Can you believe there's a Part 2?
Me neither.
Last year I wrote about the lack of diversity in 2014 movie releases. To my completely uneducated eye, it seems like 2015 did slightly better (Creed, Straight Outta Compton, Concussion ... there are probably more, but I haven't seen that many movies this year). But despite that, there are no POC nominated for acting Oscars this go-around either.
Again, this isn't about saying people like Rachel McAdams or Michael Fassbender don't deserve their nominations. They do!
I am simply saying (for the second year in a row, apparently) that many of the institutions that support popular culture (primarily film production companies) overwhelmingly produce stories about white men and then overwhelmingly promote stories about white men. When that happens, the field from which the "best" are selected is already stacked against reality.
(Speaking of stacking the deck against reality ... Jennifer Lawrence, I love you, but it is time you stop accepting roles that are clearly meant for a 40 year old woman. Kthxbye. Also, remember when Emma Stone played an Asian woman? Oh 2015 casting directors, you crazy.)
I have no idea when this trend is going to shift. But in the meantime, I'm going to watch Sense and Sensibility this weekend to commemorate Alan Rickman (the best), go catch Creed while it's still in theaters (and rocking a 96% positive review rate on Rotten Tomatoes), and root for Mad Max: Fury Road to win literally everything on February 28th.
Showing posts with label Shameless nerdiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shameless nerdiness. Show all posts
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Thursday, January 15, 2015
diversity and the Academy Awards
So the nominees for the Academy Awards were announced today, and unsurprisingly, a lot of people are upset by the overwhelmingly white and male makeup of the contenders for the film industry's greatest honors.
Confession: I haven't seen most of these movies. It's been a busy time.
Double confession: I am not what you would call a sophisticated film watcher. I love the greats along with the Grease 2s, if you know what I am saying.
Triple confession: Nothing icks me out more than white people who want back-pats for bemoaning the lack of diversity in pop culture, which is why I generally try to avoid these sort of conversations.
That being said, I figured I'd offer up my opinions (it is the Internet, after all.)
Some background facts:
Well, first of all, it doesn't mean that the nominated films, directors, actors, and actresses don't deserve their nominations. They very much do, and on top of that, there are a lot of folks who were snubbed when those nominations were announced, and some of them were also white men. (Sorry Christopher Nolan. It will happen for you someday.)
It also doesn't mean that the Academy Awards are per se racist. Cheryl Boone, the female, African-American president of the Academy, apparently doesn't think the Academy has a diversity problem. And for the purposes of this blog post, I am going to go with her on that.
So the Academy doesn't have a diversity problem, but the Academy's nominees are unarguably not at all diverse. What are we to make of these two contradictory statements?
Let me suggest what I think the real problem is:
The issue isn't that David Oyelowo (star of Selma) and Ava DuVernay (director of Selma) deserved to be nominated and were not. The issue is that 2014 featured a METRIC CRAPTON of movies about white dudes, and the one movie that did not (Selma) was nearly shut-out despite overwhelmingly good reviews.
In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn't matter that two talented people did not get recognized for their talent like we think they should. It does matter that they are part of a greater trend.
What good movies came out this year? Turning to my beloved Rotten Tomatoes, we see that the following well-reviewed movies hit the silver screen in 2014:
"Best of" lists that I found after an extensive (read: not terribly extensive) Google search include additional films like Interstellar, Snowpiercer, Grand Budapest Hotel, Under the Skin, The Lego Movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Unbroken.
Based solely on my memory of various posters and trailers I saw over the last year, of the 35 movies listed above ... four feature black people in leading roles? Eight have a female main character? Three feature significant roles for Asian actors -- and I had to count two animated features for that?
I mean, I'm pretty sure two of those aforementioned movies are actually documentaries about animals, folks.
These are not good numbers. And when I say that, I am not saying American Sniper is a bad movie (I'm sure it's great!) or that Reese Witherspoon is a bad actress (I love her!) I'm saying ... these are not good numbers.
Movies, taken as a whole, should not be mostly about men and mostly about white men at that. The people who buy movie tickets are not mostly white men. And white men can be expected to understand and enjoy stories about people who are not exactly like them. I mean, the most loveable characters of 2014 were a foul-mouthed racoon and a giant tree with a limited vocabulary, so I think we are all pretty capable of being lost in a great story regardless, okay?
If there had been 20 great movies that came out this year with leading roles for women and minorities and directed by women and minorities, it would be annoying but not that annoying that David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay were snubbed in the Oscar race. Hey, they'd be in the same boat with Jennifer Aniston and Clint Eastwood right now! (And I bet that's a SUPER fancy boat.)
But there were not 20 great movies that came out this year with leading roles for women and minorities. There were a mere handful. And somehow, I don't think it's because women and minorities just aren't writing scripts, pitching projects, attending auditions, looking for investors.
When there is one movie (Selma) featuring award-worthy acting from a black actor, and that lone black actor has to compete against ...
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Jake Gyllenhall, "Nightcrawler"
Brad Pitt, "Fury"
Jack O'Connell, "Unbroken"
Ben Affleck, "Gone Girl"
Ralph Fiennes, "Grand Budapest Hotel
Bill Murray, "St. Vincent"
Christoph Waltz, "Big Eyes"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Inherent Vice"
and whoever else I am missing ...
... simple statistics tell us that chances aren't good.
But why was there only one black actor in the mix in the first place?
American cinema doesn't have a diversity problem. It has an inability to imagine a world that reflects reality problem.
Confession: I haven't seen most of these movies. It's been a busy time.
Double confession: I am not what you would call a sophisticated film watcher. I love the greats along with the Grease 2s, if you know what I am saying.
Triple confession: Nothing icks me out more than white people who want back-pats for bemoaning the lack of diversity in pop culture, which is why I generally try to avoid these sort of conversations.
That being said, I figured I'd offer up my opinions (it is the Internet, after all.)
Some background facts:
- Of the 8 films currently nominated for Best Pictures, 7 feature male leading characters.
- Of the 8 films currently nominated, 7 are about white men.
- To date, only four women have ever even been nominated for Best Director. More women have been launched into space than have been nominated for Best Director. The one movie nominated for Best Picture (Selma) that was directed by a woman did not get a Best Director nomination.
- There are no non-white people nominated for any acting awards this year.
Well, first of all, it doesn't mean that the nominated films, directors, actors, and actresses don't deserve their nominations. They very much do, and on top of that, there are a lot of folks who were snubbed when those nominations were announced, and some of them were also white men. (Sorry Christopher Nolan. It will happen for you someday.)
It also doesn't mean that the Academy Awards are per se racist. Cheryl Boone, the female, African-American president of the Academy, apparently doesn't think the Academy has a diversity problem. And for the purposes of this blog post, I am going to go with her on that.
So the Academy doesn't have a diversity problem, but the Academy's nominees are unarguably not at all diverse. What are we to make of these two contradictory statements?
Let me suggest what I think the real problem is:
The issue isn't that David Oyelowo (star of Selma) and Ava DuVernay (director of Selma) deserved to be nominated and were not. The issue is that 2014 featured a METRIC CRAPTON of movies about white dudes, and the one movie that did not (Selma) was nearly shut-out despite overwhelmingly good reviews.
In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn't matter that two talented people did not get recognized for their talent like we think they should. It does matter that they are part of a greater trend.
What good movies came out this year? Turning to my beloved Rotten Tomatoes, we see that the following well-reviewed movies hit the silver screen in 2014:
Selma
The Imitation Game
Wild
Big Hero 6
The Theory of Everything
Birdman
Top Five
Foxcatcher
Gone Girl
Mr. Turner
Whiplash
The Book of Life
A Most Violent Year
Fury
St. Vincent
Nightcrawler
Guardians of the Galaxy
Force Majeure
The Babadook
Citizenfour
Two Days, One Night
The Homesman
John Wick
Beyond the Lights
Leviathan
Boyhood
Dear White People
Diplomacy
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Under the Sea
Born To Be Wild
Based solely on my memory of various posters and trailers I saw over the last year, of the 35 movies listed above ... four feature black people in leading roles? Eight have a female main character? Three feature significant roles for Asian actors -- and I had to count two animated features for that?
I mean, I'm pretty sure two of those aforementioned movies are actually documentaries about animals, folks.
These are not good numbers. And when I say that, I am not saying American Sniper is a bad movie (I'm sure it's great!) or that Reese Witherspoon is a bad actress (I love her!) I'm saying ... these are not good numbers.
Movies, taken as a whole, should not be mostly about men and mostly about white men at that. The people who buy movie tickets are not mostly white men. And white men can be expected to understand and enjoy stories about people who are not exactly like them. I mean, the most loveable characters of 2014 were a foul-mouthed racoon and a giant tree with a limited vocabulary, so I think we are all pretty capable of being lost in a great story regardless, okay?
If there had been 20 great movies that came out this year with leading roles for women and minorities and directed by women and minorities, it would be annoying but not that annoying that David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay were snubbed in the Oscar race. Hey, they'd be in the same boat with Jennifer Aniston and Clint Eastwood right now! (And I bet that's a SUPER fancy boat.)
But there were not 20 great movies that came out this year with leading roles for women and minorities. There were a mere handful. And somehow, I don't think it's because women and minorities just aren't writing scripts, pitching projects, attending auditions, looking for investors.
When there is one movie (Selma) featuring award-worthy acting from a black actor, and that lone black actor has to compete against ...
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Jake Gyllenhall, "Nightcrawler"
Brad Pitt, "Fury"
Jack O'Connell, "Unbroken"
Ben Affleck, "Gone Girl"
Ralph Fiennes, "Grand Budapest Hotel
Bill Murray, "St. Vincent"
Christoph Waltz, "Big Eyes"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Inherent Vice"
and whoever else I am missing ...
... simple statistics tell us that chances aren't good.
But why was there only one black actor in the mix in the first place?
American cinema doesn't have a diversity problem. It has an inability to imagine a world that reflects reality problem.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: Part 2
You thought I'd forgotten about my promise of a Part 2, didn't you?
Well, I didn't.
Let's just get this out of the way upfront: I am not going to suggest you watch Mad Men (overrated, though I still follow it) or any show I haven't ever actually watched (I know that The Wire and Veep and The Good Wife are all supposedly amazing, but I just haven't gotten into them yet, and unlike the famous books I pretend I've read,* I'm not going to fake it on the TV front.)
All these recommendations have been thoroughly vetted by me.
Funniest (and possibly filthiest) TV show you could watch: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
If you haven't watched It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia yet, it's possible you never will. I mean, how many people have to tell you it's the funniest show on TV (sorry, Parks and Rec--you run a tight second) before you believe?
My personal favorite episode is "Who Pooped The Bed?" though I admit the rampant poop-jokes may be a turn-off to first time viewers.
Therefore, if you want to get into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia but don't know where to start, may I recommend "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" of Season 5?
My favorite running gag in It's Always Sunny is the subtle references to the fact that Dennis is a sociopath (and possibly a serial killer). You wouldn't think that could be funny ("Dennis, why do you have plastic zip ties in your trunk?") BUT IT IS. Ninety-percent of the time, Dennis just walks around the episodes like a shallow, selfish person (which is funny), but then on rare occasion, he pulls back the curtain on the darkness in his psyche (WHICH KILLS ME.)
So "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System." Dennis is the most traditionally handsome of the characters on It's Always Sunny, and generally has the easiest time getting women. In this episode, he finally reveals his foolproof method for getting women to fall for him:
Demonstrate Value - do nice things for the targeted girl
Engage Physically - self-explanatory
Nurture Dependence - put her in dangerous or scary circumstances, so she begins to rely on the person utilizing the D.E.N.N.I.S. system for emotional support
Neglect Emotionally - after getting the girl to rely on him for comfort, withdraw inexplicably, causing psychological distress
Inspire Hope - reappear in her life, claiming, "I was just so scared to love you!" Once she's taken him back ...
Separate Entirely.
See what I mean? That's horrible! But so funny, because it's just so true. Let's be honest, aside from "separate entirely," how often is that EXACTLY how a romance novel plays out?
Funniest show on TV. Hands down.
Honorable mention: Broad City. It's only on Season 1, so I feel like it's too early to tell whether this show will be consistently great or flame out gloriously like Party Down.
Creepiest, prettiest show on TV: Hannibal
Confession 1: I do not know how NBC puts this on television without getting fined by the F.C.C. It is that gross.
Confession 2: I was obsessed with the Thomas Hardy novels as a kid. I wanted to join the FBI SO BAD. I have a disturbingly accurate memory of how all the Hannibal Lecter books go. This may have something to do with the fact that I am obsessed with Hannibal now.
Here's the short version for anyone who isn't super familiar with Hannibal Lecter's storyline:
In the very first Hannibal book (Red Dragon), Hannibal has already been caught for his crimes as the Chesapeake Ripper. Red Dragon explains how the FBI's Will Graham caught Hannibal in flashbacks, including the fact that Will had gone to Hannibal on several occasions to ask for help catching serial killers. (Now does it make sense why Jack Crawford sends Clarisse Starling to go chat with Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs, a fact that never really clicked for me until I read the books? Hannibal isn't just a serial killer -- he has a long, personal history with the FBI, including Jack Crawford, the person who sends Clarisse in.) (Yes, I saw Silence of the Lambs as a kid. No, my parents didn't know.)
Hannibal the TV show focuses on the timeline before Red Dragon: the years and months before Hannibal is revealed to be a serial killer himself, in which everyone thinks Hannibal is a pretty cool dude and Will Graham and Jack Crawford and Hannibal are buddies who eat dinner together on the reg (shudder). The creep factor comes in because OBVIOUSLY the entire audience knows what every character does not, and from wondering when characters will begin to see the cracks in Hannibal's story.
Bonus points for having a borderline-autistic main character (Will Graham), having some really lovely scenes (not kidding you about the prettiest TV show currently on air), and never having a wasted episode.
All TV shows should last about 13 episodes a season, in my opinion.
Best show to geek out about: Game of Thrones (duh)
If you haven't gotten into Game of Thrones by now, or read the books, I'm not sure what I could say (other than this and this or just this quote from Parks and Recreation:
So that's it, my 3 top recommendations for TV-watchin' as we enter the summer hiatus. I realize none of them are family-friendly, so if I ever find something kiddo-appropriate, I will be sure to let you know, dear readers.
* Moby Dick, Tess of the Dubervilles, Ethan Frome, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Hobbit, The Fountainhead, 1984, The Bell Jar, and Ulysses, among many others.
Sorry, teachers of the past. I was really good at faking stuff and I see no reason to stop now. I got a 5 on my AP test anyway!
** I know, I know, the most shameful thing to be is a "writer" who doesn't read. But I do read! I read contemporary and classics and pulpy trash just like everyone else, but the fact is, some things are just not my jam. Yes, I always intended to read some of those books, but I'm 30 now, and it's time to just admit I will never -- NEVER -- really read Tess of the Dubervilles.
Never.
Well, I didn't.
Let's just get this out of the way upfront: I am not going to suggest you watch Mad Men (overrated, though I still follow it) or any show I haven't ever actually watched (I know that The Wire and Veep and The Good Wife are all supposedly amazing, but I just haven't gotten into them yet, and unlike the famous books I pretend I've read,* I'm not going to fake it on the TV front.)
All these recommendations have been thoroughly vetted by me.
Funniest (and possibly filthiest) TV show you could watch: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
If you haven't watched It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia yet, it's possible you never will. I mean, how many people have to tell you it's the funniest show on TV (sorry, Parks and Rec--you run a tight second) before you believe?
My personal favorite episode is "Who Pooped The Bed?" though I admit the rampant poop-jokes may be a turn-off to first time viewers.
Therefore, if you want to get into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia but don't know where to start, may I recommend "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" of Season 5?
My favorite running gag in It's Always Sunny is the subtle references to the fact that Dennis is a sociopath (and possibly a serial killer). You wouldn't think that could be funny ("Dennis, why do you have plastic zip ties in your trunk?") BUT IT IS. Ninety-percent of the time, Dennis just walks around the episodes like a shallow, selfish person (which is funny), but then on rare occasion, he pulls back the curtain on the darkness in his psyche (WHICH KILLS ME.)
So "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System." Dennis is the most traditionally handsome of the characters on It's Always Sunny, and generally has the easiest time getting women. In this episode, he finally reveals his foolproof method for getting women to fall for him:
Demonstrate Value - do nice things for the targeted girl
Engage Physically - self-explanatory
Nurture Dependence - put her in dangerous or scary circumstances, so she begins to rely on the person utilizing the D.E.N.N.I.S. system for emotional support
Neglect Emotionally - after getting the girl to rely on him for comfort, withdraw inexplicably, causing psychological distress
Inspire Hope - reappear in her life, claiming, "I was just so scared to love you!" Once she's taken him back ...
Separate Entirely.
See what I mean? That's horrible! But so funny, because it's just so true. Let's be honest, aside from "separate entirely," how often is that EXACTLY how a romance novel plays out?
Funniest show on TV. Hands down.
Honorable mention: Broad City. It's only on Season 1, so I feel like it's too early to tell whether this show will be consistently great or flame out gloriously like Party Down.
Creepiest, prettiest show on TV: Hannibal
Confession 1: I do not know how NBC puts this on television without getting fined by the F.C.C. It is that gross.
Confession 2: I was obsessed with the Thomas Hardy novels as a kid. I wanted to join the FBI SO BAD. I have a disturbingly accurate memory of how all the Hannibal Lecter books go. This may have something to do with the fact that I am obsessed with Hannibal now.
Here's the short version for anyone who isn't super familiar with Hannibal Lecter's storyline:
In the very first Hannibal book (Red Dragon), Hannibal has already been caught for his crimes as the Chesapeake Ripper. Red Dragon explains how the FBI's Will Graham caught Hannibal in flashbacks, including the fact that Will had gone to Hannibal on several occasions to ask for help catching serial killers. (Now does it make sense why Jack Crawford sends Clarisse Starling to go chat with Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs, a fact that never really clicked for me until I read the books? Hannibal isn't just a serial killer -- he has a long, personal history with the FBI, including Jack Crawford, the person who sends Clarisse in.) (Yes, I saw Silence of the Lambs as a kid. No, my parents didn't know.)
Hannibal the TV show focuses on the timeline before Red Dragon: the years and months before Hannibal is revealed to be a serial killer himself, in which everyone thinks Hannibal is a pretty cool dude and Will Graham and Jack Crawford and Hannibal are buddies who eat dinner together on the reg (shudder). The creep factor comes in because OBVIOUSLY the entire audience knows what every character does not, and from wondering when characters will begin to see the cracks in Hannibal's story.
Bonus points for having a borderline-autistic main character (Will Graham), having some really lovely scenes (not kidding you about the prettiest TV show currently on air), and never having a wasted episode.
All TV shows should last about 13 episodes a season, in my opinion.
Best show to geek out about: Game of Thrones (duh)
If you haven't gotten into Game of Thrones by now, or read the books, I'm not sure what I could say (other than this and this or just this quote from Parks and Recreation:
- Donna: What is wrong with you today? Did they cancel Game of Thrones?
- Ben: Nothing is wrong, just do your job. And they would never cancel Game of Thrones. It's a crossover hit. It's not just for fantasy enthusiasts, they're telling human stories in a fantasy world.)
So that's it, my 3 top recommendations for TV-watchin' as we enter the summer hiatus. I realize none of them are family-friendly, so if I ever find something kiddo-appropriate, I will be sure to let you know, dear readers.
* Moby Dick, Tess of the Dubervilles, Ethan Frome, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Hobbit, The Fountainhead, 1984, The Bell Jar, and Ulysses, among many others.
Sorry, teachers of the past. I was really good at faking stuff and I see no reason to stop now. I got a 5 on my AP test anyway!
** I know, I know, the most shameful thing to be is a "writer" who doesn't read. But I do read! I read contemporary and classics and pulpy trash just like everyone else, but the fact is, some things are just not my jam. Yes, I always intended to read some of those books, but I'm 30 now, and it's time to just admit I will never -- NEVER -- really read Tess of the Dubervilles.
Never.
Monday, May 12, 2014
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
You guys, have I mentioned previously how much I love TV? I absolutely love it.
Partly because I have an addictive personality (Who watches all of season 1 and most of season 2 of Hannibal in one sitting? This girl!), particularly because I'm a multi-tasker (Cleaning is just more fun when you're doing it with Mad Men!), and partly just because I have no life (No whimsical explanation for this one), I watch a lot of TV.
I don't get people who claim they don't watch TV. Pardon me, but do you people have no imaginations? Do you not like books or movies either?
People who think that TV has nothing to offer them aren't trying hard enough to find good TV. Fortunately, if you have found this blog, I am here to help.
In the mood for a guilty pleasure?
Brief caveat: Personally, I find the term "guilty pleasure" a bit misleading. Am I embarrassed to admit that I watch Revenge? Not at all. Will I argue that it's storytelling gold? Nope. But it's too hard sometimes to explain, "It's a really good soap opera" without people getting confused. Instead I just say, "Oh, it's just a guilty pleasure," and suddenly we're all on the same page.
Guilty pleasures are just the TV shows you watch and know, intellectually, that they aren't "good," but that you like them anyway. You couch your affection with an air of, "I actually AM too smart for this, you know" and then get to feel intellectually superior about ... liking the thing you totally like?
Whatever.
On to the guilty pleasures!
REVENGE
Here's the thing about Revenge -- I think you have to embrace a certain mindset to like it. Diego and Hannah make fun of me non-stop for liking Revenge, but I don't mind. It's either your cup of tea, or it ain't.
If you're into clever morality tales where everyone gets their comeuppance (and the comeuppers find that vengeance comes at a certain ethical price), then you're going to like Revenge. If you love watching rich people behaving badly in some really lovely clothes, you're going to like Revenge. And if you ever thought to yourself, "Man, that guy who flirted with Betty in Mad Men season 2 did a solid job with some seriously clunky lines, I wonder what he could do with puns?" then you're going to like Revenge.
Synopsis: Girl moves to the Hamptons with her billionaire genius best friend, determined to clear her father's name from terrorism charges and ruin the lives of all the people who framed him. Speaks fluent Japanese, skilled in martial arts, and delivers soft-spoken bitchiness with a perfectly neutral expression. Spirit animal of anyone who ever wanted to wear high heels on the beach AND zing the 1% at the same time.
ONCE UPON A TIME
Oh, Once Upon A Time. Your concept is so fun, your execution so ridiculous. Do any of your timelines make sense? No. Do I want to re-write many of your storylines? Absolutely. Do I wish that one of your main characters (cough, Henry, cough) would fall into a time portal and come out 10 years older so we could ditch the child actor already? ABSOLUTELY. Will I stop watching? Probably not.
Who loves Once Upon A Time? Anyone who was a little too into fairy tales as a kid. I mean, seriously, who didn't wonder what it would be like if the Big Bad Wolf were real? And then take it one step further and think, "Wouldn't it be delightful if the BBW was also secretly my Sunday School teacher?"
That being said, Once Upon A Time is best watched while doing something else. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, taxes. It's got some serious acting talent, but you don't want to pay it too much attention, otherwise you'll start to notice things like, "Holy crap, Ginnifer Goodwin's Snow White wig is bad," "So they're planning to do absolutely nothing with this whole Captain-Hook-redemption-storyline, right?" and "Is it just me, or is the Evil Queen's emotional arc all over the map?"
Also, the idea of putting Queen Elsa into the mix a year after she got her own movie is delightfully bonkers. Go catch up before Season 4 starts.
Synopsis: All fairytale characters are real and were transported to our world via a magic spell. Season 2 will be sort of dumb, but there will be a really attractive pirate, so.
NASHVILLE
Or, as we call it around my house, Nashvull. It's got great music and Connie Britton, so what more do you need? Yes, it's a soap opera. Yes, you will wish half the characters (Teddy, anyone Deacon dates who isn't Rayna, Rayna's sister, etc.) weren't in the show at all. Yes, you will only like Scarlett when she is addicted to drugs and you will be annoyed when she gets off the drugs because undrugged Scarlett has the personality of a homemade crocheted afghan, BUT STILL.
Connie Britton. I want to be her when I grow up.
Synopsis: A bunch of country musicians and aspiring country musicians live in Nashville and give viewers a really unrealistic idea of what it takes to break into the music industry. Songs are amazeballs, but someone needs to fire whoever is in charge of Hayden Panetierre's wigs -- I suspect it's the same wig-rangler as Snow White.
THE ORIGINALS
Friends, there was a time when this spot would have been taken by The Vampire Diaries. That time is over. Despite my addictive personality and refusal to give things up once I've begun (I mean, I am still watching GREY'S ANATOMY, people), I just can't with The Vampire Diaries anymore. There is nothing I hate more than a show I love becoming boring or too committed to its increasingly nonsensical mythology, which is why I pretend that Supernatural ended at season 5, Lost after season 1, and Under the Dome after the first episode, WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE ENDED.
Ahem.
Anyway. The Vampire Diaries has committed both cardinal sins: it is boring and it has started making stuff up to continue making money. So I'm done with The Vampire Diaries (and PS, if you want to get into The Vampire Diaries, might I suggest that you pretend it ends in season 3, because the only point of watching season 4 at all is the flirtation between Caroline and Klaus and I'm pretty sure someone has compiled that on YouTube by now?)
Fortunately for everyone who enjoys some urban fantasy, The Originals has come to save the day. The Originals takes the creep factor of The Vampire Diaries up a few notches and whittles down the mythology to something easily digestible. There are witches in New Orleans who are (mostly) bad who have cursed the werewolves (sorta good) out in the swamp so they are only human on the full moon. There are vampires who are oppressing the witches (so ... sort of good?) but are okay with the werewolf oppression (so ... bad?). Add some ghosts, corrupt human politicians, and some parties, and voila, you have The Originals.
Synopsis: The original vampire family helped found New Orleans hundreds of years ago, but were forced out by various enemies. They have come back to reclaim their home and, ideally, their moral footing. There will also be annoying conversations with a boring bartender named Cami, who is fortunately the only dud in the cast. Seriously, you will find yourself slipping into a coma whenever Cami is on screen.
In the mood for something good? Like, legit, want-to-talk-about-this-and-dissect-it-in-detail GOOD? Check in later this week ...
Partly because I have an addictive personality (Who watches all of season 1 and most of season 2 of Hannibal in one sitting? This girl!), particularly because I'm a multi-tasker (Cleaning is just more fun when you're doing it with Mad Men!), and partly just because I have no life (No whimsical explanation for this one), I watch a lot of TV.
I don't get people who claim they don't watch TV. Pardon me, but do you people have no imaginations? Do you not like books or movies either?
People who think that TV has nothing to offer them aren't trying hard enough to find good TV. Fortunately, if you have found this blog, I am here to help.
In the mood for a guilty pleasure?
Brief caveat: Personally, I find the term "guilty pleasure" a bit misleading. Am I embarrassed to admit that I watch Revenge? Not at all. Will I argue that it's storytelling gold? Nope. But it's too hard sometimes to explain, "It's a really good soap opera" without people getting confused. Instead I just say, "Oh, it's just a guilty pleasure," and suddenly we're all on the same page.
Guilty pleasures are just the TV shows you watch and know, intellectually, that they aren't "good," but that you like them anyway. You couch your affection with an air of, "I actually AM too smart for this, you know" and then get to feel intellectually superior about ... liking the thing you totally like?
Whatever.
On to the guilty pleasures!
REVENGE
Here's the thing about Revenge -- I think you have to embrace a certain mindset to like it. Diego and Hannah make fun of me non-stop for liking Revenge, but I don't mind. It's either your cup of tea, or it ain't.
If you're into clever morality tales where everyone gets their comeuppance (and the comeuppers find that vengeance comes at a certain ethical price), then you're going to like Revenge. If you love watching rich people behaving badly in some really lovely clothes, you're going to like Revenge. And if you ever thought to yourself, "Man, that guy who flirted with Betty in Mad Men season 2 did a solid job with some seriously clunky lines, I wonder what he could do with puns?" then you're going to like Revenge.
Synopsis: Girl moves to the Hamptons with her billionaire genius best friend, determined to clear her father's name from terrorism charges and ruin the lives of all the people who framed him. Speaks fluent Japanese, skilled in martial arts, and delivers soft-spoken bitchiness with a perfectly neutral expression. Spirit animal of anyone who ever wanted to wear high heels on the beach AND zing the 1% at the same time.
ONCE UPON A TIME
Oh, Once Upon A Time. Your concept is so fun, your execution so ridiculous. Do any of your timelines make sense? No. Do I want to re-write many of your storylines? Absolutely. Do I wish that one of your main characters (cough, Henry, cough) would fall into a time portal and come out 10 years older so we could ditch the child actor already? ABSOLUTELY. Will I stop watching? Probably not.
Who loves Once Upon A Time? Anyone who was a little too into fairy tales as a kid. I mean, seriously, who didn't wonder what it would be like if the Big Bad Wolf were real? And then take it one step further and think, "Wouldn't it be delightful if the BBW was also secretly my Sunday School teacher?"
That being said, Once Upon A Time is best watched while doing something else. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, taxes. It's got some serious acting talent, but you don't want to pay it too much attention, otherwise you'll start to notice things like, "Holy crap, Ginnifer Goodwin's Snow White wig is bad," "So they're planning to do absolutely nothing with this whole Captain-Hook-redemption-storyline, right?" and "Is it just me, or is the Evil Queen's emotional arc all over the map?"
Also, the idea of putting Queen Elsa into the mix a year after she got her own movie is delightfully bonkers. Go catch up before Season 4 starts.
Synopsis: All fairytale characters are real and were transported to our world via a magic spell. Season 2 will be sort of dumb, but there will be a really attractive pirate, so.
NASHVILLE
Or, as we call it around my house, Nashvull. It's got great music and Connie Britton, so what more do you need? Yes, it's a soap opera. Yes, you will wish half the characters (Teddy, anyone Deacon dates who isn't Rayna, Rayna's sister, etc.) weren't in the show at all. Yes, you will only like Scarlett when she is addicted to drugs and you will be annoyed when she gets off the drugs because undrugged Scarlett has the personality of a homemade crocheted afghan, BUT STILL.
Connie Britton. I want to be her when I grow up.
Synopsis: A bunch of country musicians and aspiring country musicians live in Nashville and give viewers a really unrealistic idea of what it takes to break into the music industry. Songs are amazeballs, but someone needs to fire whoever is in charge of Hayden Panetierre's wigs -- I suspect it's the same wig-rangler as Snow White.
THE ORIGINALS
Friends, there was a time when this spot would have been taken by The Vampire Diaries. That time is over. Despite my addictive personality and refusal to give things up once I've begun (I mean, I am still watching GREY'S ANATOMY, people), I just can't with The Vampire Diaries anymore. There is nothing I hate more than a show I love becoming boring or too committed to its increasingly nonsensical mythology, which is why I pretend that Supernatural ended at season 5, Lost after season 1, and Under the Dome after the first episode, WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE ENDED.
Ahem.
Anyway. The Vampire Diaries has committed both cardinal sins: it is boring and it has started making stuff up to continue making money. So I'm done with The Vampire Diaries (and PS, if you want to get into The Vampire Diaries, might I suggest that you pretend it ends in season 3, because the only point of watching season 4 at all is the flirtation between Caroline and Klaus and I'm pretty sure someone has compiled that on YouTube by now?)
Fortunately for everyone who enjoys some urban fantasy, The Originals has come to save the day. The Originals takes the creep factor of The Vampire Diaries up a few notches and whittles down the mythology to something easily digestible. There are witches in New Orleans who are (mostly) bad who have cursed the werewolves (sorta good) out in the swamp so they are only human on the full moon. There are vampires who are oppressing the witches (so ... sort of good?) but are okay with the werewolf oppression (so ... bad?). Add some ghosts, corrupt human politicians, and some parties, and voila, you have The Originals.
Synopsis: The original vampire family helped found New Orleans hundreds of years ago, but were forced out by various enemies. They have come back to reclaim their home and, ideally, their moral footing. There will also be annoying conversations with a boring bartender named Cami, who is fortunately the only dud in the cast. Seriously, you will find yourself slipping into a coma whenever Cami is on screen.
In the mood for something good? Like, legit, want-to-talk-about-this-and-dissect-it-in-detail GOOD? Check in later this week ...
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Totes my goats
Lately I haven't been doing too much other than work, reading, and hanging out on the couch. It sounds like a rut, and when it comes to writing I have to admit it is, but I've been enjoying it.
If you're in your own rut, feel free to check out Homeland (season 2), Breaking Bad, Eleanor and Park, Fangirl (double recommendation for Fangirl, in fact), and Project Runway (R.I.P., Kate. Your dresses were too cute for a show that has kept Alexandria and her weird tattered skirts).
Last night I went to a mini-law school reunion because a friend was in town. I forgot how much I liked hanging out with old friends and gossiping like crazy.* My friend Roger introduced me to the phrase "totes my goats," which he says he can only use at work without criticism, since his kids groan, "Dad, don't say that!" every time he uses at work.
You guys, we are officially old.
* Favorite law school reminiscence: Our friend T, who received the pro bono award at graduation for providing the most service in our entire class. T was also into gangsta rap, flat brimmed hats, and thought he was seriously thugged out because he was from the ghetto of Utah (West Valley City). The combination was amazing--"I just love helping people, muthafu**ahs!"
If you're in your own rut, feel free to check out Homeland (season 2), Breaking Bad, Eleanor and Park, Fangirl (double recommendation for Fangirl, in fact), and Project Runway (R.I.P., Kate. Your dresses were too cute for a show that has kept Alexandria and her weird tattered skirts).
Last night I went to a mini-law school reunion because a friend was in town. I forgot how much I liked hanging out with old friends and gossiping like crazy.* My friend Roger introduced me to the phrase "totes my goats," which he says he can only use at work without criticism, since his kids groan, "Dad, don't say that!" every time he uses at work.
You guys, we are officially old.
* Favorite law school reminiscence: Our friend T, who received the pro bono award at graduation for providing the most service in our entire class. T was also into gangsta rap, flat brimmed hats, and thought he was seriously thugged out because he was from the ghetto of Utah (West Valley City). The combination was amazing--"I just love helping people, muthafu**ahs!"
Saturday, September 21, 2013
getting back into the swing of things
1. I've been writing two different projects. I'm going slowly on each, but at least I'm going.
2. For awhile, I had some good news. I still have good news, but that news is delayed to the point where it's kind of not worth talking about. That fact has put me in a strange place, blogging-wise. For awhile, I thought there was going to be lots of exclamation points, and now I kind of don't know what to say about anything.
3. I just started watching Homeland season 2. Man, I love this show, though Carrie's behavior gives me serious anxiety.
Current random prediction: The vice president is a pedobear.
2. For awhile, I had some good news. I still have good news, but that news is delayed to the point where it's kind of not worth talking about. That fact has put me in a strange place, blogging-wise. For awhile, I thought there was going to be lots of exclamation points, and now I kind of don't know what to say about anything.
3. I just started watching Homeland season 2. Man, I love this show, though Carrie's behavior gives me serious anxiety.
Current random prediction: The vice president is a pedobear.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Confession time
1. I cry pretty much through all of The Prince of Egypt, especially when the little kids start singing in Hebrew in the middle of "When You Believe." The tears immediately dry up, however, when Moses does his Fist Pump of Triumph, which honestly seems a bit out of place in ancient times.
(Also, does anyone else think it's just a teeny bit awkward that The Prince of Egypt ends with Moses coming off Mount Sinai with the 10 commandments, and everyone who has read The Bible or seen the original Charlton Heston movie knows that he's in for a maaaaaajor disappointment, but the cartoon immediately transitions to a Whitney Houston-Mariah Carey duet? No?)
2. I spendan unhealthy amount a little too much time thinking about how I'm single, and how the prospects non-spinsterhood are dim. (Even my bishop, who is ecclesiastically obligated to be my Ever Hopeful Matchmaker, says so. Exact quote: "Twenty-nine? Well, that's gonna limit your options.")
Which is crazy, because who DOESN'T want a girl who cries during The Prince of Egypt, amiright?
Badump-ching!
(Also, does anyone else think it's just a teeny bit awkward that The Prince of Egypt ends with Moses coming off Mount Sinai with the 10 commandments, and everyone who has read The Bible or seen the original Charlton Heston movie knows that he's in for a maaaaaajor disappointment, but the cartoon immediately transitions to a Whitney Houston-Mariah Carey duet? No?)
2. I spend
Which is crazy, because who DOESN'T want a girl who cries during The Prince of Egypt, amiright?
Badump-ching!
(The jokes, they always tie together in the end.)
Les Cousins Dangereux
I watched Dangerous Liaisons with the roommates last night, and I couldn't stop thinking about how this book-turned play-turned movie-turned multiple remakes-turned musical-turned musical within a TV show would do really well written as retelling, for either adults or new adults.
And then I realized everyone would just think it was a rip-off of Cruel Intentions.
(Still can't stop thinking about it, but seriously, who is with me? Could you do a modern Dangerous Liaisons without everyone thinking about that Ryan Philippe movie?)
And then I realized everyone would just think it was a rip-off of Cruel Intentions.
(Still can't stop thinking about it, but seriously, who is with me? Could you do a modern Dangerous Liaisons without everyone thinking about that Ryan Philippe movie?)
Monday, August 12, 2013
Punctilio
Definition:
1. a minute detail of conduct in a ceremony or in observance of a code;
2. careful observance of forms (as in social conduct).
I have been thinking about this word a lot lately. (For realsies.)
Any fun words you would like to share?
Monday, July 29, 2013
Things I don't get: Sex and the City edition
(I have ranted about Sex and the City before. You can see it here.)
I recently downloaded the HBOGo app for my iPad, which means I've been watching a lot of TV while cleaning, working, writing, and cooking in the last two weeks. I also read this excellent article in The New Yorker about how Sex and the City started out revolutionary, and ended up an absurd, tone deaf (Hey, remember when Carrie asked that Indian hotel staffer if it was hard being in a different country than his wife while making minimum wage? And then compared it to her life as a best-selling author married to a corporate raider?), grating, rom-com imitation of itself.
And while I don't completely agree with Nussbaum's assertion that Sex and the City was a once-great show (perhaps you just had to be there ...?), I do agree that by the end, it definitely took a turn into SuckTown.
But even before the cliched ending, Sex and the City had one big problem. And her name was Carrie Bradshaw. (For those unfamiliar with the Sex and the City oeuvre, please see EXHIBIT A. There, now you know all you need to know about Carrie Bradshaw.)
For the record, I love a good anti-hero. (Dr. House, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, Scarlett O'Hara, Dexter Morgan). I really, really dislike a bad anti-hero. (Donald Draper, seasons 3 through current).
But for me, the issue is not whether Carrie is a good anti-hero or a bad anti-hero. I frankly just don't think she qualifies as an anti-hero.
Sure, she's complex and flawed and the main character of the series--but she doesn't exactly drive the action forward. Calling Carrie Bradshaw an anti-hero is kind of like calling Jerry Seinfeld one. In a show that is mostly about nothing, does anyone get to qualify as a hero or anti-hero? (Imagine that Carrie Bradshaw typed those words in her no-way-is-that-$700-a-month apartment.)
No one likes Dr. House just because he's a jerk. They like him because, in addition to being a jerk, he's also hilarious and brilliant. If Scarlett were just the worst, instead of the-worst-who-got-Mellie-out-of-Atlanta, no one would care.
You can't just throw a bad character on the scene and hope people like him/her for their unique badness. You have to make us like him/her in spite of her the badness. And if you can do that, then people will start to enjoy the negative, too. (Hell yeah, you're the one who knocks!)
And so, once we've dispensed with this anti-hero nonsense, we can get to the primary point -- that Carrie is annoying as hell. While many of her bad characteristics would be acceptable if she were also doing something fascinating, she isn't. She's picking fights with her boyfriends for no reason. She's over-analyzing everything. She's making puns.
Remember the time that Carrie got a book deal, and all she had to do was pick out 30 of her old columns (that she'd already written) and write a dedication (that turned out to be one sentence long), and then she made BUCKETS of money, and then literally showed the check to her boyfriend whose own book had tanked? And then we were supposed to not like the boyfriend, because he got upset and ohmygoshyouguysfeminism!!! And then she had the lady-balls to say, "I worked really hard for that money!"
No, hon, you didn't. (Remember how you just used columns that were already written and you'd already been paid for once?) But even if you had, he worked hard too, and you don't have to rub his comparative failure in his face. How about we try this on for size: TACT. "Not everything is a feminist issue." - Susan B. Anthony.
Remember the time that Carrie got a free trip to San Francisco to promote the aforementioned book, and threw a fit because people weren't ooohing and aaaaahing over her, and instead wanted to see an adorable dog from a best-selling calendar? And she told her publicist that she refused to be the dog's opening act? I mean, I'm surprised that she didn't ask her publicist to burn all the other books in the bookstore while she was at it.
Remember the time that Carrie was dating a great guy, and she cheated on him, AND THEN SHE LOST HIS DOG? And then she tried to emotionally blackmail him into forgiving her cheating, because one time he said FLAWS IN WOOD CAN BE INTERESTING?
Remember how after she got back together with the guy she cheated on, and he didn't immediately get over it, she screamed at him in the street and also for some reason thought it was a good idea to put his sick dog in a diaper instead of just letting the poor thing poop it out?
I mean, could we just briefly back up and re-emphasize the point that somehow, Carrie did not like dogs and seemed to be baffled by their very existence?
Remember how, after she and that good guy broke up because she didn't want to marry him, she kind of just thought he would give her the apartment he'd paid for, and was surprised and offended that he wanted her to either pay him back, interest-free, or sell it?
Remember how she bullied Charlotte for not offering her $30,000 for the down payment on the aforementioned apartment? Not for paying for a lunch, because she'd forgotten her purse. For $30,000 for an apartment because she only had $900 in her savings account.*
Remember how she'd smoke indoors at non-smoking establishments and get pissed off when employees would ask her not to smoke?
Remember when she tried to get married guys to flirt with her friend?
Remember how Mr. Big actually wasn't a giant douchebag,** but somehow Carrie made all of her 30s about how Mr. Big was a giant douchebag? And then whenever one of her friends was like, "Hey, I thought you thought that guy was a douchebag?", Carrie was all, "WHY DON'T YOU TRUST MY JUDGMENT?"
And then when Mr. Big and Carrie decide to buy an apartment together, and she says they need to get married so she can have legal rights to the apartment, and inside your head you're like, "Carrie, that is gold-digger logic," but outwardly you're like, "WEDDING DRESS MONTAGE!"***
Ahem.
I believe that last one was actually a flaw of mine.
*Dear friends: I would never offer you $30,000, not even if I had the money. I hope you understand that this is not a reflection on the strength of our friendship, but simply because normal people do not offer each other $30,000, and yes Charlotte's dad was right, friends should not loan friends that kind of money because money is a friendship ruiner. A piece of liver, a kidney, or bone marrow, yes. Five-figures worth of money, no.
** For the record, no one should date Mr. Big long-term, unless he's the Magically Reformed Mr. Big of Season 6. Feel free to date Mr. Big casually, or become friends with Mr. Big (because who doesn't want to be friends with Mr. Big?), but don't date Mr. Big and then expect things to work out. Craziness.
*** To clarify a point of annoyance of mine -- Carrie, if you offer to sell your apartment to assist in buying the new apartment, yes, you'd have some legal rights to it even if your name was not on the deed. Also, Mr. Big could just voluntarily put your name on the deed, because this is the guy who once offered you that previously mentioned $30,000 and he'd probably be fine with that.
If you want to get married, by all means get married, but don't straight up tell someone that you want to get married so you will have a legal stake to all his financial interests (that you had nothing to do with) in the event of your breakup. GAH.
I recently downloaded the HBOGo app for my iPad, which means I've been watching a lot of TV while cleaning, working, writing, and cooking in the last two weeks. I also read this excellent article in The New Yorker about how Sex and the City started out revolutionary, and ended up an absurd, tone deaf (Hey, remember when Carrie asked that Indian hotel staffer if it was hard being in a different country than his wife while making minimum wage? And then compared it to her life as a best-selling author married to a corporate raider?), grating, rom-com imitation of itself.
And while I don't completely agree with Nussbaum's assertion that Sex and the City was a once-great show (perhaps you just had to be there ...?), I do agree that by the end, it definitely took a turn into SuckTown.
But even before the cliched ending, Sex and the City had one big problem. And her name was Carrie Bradshaw. (For those unfamiliar with the Sex and the City oeuvre, please see EXHIBIT A. There, now you know all you need to know about Carrie Bradshaw.)
For the record, I love a good anti-hero. (Dr. House, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, Scarlett O'Hara, Dexter Morgan). I really, really dislike a bad anti-hero. (Donald Draper, seasons 3 through current).
But for me, the issue is not whether Carrie is a good anti-hero or a bad anti-hero. I frankly just don't think she qualifies as an anti-hero.
Sure, she's complex and flawed and the main character of the series--but she doesn't exactly drive the action forward. Calling Carrie Bradshaw an anti-hero is kind of like calling Jerry Seinfeld one. In a show that is mostly about nothing, does anyone get to qualify as a hero or anti-hero? (Imagine that Carrie Bradshaw typed those words in her no-way-is-that-$700-a-month apartment.)
No one likes Dr. House just because he's a jerk. They like him because, in addition to being a jerk, he's also hilarious and brilliant. If Scarlett were just the worst, instead of the-worst-who-got-Mellie-out-of-Atlanta, no one would care.
You can't just throw a bad character on the scene and hope people like him/her for their unique badness. You have to make us like him/her in spite of her the badness. And if you can do that, then people will start to enjoy the negative, too. (Hell yeah, you're the one who knocks!)
And so, once we've dispensed with this anti-hero nonsense, we can get to the primary point -- that Carrie is annoying as hell. While many of her bad characteristics would be acceptable if she were also doing something fascinating, she isn't. She's picking fights with her boyfriends for no reason. She's over-analyzing everything. She's making puns.
Remember the time that Carrie got a book deal, and all she had to do was pick out 30 of her old columns (that she'd already written) and write a dedication (that turned out to be one sentence long), and then she made BUCKETS of money, and then literally showed the check to her boyfriend whose own book had tanked? And then we were supposed to not like the boyfriend, because he got upset and ohmygoshyouguysfeminism!!! And then she had the lady-balls to say, "I worked really hard for that money!"
No, hon, you didn't. (Remember how you just used columns that were already written and you'd already been paid for once?) But even if you had, he worked hard too, and you don't have to rub his comparative failure in his face. How about we try this on for size: TACT. "Not everything is a feminist issue." - Susan B. Anthony.
Remember the time that Carrie got a free trip to San Francisco to promote the aforementioned book, and threw a fit because people weren't ooohing and aaaaahing over her, and instead wanted to see an adorable dog from a best-selling calendar? And she told her publicist that she refused to be the dog's opening act? I mean, I'm surprised that she didn't ask her publicist to burn all the other books in the bookstore while she was at it.
Remember the time that Carrie was dating a great guy, and she cheated on him, AND THEN SHE LOST HIS DOG? And then she tried to emotionally blackmail him into forgiving her cheating, because one time he said FLAWS IN WOOD CAN BE INTERESTING?
Remember how after she got back together with the guy she cheated on, and he didn't immediately get over it, she screamed at him in the street and also for some reason thought it was a good idea to put his sick dog in a diaper instead of just letting the poor thing poop it out?
I mean, could we just briefly back up and re-emphasize the point that somehow, Carrie did not like dogs and seemed to be baffled by their very existence?
Remember how, after she and that good guy broke up because she didn't want to marry him, she kind of just thought he would give her the apartment he'd paid for, and was surprised and offended that he wanted her to either pay him back, interest-free, or sell it?
Remember how she bullied Charlotte for not offering her $30,000 for the down payment on the aforementioned apartment? Not for paying for a lunch, because she'd forgotten her purse. For $30,000 for an apartment because she only had $900 in her savings account.*
Remember how she'd smoke indoors at non-smoking establishments and get pissed off when employees would ask her not to smoke?
Remember when she tried to get married guys to flirt with her friend?
Remember how Mr. Big actually wasn't a giant douchebag,** but somehow Carrie made all of her 30s about how Mr. Big was a giant douchebag? And then whenever one of her friends was like, "Hey, I thought you thought that guy was a douchebag?", Carrie was all, "WHY DON'T YOU TRUST MY JUDGMENT?"
And then when Mr. Big and Carrie decide to buy an apartment together, and she says they need to get married so she can have legal rights to the apartment, and inside your head you're like, "Carrie, that is gold-digger logic," but outwardly you're like, "WEDDING DRESS MONTAGE!"***
Ahem.
I believe that last one was actually a flaw of mine.
*Dear friends: I would never offer you $30,000, not even if I had the money. I hope you understand that this is not a reflection on the strength of our friendship, but simply because normal people do not offer each other $30,000, and yes Charlotte's dad was right, friends should not loan friends that kind of money because money is a friendship ruiner. A piece of liver, a kidney, or bone marrow, yes. Five-figures worth of money, no.
** For the record, no one should date Mr. Big long-term, unless he's the Magically Reformed Mr. Big of Season 6. Feel free to date Mr. Big casually, or become friends with Mr. Big (because who doesn't want to be friends with Mr. Big?), but don't date Mr. Big and then expect things to work out. Craziness.
*** To clarify a point of annoyance of mine -- Carrie, if you offer to sell your apartment to assist in buying the new apartment, yes, you'd have some legal rights to it even if your name was not on the deed. Also, Mr. Big could just voluntarily put your name on the deed, because this is the guy who once offered you that previously mentioned $30,000 and he'd probably be fine with that.
If you want to get married, by all means get married, but don't straight up tell someone that you want to get married so you will have a legal stake to all his financial interests (that you had nothing to do with) in the event of your breakup. GAH.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Gotta be honest, you're not charring my tree*
Little known fact to the rest of the western world: Utah celebrates "Pioneer Day," the anniversary of Mormon settlers arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, on the 24th of July.
Which means this last week, I had a day off in the middle of the week. Which kind of made Tuesday feel like a Friday and yesterday feel like a Monday--all in all, not a great combination.
I thought I would accomplish a lot this week. But alas, aside from baking a pie, nothing on my to-do-list got now-done'd.
Sometimes I feel like it's a good thing when you don't get anything done. I have long subscribed to the day-dreamer school of thought. Basically, when I find my mind wandering, I let it wander. When I finally arrive back on topic, I'm usually a lot more focused. (I'm sure there is some pop psychology out there somewhere to back this up, but I'm too lazy to google it.)
So when I'm lawyerin, and feel the urge to search the web or stare out my window, I do. And more often than not, within about fifteen minutes, I realize what it was that I needed to figure out.
This method works less well when it comes to writing--though there is still some value to it.
But this week, my lack of progress on any front didn't feel so much like a mental cleanser as it did like a roofie circle. (NAME THE REFERENCE!)*
Oh well. Onward and upward, right? Time to find the moment where the drop hits the pond!*
* Hint: it's all the same reference.
Which means this last week, I had a day off in the middle of the week. Which kind of made Tuesday feel like a Friday and yesterday feel like a Monday--all in all, not a great combination.
I thought I would accomplish a lot this week. But alas, aside from baking a pie, nothing on my to-do-list got now-done'd.
Sometimes I feel like it's a good thing when you don't get anything done. I have long subscribed to the day-dreamer school of thought. Basically, when I find my mind wandering, I let it wander. When I finally arrive back on topic, I'm usually a lot more focused. (I'm sure there is some pop psychology out there somewhere to back this up, but I'm too lazy to google it.)
So when I'm lawyerin, and feel the urge to search the web or stare out my window, I do. And more often than not, within about fifteen minutes, I realize what it was that I needed to figure out.
This method works less well when it comes to writing--though there is still some value to it.
But this week, my lack of progress on any front didn't feel so much like a mental cleanser as it did like a roofie circle. (NAME THE REFERENCE!)*
Oh well. Onward and upward, right? Time to find the moment where the drop hits the pond!*
* Hint: it's all the same reference.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
the internet community
Sometimes I get frustrated that my job requires me to keep a lot of things to myself. Not just lawyer-style secrets, but thoughts and opinions that I normally wouldn't think twice about sharing.
Intellectually, I know that my job is worth it. Not just financially (because for reals, the finances do not even factor in, given my sad little paycheck), but because I love my job. And part of my job involves remaining a cypher on certain issues in person and on social media -- a fact which I understand and accept.
But every once in awhile, I would like to have a grand freakout (or celebration, as the case may be) with the rest of you.
On to other topics --
1. Have any of you seen the series premiere of Under the Dome? I think it looks pretty solid, but I give the side eye to anyone who was ever involved with Lost, so I guess the jury is still out.
2. If I were to do another giveaway, what types of prizes would you all most prefer? Gift cards? Books? Critiques? I mean, that's all I've really got for ideas, so any thoughts you could share would be greatly appreciated.
3. Super excited to see Much Ado About Nothing.
4. I might be a little too wired this morning. Red Bull!
Intellectually, I know that my job is worth it. Not just financially (because for reals, the finances do not even factor in, given my sad little paycheck), but because I love my job. And part of my job involves remaining a cypher on certain issues in person and on social media -- a fact which I understand and accept.
But every once in awhile, I would like to have a grand freakout (or celebration, as the case may be) with the rest of you.
On to other topics --
1. Have any of you seen the series premiere of Under the Dome? I think it looks pretty solid, but I give the side eye to anyone who was ever involved with Lost, so I guess the jury is still out.
2. If I were to do another giveaway, what types of prizes would you all most prefer? Gift cards? Books? Critiques? I mean, that's all I've really got for ideas, so any thoughts you could share would be greatly appreciated.
3. Super excited to see Much Ado About Nothing.
4. I might be a little too wired this morning. Red Bull!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Clark Kent never remembers to turn his phone on silent in movies
(I have a friend who is firmly against repeating jokes and stories -- and in general, I am as well. But not this once. So if you've already heard me tell these, I sincerely apologize.)
"Ya know how I know Clark isn't Superman? Superman could write a 500 word story without passive voice."
"Superman would know not to bury the lede."
"A split infinitive?! Who do you think you are, Kent, Captain Kirk?"
I saw Man of Steel over the weekend. I have some very mixed feelings, but I didn't dislike it, which I suppose is good. It definitely got me in the spirit of Father's Day, let's just say that.
It's not a spoiler to say that at some point in the course of Clark Kent's life, he dons a pair of nerd glasses and joins the staff of The Daily Planet. I don't think it's too big of a stretch to say most fans find this disguise pathetic at best. (Though the good folks at DC did apparently once try to come up with a scientific explanation for the poor investigative skills of all the investigative journalists around Clark.)
I think the reason that people don't realize or assume that Clark Kent is Superman is pretty simple -- human beings believe what they want to believe. No one wants to believe that Clark Kent (the guy who screws up their coffee orders) is a demi-god. No one wants to believe that the shmuck who picked up the tab at happy hour is also faster than a speeding bullet.
Superman as a character is pretty perfect -- moral, altruistic, loyal, handsome, and all that jazz. But I think it's safe to assume that the Man from Krypton was also imperfect. He might not have tripped in the hallway, but I don't think he was any better at loading the toner into the printer than anybody else.
A character's flaws are not just necessary to make a character interesting -- they make that character believable. No one believes that Clark Kent is Superman because on some level, Superman is just not believable -- not even to the imaginary denizens of Metropolis.
"Ya know how I know Clark isn't Superman? Superman could write a 500 word story without passive voice."
"Superman would know not to bury the lede."
"A split infinitive?! Who do you think you are, Kent, Captain Kirk?"
I saw Man of Steel over the weekend. I have some very mixed feelings, but I didn't dislike it, which I suppose is good. It definitely got me in the spirit of Father's Day, let's just say that.
It's not a spoiler to say that at some point in the course of Clark Kent's life, he dons a pair of nerd glasses and joins the staff of The Daily Planet. I don't think it's too big of a stretch to say most fans find this disguise pathetic at best. (Though the good folks at DC did apparently once try to come up with a scientific explanation for the poor investigative skills of all the investigative journalists around Clark.)
I think the reason that people don't realize or assume that Clark Kent is Superman is pretty simple -- human beings believe what they want to believe. No one wants to believe that Clark Kent (the guy who screws up their coffee orders) is a demi-god. No one wants to believe that the shmuck who picked up the tab at happy hour is also faster than a speeding bullet.
Superman as a character is pretty perfect -- moral, altruistic, loyal, handsome, and all that jazz. But I think it's safe to assume that the Man from Krypton was also imperfect. He might not have tripped in the hallway, but I don't think he was any better at loading the toner into the printer than anybody else.
A character's flaws are not just necessary to make a character interesting -- they make that character believable. No one believes that Clark Kent is Superman because on some level, Superman is just not believable -- not even to the imaginary denizens of Metropolis.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Disappointed, impressed
Today I am sleepy, internet. And when I am sleepy, it can be hard for me to focus. So although I have many (many, many) things to do, all I can think about is sprawling out on the couch for an hour to watch TV.
These days I am sadly disappointed with The Vampire Diaries. What happened to you, TV show? Why are your characters behaving so strangely? (And by strangely, I mean in the EXACT OPPOSITE way than they used to, or ought to?)
Take Damon. One year ago he was lamenting his lost humanity and admitting that most of his bad behavior stems from his depression over being a vampire. But when give the chance this year to become human again, he claims it is the last thing he'd want. Okaaaay.
Or Klaus and how everyone reacts toward Klaus. What I don't get is how trying to kill Klaus is forgivable (cough cough, Tyler) but Klaus wanting to not-be-killed seems so unreasonable (cough couch Caroline).
Also, wasn't Klaus an evil mastermind? Why is he suddenly so petty? And if he's got such a great appreciation for art and culture and food, why is he STILL hanging out in stupid Mystic Falls? (I know, I know. To set up the spin-off. Sigh.)
At least Bonnie is consistent. Consistently bland. (Zing!)
At least am constantly delighted by Game of Thrones. Go watch it, everyone!
These days I am sadly disappointed with The Vampire Diaries. What happened to you, TV show? Why are your characters behaving so strangely? (And by strangely, I mean in the EXACT OPPOSITE way than they used to, or ought to?)
Take Damon. One year ago he was lamenting his lost humanity and admitting that most of his bad behavior stems from his depression over being a vampire. But when give the chance this year to become human again, he claims it is the last thing he'd want. Okaaaay.
Or Klaus and how everyone reacts toward Klaus. What I don't get is how trying to kill Klaus is forgivable (cough cough, Tyler) but Klaus wanting to not-be-killed seems so unreasonable (cough couch Caroline).
Also, wasn't Klaus an evil mastermind? Why is he suddenly so petty? And if he's got such a great appreciation for art and culture and food, why is he STILL hanging out in stupid Mystic Falls? (I know, I know. To set up the spin-off. Sigh.)
At least Bonnie is consistent. Consistently bland. (Zing!)
At least am constantly delighted by Game of Thrones. Go watch it, everyone!
Friday, April 19, 2013
P and Q are for your P's and Q's
In high school, I had an English teacher who was really big into "allusions" and the origins of common phrases. We had to bring in 4 examples of allusions every quarter, and memorize fun facts about phrases as a part of a "cultural literacy" unit.
The phrase "mind your P's and Q's" means to mind your manners and be on your best behavior. There are two probably origins of this phrase, as I recall from 10th grade English. The first is from old timey pubs, where innkeepers and bartenders would keep track of patrons' tabs by writing down how many pints and quarts a person had consumed. So mind your p's and q's meant, for the bartender, keep track of what people owe you, and for the customer, be a good guest and pay your bill.
The second alternative is stems from the first printing presses that used individual letter keys. Lowercase p and q could be easily switched, since on a press, each letter is a mirror image of itself. So the phrase was a reminder to the printer to always double check his work.
So how have I been minding my Ps and Qs these days?
Well, I'm gearing up to attend a writing conference in May, where I signed up to pitch a project to an agent. My initial plan was to pitch a project I have been working on-and-off for I-don't-want-to-reveal-how-much time.
Some time ago, I realized that this project is my white whale (allusion!) and as much as I love it, I may need to buckle in and try something new. In the last year, I came to a new philosophy about my writing ambitions: internal deadlines. If I can't move on from Project X in Y amount of time, it might be best to give Project X a rest and start in on Project Z.
And that's what I've done, and it's going swimmingly. I hope to have Project Z to critiquers and beta readers in time, because gosh, it's going to be awkward if I don't. But that's what's new with me!
What's new with you?
The phrase "mind your P's and Q's" means to mind your manners and be on your best behavior. There are two probably origins of this phrase, as I recall from 10th grade English. The first is from old timey pubs, where innkeepers and bartenders would keep track of patrons' tabs by writing down how many pints and quarts a person had consumed. So mind your p's and q's meant, for the bartender, keep track of what people owe you, and for the customer, be a good guest and pay your bill.
The second alternative is stems from the first printing presses that used individual letter keys. Lowercase p and q could be easily switched, since on a press, each letter is a mirror image of itself. So the phrase was a reminder to the printer to always double check his work.
So how have I been minding my Ps and Qs these days?
Well, I'm gearing up to attend a writing conference in May, where I signed up to pitch a project to an agent. My initial plan was to pitch a project I have been working on-and-off for I-don't-want-to-reveal-how-much time.
Some time ago, I realized that this project is my white whale (allusion!) and as much as I love it, I may need to buckle in and try something new. In the last year, I came to a new philosophy about my writing ambitions: internal deadlines. If I can't move on from Project X in Y amount of time, it might be best to give Project X a rest and start in on Project Z.
And that's what I've done, and it's going swimmingly. I hope to have Project Z to critiquers and beta readers in time, because gosh, it's going to be awkward if I don't. But that's what's new with me!
What's new with you?
Sunday, April 14, 2013
L is for look it up and share
Open your iTunes. (Or music storage program of choice.)
What artists do you have that start with L? Let's give each other some options to find some new music, eh? Or at the very least, some good options for the next L round of Scattegories.
That was actually a lot more than I would have guessed. Now let's see what song titles we can come up with, oui?
... oh man, I'm starting to get carpal tunnel here and we're just on the Le's! I'm giving up ... for now, anyway.
But please, share, share! Doesn't everyone always need ideas for new tunes?
What artists do you have that start with L? Let's give each other some options to find some new music, eh? Or at the very least, some good options for the next L round of Scattegories.
Lady Antebellum
Lady Gaga
The Last Goodnight
Laura Ixibor
Lenka
Leona Lewis
Leonard Cohen
Leroy Anderson
Leslie Carter
Lil John
Linkin Park
Little Big Town
Liz Callaway
LL Cool J
The Lonely Island (One of my all-time favorite songs is Jack Sparrow. Not even kidding.)
Lonestar
Los Mono
Los Straitjackets
Loudon Wainwright
The Lovemakers
Ludo
The Lumineers
Lyle Lovett
That was actually a lot more than I would have guessed. Now let's see what song titles we can come up with, oui?
Ladies' Choice from Hairspray
Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rogue
Lala (Ashlee Simpson - and no, I'm not ashamed)
The Land Race (John Williams, Far and Away soundtrack)
Last Call (Kanye)
Last Dollar (Tim McGraw)
The Last Thing I Do (Brooks and Dunn)
The Last Time (Rolling Stones)
Lay All Your Love on Me from Mamma Mia
Lean Back (Fat Joe - seriously)
Learn the Hard Way (Nickelback. Again, no, i'm not ashamed. i sincerely feel like Nickelback is like the Richard Nixon of our generation. No one admits to liking them or having bought their albums, but it wasn't a bunch of ghosts that made them best-sellers, nor was it magic that made Nixon president. Get over it, posers.)
Learn to Do it from Anastasia (I like movie soundtracks)
Learning How to Bend (Gary Allan)
Learning to Live Again (Garth Brooks)
Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)
Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf (The Killers)
Leave the Pieces (The Wreckers)
Let it Be (The Beatles)
Let it Rock (Kevin Rudolf)
Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear (Elvis)
Let Me Entertain You (Robbie Williams)
... oh man, I'm starting to get carpal tunnel here and we're just on the Le's! I'm giving up ... for now, anyway.
But please, share, share! Doesn't everyone always need ideas for new tunes?
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
H is for ... "Have you heard about ...?"
One funny thing, one hopeful thing.
I may be the last person on the planet to find this little gem, but if you're into Jane Austen, check out The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, an online adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. (Lizzie's a grad student! Jane's a fashion intern! Darcy runs a digital media company! Kitty is actually a cat!)
The girl playing Lizzie can be ... a bit much, initially. But she grows on you. Stick it out for a couple episodes, you'll see what I mean.
Now for the hopeful thing.
Many of you may read Robin Ambrose's blog and may have already heard about this, but David Farland's son Ben was recently in a long boarding accident that left him severely injured. The family doesn't have any medical insurance and Ben's medical bills may reach into the million dollar range.
Robin and some other writers are organizing a book bomb for Ben. Basically, a book bomb is when everyone buys a book during the same 24 hour period, hopefully driving that book into Amazon or Barnes and Noble's Top 100 Best-Seller List for that day. More people are then able to see the book, and they buy it too.
Ben's dad David has written a lot of great books, but the two books we're focusing on tomorrow are Million Dollar Outlines (nonfiction about writing craft) and Nightingale (young adult fantasy). From noon on Wednesday, April 10th, until noon on Thursday, April 11th, if you could buy one or both of these books, it would really help Ben and his family. And I've heard they're awesome, so that's a win-win!
See Robin's blog for more details.
I may be the last person on the planet to find this little gem, but if you're into Jane Austen, check out The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, an online adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. (Lizzie's a grad student! Jane's a fashion intern! Darcy runs a digital media company! Kitty is actually a cat!)
The girl playing Lizzie can be ... a bit much, initially. But she grows on you. Stick it out for a couple episodes, you'll see what I mean.
Now for the hopeful thing.
Many of you may read Robin Ambrose's blog and may have already heard about this, but David Farland's son Ben was recently in a long boarding accident that left him severely injured. The family doesn't have any medical insurance and Ben's medical bills may reach into the million dollar range.
Robin and some other writers are organizing a book bomb for Ben. Basically, a book bomb is when everyone buys a book during the same 24 hour period, hopefully driving that book into Amazon or Barnes and Noble's Top 100 Best-Seller List for that day. More people are then able to see the book, and they buy it too.
Ben's dad David has written a lot of great books, but the two books we're focusing on tomorrow are Million Dollar Outlines (nonfiction about writing craft) and Nightingale (young adult fantasy). From noon on Wednesday, April 10th, until noon on Thursday, April 11th, if you could buy one or both of these books, it would really help Ben and his family. And I've heard they're awesome, so that's a win-win!
See Robin's blog for more details.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
B is for Blackwater Bay
Yup, it’s a blog post about Game! Of! Thrones!
(I find that when you say Game
of Thrones like Pat Sajak would say Wheel
of Fortune, it becomes even more awesome. But why would you need to make Game of Thrones more awesome?)
I have been waiting for season 3 of Game of Thrones for nearly a year now, and the premier two days ago
more than lived up to my expectations. If you’ve read the books, I’d put money
on Storm of Swords being your
favorite. (And if you haven’t read the books, what are you waiting for?)
Do you watch Game of
Thrones? And if you do, care to totally geek out in the comments with me?
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Hanging head in shame
What are you favorite movies?
OK, now that you've answered that question, what movies do you watch the most often?
Sometimes those categories overlap. (Shawshank Redemption.) Sometimes they do not. (Ahem. Mormon version of Pride and Prejudice.) And sometimes with movies I love, I can only watch when I am particularly in the mood for them. (The Godfather. Gone with the Wind. Fargo. Newsies. Dance Christian Bale, dance!)
But some movies I could just watch over ... and over ... and over again. Partly because they're dumb. Partly because they're comfortable. When I was studying for secured transactions my second year of law school, I probably watched Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds and Amy Adams four times a day. It was simply the perfect background distraction, and it always made me want ice cream at the end. (And wouldn't you know it? The freezer at my house is usually well stocked when it comes to times of high stress.)
So if I had to pick the movies I watch most frequently, they would be ....
1. 28 Days Later. This one is a favorite as well as a frequent. There is something oddly beautiful about this zombie movie, and it doesn't hurt that I know it all by heart, so I can totally cook dinner without missing a beat.
2. Dawn of the Dead (2004 Zack Snyder version). This is not a favorite of mine, and in fact it is not a great movie. Yet, I find myself re-watching it every few months. Bonus: you can watch Phil Dunphy behave in a particularly un-Phil-like manner.
3. Jane Eyre (2011). This is neither one of my favorite movies, nor a guilty pleasure. It's just kinda good and I find myself watching it oddly frequently for something I'm sort of dispassionate about. (I guess that's the emotion they might have been going for ...) The cinematography is beautiful, the music is lovely, and it sure doesn't hurt that you're going to look at a broody Michael Fassbender for a couple hours,* but at no point are you particularly moved by the plight of poor Jane and the tragic Mr. Rochester. It's all very romantic, and yet very self-contained, much like Jane herself.
4. Friends with Kids. Similar to Jane Eyre, I don't love this movie, and yet I'm not ashamed of secretly liking it, either. It's kinda funny. It has a kind of sappy and predictable ending. Netflix put it on streaming and since then I've watched it probably five times.
5. Shawshank Redemption. I can watch this movie over and over again and never get sick of it.
6. The Green Mile. Ditto to Shawshank.
7. The Just Friends/Mormon Pride and Prejudice conundrum. Would I admit to my friends that whenever I need to just get something done, I put on these terrible, terrible movies for background noise? Never. And yet they serve their duties so well, and I've gotten to the point where I really do find them funny again.
8. The Dark Knight. I love Christopher Nolan's entire Batman trilogy, including the much nerd-maligned Dark Knight Rises. And yet, of the three films, The Dark Knight is probably the only one I could watch on a loop.
9. Drop Dead Gorgeous. This movie is the best of both worlds. It's good and it's a guilty pleasure. I hated it the first time I saw it and then loved it progressively more over time. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. Preferably, try to watch it with someone who has already seen it and knows the best lines by heart. "Don't believe her, fellas, she lives two trailers down!" "This was made by one of my father's many Mehican workers. He lifts them from the poverty they knew in Mehico."
10. And perhaps the most shameful of all ... Where the Heart Is. Oh, how I loved this book. Oh, how I loved the country song that came out to accompany the film's release. Oh, how I can arbitrarily defend this terrible, terrible film. Natalie Portman, I commend you for rising above this nonsense. Tip of my hat to you, madam.
What about you all? Feel like sharing some guilty (or not-so-guilty) pleasures?
* Speaking of which, Michael Fassbender proves in Jane Eyre that he meets the Hotness Test my sister and I came up with in high school. Basically, lots of guys can be hot, but if a guy can be gross and still inspire the swoonies ... that's when you know he's really got it. (Think Daniel Day-Lewis at the end of The Crucible. So disgusting. So, so attractive.)
OK, now that you've answered that question, what movies do you watch the most often?
Sometimes those categories overlap. (Shawshank Redemption.) Sometimes they do not. (Ahem. Mormon version of Pride and Prejudice.) And sometimes with movies I love, I can only watch when I am particularly in the mood for them. (The Godfather. Gone with the Wind. Fargo. Newsies. Dance Christian Bale, dance!)
But some movies I could just watch over ... and over ... and over again. Partly because they're dumb. Partly because they're comfortable. When I was studying for secured transactions my second year of law school, I probably watched Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds and Amy Adams four times a day. It was simply the perfect background distraction, and it always made me want ice cream at the end. (And wouldn't you know it? The freezer at my house is usually well stocked when it comes to times of high stress.)
So if I had to pick the movies I watch most frequently, they would be ....
1. 28 Days Later. This one is a favorite as well as a frequent. There is something oddly beautiful about this zombie movie, and it doesn't hurt that I know it all by heart, so I can totally cook dinner without missing a beat.
2. Dawn of the Dead (2004 Zack Snyder version). This is not a favorite of mine, and in fact it is not a great movie. Yet, I find myself re-watching it every few months. Bonus: you can watch Phil Dunphy behave in a particularly un-Phil-like manner.
3. Jane Eyre (2011). This is neither one of my favorite movies, nor a guilty pleasure. It's just kinda good and I find myself watching it oddly frequently for something I'm sort of dispassionate about. (I guess that's the emotion they might have been going for ...) The cinematography is beautiful, the music is lovely, and it sure doesn't hurt that you're going to look at a broody Michael Fassbender for a couple hours,* but at no point are you particularly moved by the plight of poor Jane and the tragic Mr. Rochester. It's all very romantic, and yet very self-contained, much like Jane herself.
4. Friends with Kids. Similar to Jane Eyre, I don't love this movie, and yet I'm not ashamed of secretly liking it, either. It's kinda funny. It has a kind of sappy and predictable ending. Netflix put it on streaming and since then I've watched it probably five times.
5. Shawshank Redemption. I can watch this movie over and over again and never get sick of it.
6. The Green Mile. Ditto to Shawshank.
7. The Just Friends/Mormon Pride and Prejudice conundrum. Would I admit to my friends that whenever I need to just get something done, I put on these terrible, terrible movies for background noise? Never. And yet they serve their duties so well, and I've gotten to the point where I really do find them funny again.
8. The Dark Knight. I love Christopher Nolan's entire Batman trilogy, including the much nerd-maligned Dark Knight Rises. And yet, of the three films, The Dark Knight is probably the only one I could watch on a loop.
9. Drop Dead Gorgeous. This movie is the best of both worlds. It's good and it's a guilty pleasure. I hated it the first time I saw it and then loved it progressively more over time. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. Preferably, try to watch it with someone who has already seen it and knows the best lines by heart. "Don't believe her, fellas, she lives two trailers down!" "This was made by one of my father's many Mehican workers. He lifts them from the poverty they knew in Mehico."
10. And perhaps the most shameful of all ... Where the Heart Is. Oh, how I loved this book. Oh, how I loved the country song that came out to accompany the film's release. Oh, how I can arbitrarily defend this terrible, terrible film. Natalie Portman, I commend you for rising above this nonsense. Tip of my hat to you, madam.
What about you all? Feel like sharing some guilty (or not-so-guilty) pleasures?
* Speaking of which, Michael Fassbender proves in Jane Eyre that he meets the Hotness Test my sister and I came up with in high school. Basically, lots of guys can be hot, but if a guy can be gross and still inspire the swoonies ... that's when you know he's really got it. (Think Daniel Day-Lewis at the end of The Crucible. So disgusting. So, so attractive.)
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Playlist
JAIMA RODGERS GOES TO COLLEGE
You may recall that a few months ago I finished writing a book. Well, that book is out on submission now (which sounds so pretentious to say -- I sent it to some publishers that I like and that don't require an agent, look at me! -- but it is what it is. PRETENSION!). To celebrate that, and my upcoming opportunity to draft again (yay!), I wanted to share some music that feels like Jaima Rodgers music.
Enjoy :)
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