Surpise, Surprise...Superbad!

If there was one movie that I would have put on the list of "Definitely Not Seeing" it would have been Superbad. The coming of age story of "can the classic nerdy, socially inept guys lose their virginity before they graduate?" really just is not up my alley. So, what happened last week? I went and saw Superbad. In my defense, a guy asked me to go and paid for it...it wasn't totally my choice.

The most surprising part of this situation is that is really was pretty damn funny. I am shocked and amazed, but I have to freely admit that a good portion of the movie did move me to laugh. Is it cinema at its best? Clearly not...it dropped f--- over 200 times (more than Scarface), it has more hand drawn pictures of penises than any one person really needs to see, and who really needs to watch the blood on the pants scene. But laugh I did. It dips about 45 minutes into it and doesn't pick up again until the last few minutes, but I do not regret spending some time watching it. Superbad wasn't as bad as I thought...imagine that.

Flicks and Pages

I would usually do separate blogs for these two topics, but why? I'll just combine since I clearly didn't take the time this weekend to sit in front of my computer and do it!

Flicks

I have gotten back to my movie watching ways recently. Tivo has plotted against me, making me watch shows I have recorded instead of popping in a DVD and watching it. Ok, that is really all my fault, but I would rather blame a piece of electrical equipment than actually own up to my own inability to get off the couch, open up the case and insert the disc in the player. Lazy with a capital L. Here are my lame, but infinitely exciting reviews of some films I have watched.

Bobby-I finally got around to this flick. Being a history buff, I of course, wanted to watch it. The cast was also intriguing, since it pretty much was jam packed with stars. Can Lindsey Lohan act? Is Ashton a believeable hippy druggie? Demi a raging alcoholic diva? Well, for full disclosure, I must admit, I started watching the movie on Friday night and actually turned it off mid-way through and read my book for about an hour. I think that might be telling. I finished it on Saturday morning. Great to learn the incidentals to a historical event, but not all that intriguing of a movie. Lindsay married a hobbit to save him from Vietnam. Does that really take chops to portray? Not really. It wasn't a horrible film, but it just didn't hold any mystique or have any amazing attributes. It was just a way to pass 2 hours, that's about it.

Capote--This was a good flick. The reason being: Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Not a news flash, I know. I am just getting around to this one and I should have seen it before. His portrayal of Capote is amazing. The nuances, the gestures...really a great portrayal of the historical character. He carries the film and really makes it worth a recommendation. I even want to read In Cold Blood because of it. I would definitely put it on your list...maybe not the absolutely next movie you watch, but something worth getting off the couch for, really.

The Squid and the Whale--Just Say No! I was a member of the movement in the 5th grade, wore the green shirt with pride (my sad, pathetic elementary days...such fond memories!). I stand by the slogan today. This movie is a mess. Its kind of indi...so many may not have heard of it. I almost feel bad bringing the movie to your attention; your ignorance of the flick is probably best. But at least now you won't make the mistake of taking a peek and possibly doing yourself a disservice and renting it. It just is very random and not all that interesting. The one thing I pulled from this movie: us children of the 80's really must have been suffering internally to have grown up with those clothes, the cars, etc. Very frightening!

Pages

A Thousand Splendid Suns--This is the new book by the author of The Kite Runner. I had been told that Kite was depressing and so I decided to skip that read, but then saw this one and the dust jacket synopsis intrigued me. So, I picked it up. Great book. I love learning about a new culture, new time period, etc. He is very good at pulling you into a new world. He paints the picture starkly. But I must say, some of what is in there is just personally horrifying. I try not to be culturally biased. My way of life is not everyone's way of life. But I could not read and not feel a sense of horror of the Taliban years of Afghanistan. We have horrors here in our own culture, though. I know I have been horrified by these stories as well, but the overall sanctioned acceptance of the horrors brought to life in the book astound me. I guess I take it a bit more personally being a woman. I had some difficulty reading it at night before I would go to bed since I really didn't want those thoughts running through my dreams, etc. This is a good read, but definitely difficult at times. I was at Borders yesterday and I picked up Kite to read, but it definitely won't make it in my bag for my vacation next week. It will most likely be worth my personal discomfort, but not when I am sitting next to a pool sipping a cocktail!

Well, these are my reviews. I am sure that not all that informative or exciting, but nonetheless a free service from you trusty friend, Mischa! Really, I do this to get out of having to write about my boring life...

Next time, you can look forward to reviews for The Hustler, A Fistful of Dollars and Y Tu Mama Tambian on the flick side of life. I might try to actually catch a current film...you never know! For Pages, I have two choices for my traveling pleasure: Nickle and Dimed (probably not going to NYC either since it is quite the serious tome about the working poor in the US) and Those Who Save Us. Of course, I may end up finishing Kite before I review again...

No, it can't be true, can it?

I have heard a nasty rumor around the valley...that at high elevations the aspen trees are already starting to turn? How can it be? We got our last snow at the end of June and the signs of fall are rapidly approaching? Did we have a summer? My head is spinning.

Champagne and Popcorn Dreams

I am sitting in my office at 11:00 pm, waiting for a special champagne dinner to end (so I can help clean up!), sipping champagne and eating some Pop-Secret popcorn. I am trying to have will power and not go eat the fabulous free dinner at 11:00 pm at night. The chocolate cheesecake that is just sitting there for my enjoyment. No, my 100-calorie pack of popcorn is my friend. Yeah, yeah...the weakness...the champagne. But how many offers of nice champagne do you get?!

I have nothing witty or amazing to tell you about. So, a random assortment of my deep thoughts will have to do. (the popcorn makes me philosophical).

-Barry Bonds and the homeruns...yea, rah, yea, he made it. He has taken the record from Aaron. The bastard stole it from the hero. Has he attained it completely unfairly?--yes. Did MLB do anything about it?--no. 1 + 1 then = 2. Does he deserve the coverage?--yes. OJ probably did commit murder back in the 90's, but guess what...he is still a free man and always will be. Barry Bonds will be the reigning king of the homerun ball until someone else has learned to dope even more ingeniously. Case closed, end of story.

-The Midwest in the summertime...is beautiful! I spent the weekend in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago and it was low 80's all weekend. I went to Detroit last weekend for a wedding and it was gorgeous, even getting a bit nipply on a rainy morning. I obviously need to spend more time in the Midwest during the summer. I have judged it unfairly. (yeah, that champagne is kickin in!!!)

-Grandpa update...he has his prosthetic leg and is doing great!! He has been able to visit our land up in the UP. He can get in and out of the car and is transferring from his wheelchair into a seat like a pro. Now that is a happy 90th birthday! We were all scared he wouldn't make it to this point, so I just have to say how happy I am for him!!! He is such an inspiration to me...

-Tomatoes!! I decided to attempt to have a green thumb this summer and actually potted a couple of tomato plants. I love, love, love tomatoes and homegrown are the best. So, why not give it a shot. Well, I have had a few green ones sitting there for weeks and was getting discouraged that they would ever turn red. I am ecstatic to report that today, one turned a lovely shade of putrid greeny-orange. Yeah, you were expecting me to say red...gotcha! But I have no doubt in a day or two I will have a red, ripe cherry tomato to pop in my mouth. Woohoo!

You know, kettle corn and champagne aren't that bad together. You don't believe me, I know...I wouldn't either. But its better than gaining the weight I am trying so hard to lose...so it will do for tonight. How is it that I am in a good mood after working 12 hours? I don't ask these things...I just accept it as a little gift. Everyone...smile!!!! I am!