Gallimaufry Girl

[Film Review] - Winter's Bone

2010-11-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

I've always been a big supporter of Hollywood films. They tend to get a bad reputation for being stupid, full of flash but no substance. I think it'd be hard to make a case against that claim, but that doesn't mean major Hollywood films aren't enjoyable. In fact, I have loved many major Hollywood films.

Having said this, I do think the Indie market is where films that have a chance to make a difference are being made - the kind of movie that moves you to something other than fantasizing about making out with Hollywood's latest beefcake. My love of a good Rom-Com aside, I do think that film should be used as a medium to tell a real story. Not necessarily to make a political or moral statement, but to help the audience to understand the story of someone else's life.

I recently watched Winter's Bone which won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in January, and was released on DVD in late October. It is based on the novel of the same name. It is a beautiful, subtle, heartbreaking, heroic story of a 17 year-old Missouri girl named Ree Dolly who is the acting matriarch of her family. Her father - who got tangled up in meth cooking a long time ago - is gone and left Ree's two younger siblings and ill mother in Ree's care. When the sheriff arrives and tells Ree that her daddy used their house as bail, Ree seeks out her father to make ensure her family gets to keep their home; which is about the only thing they have in the world.

In a recent interview, Jennifer Lawrence (who you might recognize from TBS's The Bill Engvall Show) spoke about how it's hard for a young woman, particularly a blond, to find a role with any substance in movies. Jennifer Lawrence has surely made a name for herself with this role. She gives a riveting, silent performance. Ree is a modern day heroine, less a teenager and more a strong, independent woman who will do anything necessary to protect the people she loves.

Winter's Bone is absolutely a must-see movie. The performance's are stunning (particularly Jennifer Lawrence as Ree) and the score is haunting. There are few movies of this caliber our there today.

View the trailer:

2010-11-05T23:25:00.001-07:00

The magical power of the internet!

2010-10-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

http://freesamplefreak.com/For a single girl, living on her own for the first time on a relatively tight budget, the internet is a magical place full of coupons, coupon codes and freebies! In the past I have saved lots of money in the past with coupon codes; for example: JCPenney (when I worked at a restaurant, it was the only place that had real, button collar Oxford shirts).

Just this month I've gotten:

I got 4 free movie tickets from Moviefone!
A free subscription to Martha Stewart Living!
2 year subscription of Rachel Ray's Everyday Magazine for $5.99!
A free rental at Redbox
Coupon for $10 off a $20 purchase at Office Max (reducing my printer ink cartridge from $20.99 to $10.99!)
A gasoline card from Shell
6 Free Brunswick Bowling Passes
B1G1 at Bath and Body Works

....and many more before that!

Coupon clippers have been around forever - but with the recession and the addition of the internet - now is the absolute best time to do this. Not to mention "couponing" is incredibly addictive and fun! Sure, most of these require you to give the company your email address, but I have an email address I use specifically for couponing that redirects to my regular email address, so I just filter those into a different folder.

My favorite places are hip2save.com, mojosavings.com, couponsequalcash.com and freesamplefreak though there are many out there and it's good to look at a wide range because some places scoop a deal before others.

ETA: I totally just snagged two tickets to the Minnesota North Star Girls Roller Derby for $4 with Groupon. Tickets are usually $12-$14, they were on Groupon for $7 and I had my introductory $10 free coupon left, so I got two for $4 saving myself $20 - $24 off face value! Seriously, if you aren't using Groupon, you really should be! Ever since I saw Whip It with Ellen Page, I've wanted to go and I needed a birthday gift for my Dad anyway, so we'll be going together.

Builds strong bodies twelve ways OR how I was nearly bested by particle board furniture

2010-10-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

On my way home from Northfield, I decided to stop at Ikea and snag some more of their awesome, affordable food savers. Cooking as a single person usually results in a decent amount of leftovers.

As some of you may know, I've been pining over the Ikea Lack coffee table for some time now, but it was $40 and I didn't really want to spend that much. However, as one pretty much has to go through the self-serve furniture department on the way to the check-outs at Ikea, I spotted the smaller version ($20) and decided to get that instead. I'm glad I didn't get the big one -- I think this one is just fine size wise.

Anyway, here it is in action in my apartment.

Putting it together nearly killed me. I literally almost died. Shut up! I'm totally serious!!

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that bad. But this thing has legs that you screw on and I kept not screwing them on the right direction to line up the little pegs that hold the bottom shelf in place. I had to torque on several of those legs like you wouldn't believe to get them to line up -- all because I'm a yutz.

Nevertheless, I prevailed in the end and the coffee table is constructed with only one minor scratch to the inside of one of the legs, and a few bruises to my ego.

Assembling particle board furniture should not have presented such a challenge.

pandas, perishables & parking -- oh my!

2010-10-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

I've got the first week at my new place under my belt. Work was less stressful this week as we finally got a decision from the client on whether they were going to stick with us or not. And, even though the news was not in our favor, it's a great relief to not have that hanging over our heads. We press on, hoping to gain new clients and looking forward to the future.

But, enough of that. Hooray! It's Saturday! My exploration of St. Paul began by searching out a statue that I'd seen in a picture somewhere on the internet - a panda bear at Groveland Park Elementary. This little panda apparently has a somewhat sad history. He used to have a mother.

Apparently, a few years ago, vandals chopped his mother down. Nevertheless, the little panda stands proudly today outside the school, waving hello to hundreds of children every day.

How could I not feel at home in a city that has a panda statue? Also, if you thought I wouldn't take my picture by it, you're wrong. The old man trying to sell furniture at an impromptu garage sale across the street gave me some funny looks -- but then again, who is he to judge? After a few tries, I managed to get a decent one. Taking this kind of photo by yourself is not easy.

It's really hot here today - 81 was what I heard on the radio. Ridiculous. It's September! I finally broke down and turned my air conditioner on a few minutes ago when I sat down to write. I'd been doing with ceiling fans all week to save on electricity but I was beyond sweaty when I got home from all this.

Anyway, after my panda excursion, I went to back down to Ford Parkway and enjoyed the weather and window shopped in Patina - a totally cute, totally overpriced curiosities shop. There were owl shaped salt and pepper shakers and I wanted them. It's definitely the kind of shop that belongs in the area. I stopped at Starbucks for a smoothie (to cool me down) before I headed over to University Ave.

You really do save a bundle at Aldi's as long as you aren't super brand conscious. I don't think I've quite gotten the hang of grocery shopping yet. I'm pretty lazy, especially after a long day, so I don't like to spend a lot of time preparing meals. Which usually means, get something frozen. Or make a can of soup or a pizza. I'm sure my skills will come with time. But, in the meantime I had quite a haul between Aldi and the Dollar Tree. Everything you see in the picture here for 60 bucks.

Compared to my $70 dollar shopping trip last week for about half to a third less food, it was a steal. Lund's is definitely conveniently located, but not conveniently priced. All in all, a very good day.

I'll post the whole list of items under the break if you're interested:

Aldi
-------
Celery .99
Chicken/Brocolli pockets 1.78
Deep dish supreme pizza 2.99
Chicken Alfredo Skillet meal 2.99
Turkey sandwich meat 2.99
Chicken nuggets 3.99
Flour 1.20
Salad 1.89
64 oz Apple Juice 1.19
Baby carrots .99
Bananas .77
Mixed veggies .55
Vegetable soup .49
Blueberry yogurt .37
Disinfectant wipes 2.99
Family size tomato soup 1.19
Chicken Corn Chowder 1.29
String cheese 2.79
Huge bag of onions 1.49
Sandwich bags 1.95
Small can tomato soup .49
5 lb bag of Red potatoes 1.99
Mixed veggies .55
Veggie chips 1.69
Canned corn .49
Vegetable oil 1.89
Table salt .33
Chicken rice .79
12 pk grape soda 1.99 (impulse buy!)
Ibuprofen 1.99
Soup 1.29
Beef Stew 1.79
+ Aldi reusable bag .99
------------
$51.75

Dollar Tree
-----------
Cling wrap 1.00
2 Cheddar Whale crackers @ 1.00 = 2.00
2 Snapple Raspberry tea @ 1.00 = 2.00
Razors 1.00
Chicken stock 1.00
Dishwasher soap 1.00
2 sets of dinner spoons @ 1.00 = 2.00
------------
$10.53

Total $62.25

2010-10-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sweet photo of the Mann Highland Park Theater (Dan Anderson; flickr)

Well, the big move has finally come and gone. One scary, extremely jankety moving truck, some fifty miles of travel and a whole lot of box-moving later....I am in my new (first!) apartment!

Highland Park - a predominantly Jewish neighborhood - is an absolutely beautiful part of St. Paul. It's a harmonious blend of of well-kept older homes, rentals and a decent amount of retail. St. Paul truly is the superior of the Twin Cities.

As I drove down Cleveland Avenue this morning, I watched as parents waited for school buses with their children, some of whom were equipped with safety flags and vests to assist their peers with safe crossings. It felt safe and quaint, like we were back in the fifties or something - as if I'd been dropped into a time/place I was never previously privileged to experience. That's what's great about Highland Park; it may not be the most bustling metropolis, but it still manages to retain just enough of that hometown feel while being acceptably close to all the action. Just hop over the Ford bridge into Minneapolis to see a show or sporting event, or drive up to Como or Midway for some more "big-box" shopping opportunities.

Look forward to hearing more from me as my big city adventure continues!

[Ear Candy] Green River Ordinance - Best New Band in Years!

2010-09-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get much better than this.

I got introduced to Green River Ordinance on Kris Allen's Summer 2010 tour. GRO was the opening act and they were amazing. I immediately got their album and fell in love. GRO just recently split with their label and released not one but two new EP's on their own. The first, Wait a Minute More, is a re-release of some of their older material (pre-major label). The second is The Morning Passengers, an entirely acoustic EP. It's pure heaven. "Dancing Shoes" (from above) is from TMP.

For a mere 6 dollars, run don't walk to the nearest computer and buy this EP on iTunes...and their full length album if you don't already own it!

Don't know if you'll like acoustic? Watch this video I took at the Kris Allen/GRO concert in Minneapolis earlier this summer. The lead singer hushed us all and played totally acoustically. We were all mesmerized.

[Ear Candy] What I'm Listening To - August 2010

2010-08-28T00:33:00.000-07:00

The Rescues - Break Me Out

A 45-mile daily commute is a good excuse to listen to music. The other day I just set my radio to scan through available stations and after a few searches, I heard a station playing this song. It usually takes me at least five listens to a song to like it, but I liked this song immediately. It's so bouncy and catchy!

Break me out tonight/I wanna see the sun rising anywhere but here
Come with me/Oh, this could be/The only chance we get/We gotta take it

Maroon 5 - Misery

Maroon 5's latest single - Misery - also falls into the bouncy and fun category. Quite antithetical to it's lyrics, Misery's melodic line is pop-y with a great hook -- exactly what I love about Maroon 5's music. I've heard some criticism in regard to this song being nothing more than stereotypical Maroon 5, but why fix something that works? A new song to groove to in the car is always appreciated.

I am in misery/There ain't no other/Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me/Your silence is slowly killing me

Doves - There Goes the Fear

Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams

The first time I saw 500 Days of Summer, I didn't like it. After seeing Inception twice, I decided that my love for Joseph Gordon Levitt was great enough to warrant a second chance. I'm really glad I did because not only is the movie excellent, it is full of great music!

I heard Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams come true on the radio and I couldn't suppress the image of JGL doing that happy dance through the park after he "gets" the girl. I love how music can do that; how it can be so linked to a memory or an important moment in life.

New Car

2010-05-19T00:58:00.000-07:00

I finally bought a car!

It took me about four months of serving (and two months as a hostess) at Perkins to earn the cash. I paid for most of it in cash and I have $1500 to pay back to my parents. It was really becoming a necessity. It's purple and adorable and brilliant - and the same kind as the other car I drove before, so it's also familiar. It's only got 56K on it, which is amazing. It belonged to a little old lady before me, apparently. Exactly the kind of car you hope to find.

In January, I posted a list of my goals. Look how many I've accomplished!!

Goals
~~- Become a good waitress~~
~~- Save money to buy a car~~
~~- Pay toward loans~~
- Become a famous screenwriter!

The last one is gonna take awhile, I suspect. I really need to write more. I have been so busy with work that I haven't had the time or ambition, which is bad, when being a waitress was only supposed to be a way to make money while I pursue writing as what I actually want to do.

It's been quite a year - ONE WHOLE YEAR SINCE GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE! Where does the time go? Life is pretty darn good right now. Time to set some new goals?

Wisconsin Film Festival Day 3 & 4

2010-04-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Panique Au Village [A Town Called Panic] (2009)

On day three, I had the distinct privilege of seeing one of the single most ridiculous and amazing films I have seen in a long time. Panique Au Village is a Belgian film based on a failed children's television series by the same name.

Imagine what it would be like if adults started playing with toys again. That's what this film is. Totally surreal and totally over-the-top, it is a huge improvement upon a series that took itself far too seriously.

The plot centers around Cowboy and Indian realizing it is Horse's birthday. They decide to build him a barbecue pit. But a mix-up with the number of bricks they order online causes unforeseen catastrophe. It's all in French and the dialogue is spoken quite quickly and in funny voices. It's truly difficult to explain how amazing this film is to someone who hasn't seen it. Anthropomorphic horses who fall in love, massive bouts of cow throwing, and mysterious creatures that live in the pond are just some of the things that add to the hilarity of this film. Seriously. You will be laughing all the way through. If you get a chance to see this, do. I am eagerly awaiting the DVD release.

Passenger Side (2009)

Adam Scott (who you may have seen as the not-so-amazing boyfriend in Leap Year) leads the cast of this film, as Michael, an unsuccessful author who is a total luddite. He drives an ancient - though classic - car, listens to tapes in his tape deck and uses pay phones. Passenger Side is primarily a road trip movie. When Michael's ex-druggie brother, Tobey, asks him to drive him around LA, Michael reluctantly agrees.

Through the course of the film, Michael realizes he's not actually living his life. While his brother, who he considers a total loser, is. It takes seeing all of LA and a cast of interesting characters for Michael to realize that he can't just write about life. He has to live it. When it's finally revealed that Tobey has taken him on a search for the girl of his dreams, we find that Michael's lack of living actually loses him a girl, while Tobey gains the same one.

Passenger Side is a wry and witty, but often serious look at two brothers who don't exactly have their lives together but in completely different ways. It's a decent road trip film with some great performances by it's lead actors. Adam Scott has great comedic timing and I see a bright future for him. As Tobey, Joel Bissonette reminds me of Geoff from the TV show Ace of Cakes; entirely laid back and rarely worked up about anything. His performance is subtle, but extremely on point.

---

Overall, I enjoyed the festival very much. Madison is a great town and a great place to host a low-key but profound selection of films. I would go again. Definitely. Now it's back to the real world. I'm unfortunately not on island time anymore.

Wisconsin Film Festival: Day 1 & 2

2010-04-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

I made it. I took a bus to a cab to a train to a bus. My day began at 5:47am and I finally arrived in Madison at 11:50pm on Wednesday. Not the most ideal day of traveling, but I did get to ride on the Amtrak Empire Builder and see Chicago.

Day 1:
On official day 1 of the festival, I met up with Ali Selim and we talked over some extraordinary tea at this very authentic little tea joint on State Street. He asked about how things were going with Far Away and I told him. We also talked a bit about what I'd like to do in the future. Then he told me all about the totally awesome things he is working on. He's going to be super famous VERY soon. I just know it.

After having a very pleasant time with Ali, I went to see my first movie.

The Happiest Girl in the World (Cea Mai Fericita Fata Din Lume) [2009]

The Happiest Girl is a Romanian film about a young girl who wins a car by sending in juice labels. We meet the girl and her family as they are on their way to shoot the promotional spot that is a requirement of receiving the car. We find out pretty quickly how ironic the title is. She is not at all happy because her parents want her to sell the car so they can invest the money in rental housing. As any teenage would, she wants to keep the car.

Most of the rest of the film is cut between arguments with her parents and her filming the promotional spot. The executives of the juice company cannot figure out why she isn't being happy enough in the commercial, but the audience knows. Take after take she tries to pretend to be happy. It's a quirky film and not as depressing as it might sound. It definitely had some light humorous moments to break up the angst. At one point, the juice executives decide that the juice doesn't look orange enough, so they mix Coke in with it - which I can only imagine tasted repulsive to the poor girl who had to drink it again and again.

While The Happiest Girl in the world didn't have much lasting meaning, it was certainly a cute little romp.

Day 2:
Collateral (Featuring Manohla Dargis) [2004]
A major Hollywood blockbuster from six years ago isn't necessarily something you'd expect to see at a film festival. Festivals are notoriously full of snooty art house film lovers. If it ain't subtitled, it ain't worth it.

I am not one of those people. Certainly not every film that comes out of Hollywood is of a high intellectual caliber, but that doesn't mean a film can't be enjoyable. And - among the chaff - you do tend to find a few good solid films with meaning and merit. I went to this showing because NY Times Film Critic Manohla Dargis was scheduled to intro it and give a talk. I went to plenty of action movies with my dad growing up, but they are rarely something I pursue on my own. Especially one with Tom Cruise. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was solid and witty. Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise gave extremely believable performances and the film itself was a haunting tour of LA. As Manohla pointed out before the screening, the sounds of the city are very prevalent and I found myself just waiting for the next sounds at times, rather than paying attention to the action. The point is, there is something to be learned from almost any movie, even if it is devoid of indie cred.

Manohla Dargis spoke before and after about Michael Mann's film. I didn't get to stay for as much of it as I would have liked (see the next paragraph), but she's not exactly cut out to be a public speaker. Like many of us writers, she's slightly awkward at public speaking. It was rather cute, but also slightly annoying. But, she had some interesting insights into the film that I hadn't picked up on.

I also had tickets to a set of four or five shorts at the Monoa Terrace, but I got lost on my way there (from Collateral), and by the time I'd righted myself to the correct direction, it was too late to make the showing. It wasn't that big of a loss.

Life Update

2010-04-10T01:08:00.000-07:00

Draft three of Far Away is starting to take it's toll on me.

Jeremy and I have been through so many iterations at this point that I don't even want to deal with writing again until we (he) have (has) a firm, clear direction for this draft. I'm all for making the script better - and that's what ripping apart our other versions has been doing - but it's gotten to the point where I don't have the time and emotional energy to expend if we're just gonna tear it all apart and start from scratch yet again. As a result, I have been being a very bad partner and friend and just totally avoiding the writing process. Which is not fair to Jeremy.

I am going to the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison this coming Wednesday through Sunday and staying with my very best friend in the whole wide world, Miss Laura Schmeidicke!! I'll be meeting up with my former screenwriting professor, Ali Selim (who was incredibly kind and gave me eight of his comped tickets to films at the festival). I'll get to see some successful indie films and hopefully that will be inspirational. In the end, I'm hoping it will just be a welcome break from the daily grind of work and my responsibilities here in Minnesota. Everyone needs a break, right?

It doesn't look good that I'll be getting the res life job I applied for, but I have just finished filling out an application for a writing job at MN Teen Challenge. This Easter, their choir came to Life21 to sing and share their stories. Their coordinator mentioned they had some job openings, so I just wandered onto their website and right there staring me in the face was this amazing writing job opening. I'm not necessarily as experienced as they might, like but I would be so passionate about helping these people write about how their lives were changed. I really want to actually use my degree in a real world way (a.k.a get paid to write), so this is a chance at that and it's very exciting!

[Review] Waitress

2010-03-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

Waitress (2007)

Now that I have been in the profession for half a year, I felt it was time to finally sit down and watch Waitress, which I had sort of always meant to do, but never got around to doing so. I'm well aware that I'm a few years behind the times, but I still felt I wanted to share my thoughts on the film.

Waitress isn't your typical happy, homespun Southern diner film. It's a rather honest look at what can happen to a person who doesn't follow their dreams.

As the poster so aptly describes her, Keri Russell's Jenna Hunterson is indeed 'tart'. Jenna is like a caged bird, trapped in a small-town life with an abusive, rat of a husband who she puts up with. Her only joy is inventing pies. As in the wonderful, but short lived Pushing Daisies, I very much enjoyed the conceit of the quirky pie maker. During the moments she is imagining pies into existence, we glimpse a much sweeter, younger version of Jenna that isn't tainted by all the struggles she has to deal with on a day to day basis. The girl who spent long days in the kitchen with her mother who made her own pies.

However, grown-up Jenna is jaded. She's distrusting. She feels and acts superior to almost everyone, except her husband (to whom she actually is a vastly superior human being). When Jenna finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she is thrust into the arms of a doctor, played by the adorable Nathan Fillion. [Side note: I will admit that Fillion's acting/comedic style took awhile to break through to my cold heart, but now that it has (save Castle!) I adore the man! Perhaps I should re-attempt to watch Firefly.] They begin an affair. Viewers spends a good deal of the movie rooting for them to succeed as a couple because they want Jenna to get away from the arms of her scumbag husband, but it's all very unsettling. A pregnant woman is having an affair with her - married - doctor? Their relationship definitely crosses some major ethical and moral lines. It's infuriating to spend the whole movie watching Jenna cow-tow to her husband while simultaneously failing to establish something real with Dr. Pomatter.

It's infuriating but it's wonderful screenwriting. In fact, the ending - which is not pat or traditional in any way - is exactly as it should be. Real. Though we do mourn for the loss of Jenna's relationship with Dr. Pomatter (mostly because he's SO adorable), it's best for Jenna to go off on her own and not just back into the arms of another guy who could become the same kind of schmuck her husband turned into.

Bottom Line: I wouldn't call Waitress a pleasant movie, though it has it's moments of charm. I would call it a good film. It has solid writing, excellent performances by it's lead cast and a few on-the-nose glimpses of what it's like to be in the restaurant business. I'd recommend it for Fillion and Russell's performances alone - though it has much more going for it than that. Not a sure fire home run, but definitely a good line drive.

Grade: B+

Short Film

2010-03-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

Recently stumbled onto a few interesting short films you should take a look at.

"Head On" - Spielberg Commissioned Special Project from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.

"Alma" - A little girl is fascinated by a particular doll in a store window. Interesting and a bit creepy.

"Oktapodi" - Love is put to the test when these two octopi are separated.

I'm beginning to very much appreciate the compact, effective storytelling of shorts. You should definitely check out Pixar's latest short, "Party Cloudy" as well if you get the chance.

In the meantime, I just finished watching "Waitress," so I'll be reviewing that shortly. I've also joined a book reviewing site called Booksneeze, which specializes in mostly Christian/Inspirational books. Free books for posting a review, but it should be interesting to read about, I hope. I'll be posting reviews of those as soon as I get my first one.

Cheers.

[Review] An Education

2010-03-09T23:46:00.001-08:00

It’s hard to go wrong with a screenplay based off a book by Nick Hornby, the man responsible for the novel versions of High Fidelity, About a Boy and Fever Pitch which have all had successful movie adaptations. However, this go around, Hornby himself wrote the screen adaptation.

An Education stars newcomer Carey Mulligan as the young, schoolgirl impressionable Jenny, who, while finishing up her final year of school has a chance meeting with a much older fellow music lover played by Peter Sarsgaard. Even from the beginning moments of their relationship, we know that they will certainly end up sleeping together. Sarsgaard gives a brilliant performance, managing to walk the very precise line between clean cut, world-wise gentleman and what we will soon discover he is -- a cad. Much like Jenny, the audience is lured into liking David by his charm, even though we suspect that he is not all that wonderful under the surface.

The dashing Dominic Cooper of History Boys fame, as Danny and Rosamond Pike as Helen, Danny's vapid girlfriend round out an extraordinary, if subtle, main cast.

What unfolds in front of the viewer is a gorgeous period piece that does justice to the juxtaposition between the excitement and confusion of adolescence. Jenny is swept from her lower-middle class family, into David's world of lavish parties, art auctions and concerts, leaving behind her banal, if well-meaning parents and Graham, a dopey but perfectly nice boy her own age, to pursue this new lifestyle. Jenny’s duller than dull school world is contrasted with her vibrant, colorful life with David. In his world she can speak French, smoke and talk about her love for Pre-Raphaelite painters. For her age, Jenny is a sophisticated girl - and unlike her parents, David and his friends understand her.

David plays Jenny’s father like a cheap deck of cards, lying and charming his way into taking Jenny wherever he likes.

Things begin to go awry when Helen gives Jenny a nightie before the group takes a trip and is surprised to find out that Jenny has not slept with David yet. But she is not surprised in an expected sort of way. She is surprised because of prior knowledge, precedent which the audience can read but she does not share with Jenny. We can no longer live in the happy delusion that Jenny is special to David. No. This has happened before. Jenny is not his first girl. To his credit, David does not force himself on Jenny, and approves of Jenny's resolve to stay a virgin till she is seventeen. However, in perhaps the most disturbing scene of the film, he asks to see her breasts. After she shows him, he thanks her, pulls the straps back up on her nightie and buries his head against her neck. There is something incredibly creepy about this moment as David makes a definitive step towards not just being a nice man, but a man who wants something from Jenny.

Jenny soon discovers that David and Danny steal things and sell properties in less than moral ways to turn a profit, and she is reluctant to remain in their world. But, when David explains that the money for restaurants and concerts doesn’t grow on trees, the similar shouts from Jenny's father earlier in the film ring in her ears and she decides she will stay. A trip to Paris strengthens their relationship, at least it evens out their complicity in it. Jenny sleeps with David and she seems happy to do so. Jenny no longer seems unaware of what David wants. She has matured.

Once back in England, Danny begins to express a concern for Jenny. At a club, he dances with her and there is a clear attraction between them. One gets the feeling that Danny could actually love and appreciate her - and deserves her a great deal more than David does - but being David's friend, he does nothing about it. David and Helen can only watch as they are given a dose of reality. David immediately asks Jenny to marry him – she gives him no definitive answer. She tells him he is "very sweet", as if she is patting him on the head. Their roles are completely reversed. In that moment, Jenny seems more like the adult than David.

Jenny discovers all too late - after dropping out of school - that David is already married. Her parents, who were just as seduced by David as Jenny are equally as pained to discover that their daughter's meal ticket is a liar. Jenny's mother seems the kind of woman who could have loved Jenny’s life with David when she was younger, but chose to marry and settle. Her father is a good man who only wants the best for his daughter. Jenny is denied re-acceptance to school. She visits her teacher at her home and studies privately, presumably under her tutelage. Jenny has learned something thanks to her time with David. She realizes that there are no shortcuts in life. She eventually attends Oxford and tries to lead a normal life for a girl her age.

Bottom Line: An Education is an exquisite, intelligent, beautiful, thought-provoking film with a brilliant cast. If it fails at all, it fails only in regard to not moving the audience enough emotionally. Because David, Danny and Helen exist in such a fabricated, controlled world, all the emotions tend to feel a little stunted or subdued. But then again, perhaps one could argue that that was intentional on the part of Hornby, as Jenny is stunting herself emotionally by staying with David’s crowd.

Grade: A-

[Review] Avatar

2010-02-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

Avatar (2009)
Men have been burned at the stake for less sacrilegious things than I am about to say.

Avatar is an overblown Pocahontas story with Aussie accents and a splash of color thrown in to compensate.

There. I said it. Seriously, how did this movie get an 82% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes? To be sure, the visual effects are impressive (though I did not see it in 3-D). I get our fascination with digital graphics. I really do. However, effects do not make up for a plotline so old and tired it needs to borrow its main character's wheelchair during takes.

Yes, Sam Worthington is hunky and mildly swoonable as the paraplegic Space Marine who only finds himself in the Avatar program because of the untimely death of his genetically identical twin. I'm sure the box office hype from this movie will skyrocket him into being the next action hero, and I don't begrudge him that at all. (After all, he was on the short list to play James Bond before Daniel Craig was chosen. Don't even get me started on that one.) It isn't his fault the script sucks.

Yes, yes. I do know that there are only so many stories out there and that American cinema has pretty much exhausted them, but what separates a good script from a bad one is the writer/director's ability to add twists and surprises that don't come along with the standard story package. Cameron - in my opinion - does not fulfill this qualification.

Bottom Line: Ultimately, Avatar isn't a bad movie. It's just not a great one. It doesn't live up to the hype and unfounded praise I've read. The graphics are indeed cool. It'll entertain you and you'll probably even feel for the characters, but don't go into it expecting something totally new and amazing. Story wise, you won't be getting it. If you can swing the cash, see it in 3-D. It probably makes it all the more enjoyable.
Grade: B-

Oh, and James Cameron? If you wanted to direct the sequel to FernGully, you should have just asked.

[Review] Leap Year

2010-01-18T01:14:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is the first of my mini-movie reviews.

Leap Year (2010)
I was extremely excited to see this film - I love Ireland more than anyone you've ever met - but it turned out to be truly mediocre. Plagued by a predictable plot, archetypal, caricatured characters and an appalling lack of appreciation for the majestic beauty of the Emerald Isle, Leap Year was only rescued from the direct-to-video/bargain bin at Wal-mart by the star power and charm of Amy Adams. Though the script has a few cute moments, Adams's character is not terribly compelling, nor does she make much of an emotional/personal shift from the beginning of the film to the end, leaving the viewer feeling ultimately unsatisfied. This, combined with only marginally attractive male co-stars, does not make for a good rom-com.

Bottom Line: Even for hardcore rom-com lovers, I say skip it. A re-watch of P.S. I Love You or The Matchmaker (both set in Ireland), will suffice. Erin Go Brah!
Grade: C-

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2010-01-18T01:08:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days since my last post and Jeremy and I have been hard work cutting, editing and re-arranging scenes. This draft was an absolute mess for a few days - and I nearly died from not being able to spend every waking minute on it - but, it is finally beginning to take shape again. Sometimes you have to make a bigger mess to get things clean. I am really excited about the new direction. This draft is far superior to the previous one in almost every way.

Like a puzzle.

2010-01-07T00:34:00.000-08:00

Editing a script is kind of like putting together a puzzle. You know roughly what the finished product is supposed to look like - after all, you have the picture on the front of the box. The hard part is figuring out which direction all the pieces go and which colors match up where.

For me, coherent, compelling emotional flow is the most important aspect of completing this script. Maybe that makes no sense to anyone else, but it makes sense to me.

I like puzzles. They're challenging.

A New Year...New Opportunities

2010-01-05T00:40:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010! I am shocked by how fast time flies. I have been out of school for seven months!! I can't even believe it has been that long. I've decided this is going to be the best year of my life. I'm not going to live with any regrets.

Jeremy and I began round 3 of edits on "Far Away" a few days ago. The feedback we received from readers was incredibly helpful. I've already made some massive edits. There is something so fulfilling about the editing process. Being allowed a second (third, fourth, etc...) chance to say what needs to be said in the best possible way is so freeing and fun. I love pulling at the threads of story and character that work, scraping away the crap that was burying what I really wanted to say, and tugging the good stuff to the surface.

I have been throwing around the idea of a new screenplay. Its working title is "He's The One," and it is about Cassie, a twenty-something woman who is picking about everything BUT men. In fact, she thinks every guy she goes out with is "the one." With the help of her friends, she realizes that it is important to have standards and that not every guy is as perfect for her as they may immediately seem. And, in typical fashion, just when she gives up on men, along comes Mr. Right.

Thoughts? It has barely gone beyond the stage of writing that paragraph, but it is bouncing around in there.

I am also still working at Perkins. About a month ago I got promoted to server. I have really been enjoying it! The tips are good (on good days when people don't stiff you), and I think it suits the people pleasing aspect of my personality. I am now really comfortable putting orders into the system, final prep on the food and pretty much everything else.

I have accomplished the first of my goals that I set back in October! Small victories, right?

Goals
~~- Become a good waitress~~
- Save money for a car
- Pay toward loans (because paying them off will take a million years)
- Become a famous screenwriter!

Finally, I have decided that if I am gonna write movies, I should watch them too! I plan to review 1-5 movies a week, leaving my relatively inconsequential thoughts here with you. Look forward to my thoughts on Adam, Whip It & The Invention of Lying in the near future. :)

Routine

2009-11-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

I just began my second week at Perkins and I have to say, I love it.

I love the rush of excitement on Saturday's when there are lots of people around, several people to seat, several checks to close out. My enjoyment comes from how quickly, happily and efficiently I can do all these things. My job as a hostess is simple. You could train a chimp to do it. It consists of four basic actions that are cycled through in succession.

1) Greet and seat incoming guests
2) Thank outgoing guests and close their bills
3) Check the menu out-boxes and sort any menus back into the host stand
4) Bus tables

The servers are actually shocked that I will bus tables for them, but what should I do? Stand around and look totally bored? No. I'd prefer to do something if there is something to do. Standing in one place for too long hurts my feet. Those same servers have appreciated my willingness to bus tables and my boss told me I was doing a great job.

The goal is to become a server as fast as possible.

Things on the screenplay front are entirely different than the last time I blogged. Jeremy and I have sent it out to readers (mostly our friends -- if I missed you and you'd like to read it, let me know) for their feedback. So, I haven't been doing much with writing at all. I should start in on a new screenplay concept, but I'm not big on ideas lately, or frankly ever.

If anyone has ideas, feel free to shoot them my way. :)

Revisions & Skype Parties!

2009-10-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Revisions started yesterday. Jeremy and I have a Skype meeting tonight to talk about several tricky edits.

I start Perkins sometime soon. My boss still has to call me with my schedule.

It's done!

2009-10-19T01:59:00.001-07:00

It's done.

Three days ahead of schedule. Wow. I just want to print it out and hold it in my hands. What a surreal feeling!

Looking Ahead

2009-10-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

Thursday, I completed Act II! Friday, I began work on Act III. I am roughly 6 scenes into that. :)

I also went to orientation for my hostess/server job at Perkins on Friday. I am excited about it! Now that writing "Far Away" is winding down, it will be nice to have something to pick up and run with. I am excited to be making some money to put myself back up on my feet and kick start my new life.

A good friend reminded me this summer of the importance of goals and how good seeing them accomplished can make you feel. So, here goes:

Goals
- Become a good waitress
- Save money for a car
- Pay toward loans (because paying them off will take a million years)
- Become a famous screenwriter!

As for the here and now, "Far Away" is so close to a finished first draft! It's terribly exciting and I look forward to the steps ahead.

I spoke to Jeremy today and he assured me that there would be a website for the film soon, so I will let you know when that is up and running.

Far Away Update: Milestone

2009-10-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

I hit the 100 page mark today. It felt AMAZING!

Tomorrow I write the last three scenes to finish off Act II. Act III is significantly shorter than Act II, so I anticipate somewhere between 130 and 150 pages when all is said and done.

Then come the revisions!! Hooray. Completing it gives Jeremy something to show prospective investors, actors and crew.

The other good news? Today, Perkins called me back and offered me the waitress job I interviewed for! I couldn't believe it. They'd said they'd call within three days if I got it but I received no call. Now, exactly a week from when I was supposed to get or not get a call, I GOT a call. I start orientation on Friday afternoon.

Money! I need some. This is totally a blessing. I've been looking for a job all summer to no avail.
So yes, today is exciting!