You're not even getting those. Basically, all I've got for you are movie updates and memes. Because I'm exhausted.

2. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - I liked it, but not nearly as much as Meet John Doe. That was just a better movie all around. This is a little too sappy, too self-consciously sweet, too naive. Did an America ever actually exist where this was at all possible? I can't believe people were ever this trusting and simple and singular, even in 1939. It's all too black and white. And I get that Capra never really went for realism and everything to him was one huge allegory and he always had a very idealized view of the world, but I guess this one just didn't work for me. Watch Meet John Doe instead. I know I've said that before, but it bears repeating. That's how good it is.

3. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Not so much about war, as it is human nature and obsession. And men. Whoo boy, y'know so-called "chick flicks?" This is the exact opposite. There are a grand total of five women in this movie. Two are there solely to gaze longingly at William Holden, one to gaze longingly at the young kid on the mission with him, and the other two just carry the guns. It's good, and I love David Lean more with every movie I see by him, but I don't see myself watching this over and over again. It's all about power plays and stubborn priciples and other things I'm not fond of. And building a bridge. Maybe the end would have meant more to me if I hadn't already seen it hundreds of times in various GREAT FILMS MONTAGES, but oh well.

4. The Last Picture Show (1971) - Wow, there's a lot of sex and nudity in this movie. Not much goes on, so my brain had plenty of time to think that throughout this. Y'know how Hitchcock made "Psycho" in B&W on purpose to undercut the gore and make it not quite so graphic? I really think that's why this was in B&W, too, cause I don't know if they would have gotten away with all this in color back then. It's good, but sloooooooooooooooow. Not much happens, but you get to know the characters well. Goodness knows you're given more than enough time for that. This movie is a total downer. There is no comic relief, there aren't really any sympathetic characters, and it's a dreadfully dismal view of smalltown life. Make sure you've got a comedy to watch after this.

Man, I hope I start liking these movies more. I've got 13 left and only nine days in the month. I really don't think I'm going to make it, but I'll give it the old college try.

( 80s meme from king_duncan: )

( Meme of Four from King_duncan: )

There was an Oscars meme from mondaysabitch but I cut it cause I realized I've only seen one or two movies in each category if that. I'm not even planning on watching them. I'll be at Disneyland. I'm a bad moviegoer this year.

1. High Noon (1952) - I've never liked Gary Cooper much, so I put off seeing this. I've owned this movie for over six years and never watched it til last night. Good, tight, suspenseful drama, but I'm glad I waited cause I probably wouldn't have liked it when I was younger. While I was totally absorbed by the suspense and crunch of it now, I think it might have seemed boring and blank to me earlier. I'm not fond of westerns, usually because everything on screen is brown. I know it's shallow, but brown ground, brown buildings, brown clothes, brown brown brown bores me to tears. And this is black and white, so everything was beige beige beige. But the performances are top-rate, and it looks like liking Gary Cooper (Ball of Fire, Meet John Doe, this) might someday become the rule for me instead of the exception. Though why he ever left powerful and loyal Mrs. Sanchez and took up with that principled priss Amy Fowler is beyond me. I never really bought their love story; for me it was only there because the movie said it was. I thought he should have gone back to Mrs. Sanchez. But oh well. They didn't ask me before they made it. And another thing: the geography of this movie completely flummoxed me. Hadleyville where? Cause at one point someone says Frank Miller's down in Texas, which to me means they are both north of that and not in Texas. Then one of the outlaws says to another that he thought his time up in Abilene would have softened him. Which to me means they are both south of that and in Texas. Wha-ha? At any rate, I liked it, I'm glad I've finally seen, now on to the other billion westerns also on this list.

27. Mrs. Miniver-- I was going to try to wait and write about all four movies at the same time, but I have to talk about this one now. The DVD really sets it in its time period well. Releases in 1942, this movie is one of the best examples of Hollywood's contribution to the effort in moral support and fundraising. The end title card exhorts you to buy US defense bonds and stamps every payday. Two shorts are included, "Mr. Blabbermouth" and "For the Common Defense," described on its title card as a "Crime Does Not Pay Subject." The movie itself is much less strident and preaching. It's beautiful and moving even outside of its historical context and intent (because this movie was most consciously made with political aims.) Greer Garson is calm, brave, inspiring, and iconic. The serene protective mother shielding her children in the cellar as bombers drone overhead spread throughout the Allied world, largely from this movie, as the ideal each woman should aspire to. Even though this movie could very easily and extensively be studied in film school, it's still enjoyable in and of itself. It's about a family, living and loving and trying to just be themselves, no matter what situation they're in. I won't disagree with history and just about everyone who's ever seen it. Highly recommend.
4 wags

28. The Queen-- Believe the hype. This movie is that good. Helen Mirren earns her Oscar and keeps all her clothes (and more than a little padding) on as Queen Elizabeth II struggling to reconcile the traditions of the British monarchy with the demands of the British people in the wake of Princess Diana's death. I love that there are no villians in this movie, except the paparazzi. The royals are not clowns, they're dutiful people who have been raised to understand that "emotional" is the filthiest of words. Their lifelong role practically forbids them from having emotions or personal desires or regrets, yet they were vilified for not displaying those emotions, desires, and regrets. Michael Sheen is so good as Tony Blair that I now have to find everything else he's been in. Interesting use of news footage throughout the movie. I loved it. I could own this. I could watch this again and again.
4.5 wags

29. The History Boys-- Interesting story of eight boys from a grammar (common public school in England?) school who have all qualified to apply to Cambridge and Oxford. Odds are the A and O level talk and wonder of eight boys qualifying makes more sense if you're British and understand their educational system, but thankfully the movie doesn't focus on that too much. Instead it's about these boys, this time in their lives, and the teachers who lead them through studying not so much to learn anymore, but instead to simply prepare for this test (kinda like junior and senior years when you spent all of English for the entire year prepping for the AP.) This began life as a play, which explains why it's still so wordy here. At times this threatens to drag the film down, but the performances and relationships save it, probably because everyone in this movie originated these roles onstage. By the time they filmed they had all been playing these roles for a year at the National and had three months rehersal for the film. These people knew their characters like very few actors get to in film and that's glorious to watch. They're all wonderful, not a weak link in the bunch. Enjoy.
4 wags

30. Half Nelson-- Friends of mine have been crazy about Ryan Gosling and I've listened, I've smiled, then I've gone about my merry Cary Grant way. I'll do more than listen now. I'll see everything he's done. Except The Notebook. I just don't think I can do that. Yet. Gosling is wonderful, Shareeka Epps as his student is wonderful, Anthony Mackie is wonderful for turning a potentially nothing-but-evil drug dealer into a real character you can't discount as the sole villian. It's raw, a little rough, not that pretty, but this movie is good. Highly recommend.
4 wags

Nicole Kidman has signed on to remake How to Marry a Millionaire at Fox. Ugh. I'm not excited about this. I certainly hope she's not thinking about the Marilyn Monroe role, cause I just don't think she's young enough to pull that off anymore. Lauren Bacall, maybe. Betty Grable, possibly. But I really hope she doesn't attempt the Betty, cause I just love Ms. Grable too much to see one of her parts ruined (for some reason post-plastic surgery Kidman just doesn't seem as good to me as the heyday of To Die For and my cheesy fave Far and Away.)

25. The Good Shepherd-- I did not love this movie. Too long, too slow, and confusing as to what its point was and what it wanted to say. Is this movie about the creation of the CIA or a character study of Matt Damon's character? Damon is amazing, as he has to be to carry something this ginormous and heavy practically by himself, but the female lead character annoyed me so much that I could barely enjoy anything else in the movie. Angelina Jolie plays his wife and I never determined her motivation to my satisfaction. The character practically rapes Damon's lead the first night they meet, insisting that he tell her he loves her, then is mystified that he's "abandoned" her and doesn't love her after they're forced to get married cause she gets pregnant and he takes off for six years to work for the OSS during and after WWII (I'm not spoiling anything cause this is the first 45 minutes of the movie.) But that's all set-up and shouldn't have taken 45 minutes. Inciting incident within 15 minutes, first act should be about 30. This movie didn't follow those rules, which may be why it feels dull and slow. I liked De Niro's first directorial effort, A Bronx Tale, much more and recommend that instead of this. But if you really like Matt Damon or history pics, this could be your cup of tea. It just wasn't mine.
2.5 wags

26. Kitty Foyle-- Very good Ginger Rogers drama about a good girl who falls in love with a rich man who doesn't deserve her and is in turn adored by a doctor who's maybe a little too good for her. Fun, if a little long. All narration and flashback. I'd be happy to watch this again anytime, but I do like Ginger funny more than Ginger serious.
4 wags

Four more by Monday night! I can do it!

Welcome to the third straight day of nothing but Iggy playing in my cubicle. Jump on in, the crazy's fine. Bert and I watched him on Jimmy Kimmel from last night (previous night's epi always plays on the lot closed circuit each morning,) and Bert wasn't thrilled with the selection from The Weirdness ("She Took My Money," which doesn't strike me as the best song on the album either, but probably the one that made it past BS&P easiest) but I was happy to see "I Wanna Be Your Dog" live (kinda) for the third time in less than a week. I will never get tired of that song. I don't care if some people chose Satisfaction as the best rock song recorded. They're wrong. It's all about Iggy. I was also surprised to notice how perfect and white his teeth are in the interview and that he kinda closed down and shut off for a split second when Bowie's name was mentioned.

In other less obsessive news:

24. Meet John Doe-- "I don't read no papers, and I don't listen to no radio. I know the world's being shaved by a drunken barber and I don't need to read it." Capra's warning to 1941 America about Hitler and the general hell in a handbasket state of affairs is more than relevant today, it's terrifying; but at the same time, it's so full of preWWII hope and optimism that you want to cuddle it and love it and stop it from ever hearing that anything happened at Pearl Harbor. This movie is practically perfect (in every way.) It's a Christ story and a political allegory, topical and timeless at the same time. This is the kind of movie you study in film school and I'm kinda surprised I didn't. This is a movie you talk about and analyze and read about and I'm sure I could find a dozen professional papers on it and I love it so much that I'm tempted to look for and read them. So full of symbolism and meaning and yet accessible and entertaining. This is ideal Hollywood. This may be the best studio picture ever made (I'm not counting Citizen Kane here because that was so not the norm that it's hard to lump it in with anything else from the studio system.) Barbara Stanwyck is like the reliable eldest kid in a family. She's always so good that on the rare occasions she chews a bit of scenery it's noticeable and when she's her usual wonderful self you just take it as a matter of course that she'll be good and float on by, but Egad was she good. Gary Cooper is who really surprised me here, because I've never liked him very much. He practically ruined one of my favorite movies, and wasn't that great opposite Stanwyck in another I love or Dietrich. But here he's unaffected and simple and lovely. There is so much emotion in his eyes and shoulders and he fills John Doe with such calm humanity that I can't imagine anyone else playing it. You can't see him acting at all. Glorious. Watch it again and again and again, it deserves nothing less.
5 wags

And all it took was blowing off work and lazing it up for two days solid. Rock!

18. Stage Door-- Fun little movie about actresses trying to make it on the New York stage. Very well known, mostly because Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers do time here. And yes, I meant that to sound a little like they're in jail. It's fun and all, but it's no one's best movie. This feels very much like a studio machine picture with the actors slotted in. If you want Ginger dancing, skip the one little scene in this and watch almost anything she made with Fred Astaire (but especially this one.) If you want Ginger funny (the Ginger I prefer) check out Bachelor Mother or The Major and Minor (one of Billy Wilder's best.) If you want Hepburn the alienated, you want Holiday. Hepburn funny: Pat and Mike. I know this is beloved and all, and I'd enjoy it if it were on one afternoon and I stumbled into it, but I doubt I'd make any effort to seek it out again.
3 wags

19. Judgment at Nuremberg-- Truly excellent three hour behemoth about the trials of four Nazi judges after WWII. I've never been a huge Spencer Tracy fan (I acknowledge that he was good at what he did, he just never quite made my motor run) but after this, I may have to change my mind. Tracy is amazing and strong in this movie, along with everyone else. Judy Garland and Montgomery Clift (sigh) were both nominated for supporting actor Oscars for their bit parts. Both were past their prime in Hollywood and not their former beautiful selves when this movie came along (Clift in particular is practically unrecognizable with all damage he'd done to his gorgeous self with alcohol.) Both give spectacular performances that made me sad they didn't get to do more work like this before their pretty faces drove them so crazy they had to destroy them. This movie is so good it didn't even feel long. Flew by. You want to watch this. Seriously.
5 wags

20. Long Life, Happiness, and Prosperity-- Sandra Oh reteams with the director of Double Happiness (much better movie which is where I discovered Sandra Oh and why I've been so happy to see her do well in Hollywood, and which you should definitely watch instead of this.) Not to say this isn't a good movie, just that their first movie together was better. This wanders a bit, struggles to unite all its loosely connected storylines (yep, it's one of those movies,) and falters a bit towards the end in its mighty struggle for meaning. Meh. Enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, but really I'd have rather just watched Double Happiness again. Have I mentioned that movie before? It's really good. I recommend that you watch it.
3 wags

21. An Inconvenient Truth-- Al Gore does his surprisingly entertaining horror slide show about how crappy a place we've made the Earth into and tells us why he cares about the issue. While watching this I remembered that he was mocked for being "wooden" during his presidential campaign in 2000 and I couldn't believe that it was the same man here who is personable, charming, funny, dry, sensitive, knowledeable, prepared, and all around PRESIDENTIAL. Because yes, I'm one of those really annoying people who like to point out that Al Gore (as he says in the movie) "used to be the next President of the United States." This movie made me want to buy a Prius. I still might. And carry my own bags to the grocery store (which I really should do more often.) But the "updates" and special features after the movie almost put me to sleep. A girl can only take so much environmental activism on a Saturday night.
4 wags

22. Pizza-- This movie is horrible. I do not recommend it. I recommend you avoid it. I'm going to stop talking about it right now because I have absolutely nothing good to say about it and I'd hate for one of the people involved in it to stumble across this and feel bad. Cause I can tell they were trying to make a good movie, but that's part of the problem. They're all trying too hard. Except Ethan Embry. He's pure unaffected brilliance in this, the one bright spot and the only reason I stuck with this dreck through the bitter end. If I even love him in a movie this bad, he must really be good. He is. But this isn't.
1 wag

23. In the Land of Women-- I had to see this due to severe OC withdrawal. I was pleasantly surprised by Mr. Kasdan's little boy. Sometimes talent does run in families. Genuinely good little movie that like Prime before it is being done a huge disservice by its marketing. No matter what the commercials tell you, this is not a romantic comedy for the youngsters. This is an intelligent family/relationship drama with funny bits. Meg Ryan, despite not appearing in a single poster or ad (and I'm sorry, but tv show success and all, she is still a bigger star than Adam Brody, no?) has a much larger part than the teen chicky shown kissing Brody in the posters and commercials. Ryan is very good here, maybe her best since Courage Under Fire. Also good is Olympia Dukakis (how did I not know she was in this til she appeared onscreen? STUPID MARKETING TEAM, STUPID.) Brody is adorkable and very Seth Cohenish, but I was left feeling like he could give more. He could do much more and be wonderful, but it's like he just won't let himself. He plays it a bit safe for my tastes, but that's alright, I'm sure he'll knock one out of the park soon. If it's not too much trouble, may I please request that in his next movie he makes sure he plays opposite this fine young actor? I'm sure they'd have great chemistry.
4 wags

First of all, I remembered what I watched! Check it out!

And now:

14. Random Harvest-- Ronald Colman and Greer Garson (the year she won the Oscar for Mrs. Miniver) as star-crossed lovers who meet right at the end of World War I when Colman escapes from an asylum suffering from complete amnesia. They fall in love, build a life together, and then... well, you're just going to have to watch it. Really. It's amazing. It's wonderfully plotted, timed, and executed, with stellar performances from all involved. I love this movie. How have I never seen this before? That's fixed now, and I'm sure I'll be watching it again and again. And I'll be watching Mrs. Miniver soon, as well.
5 wags

15. Transporter 2-- Dear Guy Ritchie. Please stop being crazy as soon as possible and make good movies again so Jason Statham can have something better to do than this. He deserves only the best. If necessary, I'm sure he's willing to lead the intervention and scissor kick whoever he needs to in order to get through to you. Please. Please. Just think about it. Please. Thanks ever so, EKG. Poor Statham is acting the hell out of this movie every chance he gets, but it's about kicking, driving, time, and yelling, and it's very French in a strange way. Even the sound effects sound French. I can't explain that. They just do. I miss Turkish. This is a pale substitute. Of course, I'm still going to watch Crank, and the new Italian Job movie if he's in that, too. I'll take Jason Statham anyway I can get him. I just don't like having to resort to this to do it.
2.5 wags

16. Double Harness-- Ann Harding falls in love with playboy William Powell (no typecasting there) and tricks him into marrying her. Will he fall in love once they're married? Will the furnishings and carved wood doors be beautiful? Will there be gardnias and neckties in almost every scene? Marcel waves and black velvet gowns? Definitely. It's light, frothy, pretty, demure, quietly predictable and perfect for a rainy day. If you like William Powell, you'll probably like this.
3.5 wags

17. The Tender Trap-- "If you can't sleep there's some seconal in the medicine cabinet. If you can't stay awake there's some benzedrine. If you can't make up your mind, take one of each." Ah, the 50s. When I read the description of the movie I thought Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds? I've seen this, haven't I? I have to have seen this. I love them both. I know I've seen this. But I hadn't. Playboy Frank Sinatra (no typecasting there) meets a girl who won't fell in love with him. Of course he's instantly drawn to her like no other woman. Duh. There's lots of color coordination. When we first see Sinatra, he's in an orange shirt and white pants, the girl he's romancing is carrying a white hat with an orange ribbon. Later Debbie's wearing a pretty pink dress, and it's Sinatra's hat sporting a pretty pink band. Ah, the 50s. Y'know, this may have been made twenty years after Double Harness, but it's got an awful lot in common with it. An awful lot. Predictable, fluffy, pretty, and fun for a rainy afternoon. Anybody else wanna watch Tammy next? Or how about My Six Loves if anyone can find it on VHS or DVD? I haven't had any luck.
3 wags

12. 9 Songs-- When the blurb on Netflix said explicit I didn't think they meant real. They did. This movie is nothing but sex and music. Some of the music is good. All of the sex is real. That's about all that can be said about this, because the movie itself has nothing to say except that sometimes people listen to music and sometimes they have sex.
1 wag

13. Everything You Want-- If the previous romance was all about sex, this movie was the exact opposite. A 20something girl faces giving up her lifelong imaginary friend when a real guy steps up to the plate and shows interest. The whole thing was a little uneven and Drop Dead Fredish (without the humor) for my tastes. The only moment I really loved was when the imaginary friend said even he objected to the squeaky clean nonsexually threatening persona she allowed him. Couldn't they have explored that a little more than spoonfeeding us this? Meh. I think it started life as a cable channel movie, so that may explain the blandness, but it doesn't excuse it.
1 wag

Is like a week almost anywhere else. Which is probably why I needed a nap yesterday afternoon.

Friday-- Liz hosted poker in our living room and I stayed to play. Buy-in was $25 and no one was more surprised than me when I walked away with $28! Apparently I was ridiculous to see a $2 raise with only a 5 and a 6 in my hand, but it turned into a full house. Woo-hoo!

Saturday-- Spent the daylight hours playing games at a church. Fun and frolic put together by songlian.



Looked at my watch and realized I was 17 minutes late leaving for movies! Rush rush rush!



Was still there well before the movies. Due to strict nonLA upbringing, late for me is arriving less than 10 minutes before the movie starts. Noir Festival at Graumann's featuring one film set in NY and another in LA every night to contrast the two cities. Cool.

9. The Big Knife-- bugsy_siegel and I both wanted this on DVD by the time the credits were running. Jack Palance did much more than one armed push-ups, but it's Rod Steiger in a white wig who steals the show (though Shelley Winters gives him a run for his bleached blonde psychotic money.) I highly recommend this noir gem. Our favorite quote from the movie: A woman with six martinis in her can ruin this city.
4.5 wags

10. The Sweet Smell of Success-- jdekay couldn't believe that neither of us had seen this before. I loved it, despite my having to fight to stay awake due to the late hour and the meandering (too long!) Q&A session with one of the stars just before it. I loved it and want to see it again. The host seemed intent to discount everything else Tony Curtis did and elevate this as his only "art" pic (Boston Strangler, ahem. Some Like it Hot, said by many to be the finest comedy ever made, excuse me.) which maybe accounts for why I didn't enjoy his Q&A or care to give credence to anything else he said. At any rate Curtis is magnificent here as a "cookie laced with arsenic," and so is everyone else. I really want to see this again. Or just own it. I should probably just own it.
5 wags

Sunday-- Dim Sum in Chinatown with Liz and her friends. I'm always happy to visit Empress Pavilion. We wandered and browsed and shopped for a bit, then rushed home to go our separate ways for the afternoon.



My first visit to opera at the movie theatre! I loved Eugene Onegin and can't wait for the next one, Il Trittico with playmayt a week from Saturday. Unfortunately I was again fighting to stay awake through the second half. Maybe it's a new trend for me in darkened theatres? I hope not. Hurried home and took a three hour nap.

Awoke when it was dark, nuked myself some dinner, and watched:

11. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby-- I kinda want to do this whole review in quotes from the movie. I almost could, too. I loved this movie. Almost as much as Anchorman. Can you deal with that? That just happened! Hee. Glad to finally see Leslie Bibb in something else, and everyone else in it, too. I'm going to stop now, cause if I don't this will deteriorate into nothing but a string of quotes due to my insistance that you see this movie.
4 wags

I'm not getting paid today, and it's my fault.

I forgot to turn in my timecards, so no paycheck for me. Admittedly, my boss has been out all week, we didn't know quite why til Tuesday afternoon, and everything has been been at sixes and sevens, but still. My fault I didn't get them signed and turned in.

Unbelievable. NEVER MIND. I just logged into Wells Fargo and by some miracle I don't deserve I GOT PAID. I suppose the timecards are just for overtime and so they know when to deduct from my sick and vacation hours. Glory be.

Still, the thought "I didn't turn in my timecards." woke me up at 6am (I'm so glad I didn't realize it last night, cause then I wouldn't have been able to sleep) so I had a little time to kill this morning, and therefore have two movies to talk about instead of just one.

7. Some Came Running-- Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra. What more could a girl want? Vincent Minelli. OMG, really? You have my attention. I loved this movie and want to see it again because, well, I just do. I just watched it and I want to see this again. For all that the Rat Pack fooled around during most of their group movies and goofed instead of acting, Martin and Sinatra are both amazing in this. Mix in MacLaine, always wonderful, always a reason to see a movie, and the gorgeous, saturated colors (this rivals Duel in the Sun for most beautiful colors in a movie as far as I'm concerned) and I have an instant favorite.
5 wags

8. The Perfect Man-- I was a bit distracted this morning as you can imagine, so thanks to On Demand (I <3 On Demand, btw. New favorite toy.) I found this frothy little concoction. Yes, it's that Hilary Duff-Heather Locklear-Chris Noth thing. It's mindless, it's predictable, it's alright. If I'd had anymore brain power this morning I might have hated it, but as it was, I thought about something other than OMG IM SUCH AN IDIOT for about an hour and a half this morning and that works for me. If it's on TNT or something some Sunday afternoon, give it a glance, but in the name of all that is holy, do not put any money or effort towards seeing this movie. Free is the only way you're getting your money's worth.
2.5 wags

The first part has two subparts, the second part is just one part, and the third part will be referenced and footnoted.

Hee.

1. The Riches and October Road have inspired me to create a new TV appreciation rule for myself. I will try at least three episodes of any new series before I give up on it. Cause I was ready to ditch both these pop stands til the stellar third episodes sucked me back in. If you quit either of these before the third epi, I recommend you try again. It's only 43 minutes.

For "The Riches," it probably has something to do with Eddie's general attraction (cause I am drawn to anything he's in like gravity draws lead down to the ground,) but for "October Road" I think it has more to do with them dropping the annoying cliches and this little coincidence:



SEPARATED AT BIRTH.

I am now only uncomfortable during this show whenever the boys lip sync, which unfortunately, is still pretty often. If they could just quit that, I could actually admit I like this in public, instead of just to you people here.

2. I am the queen of fancy coffee drinks. THE QUEEN I TELL YOU. Due to my wondrous sense of noblesse oblige, I am willing to share my newest recipe with you all.

Take one 8oz. cup (Because the 16 oz. won't fit in the machine.)
Put it in the machine.
Push the button for Cappuccino.
Sniff the good smells.
Empty the 8oz. cup into your 16oz. cup.
Put the 8oz. cup back into the machine.
Push the button for Hot Chocolate (with milk.)
Sniff the really good smells.
Empty the 8oz. cup into your 16oz. cup.
Very carefully carry this full to the brim cup back to your desk.
Fin.

3. More progress on the 30 in 30 goal!

5. Millions-- I wanted to see this movie when it came out because I loved Danny Boyle's earlier movies, especially The Moneybag Trilogy. Even though this is a movie about the sweetest kid who's ever lived (not even kidding) it's still very much a Danny Boyle movie, complete with physical danger, a menacing stranger in black, and a bag full of money. HEE. Can this man do anything else? I don't think so. And do I care? No, I don't. It's well paced, it's beautiful to look at, the characters are a joy to get to know, and I have a feeling I'll be watching this one again and often. Highly recommended.
4.5 wags

6. Flannel Pajamas-- I've got mixed feelings about this one. I loved the lead actor's performance, and this is the most I've liked Julianne Nicholson since The Love Letter. But I really didn't like her character after a certain point in the movie. And since I felt like the movie really didn't want me to take sides, I was bothered, because I was totally on the guy's side. And then in the making of featurette, one of the actresses said she liked working on the film so much because none of these characters were apologizing for who they were. 'Scuse me? The poor guy spent most of second half of the movie apologizing for living and everything under the sun. I must have missed something big because I don't know what went wrong (or what the trippy last five minutes of the movie meant,) but other than that I really enjoyed this non-three act traditional look at the life of a relationship.
4 wags

2. Something-- I know I watched something after Water, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was and I'm really behind on my numbers so I really need to count it so I'm going to leave this here as a placeholder and when I remember what it was I'll come back and talk about it.

I remembered!

2. Undercover Kitty-- Very cute little Dutch movie about a cat that turns into a woman, then helps a struggling reporter by providing all the hot catworld gossip (because who knows more about their humans than the cats who see all?) Darling movie, with an innocence and brightness you don't see in American movies outside of kid's fare. Fun from beginning to end, sweet without a sugary aftertaste. Highly recommended.
3.5 wags

3. Prime-- This is a really excellent little relationship drama that was done a huge disservice by its marketing. All the ads and trailers I saw made it look like a ridiculous slapsticky comedy, complete with misstaken identity, last minute exit/entrances, and big reactions to revelations. I turned it on thinking I'd listen to it while I packed because it couldn't possibly need more attention than that. I was wrong. I found myself transfixed, completely loving this movie. It's a drama with funny moments, following a woman as she recovers from the life she thought she had and falls in love with the last person she ever imagined she would, a young man in love for the first time, and a therapist with issues of her own. I highly recommend that you ignore how this movie was presented when it came out, and watch it for the Sunday afternoon romantic melancholy flow it really is.
4 wags

4. The Sure Thing-- Yes, I really had never seen this, outside of stumbling upon five minutes here and there on Comedy Central and turning it off quickly because I hadn't seen it and wanted to watch it from beginning to end. But I am so glad I finally did. Everybody is in this movie. I don't think it's as good as my other John Cusack or 80s faves, but it's pretty fun and I'd probably watch it again if it was on. It really proves what I've thought for quite a while now: When Rob Reiner is good, he's very very good, and when he's bad he's the worst.
3.5 wags

I tried to watch Grey Gardens but fell asleep after about half an hour. The worst of it is that I feel like I got the gist of the movie after five minutes in (I'll save y'all the time: THESE WOMEN ARE BATSHIT. There. Now it's like you've watched it, too.) It's dull, it's repetitive, and I get the shock value in 1975 of seeing Jackie O.'s family be such a sideshow, but I fail to see any value in watching it now in and of itself. I haven't sent it back to Netflix yet in the hopes that I'd make it through it later, but I think I'll mail it back tomorrow because the more I think about it, the less I ever want to try it again.

I'm starting to get a little worried about making this goal. I'm already six movies behind and I've scheduled myself so heavily (my own fault, I know) that I'm worried there will be more and more days I skip a movie. So there will definitely be a weekend day marathon or two in my future. Or I will start cancelling plans. Consider yourself warned.

I'm finding that setting year-long schedules for anything is unrealistic. And if long-term is what you're thinking, you really need to break it down into short-term steps that you can take along the way. If I have to wait a whole year to check the DONE box on anything, I'm going to get discouraged and lose interest long before that time comes. So what can I do about it? I'm setting smaller goals, and checking them off as I go. And I'm not waiting til a big date (New Year, My Birthday, Anniversary of Being in LA, Anniversary of Getting The Job) to start. It starts now.

Problem: I wish I was watching more new movies and keeping track of what I thought of them, like what I did last year.

Solution: I can do that! I just have to let go of the "year" notion and do it now.

So.

I will watch and write about thirty new movies in April. 30 in 30.

I'm really excited about it. It's small, cause as of Mayday I don't have to think about it anymore, but it's also big, cause that's a movie every day. Last year's goal was only a movie about every 3 or four days. Future months might include:

Get my room in order month (with before & after pics if I'm really brave.)

Read 3000 pages in one month (About 100 pages every day. I kinda used to do it college, right? I can do it again, especially now that I'm not writing papers or anything.)

Write a screenplay month (Using my handy {though slightly ridiculous} copy of this book.)

And I've already watched the first movie!

1.Water-- A seven year old girl is widowed in 1938 and goes to live in a widow's ashram. Forever. As far as society is concerned, this little girl's life is over at seven. I don't know about you, but I was all about Barbies and the Snorks and CPK when I was seven. I hadn't even met Anne Shirley yet, for goodness sakes. So with such a powerful premise for the movie, I expected to be grabbed and shook and absorbed. But I forgot one thing. This is a foreign arthouse movie. That means not so much grabbing, as flowing. One won't be so much shook, but rather touched. Not absorbed, but impressed. Once I got into respectable arthouse drama mode, it started to work. Because this film is beautiful, but it's also a bit slow, paced, and distant. Every so often I felt close to the story, but then it would spin off from me and I felt removed again. Excellent performances from all involved, every shot is lovely to look at, but I still was left wanting more. So many of the widows depicted in the movie are interesting that I wanted more about each of them. They were all so wonderfully realized that one made me crave a ladoo, even though I had no idea what they were or had ever heard of them before watching this. That's how good the performances are in this movie. Nothing is easy and nothing is given without work. If you can take slow pacing on the verge of boring, then I recommend this for the beauty of the cinematography and acting.
3.5 ladypuppy tail wags (out of 5)

100.Blood Diamond-- This was wonderful. Dark and complicated and nothing easy about it. Full of ambivalent morals, grey characters, and amazing acting. DiCaprio wows me everytime I see him in something now. It's not every man in Hollywood who could pull off shooting three people in cold blood and remain sympathetic. I am not ashamed to say that he is currently one of my favorite actors and the reason I saw this. Jennifer Connelly was also good, but she had a much easier time of it. Djimon Hounsou was wonderful as usual (joins Miranda Richardson on my list of underpraised consistantly solid rawk actors.) Despite a few Hollywood moments thrown in, this movie really felt true to its self and didn't offer up any easy solutions or complete absolutions. I loved it, I would happily watch it again, and I recommend it to everyone.

100! I made it! 100 more in 2007!

99. Gideon's Daughter-- I enjoyed this, even though I really didn't expect to, cause it didn't get such a good reaction from playmayt. It is a bit slow and drifty, but Bill Nighy is wonderful as always, coming slighy unhinged throughout the movie, and Emily Blunt was very good as his confusing and skittish daughter. I fully intend to search Netflix and add whatever she's in to my queue, just as soon as it dips below 500 and the site will let me. Miranda Richardson also good as the woman Gideon takes up with, but then again, she always is. Sometimes I feel bad cause she's like the older daughter who always does well and is therefore ignored by her parents while the younger screw-up's occasional good points are made much of when they happen, but she's probably aware of this and made her peace with it. Just in case, side recommendation here to watch Damage if you haven't already. Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche are not the reason to see this, Richardson is. Her scene with Irons in the kitchen is the stuff actresses wait lifetimes for but are seldom worthy of. Richardson is always worthy.

I'm sorry, movie geek moment needed. Remember the bit in "Evening With Kevin Smith" where he talks about Tim Burton and the end of Burton's Planet of the Apes and its similarity to the end of the Clerks comic book? Smith mentioned this coincidence to a reporter as a joke, Burton was contacted for a response, and he took it pretty seriously, down to saying that he'd never seen that cause he didn't read comics and he'd certainly never see or read anything by Kevin Smith. Freaky haired dude was pissed. So now Burton's making a film of "Sweeney Todd," one of the best, darkest, and most unusual musicals ever. Anybody remember a movie that came out in the last couple years that featured a child enamored of "Sweeney Todd," to the point that she hounded her Dad into taking her to see it on Broadway and performed a scene from it in her elementary school talent show? That's right! It was Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl. Suck it, Burton. You're just a couple steps behind Smith all the way. Unless you want to stop ripping him off, quit pitching hissies when people notice it.

97. Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder-- This was pretty damn good, good enough to make up for Clerks 2, at least. Not as wonderful as the first "Evening With Kevin Smith," but still an enjoyable way to spend a couple of nights (would have been one marathon screening, but Netflix decided to mess with me and stagger them. Stupid meddling Netflix.) Watching Smith encounter a theatre full of Londoners in disc 2 was mighty entertaining. On the one hand, I understand why they love him so, cause I sure do, but on the other, I was surprised that his films spoke to them as much as they seemed to. Smith seems to me like the quintessential American (verging on Ugly American occasionally, but really he has enough intelligence to keep from imposing himself that much,) and I guess I was surprised that they connected with his characters so much. I suppose lower middle class is lower middle class the world over (and he did make a couple references to chavs that were pretty funny, so in that he's right and that's about his characters' equivalents-- though I think I like the Askewniverse more than most Burberry covered Eurotrash between the covers of Look and Hello.) I recommend this if you like Kevin Smith, or don't absolutely hate him and his unabashedly dirty mouth. Honestly, I'd love to get Kevin Smith bashers to watch this and the truly excellent first "Evening" in the hopes that they might change their minds. Cause I think they could. They're that good.

98. The Pursuit of Happyness-- I may be biased towards all movies set in San Francisco, but I don't think that's why I loved this movie so much (though it didn't hurt.) I may like Thandie Newton and look for her in everything, but I don't think she's why I loved this movie so much (though her presence here didn't hurt.) I firmly believe that the proudly cheesy rap star even your mother enjoys is why I loved this movie so much. Will Smith continues to amaze. I loved him when I was in middle school as the Fresh Prince, I hid my love for MiB-era him in high school cause it just wasn't cool, and I was so proud of him in Ali in college that I could spit. And now, I just say, everytime I think he's done his best work and come so much farther than anyone (other than him and his mom, perhaps) could have predicted from his beginning rap career, he does something new that floors me and forces me to admit that he's always going to be getting better, that he's always going to surprise and astound. Cause Will Smith in this movie deserves all the praise and recognition and honor in the world. So damn good. His son was very good as well, but he was playing his own father's son, so not much of a stretch there and I can't join in all the Oscar buzz for him. I'd rather transfer all those well wishes to his father. Cause I never thought I'd say this, but the Fresh Prince of Bel Air deserves an Oscar.

96. Clerks II-- This was pretty good. I heard good, I heard bad, I didn't know what to expect. Since moving to LA I've met more Kevin Smith haters than I thought existed, so I was a little surprised to see that it's got an average rating of 4.5 stars on Netflix, where 5 is the highest it can go. Even as the huge Kevin Smith fan I am (I've loved all of his movies, even Jersey Girl and own and adore "Evening with Kevin Smith") I have to say I've never thought he made a movie that close to perfect. Perfect for what it was and intended to be, perhaps. Perfect in terms of the best he (or anyone) could do under those financial/ acting talent/ studio conditions, perhaps, but perfect in completely objective Citizen Kane perfect terms? I don't think so. I enjoy his movies, but I see them for what they are: their many joys and a few flaws and all. This I think I enjoyed this less than Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (which is probably not fair to compare it to, cause I loved that movie more than most,) maybe on about par with Jersey Girl (and this didn't even have an awesome Sweeney Todd musical number.) The cameos from past View Askew players made good (Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, a tiny sliver of Joey Lauren Adams) were fun, though I have to say, a sight gag that has your exgirlfriend playing a mother to your child (yep, Harley Quinn's in this one, too) seems a little creepy to me. Maybe that's just me? I guess my main problem with this was the acting. I understand that Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson played Dante and Randal in Clerks, so they have to play them here as well, but if I were Smith, that might have stopped me from making the movie altogether. Because they couldn't act then, and they can't act now. These two are still just as horrible as they were 10 years ago in the first movie. Then, there was the excuse of low budgets and indie flying by the seat of their pants that let us all excuse them, but now there is no excuse. There is only the torture of watching these two play leads opposite Rosario Dawson who could chew them up and spit them out and who I actually felt sorry for in a couple scenes with O'Halloran. The View Askewniverse in-jokes were pretty fun, and I'm happy to see that Mewes is sober enough to stand upright again, but the very idea of this movie bothers me cause Smith had said No More. No More Clerks. Different stuff. No Sequel. No. So he tries one movie outside the Askewniverse, and it doesn't do so hot, so he runs right back to the comfort of Dante and Randal for this navel-gazing self-memorializing (that last fade into B&W shot of the Quik Stop was too much for me. Slightly infuriating as you can tell.) rehashing of territory that I would have hoped Smith would have grown out of long ago. Hmm, that turned a little mean. Sorry. I liked this movie, I did, but I really saw the flaws on this one. Kinda disappointing. Man, I hope "Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder" rawks me like a hurricane to make up for it.

When I opened this page to post this I was singing "movies movies movies movies" under my breath and it turned into "jam jam jam jam jam jam jam jam" of its own accord. What's that from? Monty Python? Random much, brain?

95. Layer Cake-- Another Daniel Craig stunner. This man has been nothing but awesome in everything I've seen him in. Almost makes me want to go back and rewatch Road to Perdition. Almost. Many thanks to bugsy_siegel for reminding me of this movie and prompting me to bump it up in my queue. If not for you I'd probably have gone another month year or two without seeing this and that would be a crime. Marvelous twisty little crime drama from the producer of Guy Ritchie's first two movies (i.e., the good ones.) Excellent acting all around (though I kept looking in the background for Jason Statham. He so belonged here.) Some twists are a bit "I knew that," but I put that down to always good Colm Meaney's acting instead of something we really were supposed to be surprised at. There are alternate endings on the disc, but I really think the one they went with is perfect. Haven't sent this back yet cause I think it's got at least another viewing in it. Or maybe I really want disc 2 of "Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder." Hmmm...

Wow, I might actually make 100 new movies this year! Never mind that the original goal was for 150, my popularity soon got in the way of that. Hey Texas peeps, can you believe that I have LA friends who don't believe me when I tell them that I really am a homebody? Craziness, I tell you. Only 12 left to make 100 for the year! [EDIT: There were actually only 6 left for the rest of the year. I'd be dangerous if I could count.] I can watch 12 6 new movies in December, right? I think I'll do a few posts before the end of the year collecting all the snapshot reviews I did of each movie. 10 each, I think. More to get them all together in one place for me. It's fun to be able to see something you've done all year in one place like that, eh?

93. Casino Royale-- I gushed about this movie for days and still gush to myself everytime I think about it. Sweet Baby James, this is the best Bond movie I've ever seen in a movie theatre. I loved Pierce Brosnan, but Daniel Craig is an amazing Bond. He is Bond. He is worlds better than I ever thought possible. I have a new screen idol. About halfway through the movie I leaned over to the friend I saw it with and told him that the name Clive Owen was beginning to lose all meaning for me. Well done Mr. Craig! Must rewatch Munich for the tall and lanky goodness again sometime soon. The action was gripping, the effects were beautiful, even the chase scenes were good enough to keep me interested (which is no easy feat.) I can't wait to see the next one. And the next. And the next. And the next. And everything else Daniel Craig has ever been in.

94. Candles on Bay Street-- Truly terrible Hallmark MOW with Alicia Silverstone. I know, I know, it's my own fault and I shouldn't have been surprised. Did I really expect anything more than nauseatingly bad acting, crooked smiles under empty eyes that make you want to smack actresses that somehow lucked into good comic timing in one movie and have been skating on that crap for years, and horrifying town sing-alongs of "You've Got a Friend?" Yeah, they went there, and more than once. A little piece of me died. This revolting mess is not fit for humans to witness. Do yourself and anyone else you know with a brain and avoid at all costs. We must never speak of this again. If you mention this movie to me I will deny all knowledge of it and if you persist I may be forced to react with deadly force. Don't make me go Cobra on your ass.

92. Train Quest-- last in the "horrible Jason Dohring movie that needs to be watched solely because JD is in it" trilogy. This movie is pretty bad, and none of the badness has to do with JD. Well, maybe a little of the overacting can be put down to him, but really it's the effects and everyone else onscreen who's holding up the suck here. And the effects aren't even really the fault of the movie, they're more the fault of the budget. You can tell that the director had some very ambitious plans for the look of the movie and the plastic people that inhabit it, but was unfortunately constrained by a lack of money. Maybe they should have waited til they could afford to do the movie they wanted... or until more of their cast learned how to act. Whatever. It's billed as a kids' movie on Netflix, but it's bit too heavy on darkness and too light on magic to let me recommend it as a kids' movie. I don't recommend it at all, not even for a JD fix. Check out VM S1 instead and get your recommended daily allowance of snark.