Catching Up and Talkin Movies

Hey y'all,

This year has been a crazy one, I'm sorry that I haven't posted more!  To summarize: I've been crazy off my ass doing shows and festivals this year in addition to work.  It's been cool- I've been on a board for a new theatre company (and performed in their first production), did a workshop for an amazing musical called 'Giant Steps: an Urbean Musical', in which I got to work with Billy Porter and several other incredibly talented individuals. I also did a production of 'A Chorus Line', complete with the original choreography- I was extremely proud of that show and the work I put into it. 

I also got nominated for a B. Iden Payne award for Featured Actor in a Musical, which was pretty gratifying for only a year in the Austin theatre scene! It was so much fun and humbling to be nominated and it makes me want to continue to do good work and support the awesome city I'm in, which is host to awesome film stuff too!  Speaking of, I did my first film, 'Zero Charisma', which was such an amazing experience and taught me that I love film and making movies, which I knew, but always expected to be beyond me. It was actually pretty natural and an incomparable experience! In October I got to attend the Austin Film Festival, which was another great experience. I learned so much and met such wonderful people, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next year! 

For now, I want to talk movies. My schedule kept me from seeing a lot of movies, so before I get to my top films I've seen, I wanted to put together a list of films that I DIDN'T see, but I expect to be awesome, followed by a list of movies I recommend seeing but weren't in my top ten.  

Top Ten Movies I Have Yet to See 

10. Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (I love Dame Judi Dench)
9. Iron Sky (looks like a fun, interesting idea)
8. Hyde Park on the Hudson (Bill Murray; done)
7. Compliance (Not sure if I could make it through, I hear good things)
6. Lincoln (I feel like a bad American Studies degree holder, but I'm only seeing it for Oscars)
5. Argo (bad timing when it was out, really want to see it)
4. Perks of Being a Wallflower (hear rave reviews from everyone)
3. Zero Dark Thirty (Jessica Chastain Da Gawd)
2. Killer Joe (I like fried chicken, and I hear there's fried chicken in it)
1. Cloud Atlas (alleged racism aside, it looked fascinating and challenging)

Great Movies You Might Not Have Seen
Chronicle- I had so much fun watching this movie, and Max Landis is a really great screenwriter. 

Dredd- The best, most fun film that nobody watched this year. I'm talking beautiful cinematography, energizing action sequences- and nobody saw it! WATCH THIS MOVIE.

Vampira and Me- A really fascinating documentary about a woman who ended up influencing my life and childhood without me knowing it. 

Saturday Morning Massacre- Zoinks, a local horror, semi-parody of Scooby Doo!  Incredibly well-done and a great homage as well as a scary standalone film.

The Muslims are Coming- Another doc, this time about Muslim comedians trying to assuage some of the Islamophobia that the US feels. Funny and poignant. 

Ann Richard's Texas- I love Texas, and now I love Ann Richards.  RIP.

Last Day at Lambeau- A doc about Brett Favre's 'last' season and the reaction of the fanbase. Really great.

My Top Ten Movies I've Seen This Year

Honorable mentions- The Hobbit, 21 Jump Street

10. The Sessions- A witty, surprisingly funny film about a handicapped, deeply religious man who wants to lose his virginity. My vote for Best Actor is between the lead in this, John Hawkes, and someone later on our list. Be prepared to see Helen Hunt's vagina.

9.  Safety Not Guaranteed- An endearing, quirky movie featuring a terrific performance by Aubrey Plaza, who goes beyond her typical character. Clever, interesting, and a movie that keeps you guessing.  Go see this movie!

8. The Last Man(s) on Earth- A comedic thrillfest with zombies, nuclear terrorists, and the incomparable EPIC MODE, this movie did so much with so little and really became one of my favorite movies of the year. I urge you to find this when it's released and watch it!

7. Django Unchained- Basically Tarantino being Tarantino, aka awesome. While I wasn't as enthralled as watching Kill Bill, that's like saying which 5 star meal I preferred over another. The detail and genius that Tarantino brings to each of his films, Django included was brilliant. Add in Samuel L Jackson in a part that I would like to see win an Oscar, and you've got a wonderful film.

6. Silver Linings Playbook- This movie really grabs you and takes you on a journey, and despite a somewhat shallow feeling end, it escapes the mundane cliches of a typical romantic comedy and really rises above the genre. Highly impressive.  

5. The Avengers- This movie was exactly what I was wanting, and is perhaps my favorite movie of the year.  Everything came together so well, and Joss Whedon made yet another masterpiece, doing what many considered to be impossible for so long. Excited to see the Avengers assemble in the next film!

4. Cabin in the Woods- I'm a fan of well-done self-referential horror films, and this one takes the cake. Perhaps defining all horror movies EVER, this film really smartly addresses the cliches and traditions that our culture has come to expect in the horror genre and challenges us to laugh at and examine ourselves and why we have them. Fantastic. 

3. Looper - Instant Sci-Fi classic. Everything was well done- it was beautifully shot, well-written, had wonderful special effects, and JGL and Bruce Willis will always get me in a movie theatre. Beyond satisfying, and I don't want to spoil anything, though I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. Still, it was a great movie, enough so to make me not care about disliking the end. 

2. Les Miserables- I'll say this- the music made me so angry because it didn't meet the scale it should have, but talk about a well done movie. Tom Hooper knows how to make films, and what the film lacked in musical prowress at times, it made up with quality. 

1. Skyfall- EVERYTHING WAS AWESOME. Everything. 

If I had a movie award show...

OK, y'all, it's awards season, and I decided that since I have watched the movies (and if you can't tell by now, have a mild case of narcissism), I should put together my own awards list! There wasn't a name that sounded good to me so I'm still taking suggestions if ya got em.

Well then, without further ado, here are the nominees and winners!

Best Cinematography
Nominees:

Tree of Life
Another Earth
Melancholia
Take Shelter
The Artist
Hugo

Winner: Tree of Life - I did not enjoy this movie in the least, save the gorgeous ability of Terrence Malick. The man knows how to shoot a film. Call it pretentious, call me too dumb to get it, but mostly just call it beautiful.

Best Score
Nominees:

Hugo
The Adventures of Tintin
War Horse
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Drive

Winner: The Adventures of Tintin - I thoroughly enjoyed this score. From the very beginning, it was something that latched on to me and entertained me. The whole movie was enjoyable but this score emphasized it and attributed to the action.

Best Art Direction
Nominees:

Hugo
The Adventures of Tintin
War Horse
Midnight in Paris
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2
Another Earth

Winner: War Horse


Best Animated Film
Nominees:

The Adventures of Tintin
Puss in Boots

Winner: The Adventures of Tintin- I loved this movie. Still not sure how it didn't get nominated for Best Animated Film, it was like an animated version of Indiana Jones and I thought it was amazing.

Best Original Screenplay
Nominees:

Margin call
Midnight in Paris
Bridesmaids
The Artist
Young Adult
Another Earth
50/50

Winner: 50/50- This was originally going to Midnight in Paris, and it's close. Still, this movie took me on a journey that still resonates with me. What a powerful film.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominees:

The Descendants
Hugo
Moneyball
The Ides of March
The Help

Winner: Moneyball- It's crazy how much I love baseball movies. This one was so well done! I saw a late night showing of it and was very tired, but enthralled. And who doesn't love Sorkin?

Best Horror Movie:
Nominees:

Scream 4
Red State
Attack the Block

Winner: Scream 4- I love this series and was really worried, but oh did it deliver.

Best Action Movie
Nominees:

I am Number Four
X-Men: First Class
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pt 2
Captain America: The First Avenger
Thor

Winner: X-Men:First Class- this movie was pretty kickass.

Best Under the Radar Movie
Nominees:

Young Adult
Win Win
Another Earth
My Week with Marilyn
Bullhead
Shame
The Adventures of Tintin

Winner: Young Adult- First off, see every single one of these movies. They are all incredibly legit. For me, this movie is so different and challenging. The lead character, what a crazy one! And of course, Diablo Cody never disappoints me.

Best Comedy
Nominees:

Bridesmaids
Take Me Home Tonight
The Muppets
Crazy Stupid Love

Winner: Bridesmaids- As much as I want to pick The Muppets, Kristen Wiig won this with the airplane scene. It was glorious. So good.

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees:

Nick Nolte, The Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Jeremy Irons, Margin Call
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pt 2

Winner: Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees:

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk about Kevin

Winner: (tie) Berenice Bejo, The Artist, & Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Actress
Nominees:

Glenn Close, Albert Knobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Winner: Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Actor
Nominees:

Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50

Winner: Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Best Director
Nominees:

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Jonathan Levine, 50/50

Winner: Jonathan Levine, 50/50

Best Film
Nominees:

The Artist
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Margin Call
50/50
The Adventures of Tintin
Shame
The Help
Another Earth
My Week With Marilyn

Winner: 50/50
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Oy, that was fun! And here's to another year of movies!

My Top Movies of the Year

****UPDATE NUMBER 3****

Saw 'Beginners', 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close', 'Drive', 'Hobo with a Shotgun', and 'The Lincoln Lawyer'.

I hated EL&IC, was bored by Beginners, thought Drive was alright (Ryan Gosling should have got a nomination), found Hobo amusing, and was surprisingly entertained by Lincoln Lawyer.

More to come!

****UPDATE NUMBER 2****

Saw 'Abduction', 50/50, 'The Ides of March', 'The Warrior', 'Carnage' and 'A Better Life'

50/50 is my new #1. Carnage/Abduction, were meh. Ides of March was really good.

****UPDATE NUMBER 1****

So, this week I saw Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Another Earth, Carnage, and Midnight In Paris.

Add 'Another Earth' to the just missed the list, and remove 'Crazy Stupid Love' from the top 15. The number 3 movie I saw this year is officially 'Midnight in Paris' and everything from 4-12 gets shifted down a number. See the list again for an mini-review of 'Midnight in Paris'.
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Hey there!

It's been a while since I've written; a lot has been happening, and I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I'll get to life stuff probably in a few weeks, but for now it's to my passion- films! I'm gonna give a breakdown of my favorite films that I saw last year, as well as some that I missed but want to see.

Movies I Still Need to Watch
Red State, Melancholia, My Week with Marilyn, New Year's Eve, We Need to Talk About Kevin, War Horse, Iron Lady, The Descendants, Albert Nobbs, A Separation, Bullhead

The bold ones are getting priority, either for awards stuff or because they look amazing, and some of those (Carnage, Another Earth, 50/50, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) look like movies that could be in my top 15 for last year. I may end up editing the list after I see all of those.

Just Missed The Cut
No Strings Attached, Take Me Home Tonight (really underrated), Battle LA (more below), Thor, The Adjustment Bureau, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II (more below), Captain America: The First Avenger, Attack the Block, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fright Night, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I Am Number 4, Crazy Stupid Love, Another Earth

First off 'Battle LA' was roasted by everyone who saw it, but I like me some movies where you can shut off your brain and just have fun. And yes, HP missed the cut. I loved it tons, but there were movies I just loved better. And check out Attack the Block and I Am Number 4, they were great!

My Top 15 Movies of 2011

15. Win/Win

This movie surprised me in that I expected to like it but ended up loving it. A really different and interesting story and Paul Giamatti was of course terrific.

14. The Help

I waited to see this one because I had heard mixed things and didn't know if I'd like Emma Stone's southern accent. It ended up being pretty good, particularly because of the supporting cast, especially Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Octavia Spencer. Of course, I'm also weak for anything that has Allison Janney in it! The story was well done and it was just a great film to watch.

13. Young Adult

I love Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman anyway, but this script impressed me, as did Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt. This film was pretty brave, centering around a character who is highly flawed and has little to like about her. You find yourself rooting against her the entire time, but I think that's the point. It's really wonderful.

12. X-Men: First Class

Considering how much I love the X-Men and Marvel Comics, I would have thought that this would have been in my top 10 but that speaks to how much I loved the top 10. It was very creative, and I seriously enjoyed the idea of mutants in the 1960s. A great throwback to the original comics, and a really entertaining movie. Kevin Bacon was great, as was the entire cast, (and can we say Hell Yes, Emma Frost? Yeah. Hell Yes, Emma Frost.) Can't wait to see the next one! BTW, THIS is why Bryan Singer should do his version of X:Men 3.

11. Shame

I saw this very recently, and must say, it's not for the faint of heart. It's extremely graphic and an intense look at the recently popular celebrity cop-out of sex addiction. Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Brandon, a young New York professional struggling with his addiction as his sister comes to visit. The slow burn that leads him through his attempts to hide his problem and the shame (hence the title) of what he's dealing with really draws you in. Carey Mulligan was also impressive as Michael's lost, mooching sister. This movie was difficult to watch but I found it worth it.

10. The Artist

Who greenlit a silent, black-and-white movie in this day and age? Cause it was great and I want to thank them. I had my doubts, but was thoroughly entertained throughout. The charm and difficulty of telling a story without dialogue did not go wasted on me, it was fantastic and was in the same style as an old school movie but didn't feel dated. Of course, the final scene was great too, but I won't spoil it for you. Terrific.

9. Moneyball

Baseball is maybe my least favorite sport, but I love me some baseball movies. Little Big League, Rookie of the Year, etc, and this one joins the list of great baseball movies. Not tons more to say, just that I really enjoyed this one.

8. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Crazy, crazy movie. I didn't know anything about this series before watching it, but David Fincher did a great job with a dark film, and Rooney Mara should win the Oscar, if you ask me.

7. Bridesmaids

Oh dear Lord, Kristen Wiig is amazing, and this movie was funnier than the Hangover for me. The scene in the airplane was maybe one of the funniest that I've ever seen. And can we talk about Melissa McCarthy? She needs to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress because she dominated that role. Comedies are just under-appreciated, but she needs to get some love.

6. Hugo

My favorite Scorsese film happens to be his first family film. An impressive ode to cinema, and the only time that I have ever recommended watching a movie in 3D. Though at first it was a little slow, I fell in love with this film cause it made me remember why I love movies in the first place. Beautiful, beautiful film.

5. The Adventures of Tintin

I had actually been wondering when Spielberg was gonna direct another movie and we got two amazing ones, 'War Horse' and 'Tintin'. And wow, did Tintin live up to my hype. It was everything that 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls' SHOULD have been. Talk about entertaining! I'm planning on seeing it again once I make it through some of the others on my list.

4. Scream 4

I'd been waiting for this movie for a looooong time and it didn't disappoint. I'm actually watching it w/ Courtney as I write this, and we're at the ending, which was completely surprising and twisted to me. I'm not a huge horror movie geek but I love the Scream series because they're more (in my opinion) film commentary than just plain horror movies. You get in your screams but it's so clever and well done. This one is the best since the original, and though that one won't be topped, I loved this screamake/shriekquel tons.

3. Midnight in Paris

I'll admit that I'm late to the game on this one, but man am I glad I saw it. It's a charming, delightful notion that this movie plays on, the thought of nostalgia vs. reality, and the joy of living in the present. My mantra in life is perspective, so this film was obviously endearing to me. I loved everything about it, from the story to the characters, the acting, and the colors. The shift to sepia tone when Gil goes back in time- marvelous. It was just a joy to watch and is one that could go down as one of my favorite films of all time. Curious, I'm sure that it's not in my top 2, but that's based on 2 things- how much I looked forward to 'The Muppets' and how much they mean to me, and the impact that #1 had on me. It's relevant and difficult, etc. Still, Midnight in Paris will stick with me.


2. The Muppets

This was the movie I was most excited about this year, and boy, it didn't disappoint. I saw it 4 times in theatres and plan on seeing it again if I have a chance. Very well done, touching, charming, fun, silly, but has tons of heart. I didn't like the songs but everything else was fantastic. Jason Segel deserves the credit for making this movie as awesome as it was.

1. Margin Call

Hands down my favorite movie of the year. I can't describe how powerful it was, a fictionalized film about the events that lead to the economic downturn on Wall Street, and my oh my did it affect me. You need to watch this film, it's well done and so relevant to the world right now.

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That's all for right now, though more posts to come this next year. Enjoy your movies, people!

Dona Eis Requiem

I'm sorry that it's taken so long for me to get this written!  I've been pretty busy for the summer between Footloose/25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee/ Work.  It's all going well, I'm just stretched pretty thin in terms of free time/thoughts I'm trying to get out.  I've watched tons of movies, but nothing that I can really remember well enough to review, only to say that I enjoyed my summer movie times, and made some really amazing friends this summer.  It's been maybe one of the best and most productive (in both personal and professional growth). 

Right now, it's the 10th anniversary of September 11th, and I honestly don't really know how I feel.  The details of that day run crisp and blurry, a reminder of the confusion, anger, and numbness that I felt so vividly on that day.  

I was a freshman in high school, and had just got out of 1st period tennis when my friend Nick came in late, telling us the news.  We didn't know what to think; to me it sounded like something out of a movie.  The thought of someone doing something so unspeakable, so unimaginable- I had never heard of terrorism, and as a bright eyed young boy I could not fathom the thought of someone hating my country so much that they could kill innocent people, and in such a way.  

My school tried to act as if nothing were happening, or at least that's the way it seemed.  We all heard what had happened, and the true terror I felt was that I wasn't able to see what was going on.  My nation was bleeding, at the hand of some unknown menace, and it didn't feel as if it were real.  I felt disconnected, unable to process and understand the events that felt like they were happening around me, and hoping that there would be nothing more.

My mother picked me up from school that day, shaken in a way that I've rarely seen her.  There was the same pain, the same look in her eye that I cannot place.  A mix of despair and pointed anger.  It was one that I carried with me for weeks as the atrocity that had committed became reality, and something that I could move on from.  

I say move on from, because the immediate response I had was to just do that.  Our daily lives pushed us forward, through the emotion, through the tragedy and into the vastly different world that awaited us.  And we never really moved on from it.  More than anything, I think it's fair to say that those of us who are able to remember that day still have it effect us in many ways, large and small.  


A lot has changed since the days before September 11th.  Though I may still have some naïveté, I've also lost a lot of the innocence that once defined me in such a large way.  Gone are the days of finding the good in everyone and everything, though they are slowly and surely returning to me, replacing the cynicism that has plagued me since my freshman year of high school.  Our world- our nation- is divided seemingly beyond repair, with the notions of understanding and compromise stricken from our political, religious and personal rhetoric.  Social Media has ironically brought us together while taking us further apart than we have ever been.  


My world has changed a lot too.  If you had shown me my life now to my 14 year self, I would have balked and laughed at you.  This is not the life that I may have hoped for, but it is one I am grateful for.  Though I have known and still do know many pitfalls that prevent(ed) me from following that which I desire for my life, I am glad that the hate that my heart built up from 9/11 and the subsequent year of unrelated incidents in high school is melting away, allowing me to once again see people for the joyous creation that God has made them to be.  


I mourn for all of the people that lost their lives that day, including (much to my own surprise and even disgust) the hijackers who took those people and the spirit of the American people away.  The certainly accomplished their goal- our nation was ripped in the heart, a wound that has never healed.  So many wonderful, innocent people have lost their lives, their minds, their well-being, and their innocence.  And yet, 10 years later, I find myself thinking more about the pity I hold for the men who felt it rational and necessary to cause such senseless destruction.  Its odd; the lives torn apart, the hurt that will never be healed, the lives that will never come back... they still weigh on me as they did the day I saw the news clips of the towers falling, but I can't get past the hate.  The hate that must have clouded their hearts and minds to me is tragic, to think that it justified to them, the mass murder of thousands.  Even worse is that their cause is not limited in scope to them, but is shared by more still. 

My heart, though, is still feeling for those who lost loved ones, and many other people or parts of themselves.  Though I do feel pity for the perpetrators of 9/11, they made their choice, an opportunity not provided to so many.  And while yes, we may have moved forward in our lives, there are still many who feel the effects daily in their lungs, some of which were filled with noxious gases and smoke as they heroically tried to save victims.  They feel it in their minds, a terror that never truly goes away, with PTSD and with many other mental disabilities and consequences of that day.  They feel it in their hearts, with the memory of their loved ones in photos, in cups of coffee, songs and in their bodies.  A kiss on the hand, a hug, a simple look in each other's eyes- these are all moments deprived due to the hatred of this group of men.  My pity is still mired by a hate for their actions and  inability to justify what they have done for any reason.  The victims of 9/11, dead and living, stand as a testament to the true horror of the human condition.  While our human condition knows good, we must never forget that there is evil out there, and we must never take for granted the moments we have with the ones we love.

Our nation was truly united for a short while, but that all seems forgotten and absurd in our current times.  And yet, that unity is the very thing that our nation stands upon.  In every difficult time that our country has faced, we have faced it head-on by standing together, doing what is best for everyone, sacrificing small things for the good of everyone, not matter what their creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, etc.  It is this value, this power, that has made our nation strong, and it was this core strength that was truly hurt on September 11th, caused by those who do not desire cooperation and live and let live, who would rather see us turn on ourselves because, ironically, they see nothing but evil and hate coming from us.  

It's a different world, 2011, from 2001, and even from 1991.  More and more I find myself longing for the years of my childhood, aching for the days when my mind knew no troubles, of climbing trees and playing make believe in the fields behind my grandparents house.  Those fields are now orchards, and the trees less high than I remember.  Time does not go back, and I will never be a child, nor have the child like innocence that protected me from a world of fear and inhumanity.  But that doesn't have to stop me from valuing and living a life that celebrates the life God has given me, treating everyone with the respect and joy that God expects, a lesson that is difficult for me especially.  


I'd like to end this with a song, entitles Pie Jesu.  The arrangement I'm familiar with is by Mary Lynn Lightfoot, and it has followed me since my childhood.  Though it was originally written for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombings, I find its message appropriate regardless.


Its lyrics are thus:


Pie Jesu, Domine              (Merciful Jesus, Lord)
Dona Eis Requiem            (Let them Rest in Peace)
Agnus Dei                          (Lamb of God)
Qui tollis peccata mundi    (Who takes away the sins of the world)
Dona Eis Requiem            (Let them Rest in Peace)
Sempiternam                     (Everlasting)

Amen.

Meloncholia in Barnes and Noble

To me, bookstores are a place of respite, a sanctuary from the paradox of the go-go-go do nothing life that I seem to employ. Greatest of all of these, to the great disgust of hipsters (which, screw you, hipsters), is the bookstore known as Barnes and Nobles.

Everything about this place welcomes me home, to a store in which I really would live if not for the lack of a shower and the possibility of being arrested. The smell invades my nose the moment I step in, the scent of paper and ink, with a scent of cappuccino; it tells me that I've arrived at my sanctum.

Usually I reserve four to five hours on a Saturday or sleepy Sunday to just find a new book I want to read, grab a hot chocolate, and curl up in one of the overused recliners on the second floor. (And I ALWAYS buy this book. That's my policy.) It ends up being a wonderful way to spend my time. If not for my deep passion for movies and music, I would spend almost all of my time reading books; there really are few greater pleasures in life to me.

This week, Groupon was offering an unexpected treasure: 10 for $20 at B&N! I was overjoyed and quickly snatched this deal, assured with the offer of spending an exquisite Tuesday night at my beloved book seller's. With my blessed coupon printed off, I wandered into Barnes and Noble with the same subdued ecstasy as always.

As I meandered through the different sections, I looked through my standard sections: Music, Theatre, Biography, Christian Inspiration, Fiction, New Paperbacks, and Rick Riordan novels, but to no avail. I was perplexed. Typically, I walk through Barnes' and instantly find a number of books that intrigue me, wishing that I could buy them all, yet here I was with a Groupon, with no book to catch my fancy.

I wandered aimlessly through the store, through sections I had never dreamed of observing, such as acccounting, teen vampire fiction, and regional cookbooks. No luck. I doubled back to the Christian Inspiration section, hoping to find a new book by a favorite author of mine, and this is when I was hit with another surge of sobriety.

There are hundreds of books in this section, all with competing and, in some cases, vastly different subject matter and opinions. In relation to the faith, it's both fascinating and depressing to see such disparity and even greed on full display with copies of books decrying Atheists as fools next to a book by Donald Miller. Plus, some of these books are CRAZY. Like, Glenn Beck crazy. And people buy these because they think that there's legitimacy in so many of these 'The apocalypse is happening now' books, while so many people think I'm a heretic for loving my Shane Claiborne books. No wonder the Church is so jaded right now.

I picked up my copy of 'Drops Like Stars' by Rob Bell, a book I've been wanting to get for a while. I missed my chance to get a cheap version of Patti Lupone's memoirs (curses!) as well as Mark Twain's autobiography. Still, I'm somewhat devastated by my first bad trip to Barnes and Noble. I think that this calls for another trip to curl up with the memoirs of a certain Mrs. Lupone.

Helping out my Friend

http://www.davidandgoliath.com/blogs/pushing-buttons

Hey Peeps. Sorry for the lack of posts- life has been crazy (read: cray cray). I promise I'll have some posts coming up soon, regarding my movie thoughts, the Oscars, boring grad school, new grad school, worries, insecurities, and my celebrity dating life. Just kidding, I don't have insecurities. ;D

Anyway, click that link above and go support my friend Whitney's blog. She gets days off or something if she wins, and Lord knows that we can all sympathize with that.

Movies

Hey everyone!

So, as promised, here are the reviews of the movies that I've seen since my last post. I'll have a blog up later about what's happened in the last week.

'Easy A'

This movie was billed and advertised as the next 'Mean Girls', though I would say this film could really stand on its own! About a girl who builds up a deceitful reputation as the school girl who will sleep with any guy for a little reciprocity. Any discussion of 'Easy A' should talk about how Emma Stone is an A-Lister who everyone should really be prepared to see a lot more of. She's incredibly talented, very charming, and is one of those actresses that makes me want to see more of her every time she's on screen; she seems very familiar. Her performance in this movie was outstanding, full of layers and surprising depth to a role that, had it been played by say... Lindsay Lohan, would probably have been a bit one-dimensional.

The supporting cast was amazing as well, working together to make likable characters who seemed real enough for a teen comedy. Her family was great, and this movie also shows that Amanda Bynes should work more.

The script is very well done, and was pretty original for a teen comedy. Hilarious and full of unexpected twists, I was satisfied throughout the movie. Pacing was pretty good too.

I would recommend this movie to anyone! It's tons of fun, captures modern young people very well, and is worth the time and money spent on it. The only criticism that I have would be that it's too short, and the one sided characterization of almost all of the guys in the movie. Also, more could have been made about the difference between the sexual expectations and allowances of males and females.

A-

'It's Kind of a Funny Story'

I went into this movie expecting it to be another quirky, semi-funny film that didn't live up to its trailer, and I was partly correct. Quirky? Yes. Semi-funny? Yes. But it was a lot better than I expected in some aspects.

The main character, Craig (Keir Gilchrest of 'US of Tara') is suffering from depression and checks himself into a mental ward. He meets a colorful cast of characters while trying to sort out his own feelings of numbness and inadequacy. Gilchrest does an ok job as the main character but I don't really see a difference between him in this movie and as Marshall from 'US of Tara'. He fits the character, I guess, but I can't help but think that a better actor would have made this performance more effective in bringing out the comedy and tragedy of a character who is dealing with some issues that, I expect, many of the disconnected and dulled younger generation are going through.

The real bright spot of this movie was Zack Galifianakis. His performance as a father struggling to overcome mental illness and better his life was poignant and moving, while bringing a charm to a subtle performance I would never have expected. Honestly, Galif. was the best thing about this movie, and if I had an Oscar vote, he would lead it right now. Emma Roberts was also in it and did a perfectly adequate job, making her brief, depth-lacking character likable enough. The script did a pretty good job of having a nice flow and I loved the art direction of the film. There were a lot of good factors that didn't really come together, but Galifianakis' performance is what made this movie really worthwhile.

B-

'Red'

Three words to describe this movie: So. Much. Fun! A perfect movie it is not, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. The script was perfunctory, a typical action movie. The added twists of the former CIA agents with a rousing cast made me laugh and cringe in the best way possible. There's not much to say about the film- it's about a group of former top CIA assassins who are now themselves being hunted for unknown reasons. But this movie stars Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, and Bruce Freeman, and it has Ernest Borgnine. Ernest Borgnine! Will it win an Oscar? Helk no. (Yes, I mean Helk. Deal with it.) But this movie was-again- so much fun that you don't care. You want a movie that you can just go see and unwind, I would highly recommend 'Red'.

B+

'For Colored Girls'

I'm a bit confused as to how to grade this one. I'm a big fan of Tyler Perry, and I feel as if many of the criticisms heaped upon him are, though partially valid, are more due to a lack of understanding of African-American culture, or, as in the case of Roger Ebert, a distaste for the way that Perry portrays it.

Me? I love it. I'm obviously not African-American, but TP's movies remind me of home, of my family and faith, and while saccharine to the point of cloying, they usually are known for strong, complex female characters (a particular weakness of mine) and happy endings. 'For Colored Girls' delivers on that, so naturally I enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, if I were grading this film purely on acting, I would hand it an A+. Listen to this cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Loretta Divine, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, and Tessa Thompson. Let that set in. That cast kicks your cast's ass. And they acted the pants off (literally?) of themselves in this movie. The performance drew out so many emotions in me as I watched that it made me want to watch it more.

If I were to compare films to football, I would say that acting and direction are the offense, screenwriting and cinematography are the defense, and everything else is special teams. All three parts are equally important but the saying goes: offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. I would say that the screenwriting in this is the reason why it is so poorly received and will not get much acclaim. Tyler Perry has, perhaps admirably, tried to stay faithful to the theatre show, with dialogue befitting of a play. Therein lies the weakness of the script. Perry has his basis in theatre, and is known for stepping out of his box and trying new things. However, his inexperience shows in the script; the slam poetry-esque monologues stop the flow of the film, and while beautiful, take away from the realism that the script is presenting, with real women and real struggles. The only effective one is a voice over, a trick that Perry would have been wise to employ more. Still, it seems as if every character has more than one slam monologue (with the same background music playing, no less), and it really takes away from the film. Still, I don't think that this begats the terrible reviews from the same critics who gave Transformers a passable grade.

I'll say B for this, though you should see it for the acting.

'Skyline'

The worst movie of the year. The acting was stilted, the script pedantic, but I guess the effects were cool. No, I'm not talking about Avatar, but I'm sure that if James Cameron had his name on Skyline it would probably be up for some awards. Soapbox done.

Anyway, there's not much to say about this film except it was terrible. Absolutely atrocious, in every way. I feel very much as if it was a hasty response to District 9 and Cloverfield, sans the talent in screenwriting and plus a lot of indulgent, unoriginal tropes with twists designed to surprise and challenge that do nothing of the sort.

If bad but cool looking alien invasion movies are your thing, then by all means see this movie. But for everyone else, this movie gets:

F.

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That's all for now! Meanwhile, I want to see the following movies soon:

127 Hours
Four Lions
Conviction
Howl
Never Let Me Go
Burlesque
Harry Potter
Black Swan

Let me know if you want to go! Peace out.

Brian