Let’s Go to the Movies: Midnight in Paris

images from soundcolourvibration.com

Midnight in Paris

I was lucky to watch this on DVD with another person (HBragg) and I say this is lucky because we could pause and discuss it whenever we wanted, as opposed to having to wait until the end of the movie if we saw it in the theater. Seeing a movie on the big screen is nice and all, but sometimes the ability to pause is nice.

Some things we talked about:

1. Is there a statement being made with the clothing? Inez (Rachel McAdams) wore basically the same thing throughout the movie. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but if it was, here are a couple of things I thought about: a) Woody Allen’s strong yet unlikeable female characters are usually in more masculine clothes, while the passionate and more likeable characters dress in a more feminine style (see also: Vicky Christina Barcelona). b) Maybe the linens and soft colors were supposed to represent a faux relaxation in Inez.

2. At the beginning of the movie, I would’ve said that Gil (Owen Wilson) was the obvious stand in for Woody Allen. However, later in the movie I feel like he was more what Allen strived for…HOPED he could be. My turning point: After watching the walk in the rain vs. take a car battle, there’s a scene where Gil comes up to Scott, Zelda and Adriana and does a familiar grab to Scott with a joking “Is this guy bothering you?” kinda thing. We’re led to believe this is their third meeting (or, at least, the third night Gil has known this group of the Lost Generation). It’s so perfectly familiar – fitting to Gil’s personality, but so unlike Inez and her family that we haven’t been able to see him as himself to this point. It might be my favorite moment in the whole movie. It’s also, though, so unlike how [I see] Woody Allen. He seems too self-concious and introverted to ever have that same level of familiarity in such a public setting. I do understand that I’m projecting everything I’ve ever stereotyped as Woody Allen onto him from only seeing his movies (and a PBS special), though, so…

3. Owen Wilson had some truly inspired reaction shots. Two I especially liked: a) When he first gets into the cab. b)His eyes when Hemingway is talking to them about hunting.

4. Allison Pill needs to work on her Southern accent.

5. You know what the movie needed? More Dali. I could’ve done with more Dali. (Maybe we didn’t talk about this, but I thought it.)

Let’s Go to the Movies: Tree of Life

image from frontroomcinema.com

Some stream of consciousness thoughts from my viewing of Tree of Life:

All these boys look like Ricky Schroder.

Why does Bradd Pitt have to make himself look less attractive in movies than he is in real life?

Mrs. Dursley!

I didn’t know Sean Penn was in this!

What is this?

Why am I watching this?

Is this Fantasia?

DINOSAURS?!?! This is so freaking Fantasia!

WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?

If I saw this in the movie theater, I would be so upset about losing my $10.75.

[This is when the song Iko Iko got stuck in my head for 20 minutes.]

How much does a movie cost now?

I wonder if I can get this movie in the mailbox before the mailman comes?

I’m glad they put the Job verse before the movie or else I’d be even more upset.

I wish more of this movie showed the boys growing up, and less of the galaxy.

What is this movie trying to tell me?

Well, this movie has taken a turn.

I feel like this is the most realistic portrayal of male familial relationships in a long time.

I need to Google what Ian McEwen thought of this movie…it reminds me of his writing.

The Rapture?

Not the Rapture. Acceptance?

Huh?

Let’s Go to the Movies: Catch-all of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Bridesmaids

Quite the match-up, huh? I saw these long enough ago to not have too much to add, but in the spirit of Oscar-preparedness, here goes:

image from theman-cave.com

First of all, I’m not sure if this is a movie you can say you enjoy without inviting quizzical glances, but I can comfortably say that I didn’t hate it. I’d read all three books (and if you’re someone that hates spoilers and plan to read all of the books, I’d recommend reading them all before seeing this US movie) and see all of the Swedish films, and went into the movie interested to see the true Hollywood take on the story. After all of the poster hype, the movie was actually much, much tamer than both the books and the Swedish films. If you’d ever describe your sensibilities as “delicate” but feel like you should experience this story somehow, go ahead and see this and set the others aside.

I’m not sure if my opinion would be different if I hadn’t seen the Swedish version first, but while Rooney Mara’s performance is good, I don’t think it’s that difficult or ground-breaking. Actually, that pretty much sums up everything I think about the film. The hardest part for me wasn’t watching violent scenes or putting together the puzzle pieces of the mystery, but instead getting over Robin Wright’s weird early Jessica Lange haircut. Best part of the move: Any (and every) scene starring Stellan Skarsgard.

BONUS! I think I watched a new NIN video as the opening credits…

image from collider.com

LOVED this movie. It’s funny, and I love that a female cast is getting recognition instead of just the next incarnation of the Frat Pack, but we’re nominating this for awards? This is what we’re doing now? I don’t really have anything to add. Good movie? Sure. Really good movie? Sure! Great movie? Eh…

Thirty

Okay…here are ten resolutions for my thirtieth year (people with less exciting birthdays call these “New Year’s Resolutions”):

1. Visit Las Vegas and, while there, take a road trip to Los Angeles.
2. Pay off debt. I’ll need to look at this more closely, but I want to stick an actual percentage to this soon.
3. Stop saying “Don’t hate me ’cause you ain’t me.” I’m pretty sure the ship sailed on this one a while ago, and now it’s time for me to move on as well.
4. Limit my tv consumption by only using Netflix for six or fewer months out of this year.
5. Read at least two books per month – one fiction and one non-fiction.
6. Visit Savannah.
7. Put my townhouse on the market to gauge response (if nothing else…).
8. Lose weight. Everyone has this on their list (well, probably everyone that makes a list) but I actually need to do this.
9. Send someone a letter (the stamped kind, not the virtual kind) when I think of them. Sub-resolution: Keep stamps around so that I have one when I need it.
10. Make the most of 30. This isn’t really measureable, but I’ll try to report on the progress…

 

Wishes

You know that Morton’s Steakhouse airport guy? You know, this guy? Well, instead of dinner, I’d just once like to be met at the airport by Jack White holding the leashes of a litter of Golden Retriever puppies and a glass of freshly squeezed, heavy pulp white grapefruit juice. As he drove me home (in an attention grabbing yet tasteful black sedan), we’d talk about Motown, public swimming pools and Whole Foods. When he dropped me off, he’d hand me the phone number of a male cast member* on Friday Night Lights.

Sometimes I wish people recognized their gratitude of “the everyday” via toast. For instance:

• To my Grandmama, who never hesitated to buy ridiculously priced school fundraising wrapping paper and the let me use it to wrap up random things in her house while I played “birthday party.”

• To Sarah McDonnell, without whose recommendation I’d have never known the jaw-droppingly close shave of the Schick Intuition razor.

• To that one guy who debated fruity vs. minty gum with me for over an hour in 1997…I’ll never look at Fruit Stripe without thinking of you and smiling.

• To Benjamin Franklin; I realize your accomplishments haven’t gone [historically] unnoticed, but I feel that the whole kite/key thing isn’t properly recognized in the 21st Century. Cheers, you!

*Any one of them. Sure, Taylor Kitsch is crazy hot but don’t you know dinner with Brad Leland would be a scream!