It's OK...

... to go to the movies on a Monday night with your little cousin, just because.

... to cry during the film version of "Perks of Being a Wallflower." And then proceed to go home and read it again.

... to buy a pack of gum, and finish four pieces of it within an hour of purchase.

... to raise your voice in preschool.  I have learned that what I once thought was an infinite supply of patience, is actually a limited reserve that can be easily drained by a classroom of rowdy four-year-olds.  Luckily, four-year-olds bounce back incredibly quickly.  5 minutes after you raise your voice, they are running to your arms to tell you they love you.  Thank goodness.

... to begin thinking in tweets ... 140 sweet characters at a time.

... or is it?

Movie Review Monday: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

A few months ago I read the first of The Girl trilogy by Stieg Larsson.  Naturally, when I heard an American version of the book-turned Swedish independent film was coming to theaters, I knew I had to see it.  

C was a little hard to persuade to go see this one, but once I convinced him it was an action packed murder mystery and not a chick flick, he agreed to take me.  

There are only two words that come to mind when recalling this movie: wild and twisted.  If you read the novel, this should come as no surprise.  The film stayed very true to the plot of the book; two hours and forty minutes of intricate family interconnections, unforeseen brutality, sex, and nail-biting suspense.  

Rooney Mara played the story's leading female role, a sullen 24-year old living as a ward of the state, Lisbeth Salander. She perfectly captured the loneliness of the genius computer hacker character, while still radiating a sense of humanity behind her thick black eye makeup and tattooed body.   It is no lie that this movie would not be as effective without the pure brilliance Mara displayed in taking on the role of Lisbeth Salander.  

David Craig played Millennium magazine journalist, Mikael Blomkvist.  His image is exactly what I pictured while reading the book: handsome, scruffy, and aged with the stressors of being an anti-corporate journalist.  I am glad that the movie didn't Hollywood-ize him in the sense that it was hard to truly like Mikael Blomkvist in the book, and the movie was no different.  I will say that his character was somewhat underdeveloped in the movie version, as was his relationship with Salander.

Like the novel, the movie was initially hard to follow at the beginning and I almost felt bad for anyone sitting in the theater who had not read the book.  The complicated web of Swedish names and places was difficult to keep track of even with a family tree and prologue prefacing the book; with nothing to look back at while sitting in the theater I can imagine the setting might have remained confusing up until the first hour or so of the film.  

When I looked over at Loverboy to read his reaction at the end of the movie, his eyes were wide before he turned to me and simply stated, "We need to talk." Ha! He really enjoyed the movie, but because of course he never read the story, I had to explain a lot of details that the movie attempted to elucidate through facial expressions and insinuations via filmography.  For a film that was nearly three hours long, the ratio of suspenseful music to dialogue was surprisingly disproportionate.  Perhaps if there was more dialogue the plot would be easier to comprehend for those first being introduced to it.  

Overall, I was pleased with the movie.  I had forgotten how grotesque and graphic the story was and I was anxiously grabbing at the upper arm of my date in anticipation of the brutality. (Sorry, C.)  I knew exactly what was going to happen next, but even so, I was more than entertained.  I wasn't expecting the film to be so true to the novel because of it's length, but ultimately I am glad that it did.  

For those of you who are antsy in long movies or prone to nightmares, I recommend waiting to see this one until it comes out on DVD. And for those of you who have not yet read the book, do yourself a favor and read it prior to paying the $11 for a movie ticket.  You will thank yourself later.  

Movie Review: The Muppets

Last weekend I had a hot date with my boo. He washed my car, I watched. We ate pepperoni rolls and did some homework.  I got all dressed up in date clothes, C wore his signature sweat pants, and we made it to a romantic viewing of The Muppets before a late-night outing to Walmart. Nothing says romance like strolling the aisles of your local Walmart for fresh new wiper blades. 

If you know C & Me as a couple, none of these events should surprise you. 

We both really enjoyed the movie, and believe it or not, we weren't the only "adults" in the theater.  In fact, there was only one child in the entire room ... sitting two seats away from me, kicking the seat in front of him and taking more bathroom breaks than generally acceptable for the duration of one movie.  Somehow I don't think he was as appreciative of the sentiment or humor of the movie as the more seasoned Muppet fans in the theater.  

The jokes were both extremely silly and cunningly clever. Animal is now in Anger Management and being sponsored by a disgruntled Jack Black, Miss Piggy plays an executive en Vogue in Paris, and Gonzo relinquishes his title as CEO of a very successful used-toilet company, just to name a few of the very fitting new roles for the Muppet gang. Cameo appearances by stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Zach Galifianakis, and Ken Jeong supplemented the humor with familiar faces.  I love Jason Segel, and he was the perfect "Muppet of a Man" for the role.  His goofy grin paired with Amy Adams' delightfully innocent personality made the quintessential couple in Smalltown, USA. 

Gary (Jason Segel) and his muppet brother, Walter, are the Muppet's biggest fans, on a mission to save the Muppet theatre from a villainous oil-barren while also battling the struggles of self-identity and heart break.  Not the most creative story line, but entertaining nonetheless. 

All in all, this was an adorable movie for you and your beau, no matter your age. I recommend you go take your next hot date to the theatre and sing a long to some old Muppet faves. 

Ma-nah-ma-nah. 

PS - Everytime Walter had a close up, C and I couldn't help but laugh.  He looks eerily identical to a real-life human we know. Too funny.

----

PPS - I wanted to link up over at Life of Meg for my first "Mingle Monday!"This week's question? "What's on your Christmas List?"I feel like I've been answering this question far too often, but tis the season, right?
-New Boots!!-Michael Kors perfume-Jillian Michael's Meltdown Yoga DVD-Work out clothes-Some more hot dates with loverboy ;)
20 more days 'til Christmas!! I should probably stop thinking about what I want and start shopping for the fam..AHHH

Movie Review Monday - Bridesmaids

I finally got a chance to see what all the hype was about this weekend and rented Bridesmaids.

For months now, I've been dying to see this movie and just never got around to it.  When it first came out, my movie date never wanted to take me to see this "chick flick" and Lord knows I've been too busy as of this semester to set aside time to watch an entire movie. 


Well, this weekend Lauren and I decided to head over to our trustee Redbox and finally rent the movie all of our friends have been raving about since last May. We surrendered our Saturday night to Kristen Wiig and her cohort of female comedians, and in no way do I regret doing so.  


I won't go into a detailed review considering I was probably the last girl on earth to see it...but let me tell you this, it was freaking funny.  Not at all what I expected, either.  I was prepared for a Hangover: Girl Edition, but what I got was much more. The complexities of life-long friendship, female jealousy, and insecurities are all explored, yet still disguised enough by laugh-out-loud moments of vulgar bathroom humor and witty comments so that the men in the audience are equally as entertained.  I loved that a group of brilliant female comedians could mock the ridiculous tendencies women have when it comes to weddings while still giving empowerment to the main character, Annie (Kristen Wiig) who is suffering the loss of her business, her boyfriend, and enduring life living out of shoddy car and more than unfortunate roommates. There is not much action nor adventure, so if you're looking for a thrill... look elsewhere. If you're looking for a good, real, laugh, seek no further. 


Overall, I laughed... a lot. And I highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for a comedy with just a touch of sincerity and spectacular acting. Kristen Wiig is brilliant, Melissa McCarthy is embarrassingly funny, and Maya Rudolph (who usually irks me to no end) perfectly portrayed the soon-to-be-bride fallen victim to the disillusionment that comes with wedding planning.  

"Why can't you be happy for me, and then go home and talk about me behind my back like a normal person?"

^Reality at its best, my friends. 

Movie Review Monday - The Help

I am always fearful of adaptations. I never watch a movie before first reading the novel, and The Help was no exception.  

Kathryn Sockett's novel was the first of many I read at the beginning of this summer, and no novel since then has compared. I fell in love with the characters instantly and despite its 400+ page length, I could have followed the story forever.  

When I heard Hollywood was making an adaptation I was nervous because it's rare they ever do the original any justice.  

Some may disagree, but I thought the movie was equal to, if not better than, the novel.  Let me start by giving my opinion on the minimal alterations made to the film that could be seen as slight downgrades from the book:

While the acting was superb, I think the movie downplayed some important attributes of some critical characters. For example, the ruthless, brazen, never-holds-anything-back, Minnie, who convicts the Terrible Awful wasn't as terrifying as she was in the novel.  Octavia Spencer played Minnie and was phenomenal; she was funny, compassionate and accurately demonstrated the many layers of Minnie. However, I think it was the writing for the film (not the acting) that left out some of shameless defiance in Minnie's actions that were ever-present and blatantly obvious in the novel.  

Aibileen, played by Viola Davis (who by the way reminded me of an Oprah Winfrey-cousin, perhaps?), was level-headed and soft-spoken just like I imagined her in the book. However, she was the narrator of the film; the book had no single narrator but was rather dictated by chapters defined by the name of that character's perspective.  I think that's what I liked about the novel so much-- getting three completely different views, three completely different sequence of events.  

Skeeter, the third of three narrators in the book, was played by Emma Stone. Again, the acting was fantastic, but I think they made her appear too put-together for the film. The novel made her seem much more disheveled and criticized her unruly hair multiple times, while Stone's hair was nothing less than enviable the entire two and a half hours of film.  ;)

Skeeter's mother was entirely too forgivable.  The novel made her seem cold and disapproving of her daughter - qualities so established that even sympathy from her terminal Cancer could not erase. Mrs. Phelan was one-hundred percent agreeable for ninety percent of the movie.  Similarly, Stuart, Skeeter's unexpected romance, was also too forgivable, and played a much less significant role in the film than in the novel (not that it made much of a difference.) 

With that being said, the positives very much so outweigh the negatives in this film...

It was long, but the novel was longer. The acting was award-worthy. The scenery and costumes for a 1964 Mississippi setting were impeccable. 

I've been debating whether or not I want to make this comparison or not all day, and I think I am going to take the risk and say it...

The Help tendered entertainment similar to that of Steel Magnolias.

For those of you that know me, Steel Magnolias is my all-time favorite movie ever, ever, ever. Even thinking about putting a movie in its same category is border-line unthinkable.  

But I'll say it, and I'll stick by it.  Because the sisterly bond between three unlikely women was undeniably reminiscent of the strong friendship between Ousier, M'Lynn and Clairee (Spencer's portrayal of Minnie was cunningly and starkly humorous, with a mean edge and yet a soft spot an audience can't help but fall in love with - Ousier's role exactly.) Southern values were in check, and then again strongly challenged. We were faced with issues of romance, illness, friendships and trust. 

"Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion." -Truvy Jones

And laughter most certainly followed (a ton of) tears in the film version of The Help. 

I think the reason I suggest the movie might be slightly better than the novel -which I'll admit is beyond rare- is because it invoked more intense emotions.  It was easier to connect with the colored Maid characters because the film was more concentrated on their story instead of Skeeter's personal life. I barely needed a tissue during my beach read of the novel, but the sleeves of my yellow sweatshirt were thoroughly mascara stained by the end of the film viewing. 

And there you have it, a 5 out of 5 stars in the Maggie Y movie review.

So if you haven't yet, please do yourself a favor and go see The Help. (But only if you've already read the book.)

Movie Review Monday - The Lincoln Lawyer

I started watching 'The Lincoln Lawyer' a couple weeks ago when C and his roommate joined me at my favorite Redbox for a late-night flick.  We all agreed upon this Matthew McConaughey movie easily, we heard great reviews and not to mention Matt happens to be C's man crush (and my real crush).  Unfortunately, I had to go to sleep half way through the thriller due to an early-set alarm for work. Yesterday, I decided to re-rent the movie to enjoy on a lazy Sunday with Mom and Dad :) 


McConaughey didn't take his shirt off in this movie, but he did earn himself some kudos in the acting world with a serious role opposite a not-so Kate Hudson look alike (Marisa Tomei). His character, Mick Haller, is a divorced, second generation defense lawyer, very street-wise with a smart-ass edge. He is supported by his ex-wife (Tomei), a prosecutor, his cheuffer, and right-hand man (William H. Macy). 

The movie could have ended a couple times, but didn't, as it followed quite a few unexpected twists and turns. Just when Haller thinks he lands an easy, well-paying job with a wealthy pretty-boy bachelor client being tried for murder (Ryan Phillipe), additional murders and hidden facts turn the typical court-house movie into an action-packed thriller. 


It's funny, witty, suspenseful, semi-romantic and action-packed. What more could you ask for in a movie? I'm not saying it's the most brilliantly written movie since The Departed or anything like that, but I'd still give it a 4 out of 5 stars.  The cast was perfect (I loved that Trace Adkins made multiple appearances as hard-ass motorcycle dude) and I caught myself screaming out to the TV screen on more than one occassion.  My dad even stayed up for the entire 118 minutes! Now that's sayin somethin.  


Now go watch! 

Movie Review Monday - Love and Other Drugs

I was going to entitle this post "Weekend Recap" but then I reconsidered. My weekend was boring and uneventful (other than my emergency trip to the Patient First Clinic to be put on antibiotics for an ailment I won't allow myself to share on Blogger.)

I babysat twice. I laid in bed. I was filled in on Emily's birthday celebrations of which I did not attend. I sulked. I prescribed myself some retail therapy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

The movie I rented from my trusty 7/11 Redbox was the romantic comedy "Love and Other Drugs" starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.  Jake Gyllenhall was dreamy. So so dreamy. I fell in love with his dimple and his chisled bod, but his acting - eh... your typical rom-com hunk of an actor.  Anne Hathaway was great. Boy did she grow up since "Princess Diaries." I loved that she wasn't the typical blonde actress usually seen in romantic comedies. I also loved that her character's name was Maggie.  What I didn't love was that the script did not leave a single scene out where someone marveled, stared, or mentioned her breasts. I didn't notice them ... Why did they have to play up an asset that she (in my opinion) is less than famous for? 

Maggie is a snarky artist with early onset Parkinsons. She is not dying, just slowly deteriorating with the only visible symptoms a hand tremor when she becomes nervous.  

Jaime (Gyllenhaal) makes her his catch of the week after coming in unexpected view of her naked boob. To fulfill his predator reputation, he chases her until she accepts his courting. The agreement is that their relationship is purely sex. No feelings, no dating, just sex.

And so it works for the first week. Then of course they eat Chinese food on a couch in a dimly lit living room and fall madly, irrevocably in love because that's how it happens. Eat Lo Mein out of a cardboard box with a sexy man and he will devote himself to your every breath. Thank you Hollywood. 

Seriously though, I really enjoyed the movie. But I like rom-coms. If you don't, don't waste your $1.06. 

Or do, because the actors are beautiful and easy on the eyes.  It's painfully predictable and mildly funny with a cast to please any female viewer and a plot line sappy enough to leave these same viewers in tears.  I'll admit I cried for the last ten minutes. And then I called my loverboy to tell him I loved him and I want to eat Chinese food with him... I'm pathetic. 

Also, if I could live in one store for the rest of my life it would be Nordstrom. 

Ten on Tuesday

1. If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This is a tough question. My favorite movie is Steel Magnolias but I don't think I could watch it for the rest of my life...I would probably be seriously emotionally traumatized. Or desensitized. and I don't want either of those things. 


My second fav is Newsies, but I feel like a Disney musical may get slightly irritating for the rest of my life.


Maybe I'd choose Remember the Titans. It's historical, with a good message, and cute football-playing boys. You laugh, you cry, you sing and you dance. Gotta love it. 


Now if this question just said "If you could watch only one DVD for the rest of your life," I would hands down choose season 3 Friends. Good stuff. 


2. Let’s say someone wrote a screenplay about you; what actor/actress would you choose to play you and why?
My first instinct is Jessica Simpson for obvious reasons (what, you don't see the uncanny resemblance?) 


3. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in theaters?
Jurassic Park. Sitting front row with my dad, my tiny neck aching the entire time trying to watch big screen. 

4. Did you ever make out at the back of a movie theater in middle school/high school?
haha how embarrassing. My dad reads this... 


5. Are you a Netflix-er, Blockbuster-er or a Redbox-er? (Or none of the above?)
Redboxer! Love those RedBoxes! Check out my last post to read about my latest RedBox success. 

6. Name one actor/actress who you would give anything to have a dinner date with.
Jessica Simpson. or Christian Bale. or Javier Bardem - he seems intelligent, mysterious, handsome and funny all at the same time. I think I could be in love.  

7. What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?
Hmm. This is tough. "Accepted" was actually painful. As was Napolean Dynamite. The worst movie I've seen in theaters recently was Bruno - I think everyone in the theater felt uncomfortably awkward and disappointed the Borat follow-up was much, much worse. I'm sure if I thought about it a little harder I could come up with my all-time-least-favorite movie. Maybe I'll come back to this one. 

8. Do you sneak snacks into the theater when you go?
Heck yes. If I remember, that is. 

9. Movie theater popcorn: love or hate it?
Definitely don't love it. But I don't hate it. I'll have a handful if someone else buys it but I'm not a buttery popcorn fan (that fake tub of butter actually scares me.)

10. What is the all-time best Disney movie in your opinion?
Lion King. 
And duh, Newsies.
Oh, and does Toy Story count?  LOVE Toy Story. I took my mom to the midnight viewing of Toy Story 3, and you know what? Woody's still got it. 

Movie Review Monday - Water for Elephants

After unexpected car trouble (I'll leave this story for another post...) I raced home Thursday night to make a pit stop at Loverboy's apartment, and then continued to New Brunswick to meet Diana and Jessica for the midnight premiere of Water for Elephants. My excitement was hardly containable as I fidgeted in my seat throughout the twenty-plus(!!) minutes of previews.  D & J were slightly less excited (I later found out they never read the book) and I have a feeling they were more entertained by the giddyness of their overly-excited movie-goer of a best friend.

I was not disappointed.  Nor should I have been, with major players like Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, and Robert Pattinson to build off the strong foundation of a #1 NYT Best-selling novel.  The amateur movie critique in me (thank you ENGL329a: Cinema of Liberation) would like to proclaim the following: The scenery was extraordinary.  The circus scenes were nothing less than magical, and I think the movie truly captured the experience of life during the depression.  I had low expectations for Pattinson's performance after seeing the Twilight series, but he was surprisingly animated and believable as the college student he played.  What wasn't easy to believe was the romance between Marlena (Witherspoon) and Jacob (Pattinson.) Maybe it was the knowledge of their real-life age difference that put a mental barrier against their on-stage love, or maybe there wasn't enough plot development for their romance to flourish, but either way the on-camera chemistry simply wasn't there.  August, the dangerously moody villain of the movie, was the shining star of the entire film.  Christoph Waltz brilliantly balanced the charisma of August's upswings and the dark abuse of his downswings; Loved every scene he was in.


Overall, I was very pleased with the movie. I highly recommend it, even if you haven't first read the book!




On a side note, I spent Saturday night waiting for C to finish his second ink session by watching Little Fockers with Mom&Dad.  Funny flick. Not as funny as the first two, but certainly entertaining. I'd give it a B-.  Lose Jessica Alba and I might bump it up to a B.

And the Award for Most Predictable Movie...

goes to the new romantic comedy, Hall Pass.  

Owen Wilson's character, a married middle-aged suburbanite with a seemingly pubescent addiction to sex, is given a week-long hiatus from marriage where he is free to do as he pleases.  Cue male bonding. Cue tasteless pick-up lines. Cue happy ending. 

Despite it's painfully predictable plot, the movie had some hilarious one-liners that left me and my handsome date (who also happens to be the most generous movie critic alive) laughing out loud (in my case, really loud.) 

Chris loved the movie while I thought it was okay. Maybe it will be one of those movies I have to see a second time to truly appreciate the immature, racy, and trite humor. Or maybe I need to see it a second time without a pregnant woman who took 3 bathroom breaks and her husband who ate two pungent movie theater hotdogs loudly sitting immediately next to me. Yes, maybe then I would enjoy it more. 

The important thing though, is that Chris liked it. I took him to the movies after a (romantic?) birthday dinner. It wasn't much, but I think he appreciated it.  This weekend he will trek to Maryland to really celebrate the way God intended young men to celebrate their 21st birthdays.  Happy birthday Christopher! Love you tons!