My second-favorite month of the year, gone! Good thing my favorite season is on its way.
Movies:
Mean Girls: Funny, silly, predictable. Good but not great. Except Rachel McAdams, who happens to be my current "favorite actress" - you might want to add that to your trivia list for the next time we play the Ruth game.
Suits on the Loose: Eh.
America's Sweethearts: I have sort of ambivalent feelings for every single one of the four stars in this movie, which probably explains why I can't think of a better word to describe my feelings for this movie than... ambivalent. Well, that was anti-climactic.
Millions: I'd seen it before, but it was worth seeing again. How can anyone not like cute little boys with English accents?
Little Manhattan: Or slightly older boys who narrate movies and ride on scooters and cry over unrequited love, for that matter?
The Karate Kid: The NEW version! I haven't seen the old version, but this one is fun. And far-fetched. And freakin' long.
Stick It: Not particularly daring or innovative for a gymnastics-themed movie, but I enjoyed it anyway, probably because I went through a brief 'gymnastics' phase this month.
Notting Hill: I really don't like Julia Roberts that much, but wow - she is sure in a LOT of movies, isn't she? This movie is long and tiring and cutesy and predictable, and I have no interest in seeing it again.
Ghost: My favorite movie of July! From all the parodies, I was expecting it to be cheesy and over the top, but either I was mistaken or I must be more vulnerable/gullible than I thought, because I was really touched. Sweet love story, fascinating and compelling drama. It's exciting, scary, romantic, truthful, satisfying on a gut level. Gorgeous music (by my longtime Pandora favorite composer Maurice Jarre). I didn't exactly cry, but I was definitely energized/impressed/thrilled by the experience. And also by the extraordinarily talented and dashing Patrick Swayze, whose name just made my top ten of favorite male actors (Who's #1? I'll never tell).
Escape from the Forbidden Matrix: Boy, Adventures in Odyssey really loves this storyline, huh? Kids play computer game, meet creepy old man and evil bad guy, learn that computers suck your life away to feed evil bad guy, and make a near escape. They've got a movie, a radio episode, and - get this - a computer game with the exact same plot!
Shadow of a Doubt: I really enjoyed watching this. It brought back memories of my childhood. Plus it has a lot of funny jokes and references that I just never really picked up on as a kid.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Fun summer movie. I wanted to go to the ocean after seeing it and yell pirate-y things and jump off a cliff and go sailing. But I guess I'll settle for swimming laps at the rec center for now.
Lost in Austen: I have mixed feelings. It was fun towards the beginning, but then I started getting upset and Janeite-ish: How dare Pride and Prejudice be used and abused in such a fashion! After moaning and groaning through the first hour, I had to convince myself to become detached somewhat from the characters, and so was able to endure it without enjoying it. Anyone up for seeing the real P&P again with me and restoring order and peace?
Eclipse: Oops, never mind, I'll just distract myself with an overdose of exaggerated romance and jealousy! Wow, that Riley is sure cuter than I pictured him in the bo--whups, never mind, he's dead.
Fantastic Mr. Fox: Watched this outside after playing volleyball for a ward activity, and I really liked it - very quirky, creative, amusing.
Flight to the Finish: Another Odyssey movie. Yeah for the memories! Best part? When Whit gets tangled in a tree branch trying to save the kids.
The Knight Travellers: I didn't technically watch all of this, since it is almost older than I am, and the tape is starting to disintegrate. However, I immensely enjoyed the parts that I saw. Don't you picture the Blackgaards looking like Dr. Faustus? Perhaps they're cousins?
A Fine Feathered Frenzy: Always a favorite. And this is the first time where I actually figured out some of what Dylan is shouting in echoes in Miss Harcourt's home. And I LOVE the part where Miss Harcourt, Whit, and Dylan all talk at once. Classic!
Cheats: The moral of this movie? Don't cheat. Or if you do, make a big movie about it so that we'll laugh and forgive you.
Everything is Illuminated: A bit crazy, but worth watching. I was sort of perplexed after seeing it until I looked it up on the web, which helpfully clarified everything to the extent that I wondered why I bothered seeing the film in the first place.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: How strange it is to think that I remember this movie coming out and thinking that I would probably never see it since I hadn't seen any of the previous Indiana Jones. Turns out it's pretty easy (and fun) to get on the IJ bandwagon. No better time to do it than now when all the movies are free at the library, right?
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: Just like with the books, I was bored of this about 3/4 of the way through. The sets were pretty interesting to look at, though. And the kids were adorable - Sunny bugs me to no end in the books, but I loved her (with subtitles!) in the movie.
Memento: This movie is MESSED UP. But see it anyway, if you're brave and bold and curious. You will probably learn a thing or two.
Miss Congeniality: Better than I expected. For the moment, I like Sandra Bullock better than Julia Roberts.
Clueless: Has a disturbing amount of profanity which I didn't notice at all in my first viewing, but other than that, this is the best Emma remake ever.
In America: I cringed and covered my eyes during the E.T. doll scene. That's more than most movies have made me do, so there must be something to this one.
Ramona and Beezus: I was prepared to enjoy it even if it wasn't exactly my idea of the characters, but it turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable AND non-faithful!
The Outsiders: A sad movie, but not nearly as sad as it would have been if I hadn't seen it with Sarah. If you're going to watch a movie full of cute, testosterone-pumped boys with 60s hairstyles getting in fights and hopping trains and saving kids and killing each other, see it with Sarah, that's my advice. Oh, and heads-up on that abrupt ending...
The Mirror has Two Faces: I really enjoyed seeing Lauren Bacall as an older actress. The rest of the movie? Eh. Not worth it.
Books:
The Autobiography of Henry VIII, with notes by his fool Will Somers: I read this 900+ pages book in about a month, which gives me hope for finishing other long books, so long as they are as engrossing and detailed as this one!
How I Became a Famous Novelist: Hilarious book. Snarky, hip, self-deprecating, enjoyable.
The Pleasure of My Company: Very sweet, thoughtful, interesting book. Reminded me somewhat of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime."
Tintin: (various) We've recently been on a Tintin-kick in the family, so I got in on the fun. If you've never read a Tintin, trust me, you're missing out!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
What a To-Do!
Last Saturday/technically Sunday, I turned... I mean, I had a birthday! I was simultaneously looking forward to and dreading my birthday, as I usually end up crying and wishing that I could remain 8/12/15/19/21 forever. Still, I was very excited about the celebration, and spent all my energy on Friday the 16th getting ready - i.e. eating very little and going on a very long bike ride and swimming trip to get an enormous appetite, praying for my favorite kind of weather (stormy, cloudy, windy, but no rain), reminding my siblings of all the favors they owed me, etc.
With my expectations built up so high, it perhaps was unsurprising to everyone except myself that the day didn't turn out to be the greatest thing since sliced peaches. Sadly, my waking up at 6 a.m. and complimenting of a delicious breakfast did not prevent me from spending an unfortunate amount of the day crying bitterly in my room. Sarah and Hannah took me out to see "Eclipse," which both amused and depressed me, and then the four kids (Daniel, me, Sarah, and Hannah) bonded by going to the Fitness Center together and complaining about our parents in the car.
Fortunately, happy faces were back on by dinnertime, and that's where the pictures start anyway:
With my expectations built up so high, it perhaps was unsurprising to everyone except myself that the day didn't turn out to be the greatest thing since sliced peaches. Sadly, my waking up at 6 a.m. and complimenting of a delicious breakfast did not prevent me from spending an unfortunate amount of the day crying bitterly in my room. Sarah and Hannah took me out to see "Eclipse," which both amused and depressed me, and then the four kids (Daniel, me, Sarah, and Hannah) bonded by going to the Fitness Center together and complaining about our parents in the car.
Fortunately, happy faces were back on by dinnertime, and that's where the pictures start anyway:
Dinner was amaaaaazing. Onion potatoes, baked beans, hot dogs, and orange jell-O. Is it just the "Eclipse"d version of me talking, or was Daniel looking like a vampire that night?
Can you tell where my hair stops and Hannah's begins?
We're totally obsessed with ourselves.
The obligatory "Me with the Presents" picture. Following once again in Daniel's footsteps, I had one large present and various small ones. The cards were fun to read, though I was a bit perplexed when Hannah's wished me a happy 21st birthday, and Dad's congratulated me on reaching my 23rd year... He later insisted that this was still correct in the Spanish tradition of completing years, but that doesn't change the fact that no woman wants to hear any number beyond the traditional one on her birthday.
A somewhat un-flattering picture of the "cake," though I promise you it did taste delicious.
In case you were wondering, here's what was in the big box. As a matter of fact I'm typing on it RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! So... surreal....
And here's what were in the smaller packages, though there were also some coupons and a draft of that great unfinished work, "The Overthrow of Gidron," from Daniel. I'm enjoying all my presents, though nothing can really top the "Great Birthday Present Extravaganza" of 2009, wherein I received a plethora of some of my most favorite gifts to date, including 4 Fablehaven books and a collection of Columbia Academy Award-winning movies. Which reminds me, Daniel also got me the 5th Fablehaven book some months ago as an early birthday present, so it deserves to be mentioned here as well. In fact, it might even be my #1 favorite present.
Well, except, maybe, for this:
Ok, so brief explanation: On Friday the 16th, I was in the Provo library and stumbled upon a visiting author convention featuring Brandon Mull! It took me several times walking past to recognize him, and then, of course, I HAD to stay and get his autograph, though I had nothing better than an old planner for him to write on. Imagine my surprise when he happily signed for me both my crummy planner and also a free huge magnificent Fablehaven poster! I think I might have swooned.
Note the signature and "Hi Ruth!" RIGHT NEXT TO THE PICTURE OF MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE SERIES. I'm telling you, it's uncanny how Fablehaven and my birthday have become entwined. Did I also mention that I named my bike (yes indeed, the very one I rode to the library that day) Warren? Which reminds me, I need a name for my new computer. Any ideas?
Tribute to Tenth
Playing the piano.
Playing the organ.
Washing dishes.
Typing the "Shift" key.
Playing volleyball (which started all the trouble in the first place).
Playing string games.
Pointing accusingly.
Punching things.
Steering with one hand (20% less operative)
Fixing my hair.
I miss you,
pinky finger.
Playing the organ.
Washing dishes.
Typing the "Shift" key.
Playing volleyball (which started all the trouble in the first place).
Playing string games.
Pointing accusingly.
Punching things.
Steering with one hand (20% less operative)
Fixing my hair.
I miss you,
pinky finger.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Daniel's Birthday, or General Goofiness
Last Saturday we celebrated Daniel's 24th birthday. There was considerable excitement and merriment, as you'd expect with any day that starts out with a colorful birthday breakfast fruit bowl like this one:
But don't interrupt Mama while she's making it, or she'll give you the stink-eye:
Here we have Daniel modeling the customary birthday breakfast photo shoot:
The day went by very quickly. Daniel and I went to see "The Karate Kid" (which I thought good, but unnecessarily long) and we ate Chex for lunch. I did some reading. I can't remember anything else.
But don't interrupt Mama while she's making it, or she'll give you the stink-eye:
Here we have Daniel modeling the customary birthday breakfast photo shoot:
The day went by very quickly. Daniel and I went to see "The Karate Kid" (which I thought good, but unnecessarily long) and we ate Chex for lunch. I did some reading. I can't remember anything else. Birthday festivities resumed at dinner-time, which was pizza (both homemade AND storebought!), watermelon, and floats. Yummy! Then we had cards and presents, which included coupons from Hannah, a book from Ruth, a bench for his electronic piano from Mama and Dad, and the 3rd season of Andy Griffith! What a lucky birthday boy!
At this point the goofiness started to manifest itself.
The birthday cake (a sweet milky pudding-like concoction known as Tres Leches by our local Mexican gurus, topped by whipped cream and downed with pink lemonade) was quite impressive - this might be the first time we've made that train fit in a single line!
Tres hermanas:
Tipsy no doubt from the lemonade and Mexican cake, I attempted to stage a few more "goofy" shots, which Hannah was having none of:
But I think you have to admit that Sarah took the cake in the end:
Happy Birthday, Daniel! One more year 'til you're a menace to society!
At this point the goofiness started to manifest itself.
The birthday cake (a sweet milky pudding-like concoction known as Tres Leches by our local Mexican gurus, topped by whipped cream and downed with pink lemonade) was quite impressive - this might be the first time we've made that train fit in a single line!
Tres hermanas:
Tipsy no doubt from the lemonade and Mexican cake, I attempted to stage a few more "goofy" shots, which Hannah was having none of:
But I think you have to admit that Sarah took the cake in the end:
Happy Birthday, Daniel! One more year 'til you're a menace to society!Mini Vacation #2: To buy three pastries or two?
Our second trip involved an impressive SEVEN of us going to Cedar City for one night to see two plays at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
The car trip turned out to be considerably longer and duller than our Park City venture, but this time we were able to pull out all the stops, including books, Odysseys, Rubix cubes, string games, board games, and naps.
The festival was predictably amazing. We had tickets to two plays, "Pride and Prejudice" (in the indoor theater) and "The Merchant of Venice" (in the outdoor theatre ~note the spelling). Despite the occurrence of allergy problems (and an alarming attack of sleepiness during P&P - I can't imagine why!), I really enjoyed both plays. A few comments:
P&P: I loved Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine was a bit affected. Mr. Bingley was surprisingly short. Wickham and Mr. Collins were excellent. Unfortunately, I know the story so well that it was easy to lose focus.
Merchant: Fantastic play! I've read it before but didn't remember it being so funny! There are so many stories going on at once, and lots of really memorable characters too.
Dinner: Southwest salad at the Irish pub. I was hungry for the rest of the night (when will I learn not to order salads if I am actually hungry?), but was grateful for the excuse to buy two tarts (the conniving wench tried to sell me three, not telling me that "cheesecake" was a separate flavor of its own unconnected to the "raspberry" which she first mentioned) - raspberry and apple. I shared with Sarah and we agreed that the cost was worth the price (whatever that means).
A lovely view of Mama and Daddy's heads... oh, and the stage.
Daniel in the theater. Excuse me, theatre.
Most of us agreed that this picture doesn't look a thing like me. WHO IS THIS PERSON?
An artistic shot. Also known as the Giant Elbow.
Sarah...just had a "lightbulb" moment.
The car trip turned out to be considerably longer and duller than our Park City venture, but this time we were able to pull out all the stops, including books, Odysseys, Rubix cubes, string games, board games, and naps.
The festival was predictably amazing. We had tickets to two plays, "Pride and Prejudice" (in the indoor theater) and "The Merchant of Venice" (in the outdoor theatre ~note the spelling). Despite the occurrence of allergy problems (and an alarming attack of sleepiness during P&P - I can't imagine why!), I really enjoyed both plays. A few comments:
P&P: I loved Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine was a bit affected. Mr. Bingley was surprisingly short. Wickham and Mr. Collins were excellent. Unfortunately, I know the story so well that it was easy to lose focus.
Merchant: Fantastic play! I've read it before but didn't remember it being so funny! There are so many stories going on at once, and lots of really memorable characters too.
Dinner: Southwest salad at the Irish pub. I was hungry for the rest of the night (when will I learn not to order salads if I am actually hungry?), but was grateful for the excuse to buy two tarts (the conniving wench tried to sell me three, not telling me that "cheesecake" was a separate flavor of its own unconnected to the "raspberry" which she first mentioned) - raspberry and apple. I shared with Sarah and we agreed that the cost was worth the price (whatever that means).
A lovely view of Mama and Daddy's heads... oh, and the stage.
Daniel in the theater. Excuse me, theatre.
Most of us agreed that this picture doesn't look a thing like me. WHO IS THIS PERSON?
An artistic shot. Also known as the Giant Elbow.
Sarah...just had a "lightbulb" moment.
Mini-Vacation #1: Turns out they're fun!
The powers that be in the Miller family decided that there would be no official vacation this year, but that didn't stop yours truly from taking two short ones!
First was a trip to Park City to watch my amazing starlet sister Sarah perform in a harp camp concert. For the first time ever, I was the sole driver, and was prepared for the boredom of a long car trip with plenty of Odysseys, but the highway turned out to be quite exciting enough. Fortunately, Hannah responded well to my tense attitude and barked orders for her to repeat (up to 25 times) the next step in our journey as thoughtfully outlined by Google Maps.
We had a great deal of fun at our hotel, swimming and watching "Little House on the Prairie" as we ate our Sub sandwiches, then more swimming and watching of movies and staying up until 1 am reading when we were unable to sleep due to the hardness of the bed and pillows... wait, how did that get in there?
The highlight of our visit was of course, seeing this lovely person:
Look how shocked she is to see us for the first time! Ok, so maybe she's playing it cool. I tried to upload the video we made of her performance, but my computer was overwhelmed (by the sheer awesomeness, I imagine) and crashed after a couple of hours of *loading*, so...no video.
Sarah's competition in the harp-off. Whoa, it was a performance you say? Aw, and here I thought the whole time they were competing for that fancy harp. Sarah totally won, by the way, in the completely unbiased opinion of
the judges.
First was a trip to Park City to watch my amazing starlet sister Sarah perform in a harp camp concert. For the first time ever, I was the sole driver, and was prepared for the boredom of a long car trip with plenty of Odysseys, but the highway turned out to be quite exciting enough. Fortunately, Hannah responded well to my tense attitude and barked orders for her to repeat (up to 25 times) the next step in our journey as thoughtfully outlined by Google Maps.
We had a great deal of fun at our hotel, swimming and watching "Little House on the Prairie" as we ate our Sub sandwiches, then more swimming and watching of movies and staying up until 1 am reading when we were unable to sleep due to the hardness of the bed and pillows... wait, how did that get in there?
The highlight of our visit was of course, seeing this lovely person:
Look how shocked she is to see us for the first time! Ok, so maybe she's playing it cool. I tried to upload the video we made of her performance, but my computer was overwhelmed (by the sheer awesomeness, I imagine) and crashed after a couple of hours of *loading*, so...no video.
Sarah's competition in the harp-off. Whoa, it was a performance you say? Aw, and here I thought the whole time they were competing for that fancy harp. Sarah totally won, by the way, in the completely unbiased opinion of
the judges.
Monday, July 5, 2010
June 2010 Media Inventory
Well, another month has flown by, and I am not at all sorry to see it go. Spring has always been my least favorite season, due to allergies, the heat (hard on fair skin and on long hair - I've managed to tackle both issues head on by getting sunburned and cutting my hair), the bugs, and that awful smell of fresh cut grass that messes up my sinuses.
So, in between avoiding the outdoors and finishing off my spring semester, here's what I watched and read in the month of June:
Movies:
Fun with Dick and Jane: Very funny. Of course, as with many comedies, this movie could have some serious problems if taken seriously, but don't worry about that because you won't.
Just Like Heaven: Maybe not a great film, but still surprisingly engaging and believable, all more the impressive considering the completely unbelievable plot. Reese Witherspoon is really all the reason you need to watch the film anyway. She's just so... watchable.
500 Days of Summer: I've wanted to see this for a while, and was quite disappointed when the library's version refused to play the last two minutes wherein we get some semblance of a happy ending... Still, I quite enjoyed the overall film, story, characters, and the real though sad and difficult message at its heart.
About a Boy: Sweet. Clever. Funny. A little bit...um...British.
The Dead Poets Society: Certainly a film worth watching, but with more ups and downs than you might expect. There are moments that made me cringe aplenty, but other moments that moved me to tears and highmindedness. Very sad.
The Princess Bride: Can you tell I needed a bit of cheering up at this point? Yup. Thanks!
Big: A fairly simple film but genuinely sweet. Though a bit immature. Like most ten-year-old boys.
Nanny McPhee: Eh. I enjoyed Colin Firth's performance, of course, and was sort of drawn in by the fairy-tale design of the characters and sets, but wasn't really impressed by anything else. It's kind of disheartening when you realize that the nanny can just solve anything with magical powers.
For Richer or Poorer: I'm going to say as little as possible about this film.
The Neverending Story: It would be fun to make a joke here about the neverending qualities of this movie, but the truth is that I found the ending quite abrupt and unexpected. I kept hoping for something more insightful and intriguing to emerge from the surface, but nothing ever did, and then the movie ended. The whole experience felt oddly like watching a children's book.
Fletch: Yeah, I've seen it before, but I was in the mood, okay? And I forgot how funny it is when he shows the picture of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!
Billy Elliott: A highly impressive film. Each of the actors in the family did a fantastic job in representing the hopes, beliefs, and behavior of a torn family. I forgot I was watching a film sometimes - the acting was so truthful and heartfelt. Be warned that sometimes the truth can be ugly.
The Golden Compass: I was actually enjoying it very much until the end - what the what? There was a scene that felt like a nice "calm before the storm" sequence, and then suddenly the main character starts bringing up all of these issues and reminding the audience of our need to see them resolved in a resolute fashion and then all of a sudden- THE END. !?!!?????!?!!? I remember there being a controversy about this film when it first came out, and I still can't understand why. Other than that atrocious ending, it's a pretty creative, engaging, enjoyable fantasy-type film. And can I just say that I LOVE Nicole Kidman as an evil villainess? Yeah, we need more of that.
Savage Sam: I didn't enjoy the book at all, but decided to give the movie a chance. After all, I loved Old Yeller (book and movie) so much; it was easy to see how I could have exaggerated my childhood disappointment in the sequel without just cause. The movie is entertaining and fun (who doesn't like watching kids get kidnapped by Indians and rescued by cowboys?), but nowhere near the classic that Old Yeller is. For one thing, Savage Who? Please - I can barely remember what the dog looks like. And I'm pretty sure no one in the movie calls him "Savage" anything. It was a good idea to have the old Travis and Arliss reprise their roles, but they just... really... seem...like they're acting too much. Where's Ma? The only one who really seemed like his old self was Jumper the mule.
Fletch Lives: I liked Fletch better. But I still wish there were more Fletch-es.
Letters from Juliet: Should have waited for the library. The Provo library. That ought to tell you my opinion right there.
Love Wrecked: Yeah, I know. It's a silly, shallow, superficial --- squee! Um, excuse me. It won't happen again.
Doubt: See, I watched a strict, serious, solemn movie about religious people as penance. Which was also pretty good.
Where the Red Fern Grows: I was feeling reminiscient and thinking about dogs, so the inevitable happened.
Are We There Yet?: I should have read Eric Snider's review first.
Enchanted: Yes! Refreshing, good, fun movie! I feel happy again!
The Terminal: I wouldn't call it a comedy (Provo Library, I am looking at you), but it was a thought-provoking and interesting film with some riveting performances. Perhaps I'd better re-watch Sleepless in Seattle and see if I can come to grips with my feelings about Tom Hanks's like-ability.
Six Days, Seven Nights: Harrison Ford? How could you?
The Englishman who went Up a Hill but Down a Mountain: Delightful. The characters and story are simple yet pleasing - I even enjoyed the impertinent narrator - though the accents are occasionally difficult to understand.
What a Girl Wants: Not a bad film. Colin Firth saves it, as usual.
Mom at Sixteen: Plenty disturbing (though the ending is sweetly relieving). I arrived without any difficulty at the conclusion that one should never if possible become a mom at sixteen.
Knight and Day: I really enjoyed the beginning. Funny, clever, and action-packed. Then the middle got really complicated, and the ending... was just lame. But I would re-watch the beginning in a heartbeat.
Opera:
Yes! I watched opera this month! Did YOUUUUU? And if you did, did you watch it for FREEEEEEEEE? Cause I did!!!!!!!
Trial by Jury: A delightful Gilbert and Sullivan comedy about a divorce court with all sorts of hypocrisies and biases going on. I was perturbed (yes, perturbed) by my inability to understand all the words, but the humor was fortunately self-evident.
The Telephone: Much less entertaining (and fortunately, much shorter) than Trial by Jury. Reminded me of why I don't really care for opera all that much.
Books:
The Da Vinci Code: I had been told by everyone that this was a thrilling page-turner that you wouldn't be able to put down, so I read it with great anticipation, hoping to come across the part that was so exciting that I wouldn't be able to put it down. Alas, as you might have guessed, I finished the book before coming upon the part that would make me yearn to finish the book. I didn't have a real problem with any of the book's supposedly blasphemous conclusions (I guess I was asleep during all the main controversies of my teenager-hood) but I was distracted from the bajillion incredible insights revealed by the author by my main concern, which was WHEN DO THESE PEOPLE EVER SLEEP? In the end, I was unimpressed, though I don't blame the author or the book. I think, perhaps, I was hoping for more controversy than was actually there. That's what leaning on the reports of others will get ya, folks.
The Novel: FINALLY finished this book (because two months is an incredibly long amount of time to read a single book, you know?). It's interesting, but wow, you'd better read it as fast as you can if you hope to care about or even remember the characters by the end.
The Jane Austen Book Club: I went in with low expectations, and, lo and behold, they were surpassed. This is definitely a readable book. It has similarities to the Jane Austen novels! It is occasionally amusing and insightful. I have nothing further to say.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: #1 and #2: I eyed these books for a very long time as a child, and until now have always heeded the author's advice to put them back on the shelf if you don't care for unhappy books. But now that I'm an adult, fie! I shall read whatever I want! Even if it is obviously written for eight-year-olds and revolves around a single, stable plot and one-dimensional characters!
Adventures in the Screen Trade: William Goldman's The Princess Bride is one of my favorite books, so I figured I might enjoy looking through his other books. I examined about three or four of them, but ended up reading only this one. I think he's at his best when writing like a journalist rather than a novelist, and he certainly does that here. It's an insightful, clever, witty (and I'm assuming truthful) account of his personal experiences in screenwriting. I was fascinated nearly the whole way through (there's a rather long section about his adaptation of a short story that seemed unnecessary and out of place).
Anyone have any good books or authors for me to try over the summer? If not, I guess there's always War and Peace.
So, in between avoiding the outdoors and finishing off my spring semester, here's what I watched and read in the month of June:
Movies:
Fun with Dick and Jane: Very funny. Of course, as with many comedies, this movie could have some serious problems if taken seriously, but don't worry about that because you won't.
Just Like Heaven: Maybe not a great film, but still surprisingly engaging and believable, all more the impressive considering the completely unbelievable plot. Reese Witherspoon is really all the reason you need to watch the film anyway. She's just so... watchable.
500 Days of Summer: I've wanted to see this for a while, and was quite disappointed when the library's version refused to play the last two minutes wherein we get some semblance of a happy ending... Still, I quite enjoyed the overall film, story, characters, and the real though sad and difficult message at its heart.
About a Boy: Sweet. Clever. Funny. A little bit...um...British.
The Dead Poets Society: Certainly a film worth watching, but with more ups and downs than you might expect. There are moments that made me cringe aplenty, but other moments that moved me to tears and highmindedness. Very sad.
The Princess Bride: Can you tell I needed a bit of cheering up at this point? Yup. Thanks!
Big: A fairly simple film but genuinely sweet. Though a bit immature. Like most ten-year-old boys.
Nanny McPhee: Eh. I enjoyed Colin Firth's performance, of course, and was sort of drawn in by the fairy-tale design of the characters and sets, but wasn't really impressed by anything else. It's kind of disheartening when you realize that the nanny can just solve anything with magical powers.
For Richer or Poorer: I'm going to say as little as possible about this film.
The Neverending Story: It would be fun to make a joke here about the neverending qualities of this movie, but the truth is that I found the ending quite abrupt and unexpected. I kept hoping for something more insightful and intriguing to emerge from the surface, but nothing ever did, and then the movie ended. The whole experience felt oddly like watching a children's book.
Fletch: Yeah, I've seen it before, but I was in the mood, okay? And I forgot how funny it is when he shows the picture of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!
Billy Elliott: A highly impressive film. Each of the actors in the family did a fantastic job in representing the hopes, beliefs, and behavior of a torn family. I forgot I was watching a film sometimes - the acting was so truthful and heartfelt. Be warned that sometimes the truth can be ugly.
The Golden Compass: I was actually enjoying it very much until the end - what the what? There was a scene that felt like a nice "calm before the storm" sequence, and then suddenly the main character starts bringing up all of these issues and reminding the audience of our need to see them resolved in a resolute fashion and then all of a sudden- THE END. !?!!?????!?!!? I remember there being a controversy about this film when it first came out, and I still can't understand why. Other than that atrocious ending, it's a pretty creative, engaging, enjoyable fantasy-type film. And can I just say that I LOVE Nicole Kidman as an evil villainess? Yeah, we need more of that.
Savage Sam: I didn't enjoy the book at all, but decided to give the movie a chance. After all, I loved Old Yeller (book and movie) so much; it was easy to see how I could have exaggerated my childhood disappointment in the sequel without just cause. The movie is entertaining and fun (who doesn't like watching kids get kidnapped by Indians and rescued by cowboys?), but nowhere near the classic that Old Yeller is. For one thing, Savage Who? Please - I can barely remember what the dog looks like. And I'm pretty sure no one in the movie calls him "Savage" anything. It was a good idea to have the old Travis and Arliss reprise their roles, but they just... really... seem...like they're acting too much. Where's Ma? The only one who really seemed like his old self was Jumper the mule.
Fletch Lives: I liked Fletch better. But I still wish there were more Fletch-es.
Letters from Juliet: Should have waited for the library. The Provo library. That ought to tell you my opinion right there.
Love Wrecked: Yeah, I know. It's a silly, shallow, superficial --- squee! Um, excuse me. It won't happen again.
Doubt: See, I watched a strict, serious, solemn movie about religious people as penance. Which was also pretty good.
Where the Red Fern Grows: I was feeling reminiscient and thinking about dogs, so the inevitable happened.
Are We There Yet?: I should have read Eric Snider's review first.
Enchanted: Yes! Refreshing, good, fun movie! I feel happy again!
The Terminal: I wouldn't call it a comedy (Provo Library, I am looking at you), but it was a thought-provoking and interesting film with some riveting performances. Perhaps I'd better re-watch Sleepless in Seattle and see if I can come to grips with my feelings about Tom Hanks's like-ability.
Six Days, Seven Nights: Harrison Ford? How could you?
The Englishman who went Up a Hill but Down a Mountain: Delightful. The characters and story are simple yet pleasing - I even enjoyed the impertinent narrator - though the accents are occasionally difficult to understand.
What a Girl Wants: Not a bad film. Colin Firth saves it, as usual.
Mom at Sixteen: Plenty disturbing (though the ending is sweetly relieving). I arrived without any difficulty at the conclusion that one should never if possible become a mom at sixteen.
Knight and Day: I really enjoyed the beginning. Funny, clever, and action-packed. Then the middle got really complicated, and the ending... was just lame. But I would re-watch the beginning in a heartbeat.
Opera:
Yes! I watched opera this month! Did YOUUUUU? And if you did, did you watch it for FREEEEEEEEE? Cause I did!!!!!!!
Trial by Jury: A delightful Gilbert and Sullivan comedy about a divorce court with all sorts of hypocrisies and biases going on. I was perturbed (yes, perturbed) by my inability to understand all the words, but the humor was fortunately self-evident.
The Telephone: Much less entertaining (and fortunately, much shorter) than Trial by Jury. Reminded me of why I don't really care for opera all that much.
Books:
The Da Vinci Code: I had been told by everyone that this was a thrilling page-turner that you wouldn't be able to put down, so I read it with great anticipation, hoping to come across the part that was so exciting that I wouldn't be able to put it down. Alas, as you might have guessed, I finished the book before coming upon the part that would make me yearn to finish the book. I didn't have a real problem with any of the book's supposedly blasphemous conclusions (I guess I was asleep during all the main controversies of my teenager-hood) but I was distracted from the bajillion incredible insights revealed by the author by my main concern, which was WHEN DO THESE PEOPLE EVER SLEEP? In the end, I was unimpressed, though I don't blame the author or the book. I think, perhaps, I was hoping for more controversy than was actually there. That's what leaning on the reports of others will get ya, folks.
The Novel: FINALLY finished this book (because two months is an incredibly long amount of time to read a single book, you know?). It's interesting, but wow, you'd better read it as fast as you can if you hope to care about or even remember the characters by the end.
The Jane Austen Book Club: I went in with low expectations, and, lo and behold, they were surpassed. This is definitely a readable book. It has similarities to the Jane Austen novels! It is occasionally amusing and insightful. I have nothing further to say.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: #1 and #2: I eyed these books for a very long time as a child, and until now have always heeded the author's advice to put them back on the shelf if you don't care for unhappy books. But now that I'm an adult, fie! I shall read whatever I want! Even if it is obviously written for eight-year-olds and revolves around a single, stable plot and one-dimensional characters!
Adventures in the Screen Trade: William Goldman's The Princess Bride is one of my favorite books, so I figured I might enjoy looking through his other books. I examined about three or four of them, but ended up reading only this one. I think he's at his best when writing like a journalist rather than a novelist, and he certainly does that here. It's an insightful, clever, witty (and I'm assuming truthful) account of his personal experiences in screenwriting. I was fascinated nearly the whole way through (there's a rather long section about his adaptation of a short story that seemed unnecessary and out of place).
Anyone have any good books or authors for me to try over the summer? If not, I guess there's always War and Peace.
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