1. What film hit you at the right place and right time, pertaining to and illuminating things that were happening in your life the moment you saw it?
This happens to me all the time. It’s one of the reasons I watch movies–and watch TV and read books and listen to music and seek out interesting podcasts. I hope these things help me figure out better ways to live in the world. When I saw Shut Up and Play the Hits last summer, it hit me particularly hard, as it was right around the time I switched jobs and was … Read the rest
So this is what happened.
On the first leg of my flight out west back in March, I started writing a response to Brandon grading us on our quizzes (Remember that back in the olden days?), but then I got stuck overnight in Detroit, which goofed up the beginning of my trip and derailed all my bloggy plans. A quick note now: Brandon, I loved that you graded us on our posts, and you are so right that I also read Manohla Dargis in the NYT. I always forget things when I try to make lists. You guys are all … Read the rest
This is exactly the kind of thing I am terrible at, but Brandon thought it up, so I am participating.
1. What is the most overrated film of the past 5 years and briefly explain why?
Amour is kind of fresh in my mind, but maybe I’d go with The Dark Knight Rises.
2. What are your favorite 3 favorite television shows currently running?
Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie.
3. Name one film and television show you are ashamed to admit to liking?
I love all the Harold and Kumar films. LOVE them. I’m not ashamed … Read the rest
“We have no control over anything large in life; only the small details are under our direct management. But even then, we lack any real authority.”
-Augusten Burroughs in This is How
Guys, we have some catching up to do.
Since I moved up the street from the Little, I go there to see a movie at least once a week, so I’ve seen a lot of movies. I got behind on blog reading (again–this may be endemic), but I caught up over the last few days, and now I want to talk about Amour.
Because, as this … Read the rest
January 17, 2013 – 10:06 pm
Tiffany: You let me lie to you for a week?
Pat: I was trying to be romantic.
-Silver Linings Playbook
I told you this was how it was going to be, with the revising. It’s bye-bye Looper, hello Silver Linings Playbook.
1. Your Sister’s Sister
2. The Master
3. Brave
4. Silver Linings Playbook
5. Moonrise Kingdom
6. Finding Nemo 3D
7. Shut Up and Play the Hits
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
9. Django Unchained
10. Celeste and Jesse Forever
There’s a moment in Silver Linings Playbook when Jennifer Lawrence’s Tiffany tells Bradley Cooper’s Pat … Read the rest
January 8, 2013 – 8:59 pm
I should really watch more 2012 releases before I make a list (and, per usual, I’m worried that I’m forgetting something I did see), but what the heck. Let’s call it a first draft.
1. Your Sister’s Sister
2. The Master
3. Brave
4. Moonrise Kingdom
5. Finding Nemo 3D
6. Shut Up and Play the Hits
7. Beasts of the Southern Wild
8. Django Unchained
9. Celeste and Jesse Forever
10. Looper
I thought I hadn’t written about Your Sister’s Sister, but it seems I did. That film edges out The Master for me, which is saying something. … Read the rest
January 3, 2013 – 6:13 am
I feel like I must have gotten the idea to watch Strangers on a Train from someone in Film Club, but it could have been from an article or something. I don’t remember. Anyway, I was surprised to find that this film didn’t suck me in from the start. The main character, Guy, is the problem. He’s bland, and Farley Granger plays him so woodenly that it’s hard to pay attention to him or care what happens to him. Robert Walker completely outshines Granger with his portrayal of bat-shit crazy Bruno, but Bruno isn’t enough to carry the film because … Read the rest
December 26, 2012 – 5:59 am
I mentioned that Maxwell has fallen in love with The Hobbit.
Apparently he’s now made the connection that the ring Bilbo finds in The Hobbit is the same one that’s in Lord of the Rings, and he wants to know what’s up with that.
He’s such a good boy.… Read the rest
December 25, 2012 – 8:31 pm
One of our traditions is that we always watch a movie either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The last few years, we’ve watched Elf, which is why it got a place on my Best Films of the Aughts list. Truly, though, I’ve seen enough Elf and so asked if we could please, please watch something else, and Lucas asked if we could please, please watch Napoleon Dynamite, which we’ve been meaning to watch together for a while now.
Napoleon Dynamite is like ice skating with us adults: Ron and I LOVE it, and Tammy kind of … Read the rest
December 22, 2012 – 3:57 pm
This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.
-Gollum’s riddle in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Last night, I celebrated the end of the world by getting together with friends for dinner. They came here, and they brought dinner because while I am more settled by the day and finally cooking again, I’m mostly baking and actual meals are as spotty as my posts have been here the last couple weeks. I was at least together enough to have wine on … Read the rest
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