New Job, Slower on the Updates

Haven't updated in a while. That's primarily because I haven't been seeing as many films. Over the weekend, I did get to enjoy (500) Days of Summer and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Both were very mature for their perspective genres, romance and fantasy (no offense meant to those genres, as they are two of my favorites).

In High School, I obsessed over Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but I have to admit that I was less than consumed by his performance in (500) Days. I'd like to see him make some more bizarre choices in projects, like G.I. Joe (I haven't seen it, but InContention.com claims that he's not so good in it). I just want to see some more of his range. I find that with both he and Zooey Deschanel, I favor them because I like the persona that they use for their characters despite striking differences from character to character. Like Julia Roberts, they're so charming, I usually wouldn't ask for more from them, but with this film (maybe it was the hype), I did want more. Don't get me wrong, I loved the film and I appreciated the risks the writer took with the addition of post modern elements, like the dance number and the sort of mix-tape effective of hopping around the days within the 500 day time span that these characters knew each other, BUT, like always, there was room for improvement.

Harry Potter was everything you've heard about it, both good and bad. The film really just sets up the next chapter, the final chapter, but with bravado. It effectively ages the characters for the showdown with Voldemort.

I started a new job this week with the Orchestra Box Office. Now I'm home earlier than Tom, so I've been making dinner. In the last three nights, I've made Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Bay Scallops, and (last night, I got a little experimental) an Asian inspired Turkey Burger and fries combo (Tom eyed the stir fry topped fries with curiosity and trepidation).

For my buddy, Lauren, I made a dessert for our last night together before she leaves for the west coast. It was... dun dun dun... a Brownie Bottom New York Style Cheesecake (A.k.a. an orgasm on a plate-Eat your heart out, Meg Ryan). You should make it if you own a springform pan.

Sparkling Tequila Cocoons

Martin Diego Morales came over for Tequila Sunrises last night. We had burgers (what else) with onions and garlic in them, topped with honey mustard. We also tried Sparkling Tequila Slammers, which is where you take sparkling wine and add it to tequila and lime juice before you pound the whole drink in one gulp. At first we thought, No, that can't be so bad. We thought wrong; it was kind of difficult to drink it but we understand now why you're supposed to chug the entire drink. THE GOOD NEWS: we have left over Prosecco.

Earlier yesterday, Ron Howard's Cocoon was on the menu (and Rashomon days earlier. Sorry. I haven't been keeping up). It was cute. Overly sentimental, but cute. It's nice to see a film with actors over the age of fifty.

Snap Out Of It! No More goodies!

What did I watch the last couple of nights? Moonstruck, Delicatessen, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and The Blob. A strange mix, for sure. Basically, all of them were brilliant in their own right, but Moonstruck and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? stick out in my mind as the better half, but I very much appreciated the cinematography of the other projects. In particular, I liked the hues in Delicatessen (from the set design, cinematography, lighting) and I love the way that technicolor looks, so that's why I liked The Blob, basically.


As far as my tummy, the last few days haven't been particularly healthy, but tasty galore. I went to the North End last night and ate pastries at Bova's and had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast this morning. Mmm Mmm good!

A Gay Old Time!

For dinner, Tom made me shrimp bisque. It was delicious. The recipe called for paprika, like the dish I made last night with scallops. So… if you’re making seafood and you need a spice, reach for the paprika, apparently.


While he cooked, I listened to The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Funny Girl and The Motion Picture Soundtrack of Cabaret, both on vinyl records (purchased at Cambridge Antiques for a buck).

Bruno Made Me Sad

I saw Bruno on Wednesday, but I’ve waited to comment on the movie because I wanted to make sure I knew where I stood. After much debate, I’m disappointed that it doesn’t really push anyone to feel one way or another about gay marriage. When Bruno and his assistant go to the courthouse to be wed, I expected there to be some sort of underlying message about the struggle for gay rights, but ultimately felt that the scene merely existed to appease the GLAAD committee who was also dissatisfied with the depiction.

Otherwise, Bruno made me laugh harder than I have in a while. In particular, the scenes where he unveils his talk show to a test audience and the interviews with the Christians he’s chosen to save him from his sins were some of my favorites.


I realize that Cohen’s work is meant to show how ridiculous stereotypes can seem when taken literally, but there were some awkward moments where the ridiculousness seemed to outweigh the suggestion (like the pictures of him and O.J. in the hot tub – yes, I understand that they’re photoshopped).

My contemplation of the material probably speaks to the work of Cohen more than anything else. Though I don’t think I like the way that Cohen went about creating Bruno, it’s his devotion to the project that keeps me thinking about it (I also very much enjoyed the marketing scheme for the movie).

Move Over Ben & Jerry’s

Tom made the best ice cream this week. It was Strawberry Cheesecake flavored. I don’t really know how he did it, but homemade ice cream’s significantly tastier than store bought. I know that’s a duh statement, but I say that because Ben & Jerry’s has a Strawberry Cheesecake flavor (which I love). One thing I prefer about their version is that it has graham cracker crust in it, but otherwise Tom’s was better. We polished it off this afternoon while watching the original adaptation of Jack Finney’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Funny Scallops and Earth Vs. The Flying Lemon Pops

Dinner tonight was amazing. I'm house sitting with muh man and his parents left us so much food in their refrigerator. Tonight, we chose to cook the scallops. I cooked them in 3 tablespoons of chardonnay and garlic. Then I added grape tomatoes and mushrooms, followed by paprika and parsley. We ate it on spaghetti. Scrumptious!


For desert we had lemon pops with the original Funny Games and Earth Vs. Flying Saucers. Funny Games disturbed me as expected and Flying Saucers, which we're still watching, bored me. Hence the update mid movie.

Funny Games really played with the viewers expectations which was interesting, but I was hard pressed to find any substance in the material, despite the artistry of the videography. Tom kept asking, "Why watch this movie if there's no hope?" I kind of wonder if the point was to see how far one would make it without turning it off. If so, we finished. Bravo?

Summer Sci-Fi Extravaganza Update

Watched Logan's Run last week and it was ridiculous (in the best and worst way/I fell asleep). If you haven't seen it and you miss your Farah Fawcett fix, check it out for her performance. My biggest question in regard to the film is how the MPAA decided on the rating of PG. Today it would be at least a PG-13 because it has nudity and sexual references. Strange how things change, but I guess those good 'ole boys in Washington are getting crotchety in their old age.

Last night, The Tingler was on the menu and it was unique. They apparently rigged the theater so that select people felt an electric shock from their chair for the climax back when it premeired in the late fifties. I read on IMDb that there's a remake scheduled for... 2009? BUT you have to have IMDbPro to see anything juicy. Wonder if they'll try to rig the theater again.

Impatience Gets the Best of Lawrence of Arabia

I'm in the middle of Lawrence of Arabia. I've waited to watch this film purely because of it's length. One doesn't have four hours to watch a film every day. Right now, I've found myself wondering which parts could be cut to make this easier to stomach. Surely, no film need be so long. IMDb says it's the 41st best film ever made and AFI says that it's the 7th (formerly the 5th, but I support the drop). For the most part, the movie's perfectly executed. Perfectly boring indeed. Lean had worked in theater prior to the film and it shows. The shots tend to be squared off like a staged production and he even spends five minutes at the beginning, middle and end, with just the score on black (the first fifteen minutes to go in my version).


More than anything I think my impatience with this film has to do with my training at Emerson (to get to the point and keep your audience captivated) and my age. My generation most certainly has no patience for epic scenery and subtle politics. Rather than assume that AFI and IMDb are wrong, I will blame my impatience (though not disregarding my opinion completely).

Maybe, just maybe, I'll grow to appreciate Lean, like I've grown to appreciate Bergman. In High School, I saw the Seventh Seal and I was bored to tears (like most any high schooler would be). Two days ago, I watched Wild Strawberries and enjoyed it immensely (though it is about half as long as Lawrence of Arabia--maybe I'm not maturing, just finding examples that suit my patience).

Happy Be-lated Ah-Mare-Kah!

For our nations b-day, my pals and I ate garlic burgers with homemade french fries, fried rice, and, of course, apple pie. The apple pie was beautiful. I wish I took a picture to prove it, but it was magical. We also played with sparklers and watched the fireworks whilst drinking jack and coke and el presidentes. It may not sound like an exciting fourth to most, but it was to me.

T2: Suddenly Salad Edition

James Cameron's T2: Judgment Day and Guy Maddin's Brand Upon The Brain with a side of Betty Crocker's Suddenly Salad. It was salty and metallic all around. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed T2 despite Linda Hamilton's narration (example: "Dyson listened while the Terminator laid it all down: Skynet, Judgment Day, the history of things to come. It's not everyday you find out that you're responsible for 3 billion deaths. He took it pretty well.").


I'm also not convinced that the T-1000 would retain his police officer uniform. In the beginning, he kills the cop and I suppose he makes a copy of it, but why wouldn't he just be naked everytime he's melted or whatever? Just a thought. Maybe I'm the only perv who would call for this edit, but then again my boyfriend had the same question.
Maddin's Brand Upon The Brain, at first glance, seemed better than his Saddest Music In The World, but I was deceived by the stylized melodrama. Check out T2 before Brand Upon The Brain. Then again, you probably already have... so give Brand Upon The Brain a chance if you so desire.

(Tip: The Classic flavor Suddenly Salad's best. As much as Ranch & Bacon or Caesar may sound like fun, stick with the Classic.)

Eatin's good at home

I've been getting plenty of carbs since I've been home. Burgers, potato salad, pasta with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, rosa regale, espresso, eggs, turkey sausage, toast, and coffee--all in the last twenty four hours.
Tonight my grandmother decided to cook me dinner. More pasta but with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and spinach. Dessert was a strawberry yogurt pie.

Do all vampires wear lipstick?

So I'm home for a few nights in the Berkshires and my younger sister tells me that she wants to watch a movie. What does she unveil, but Twilight, a movie I had avoided for months because I (as embarrassing as it is to admit it) read the book and despised it. For giggles, I decided to watch the film and yes it was as bad as I had anticipated; however, I will say that I enjoyed some of the cinematography (as much as it started to grate on me by the end). They hit you over the head with the awkwardness of it all (handheld camera, extra awkward performances and cuts). We get it! She's an angsty melodramatic teen. I wonder if there could have been a way to address how over the top Bella is without losing interest in the character. It's a challenge for sure.

Another small, insignicant, in fact, issue I found with the project was the amount of makeup the actors wore. Perhaps it was the light or the HD cameras or whatever, but I was so distracted by the amount of lipstick the male vampires wore. Seems silly and maybe even a little heterosexist of me, but I feel compelled to discuss it. Of course, there are no pictures that do the starkness of his lips justice. Instead, I've posted blueberry pancakes because that's what we ate for breakfast this morning (my favorite).

Bubbles!

Went camping for the week in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Ate s'mores, burgers, hot dogs, fruit, and hummus all week. We also played with bubbles (Below is a picture of Tom with said bubble).

In other news: I lost my cell phone and my employer lost it's biggest contract so I don't have work and can't afford a new cell phone... I might start writing poetry about my economic depression blues to pass the time. If you're an employer and you stumbled upon my little blog... HIRE ME!

ALSO, R.I.P. FF and MJ.

Neilsen. Leslie Neilsen.

Forbidden Planet amazed me! From the special effects to the screenplay! Hokeyness at its best! After watching Barbarella, Forbidden Plant was a revelation of sorts. Not to be hard on Barbarella. I'm sure the artists involved met their goals, but it was difficult for me to watch on top of not resolving plot points. Check out Forbidden Planet, especially if you love Leslie Neilsen. It's a trip to watch him as a serious romantic lead after growing up with him as Mr. Magoo and Count Dracula.

Before the movies, went to a dairy farm and got ice cream with Tom's Dad. Orange Pineapple actually had grapefruit in it and not orange. It was really good. I thought I was taking a risk with that flavor and it paid off. Maybe I'm mistaken about that. Talked to my Dad yesterday too and he talked my ear off about Tiger Woods and the US Open. Happy-Belated Father's Day to all the fathers who don't read this blog (as none do).

BARBARELLA!!

Tonight at my apartment, we will be eating pasta and watching Barbarella and having a jam session. I would suggest that you join me, but the only person who reads this is Tom and he'll be there by default.

Spaghetti western?

I just heard the phrase spaghetti western. It sounds derogatory to me, but if that's what they're calling Sergio Leone's work, then I suppose it can't be. Right?

Italiano!

Watched Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West last night and, a couple of weeks ago, I watched Frederico Fellini's 8 1/2 (meant to post that sooner, but happy I could tag it onto the Leone post). I think my favorite moments are when the dialogue doesn't match up to the actors lips. It gives you a false sense of charm. I say false because both directors are masters. No question. Now I can say that without being pretentious, because I've actually seen of their work.


If you're into sound design and cinematography, go watch these films (though you probably already have). I can't decide if this blog is embarassing or a positive expression for me. I kind of just keep admitting that I love guilty pleasures and haven't seen anything important.

We had breakfast with Once Upon A Time in the West. Fried eggs, waffles, and bacon. Mmm Mmm good!

Ahnuhld: I'll be back!

It's been a crazy week. Our research for the summer sci-fi project continued with: The Terminator and The Day The Earth Stood Still. Liked them both a lot. Though The Day offered fewer thrills than Terminator, it held my interest. Very smart. Haven't seen the newer version and, honestly, I don't plan to. I don't see how this project was begging for a remake. It seems pretty timeless to me.


My Dad used to watch The Terminator films when I was little. It's one of my earliest memories. He and my Mom would rent a family movie to watch with us and a grown up movie that we weren't allowed to watch with them. The Terminator was supposed to be one of those movies, but for whatever reason they let us watch it too. Inevitably, we didn't get it and lost interest within five minutes. Now, at 21, I get it and enjoyed it thoroughly. Well worth the walk down memory lane.

What did I eat while I watched these movies, you ask? I had yogurt and granola. So glamorous.

Our Netflix Queque Rarely Dissapoints

Watched two seminal films in the last 24 hours... City of God and... dun dun dun... Death Becomes Her. I love Goldie Hawn (and Meryl Streep. Duh!)! The movie fast became a total guilty pleasure. City of God on the other hand was a really great film that I don't have to be ashamed to have enjoyed (as much as it depressed and disturbed). Ch-ch-ch-eck 'em out!

AND for din din, we'll be having a chicken breast marinated in red wine vinegar, soy sauce, oil, sweet basil, oregano, pepper, and garlic powder with rice and summer squash.

Strawberry Fields For Never

I'm re-watching Julie Taymour's Across the Universe. It's the only project on her filmography that I take issue with. I don't think I'll be watching this for a third time.

BUT I can't wait for Spider-man: The Musical. Below's a mock-up of the two projects from a blog affiliated with the New York Post (a la Google search engine). Spider-man is purported to be costing $40 million, making it the most expensive theatre production to date.

Proof in the Picture

This is a picture of my finger bandaged after I cut it with the knife Gina's using to cut the sweet potatoes I tried to cut when I cut myself instead.


UPDATE: Gina did clean the knife before using it again. Just so you know.

FOOD UPDATE: Wings and Ring(Finger)s

FOOD UPDATE: My boo made wings. Delicious! And then I cut my finger open while dicing sweet potatoes for sweet potato fries. The trick to avoid keeping your fingers uncut: don't put them under the knife you've put all your weight into. The tricks to fantastic sweet fries: nutmeg and cinnamon.

Summer Science Fiction Bonanza!!!

Tom's paper has been done for a few weeks now and we've moved on from race pictures. We're on a bit of a sci-fi kick in anticipation of a summer project. We watched the Star Wars movies (my first time. Shameful, I know.) Next we're watching The Tingler, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, etc. Netflix continues to be fruitful. We have City of God and Death Becomes Her (possible future guilty pleasure, no?) right now.



We saw UP in 3D on Monday (still from the movie above). I was underwhelmed, but I liked it plenty. I think it ranks low on my list of Pixar faves, with Ratatouille holding the top spot. My issues really all stem from the second and third acts. The first act was perfection! So much potential for this project. I could have used less dog humor and more time up in the sky. There seemed to be a disconnect between the events and the humor, for me. I couldn't watch the opening montage and then move right into kid mode (forgiving improbability). Questions popped into my mind about how these balloons worked. It was unclear for me. He only cut a few to land and then he hovers above the ground? Shouldn't it have been more than a few? I will admitt, I cried twice. Very moving, but not as close to perfect as Wall-E or Ratatouille.

Up Next: The Bucket List

OK. So I know I said I wanted to watch the best of the best this summer, but the summer's also the best time to watch light fare: like this film, The Bucket List. Tom has to watch it for his Race in Hollywood class and, therefore, I will be watching it too. I'd like to take this opportunity to note that Tom's paper's really just an excuse to watch the movie. I wanted to see it anyways. Anything with Morgan Freeman or Jack Nicholson or an adorable, life affirming message or all of the above is cool in my book.

Over a month... I know.

Here's an update for the one person who reads this, Tom. Ironically, the same person who partakes in the eating of the same food and the watching of these same movies.

Since I've last updated, I've watched even more Hitchcock, as you know. Spellbound's the only one that's really stuck with me. I think it had a lot to do with the set design by Dali. I haven't eaten a hell of a lotta good food, but you made caramelized onions and an Apple Bundt cake this week.

I've made frozen pizzas and nachos. Those are my specialties. OH and I make great cheesecake, but I haven't had the funds to do that for you as of late.

Re-watched Sex and the City: The Movie last night. I'm not sure which is more embarrassing, admitting to seeing it in the first place or admitting to watching the film a second time. I have to say that the cinematography takes my breath away, particularly, the scene where Miranda and Steve meet up to forgive each other on the Brooklyn bridge. Make fun of me all you want, but I'll stand by that statement.

We set up a netflix account. I don't know why we ever stopped it. Netflix really does make life so much easier and happier. I grin every time I touch the red envelopes. By the end of the year, I hope to have seen all of the imdb Top 250 and AFI's Top 100. Let's make it happen, CinnaBunz.

Bridge on River Why?

Yesterday, I watched David Lean's The Bridge on The River Kwai. My boyfriend didn't watch it. Instead he sat on his laptop next to me and listened. Then later, he decided to watch the finale and didn't seem to understand what was going on. I wonder why.


We bought a three dollar shrimp cocktail at Shaw's too. It wasn't worth it. We eat a lot. It probably had four servings of shrimp, but we were still hungry. In our defense, I would argue that shrimp can be a very lean protein. A very David Lean protein.

Recent Obsessions: Paul Rudd and White Meat

I'm cooking dinner with my boo. We're having turkey burgers with cheese and scallions mixed into the meat. It's super tasty! (Below is a picture of the raw meat cooking, for your disgust. The burgers were much tastier once they were cooked.)


On a side note, I'm realizing that I'm starting to look like I'm anti-red meat, which would not be a bad thing. It's jut not the case. I eat red meat, but I prefer white meat. There it is.

My roommate's watching Knocked Up while we cook. I had forgotten how enjoyable that film was. It's a little long for me, but it has its share of laugh-out-loud moments (Thanks in large part to Paul Rudd). I will say, however, that I Love You, Man tickles my pickle a bit more.

Last night, the winner of Project Runway: Season Five, Leanne Marshall, spoke at my school. FYI: She's just as adorable in person.

Highlights From An Awful Week

I've had a really awful week.... meaning, I haven't been eating great food and watching wonderful films. Earlier in the week, I did write an outline for what I hope will one day be a wonderful film.

Other tidbits from the week:

My boyfriend blew up some potatoes in my stove this week, trying to make twice baked potatoes. In the end, the potatoes were good. We also had pigs in a blanket. The tiny hot dogs were left over from a party where we had pigs in a blanket, crab on a cracker, and apple peanut butter crackers.

When I have weeks like this week, I tend to watch television instead of films. My current favorite, Golden Girls, has been my personal most watched program off my dvr for about three months now. Sophia, Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche help me relax.

Trail Mix

Last night, I saw one of the most honest portrayals of gender relations in the last few years. What was this gem of a movie? I Love You, Man. I went because there was a free advanced screening of the film. The theater was empty. Which is unusual for advanced screenings, but it's spring break. Anyways, the film was really intelligent. I suggest you go and see it.


For dinner, I had fettucini with tomato sauce and garlic toast. At the film, we ate Starburst Jellybeans and Trail Mix. It was a heavy night.

OH and I watched North By Northwest, like I promised. I enjoyed it, but not as much as Vertigo. I've never really been into spy films, but the first act was spectacular.

Vertigo + Hamburger Helper = Vertigo Helper

Tonight, we ate another college favorite--Hamburger Helper. Only, instead of beef, we used ground turkey. It's a nice alternative.

Afterwards, I saw Vertigo for the first time. It was just as amazing as I had anticipated. It almost made me wish that cinema was more theatrical today. I realized, while I was watching it, that I haven't seen as much Hitchcock as I'd like. Next on my list, North By Northwest.

Blood. Sex. Cronenberg.

If you haven't seen it yet, you should. A History of Violence is the closest thing to a masterpiece in the last decade. I saw it a few years back and found myself writing an essay about the adaption for my professor/mentor Diane Lake, co-writer of Frida, this semester. I've fallen in love with the film all over again. Some argue that the sex scenes are gratuitous, but I argue that those folks don't understand Cronenberg or how much sex says about the type of relationship these characters have (and more importantly how it changes throughout the film). Check it out!

Mi Madre's Ensalada De Taco

My Mama, Sharon, taught me to prepare one of my favorite dish, Taco Salad. You chop up tomatoes and lettuce, while cooking whatever ground meat you prefer (I usually use a lighter meat like turkey or chicken, but typically Sharon would use beef). Then you add them all together with shredded cheese, Catalina dressing, and crushed tortilla chips. You can also add whatever other kind of veggies you like. For a spicier salad, I suggest jalapenos. It's cheap and delicious, the best kind of dinner for us starving college kids.

I've DVR'd five films that have been suggested to me either by friends, the IMDb top 250, or AFI's top 100, or all of the above. The films are; Seven Samurai; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; Vertigo; North By Northwest; and The Bridge Over River Kwai. The question is, which one do I start with. Hmmm... I'll let you know what happens.

Robin Williams as a Mexican Penguin and Salsa

My sister showed me Happy Feet. It was adorable, but I can't decide if I like how animated films address environmental issues. Ice Age 2 was particularly difficult. BUT I have to admit that it's nice to see animated films addressing important topics.


In fact, animated films of late have been almost preferable to live action films. Ratatouille and Wall-E were the best films of the last two years.... or so I think.

Also, I know you're dying to know what we ate. Happy Feet was sided with chips and salsa. Not an inspired idea, but I think chips and salsa are classic.

Home for the Weekend. No Movies. Lots of Food and Drink.

My sister and our friend Shaleigh, took me out for a drink tonight. I defended the masculinity of a Long Island Ice Tea to my boyfriend who claimed that his Vodka Tonic was a much more masculine drink. With these drinks, we ate appetizers, i.e. Potato skins, Bloomin' Onion, and, my personal favorite, Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Yummy indeed.

Watchmen with a side of Pinot Grigio

I saw the Watchmen last night. Not down with it at all, really. The first half was solid, but then the second half just kind of flopped for me. I read the book recently, in anticipation of the film. The movie felt like the SparkNotes version of the graphic novel.


Before the movie, I had Twisted Brand Pinot Grigio. It was better than the movie, but it was cheap. With it, we ate pasta and CVS Brand Absolutely Divine Vanilla Creme Wafers. As far as evenings go, it was cheap and tasty all around.

*Also, anytime I say "WE," I mean, "my boyfriend and I." Not that I like using the pronoun, but it's easier than typing out "my boyfriend and I."