked at my volleyball the same way since.
Books:
The Poet: We had to pick different genre books to read for one of my classes, so I picked this for a thriller/mystery. It's pretty solid, but not really my thing. I liked the writing and the characters okay, but felt the plot was kinda predictable. Still, it was a good read.
Storm Front: A modern fantasy book for the more mature/geeky YA. More entertaining than the Poet. Sort of conflicted - tried to be funny and serious and dramatic and whimsical all at once. The plot kind of meanders all over the place, but at least I was never bored.
Fractured Fairy Tales: I read this little collection in one day since I needed something to do while riding the bus and walking home. Cute and clever - but read the real fairy tales first. Seriously.
Austenland: Surprisingly creative, entertaining, and believable story. I'm not really into Shannon Hale, but this caught my eye. Such an unusual premise - a modern girl goes on vacation to a strict Austen society? Never mind quibbles about characters or writing (both turned out to be satisfactory) - I HAD to know what happened.
Big Girl: My first attempt at Danielle Steel. Ugh. I was depressed and bored through the whole thing. I was so grateful to see it come to an end that I decided not to care that we never really learn what became of any of the characters. (Fun fact: I ended up titling my review for class "Big Disappointment," but my dad cracked me up by suggesting I call it "Big Hurl.")
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
April 2010 Media Inventory
April wasn't as big a media month as usual, what with finals and... uh, finals. But I still managed to get 3 As, 1 P (in Volleyball, for "Perfection," I assumed), and ALL OF THIS done. Aren't you impressed?
Movies:
La Bamba: I actually started this last year and never got around to finishing it. I liked it, though. The music still plays through my head occasionally - especially the "Wellhhhhhhh....." before the song actually starts.
Osama: Not a satisfactory film, but raises some unfortunately necessary questions that deserve answers. Not a good film to see if you're feeling bitter at men.
Heima: I was wary of this film since it was rumored to be a lot of music (and we all know how I feel about that after February, the jazz movie month catastrophe), but I was surprised. It was really good. The songs and the scenery were really beautiful and breathtaking at times. It was pretty long, but I probably would have appreciated it more if I hadn't been watching it along with two others in a single day.
The Kebab Connection: It was goofy, silly, funny, comical. I really can't think of anything else to say about it.
Bruce Almighty: Cleverer and more entertaining than Evan Almighty. Also naughtier.
Woman of the Year: I always enjoy Katharine Hepburn, and this role seemed to fit her especially well. The story was also nice. And the ending - so satisfying!
Funny Farm: I yawned the whole way through it. I think my own life is more exciting than this movie.
Peter and the Wolf: A very charming and enjoyable silent (well, not counting the music, which speaks volumes) film. It's like horror for kids!
Apollo 13: After hearing Captain James Lovell speak to us in a BYU forum and seeing the trailer for this movie in said forum, I knew I had to see it. I was not disappointed. What an interesting, important, scary, roller-coaster story and film!
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: I love just about everything about this movie: George Clooney, the Southern setting (and accents - hilarious!), the ridiculous humor, the nods to the Odyssey), the music, and so on.
Tom Jones: Another one of my BBC Romances, and definitely the oddest of the lot. Ay, ayayayay..... It's a thoroughly entertaining and skillfully constructed film (starring once again that lady who played Jane Eyre and Harriet Smith in the same collection), but quite scandalous. QUITE.
The Holiday: This movie is better than it deserves to be. And Jude Law is really more handsome than anyone deserves to be.
How to Train your Dragon: I saw this with Daniel and the twins in a REAL THEATER. I KNOW!!! Anyway, perhaps it's just the comfy chair and popcorn smell talking, but I liked this movie a lot. It was creative, funny, clean, exciting, and satisfying. Maybe not epic, but nobody's perfect, right?
State of Play: Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors and Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite actresses, so I can't imagine why I wasn't particularly impressed by this movie. Maybe they distracted me.
Airplane: Hehehehehe. That's the first reaction I ever heard to the "Airplane" films, and that's the only one I'm going to give here. Except I'm also raising my eyebrow, but you can't see it.
Becket: I LOVED this movie. Fantastic story, marvellous acting, wonderful dialogue, music, scenery, etc.
The Lion in Winter: See how much I loved Becket? Enough to see this film that I had skipped over for years in the Provo Library! It wasn't quite as great as Becket but still enjoyable. It left me wanting to see more, especially of the interaction between the brothers Richard, Geoffrey, and John.
The Wind in the Willows: I never really enjoyed this film as a child, but watching it as an adult somehow makes it so much funnier and cuter.
Evil: A truly inspirational and authoritative film that speaks very powerfully and directly on issues of violence, abuse of power, and transition into adulthood. I was greatly impressed both by the performances and the message of the film. Thanks for recommending it to me, Joseph!
Spartacus: A pretty good film that rides heavily on its individual performances, which seems to work. Sometimes Kirk Douglas is too much for me, but I think he hit just about the right level of passionate sincerity and blustering heroism in this. I also liked Tony Curtis (whom I usually dislike, for some reason) in the character of Antoninus. And that Laurence Olivier makes a mean villain, for sure. And Jean Simmons is pretty. And that's about it.
Luther: Another great film, a la Becket. I loved the character of Luther and the story really is gripping and inspirational. My only complaint is that it was TOO SHORT!
The Gods must be crazy: Not a serious film in any way, but definitely one worth watching. So funny. And crazy. And cute.
The Gods must be crazy, II: A little wilder and wackier, but still sweet (and still worth it).
Theater:
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: The story is so funny, and interesting, and clever, and cute. And the actors were really great - so much energy and commitment to their delightfully weird characters! It was a Mask Club performance rather than an official BYU production, so maybe it's not "real" theater, but it was possibly the best Mask Club I've ever seen, and it's my blog, so I'm putting it down anyway. Nyah.
Books:
Fablehaven 3: I was able to enjoy the details of this book more the second time going through it. And the story is just so fascinating and creative, it makes up for almost any flaws.
Fablehaven 4: My favorite of the series after number 2. I think Brandon Mull is at his strongest writing creative, unexpected plot twists and turns, or writing about the adventures which characters have in traveling to new locations or overcoming obstacles to acquire an artifact, and this book has plenty of both types of greatness.
Fablehaven 5: Probably the most anticipated book of my year. I read through it in record speed - not even finals could prevent me! - and thoroughly enjoyed every minute, although I experienced the usual disappointment and despair after finishing it and realizing that there was no more. Still (fiercely, pointing finger emphatically), don't let that stop you from reading it!
The Sable Queane: Hooray for Brian Jacques books! Even when they aren't published around Christmastime and you just can't wait another 7 months for next Christmas to read them! I have been resigning myself for some time to the fact that Jacques' later Redwall books are becoming less original and less exciting, but this book was surprisingly different. There's actually a rather respectable villain, and a respectable hero as well (none of this barely-older-than-a-Dibbun business), and an unconventional switching of roles in several instances which I found quite enjoyable. I particularly liked the unusual change of events accompanying the climactic battle between the hero and villain - bravo, Jacques! Or should I say, Eulaliaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Movies:
La Bamba: I actually started this last year and never got around to finishing it. I liked it, though. The music still plays through my head occasionally - especially the "Wellhhhhhhh....." before the song actually starts.
Osama: Not a satisfactory film, but raises some unfortunately necessary questions that deserve answers. Not a good film to see if you're feeling bitter at men.
Heima: I was wary of this film since it was rumored to be a lot of music (and we all know how I feel about that after February, the jazz movie month catastrophe), but I was surprised. It was really good. The songs and the scenery were really beautiful and breathtaking at times. It was pretty long, but I probably would have appreciated it more if I hadn't been watching it along with two others in a single day.
The Kebab Connection: It was goofy, silly, funny, comical. I really can't think of anything else to say about it.
Bruce Almighty: Cleverer and more entertaining than Evan Almighty. Also naughtier.
Woman of the Year: I always enjoy Katharine Hepburn, and this role seemed to fit her especially well. The story was also nice. And the ending - so satisfying!
Funny Farm: I yawned the whole way through it. I think my own life is more exciting than this movie.
Peter and the Wolf: A very charming and enjoyable silent (well, not counting the music, which speaks volumes) film. It's like horror for kids!
Apollo 13: After hearing Captain James Lovell speak to us in a BYU forum and seeing the trailer for this movie in said forum, I knew I had to see it. I was not disappointed. What an interesting, important, scary, roller-coaster story and film!
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: I love just about everything about this movie: George Clooney, the Southern setting (and accents - hilarious!), the ridiculous humor, the nods to the Odyssey), the music, and so on.
Tom Jones: Another one of my BBC Romances, and definitely the oddest of the lot. Ay, ayayayay..... It's a thoroughly entertaining and skillfully constructed film (starring once again that lady who played Jane Eyre and Harriet Smith in the same collection), but quite scandalous. QUITE.
The Holiday: This movie is better than it deserves to be. And Jude Law is really more handsome than anyone deserves to be.
How to Train your Dragon: I saw this with Daniel and the twins in a REAL THEATER. I KNOW!!! Anyway, perhaps it's just the comfy chair and popcorn smell talking, but I liked this movie a lot. It was creative, funny, clean, exciting, and satisfying. Maybe not epic, but nobody's perfect, right?
State of Play: Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors and Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite actresses, so I can't imagine why I wasn't particularly impressed by this movie. Maybe they distracted me.
Airplane: Hehehehehe. That's the first reaction I ever heard to the "Airplane" films, and that's the only one I'm going to give here. Except I'm also raising my eyebrow, but you can't see it.
Becket: I LOVED this movie. Fantastic story, marvellous acting, wonderful dialogue, music, scenery, etc.
The Lion in Winter: See how much I loved Becket? Enough to see this film that I had skipped over for years in the Provo Library! It wasn't quite as great as Becket but still enjoyable. It left me wanting to see more, especially of the interaction between the brothers Richard, Geoffrey, and John.
The Wind in the Willows: I never really enjoyed this film as a child, but watching it as an adult somehow makes it so much funnier and cuter.
Evil: A truly inspirational and authoritative film that speaks very powerfully and directly on issues of violence, abuse of power, and transition into adulthood. I was greatly impressed both by the performances and the message of the film. Thanks for recommending it to me, Joseph!
Spartacus: A pretty good film that rides heavily on its individual performances, which seems to work. Sometimes Kirk Douglas is too much for me, but I think he hit just about the right level of passionate sincerity and blustering heroism in this. I also liked Tony Curtis (whom I usually dislike, for some reason) in the character of Antoninus. And that Laurence Olivier makes a mean villain, for sure. And Jean Simmons is pretty. And that's about it.
Luther: Another great film, a la Becket. I loved the character of Luther and the story really is gripping and inspirational. My only complaint is that it was TOO SHORT!
The Gods must be crazy: Not a serious film in any way, but definitely one worth watching. So funny. And crazy. And cute.
The Gods must be crazy, II: A little wilder and wackier, but still sweet (and still worth it).
Theater:
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: The story is so funny, and interesting, and clever, and cute. And the actors were really great - so much energy and commitment to their delightfully weird characters! It was a Mask Club performance rather than an official BYU production, so maybe it's not "real" theater, but it was possibly the best Mask Club I've ever seen, and it's my blog, so I'm putting it down anyway. Nyah.
Books:
Fablehaven 3: I was able to enjoy the details of this book more the second time going through it. And the story is just so fascinating and creative, it makes up for almost any flaws.
Fablehaven 4: My favorite of the series after number 2. I think Brandon Mull is at his strongest writing creative, unexpected plot twists and turns, or writing about the adventures which characters have in traveling to new locations or overcoming obstacles to acquire an artifact, and this book has plenty of both types of greatness.
Fablehaven 5: Probably the most anticipated book of my year. I read through it in record speed - not even finals could prevent me! - and thoroughly enjoyed every minute, although I experienced the usual disappointment and despair after finishing it and realizing that there was no more. Still (fiercely, pointing finger emphatically), don't let that stop you from reading it!
The Sable Queane: Hooray for Brian Jacques books! Even when they aren't published around Christmastime and you just can't wait another 7 months for next Christmas to read them! I have been resigning myself for some time to the fact that Jacques' later Redwall books are becoming less original and less exciting, but this book was surprisingly different. There's actually a rather respectable villain, and a respectable hero as well (none of this barely-older-than-a-Dibbun business), and an unconventional switching of roles in several instances which I found quite enjoyable. I particularly liked the unusual change of events accompanying the climactic battle between the hero and villain - bravo, Jacques! Or should I say, Eulaliaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Done. Or perhaps not so done....
Yesterday at 9:40 pm, I finished my last final (it was for a Humanities seminar on comedy and satire, in case you were wondering) for Winter semester. Strangely, my first feeling upon finishing was not one of relief or exhaustion, but one of irritation that I could not remember the exact names of Guy Debord and Matt Groening (I put Guy Depard and Matt Goerning - think the teacher will notice?). Then after that, I shrugged and said, "Aaaah, whatever." Not exactly the equivalent of Judge Holden's exultant "never die" dance.
So, my thoughts about the semester?
First of all, I am astonished at how little writing I did this semester as compared to other semesters. Only two short papers (five pages - please), some handouts (okay, three - all of them at least two pages long - but c'mon, it's a handout), four Spanish "papers" (note that I say "papers" in an exaggerated tone accompanied by rolling eyes and fingers making fake air quotation marks), and two long papers (I stopped counting after 12 pages), both of which I have high hopes for (but I'm expecting them to be dashed as well, so I won't be disappointed, either way). Compare this to two winters ago, where I wrote two "long" papers, one "medium paper" and 12 short (3 pageish) papers for just ONE class (Oh yeah, and we did a handout as well).
Secondly, my test-taking skills have plummeted. I remember when I used to beg for more time than 3 hours to sit in the Humanities Testing Center, hoping to scrawl down at least 10 more of the 100,000 notes that I had scattered in my brain regarding a particular essay question. Last night, I was ready to leave after 15 minutes - it took an epic effort to force myself to stay for just one more question, and then two more questions, and then three, and so on until....aha! As for the McCarthy essay, by the time I had finished talking about The Orchard Keeper, Child of God, Blood Meridian, the Border trilogy, No Country for Old Men, and The Road, I couldn't even think of anything to say about The Sunset Limited or a conclusion. I vaguely recall thinking the words, "So, White kills himself and Black let him do it, cause we have agency and isn't that great? Amen," but who knows what came out on the page?
Thirdly, out of nowhere, I won second place in a writing contest this semester. Phi Kappa Phi something or other. Nice to know those frenzied hours writing that Emerson paper paid off in the form of cash and a fancy dinner, I suppose. I also have a nice certificate and a new line on my resume. How many of my other papers can say as much?
Fourthly, my dirty little secret of the semester: I never read Catch 22. But - and this is the worst part - I TOTALLY FAKED THAT I DID. Will this affect my grade? To be continued.
Fifthly, I really and thoroughly enjoyed the beginning volleyball class I took this semester. So much so that I've decided to take it again in the fall. Can I do that? Yes I can. Should I do that when other people who haven't taken it might also be trying to sign up for it? Shh.
Sixthly, I ALMOST saw every film at the International Cinema this year, and ALMOST felt a great sense of pride and accomplishment at doing so. Seriously, I was so close that I could weep. I missed only three films in the theater, and have seen one of the three so far, but I will see the other two before the year is out, SO HELP ME.
Seventhly (Hey, has anyone ever said that before?), a list of things I learned during the semester:
1. Don't procrastinate.
2. Never write on anything boring.
3. If your computer breaks and you don't have your files saved, you're screwed.
4. If you have a quiz in your first class and you forgot to study until that morning, don't stress. If you park in the Marriott Center, you have a 20 min. walk to campus during which you can study.
5. Always ask for a bag when you check out 20 or more books from the library.
6. Auditing is AWESOME.
7. Go to Devotionals - if they're interesting, great! If they're boring, you can sit in the back and read.
8. Go to Mask Clubs - they're free and they're fun. Thursdays - 1, 2, and 4 pm in the Nelke.
9. This is such a sensitive piece of information that I hesitate to reveal it to the online community at large, but having faith in the discretion and fewness of my readers, I do so: There is a vending machine in the SWKT that sells fruit snacks for 70 cents; all other vending machines sell them for 75 cents. Now you know. Use it wisely.
And now that I have a break (all the way until next Tuesday, can you believe it?!?), I'm going to spend some time putting together my school portfolios (I still have stuff from LAST WINTER lying around), preparing my McCarthy paper for "something," (My lips are sealed, but my hopes are preparing to be dashed) watching the movies I missed, practicing for an organ duet on Sunday, preparing a lesson for Sunday, and watching my big brother Daniel graduate tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention that I checked out the latest Brian Jacques book this week? Squeal!
So, my thoughts about the semester?
First of all, I am astonished at how little writing I did this semester as compared to other semesters. Only two short papers (five pages - please), some handouts (okay, three - all of them at least two pages long - but c'mon, it's a handout), four Spanish "papers" (note that I say "papers" in an exaggerated tone accompanied by rolling eyes and fingers making fake air quotation marks), and two long papers (I stopped counting after 12 pages), both of which I have high hopes for (but I'm expecting them to be dashed as well, so I won't be disappointed, either way). Compare this to two winters ago, where I wrote two "long" papers, one "medium paper" and 12 short (3 pageish) papers for just ONE class (Oh yeah, and we did a handout as well).
Secondly, my test-taking skills have plummeted. I remember when I used to beg for more time than 3 hours to sit in the Humanities Testing Center, hoping to scrawl down at least 10 more of the 100,000 notes that I had scattered in my brain regarding a particular essay question. Last night, I was ready to leave after 15 minutes - it took an epic effort to force myself to stay for just one more question, and then two more questions, and then three, and so on until....aha! As for the McCarthy essay, by the time I had finished talking about The Orchard Keeper, Child of God, Blood Meridian, the Border trilogy, No Country for Old Men, and The Road, I couldn't even think of anything to say about The Sunset Limited or a conclusion. I vaguely recall thinking the words, "So, White kills himself and Black let him do it, cause we have agency and isn't that great? Amen," but who knows what came out on the page?
Thirdly, out of nowhere, I won second place in a writing contest this semester. Phi Kappa Phi something or other. Nice to know those frenzied hours writing that Emerson paper paid off in the form of cash and a fancy dinner, I suppose. I also have a nice certificate and a new line on my resume. How many of my other papers can say as much?
Fourthly, my dirty little secret of the semester: I never read Catch 22. But - and this is the worst part - I TOTALLY FAKED THAT I DID. Will this affect my grade? To be continued.
Fifthly, I really and thoroughly enjoyed the beginning volleyball class I took this semester. So much so that I've decided to take it again in the fall. Can I do that? Yes I can. Should I do that when other people who haven't taken it might also be trying to sign up for it? Shh.
Sixthly, I ALMOST saw every film at the International Cinema this year, and ALMOST felt a great sense of pride and accomplishment at doing so. Seriously, I was so close that I could weep. I missed only three films in the theater, and have seen one of the three so far, but I will see the other two before the year is out, SO HELP ME.
Seventhly (Hey, has anyone ever said that before?), a list of things I learned during the semester:
1. Don't procrastinate.
2. Never write on anything boring.
3. If your computer breaks and you don't have your files saved, you're screwed.
4. If you have a quiz in your first class and you forgot to study until that morning, don't stress. If you park in the Marriott Center, you have a 20 min. walk to campus during which you can study.
5. Always ask for a bag when you check out 20 or more books from the library.
6. Auditing is AWESOME.
7. Go to Devotionals - if they're interesting, great! If they're boring, you can sit in the back and read.
8. Go to Mask Clubs - they're free and they're fun. Thursdays - 1, 2, and 4 pm in the Nelke.
9. This is such a sensitive piece of information that I hesitate to reveal it to the online community at large, but having faith in the discretion and fewness of my readers, I do so: There is a vending machine in the SWKT that sells fruit snacks for 70 cents; all other vending machines sell them for 75 cents. Now you know. Use it wisely.
And now that I have a break (all the way until next Tuesday, can you believe it?!?), I'm going to spend some time putting together my school portfolios (I still have stuff from LAST WINTER lying around), preparing my McCarthy paper for "something," (My lips are sealed, but my hopes are preparing to be dashed) watching the movies I missed, practicing for an organ duet on Sunday, preparing a lesson for Sunday, and watching my big brother Daniel graduate tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention that I checked out the latest Brian Jacques book this week? Squeal!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Vexing Conversations of the Past Few Days
Scene: Perky student approaches after class.
Perky student: "So, I'm trying to come up with some ideas on how I can make my implications section stronger. I know how this is going to sound, because I'm a Writing Fellow, and I hear students tell me this all the time and I think 'Aaaargh - that is SO your job!' but could you help me....ummm.......brainstorm some implications?"
Me: "!???!?!??!?? Mmmmm - tell me how you would handle this, again...."
*********
Scene: Irritated student raises hand in the middle of a final exam review.
Irritated student: "I still don't get how we're supposed to compare Emerson and Thoreau."
Me: "Well, just know the basic similarities and differences between them based on what we read and talked about in class."
Student (pounding on the desk in frustration): "But what ARE the differences? They're too similar!"
Me: (Scrambling) "Well, what do you guys think? I mean, obviously Emerson didn't go out to live in the woods...so you might start with that. Can anyone else think of anything?"
Silence......................
Me: "Just focus on your notes - it won't be a big deal as long as you know what we've talked about. The main focus should be on telling the difference between them. So, moving on..."
Student: (tearing out chunks of hair, shrill scream) "I DON'T GET IT! Why can't you at least give us some bullet points to cover the general concepts!?!!!!?"
Me: (In an undiscernable whisper) "Because, um, that would be chea.......ting....." (Louder) "I'm not prepared to discuss them in depth right now, but we can talk later, and I really suggest you review your notes and the reading to see how they're different."
Student: (Hurls book at the wall, mutters a stream of curses in foreign languages under her breath, and settles down with a scowl for the rest of the review...)
***********
Scene: Someone in our family tells me that someone is on the phone for me. I pick up the phone.
Me: "Hello?"
Girl: "Um, hello?"
Me: "Yeah, it's Ruth. Are you calling about visiting teaching?" (Clarification - 98% of phone calls which I receive are about visiting teaching)
Girl: "No, not this time."
Me: "Ok."
Pause.........
Silence.........
Now entering threshold of awkwardness..........
Me: "So, what's up?"
Girl: "I'm calling to see if you can do X on Saturday."
Me: "Oh, sorry. I have other plans then - writing papers and all that."
Silence...............
ENHANCED AWKWARDNESS...............
Me: "Hello?"
Girl: "Okay."
Me: "Okay?"
Silence................
AWKWARDNESS LEVEL VERY HIGH - WARNING: HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER/ANGER/PANIC AHEAD!!!!
Me: "Well, goodbye then."
Girl: "Okay. Bye."
************
Scene: I'm writing a paper in the dining room. The doorbell rings. Nobody answers it. Finally, I get up and run over, opening it to find three youngish Hispanic kids.
Kid #1: "Oh, hey! Peekaboo!"
Me: "Um, hey...."
Kid #1: (talking to the others) "So, anyway, this is where he lives. I found his house."
Me: (Annoyed) "What do you guys want?"
Kid #1: "Are you Daniel's mother?"
Me: (Furious/Baffled/Shocked)SPLUMGHTTTPHPHHTHHnoI'mnothowdareyouthat'sitIamslammingthisdoorrightnowandgettingbacktomypaperdidhereallythinkthatIlooklikeDaniel'smotherwhenI'mhisYOUNGERsisterbyTWOYEARSandhowmuchtroublewillIgetintoifIpunchthiskidinthechinashardasIcan???!???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????
Kid #1: (Approximately 0.5 seconds later) "Or his sister?"
Me: (Struggling to keep clenched fists by side)
Me: (Through gritted teeth) "How do you know Daniel?"
Kid #1: "I'm his mentor!" (Note: Daniel is actually Kid #1's mentor. The fact that Kid #1 is apparently not very bright makes me feel about 0.0985% better)
Me: (Spat) "Obviously."
(At this moment, fortunately for more than one person, Daniel comes downstairs)
I dunno, folks. With conversations like these, I've definitely been feeling the urge to practice my "Eyes of Hate" glare once more.
Perky student: "So, I'm trying to come up with some ideas on how I can make my implications section stronger. I know how this is going to sound, because I'm a Writing Fellow, and I hear students tell me this all the time and I think 'Aaaargh - that is SO your job!' but could you help me....ummm.......brainstorm some implications?"
Me: "!???!?!??!?? Mmmmm - tell me how you would handle this, again...."
*********
Scene: Irritated student raises hand in the middle of a final exam review.
Irritated student: "I still don't get how we're supposed to compare Emerson and Thoreau."
Me: "Well, just know the basic similarities and differences between them based on what we read and talked about in class."
Student (pounding on the desk in frustration): "But what ARE the differences? They're too similar!"
Me: (Scrambling) "Well, what do you guys think? I mean, obviously Emerson didn't go out to live in the woods...so you might start with that. Can anyone else think of anything?"
Silence......................
Me: "Just focus on your notes - it won't be a big deal as long as you know what we've talked about. The main focus should be on telling the difference between them. So, moving on..."
Student: (tearing out chunks of hair, shrill scream) "I DON'T GET IT! Why can't you at least give us some bullet points to cover the general concepts!?!!!!?"
Me: (In an undiscernable whisper) "Because, um, that would be chea.......ting....." (Louder) "I'm not prepared to discuss them in depth right now, but we can talk later, and I really suggest you review your notes and the reading to see how they're different."
Student: (Hurls book at the wall, mutters a stream of curses in foreign languages under her breath, and settles down with a scowl for the rest of the review...)
***********
Scene: Someone in our family tells me that someone is on the phone for me. I pick up the phone.
Me: "Hello?"
Girl: "Um, hello?"
Me: "Yeah, it's Ruth. Are you calling about visiting teaching?" (Clarification - 98% of phone calls which I receive are about visiting teaching)
Girl: "No, not this time."
Me: "Ok."
Pause.........
Silence.........
Now entering threshold of awkwardness..........
Me: "So, what's up?"
Girl: "I'm calling to see if you can do X on Saturday."
Me: "Oh, sorry. I have other plans then - writing papers and all that."
Silence...............
ENHANCED AWKWARDNESS...............
Me: "Hello?"
Girl: "Okay."
Me: "Okay?"
Silence................
AWKWARDNESS LEVEL VERY HIGH - WARNING: HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER/ANGER/PANIC AHEAD!!!!
Me: "Well, goodbye then."
Girl: "Okay. Bye."
************
Scene: I'm writing a paper in the dining room. The doorbell rings. Nobody answers it. Finally, I get up and run over, opening it to find three youngish Hispanic kids.
Kid #1: "Oh, hey! Peekaboo!"
Me: "Um, hey...."
Kid #1: (talking to the others) "So, anyway, this is where he lives. I found his house."
Me: (Annoyed) "What do you guys want?"
Kid #1: "Are you Daniel's mother?"
Me: (Furious/Baffled/Shocked)SPLUMGHTTTPHPHHTHHnoI'mnothowdareyouthat'sitIamslammingthisdoorrightnowandgettingbacktomypaperdidhereallythinkthatIlooklikeDaniel'smotherwhenI'mhisYOUNGERsisterbyTWOYEARSandhowmuchtroublewillIgetintoifIpunchthiskidinthechinashardasIcan???!???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????
Kid #1: (Approximately 0.5 seconds later) "Or his sister?"
Me: (Struggling to keep clenched fists by side)
Me: (Through gritted teeth) "How do you know Daniel?"
Kid #1: "I'm his mentor!" (Note: Daniel is actually Kid #1's mentor. The fact that Kid #1 is apparently not very bright makes me feel about 0.0985% better)
Me: (Spat) "Obviously."
(At this moment, fortunately for more than one person, Daniel comes downstairs)
I dunno, folks. With conversations like these, I've definitely been feeling the urge to practice my "Eyes of Hate" glare once more.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
March 2010 Media Inventory
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.
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, 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)