Movies: September Edition!

Fall is here! *happy dance!!!* School is back in session and TV shows come back with some new ones along for the ride. Time for apple picking, warming stews, and pumpkins and their delicious flavors pop-up everywhere! Weather gets cooler, perfect for hoody-wearin' or snuggling up next to that special someone- if you have one that is... I don't, so maybe I'll snuggle up next to you :). 

More to the topic, there are a whole new variety of movies! As always, the three Ps are laid out and the links to trailers are connected to their respective titles.  Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you want to hit one with me :)

Machete (9/3)

The Plot: After being betrayed by the organization who hired him, an ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss. Based on the character from Rodriguez's previous Grindhouse; Planet Terror.

The Players: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Cheech Merin, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba,Jeff Fahey; directed by Robert Rodriguez
The Prospective: Mexploitation-licious! Looks to promise action, sex and blood; what's not entertaining about that?

The Tillman Story (9/3)???

The Plot: Doc on Pat Tillman, Pro football player Pat Tillman left the NFL to enlist in the U.S. Army after 9/11. Upon his death two years later, the U.S. military opted to reward him with the Purple Heart and other posthumous honors; meanwhile, his family set out to reveal the truth behind the events that claimed his life.

The Players: Pat Tillman, Richard Tillman...

The Prospective: Sad story of our government and military lying to us...again.  Still, the guy died fighting for us and thus this deserves to be seen.

The Romantics (9/10)

The Plot: Seven close friends reunite for a picture-perfect seaside wedding, though an old rivalry between the bride and her maid of honor resurfaces, jeopardizing the nuptials.

The Players: Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Malin Ackerman, Adam Brody, Elijah Wood, Candace Bergen, Dianna Agron; directed by Galt Niederhoffer (based on his novel).

The Prospective: Paquin, Wood, Bergen and Brody are enough to draw me in. The plot is almost coming-of-age for your quarter-life :)  Plus, listen to that quirky indie soundtrack :D

Never Let Me Go (9/15) [limited]

The Plot: Set in a dystopian Britain, boarding school friends Ruth, Kathy and Tommy, spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. As they grow into young adults, they find that they have to come to terms with the strength of the love they feel for each other, while preparing themselves for the haunting reality that awaits them. Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

The Players: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Kiera Knightly, Domhnall Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins; directed by Mark Romanek

The Prospective: By now we all know I have a fascination with dystopia stories. In this case, however, it's less sci-fi/fantasy futuristic, but instead more dramatic.Combine that with some superb performers and I'm in!

Alpha and Omega (9/17)

The Plot: Two young wolves at opposite ends of their pack's social order are thrown together into a foreign land and need each other to return home, but love complicates everything.

The Players: Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Dennis Hopper, Christine Lakin, ;directed by Anthony Bell & Ben Gluck.

The Prospective: I like wolveses a lot! :D

Easy A (9/17)

The Plot: As she studies The Scarlet Letter, high schooler Olive Pengerghast notices her parallels to the novel and begins to work the school's rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. take on Scarlett Letter.

The Players: Emma Stone (Zombieland), Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Malcom McDowell, Stanley Tucci; directed by Will Gluck.

The Prospective: It seems 10 Things I Hate About You x(Saved! + Juno)= This movie.  It's got a pretty decent cast, Stone was great in Zombieland and is a bit of a fox. And who can resist Stanley Tucci?  Plus, I LOL-ed at the banter; "There's a higher power that will judge you for your indecency." "Tom Cruise? D:"

 

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (9/17)

The Plot: Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by owls of St. Aggie's, ostensibly an orphanage, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's. The film is based on the first three books in the popular children's book series.

The Players: Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe), Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), David Wenham, Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill; directed by Zach Snyder(300, Watchmen, next year's Sucker Punch)!

The Prospective: I like owls and I like the voice talent they've cast. And who am I kidding, this totally appeals to my inner kid, so this might be worth a watch.:)

The Town (9/17)

The Plot: Career thief Doug MacRay considers deepening his relationship with Claire, a bank teller who was

traumatized by a recent heist -- and who has no idea that Doug was behind the crime. Meanwhile, an investigator who is close to unmasking Doug's secret life, wrestles with his feelings for Claire.

The Players: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, BLake Lively; directed by Ben Affleck.

The Prospective: I wasn't huge into Good Will Hunting or anything, but with John Hamm (Mad Men) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) I kinda want to see this one.

Buried (9/24)

The Plot: Paul is a U.S. contractor working in Iraq. After an attack, he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.

The Players: Ryan Reynolds; directed by Rodrigo Cortes

The Prospective: Ryan Reynolds is hot, we all know that.  More so I'm interested to see how a film that takes place almost completely in a, what 7x4x2(?) foot box is kept interesting? 

Howl (9/24)

The Plot: A drama centered on the obscenity trial Beat poet Allen Ginsberg faced after the publication of his poem, Howl.

The Players: James Franco, John Hamm, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn, Jeff Daniels; directed by Rob Epstein and Jerry Friedman.

The Prospective: The story behind one of the most well known poems in modern history.  The cinematography looks interesting. Also, I love me some James Franco :)

Other Comments

The Winning Season(9/3)- Sam Rockwell, that's really all I want here.

I'm Still Here (9/10)- Casey Affleck documents Joaquin Pheonix's turn from acclaimed actor to aspiring rapper. Am I the only one laughing at this probably train wreck?

Devil (9/17)- M. Night Shyamalan writes and produces but leaves the directing to John Erik Dowdle, the eye behind 2008's Quarantine (and interestingly enough, is a hometown boy). Still, I'm not much impressed with the premise, the give away title or Night's connection. I'll save this one for Netflix or a movie & booze night.
You Again (9/24)- Kristin Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Betty White, Odette Yustman star in this comedy about the respective feuds between the sister and mother of a groom and his bride and her aunt... I like Weaver and White, but I'm not sure I can sit through this.

Hunger Games The Movie

For those of you that work with me or have talked books with me at anytime recently, you know of my love of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. Many of you even love them right along with me. If you haven't given it a look, you should. It's a fantastic sci-fi/fantasy, dystopian future set teen series! Hey now, don't grumble at the teen part, there are some excellent works out there mixed in with the likes of the Clique series and vampire hysteria latch-on novels! Stephen King even gave it props. 

Naturally, with the success of Twilight and other teen books gone to film, the rights for Hunger Games were bought by Lionsgate in spring last year and now rumors of directors are floating around.  Thanks to my friend Steve who posted this to a friend on Facebook- although not to me >:( - , there are some high (and low) contenders in talks. Check it out here!

Of those three, I'm rooting for Slade or Mendes, in that order.  

Slade is awesome! I loved Hard Candy- which was essentially two actors and a house, but full of great tension & drama! Plus, he's done 30 Days of Night and now Eclipse, which means he's got the chops for some good action & gore/horror but knows what to expect in dealing with a teen-genre story. Additionally, he's directed videos for the likes of System of A Down, Stone Temple Pilots and Muse. He has a knack for dark material, such as The Hunger Games. I have not seen Eclipse (haven't found the time and booze enough yet), but as for the others, he's done solid work. Plus, he's a Brit, and that will nearly always score a point with me.
 
Now on to Mr. Mendes (also a Brit). Almost all his previous films have started as books, so he has that experience going for him. What I have seen of his work has been pretty solid and beautiful material as well.  Away We Go was great! And while Revolutionary Road's story left me wanting to slit my wrists after leaving the theater, my understanding of the book from others tells me he captured it's feel perfectly and there's no denying is was a good film.  And we've all seen American Beauty. Unfortunately I have yet to see Road to Perdition or Jarhead, which would give me an idea of how he handles action/violence, but they're in my Netflix queue!

Ross has not done a whole lot directorially (2 done (Seabiscuit and Pleasantville), 1 in production and 1 just announced according to IMDb). He's more a producer and even that list doesn't seem to lend much experience to a project like this. Of what he's directed, none have the action and spectacle that, in my opinion, this series would require. Also, all his directed films have been period pieces, none present or future set (well Pleasantville was partially present, but that was back in 1998).

So this is my petition to the Universe/Powers-That-Be/what have you; Slade for Director (at least of those mentioned)!  Mendes is an very acceptable 2nd.  If Ross gets it, my expectations for a decent film translation drop exponentially.

Movies: July/August Edition!

JULY

Despicable Me (7/9)

The Plot:  The usually deplorable Gru is forced to rethink his plan to steal the moon when a trio of orphaned girls enter his life (animated).

The Players:  (voices) Steve Carell, Jason Segal, Ken Jeong, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews

The Prospective:  It had me at, "IT'S SO FUZZY!!!" :) 

Predators (7/9)

The Plot:  Another addition to the Predators series, this time around a group of elite warriors are hunted by the merciless alien race.

The Players:  Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace

The Prospective: The Predator series is one of that I have yet to view, but with Messrs Brody and Fishburne in tow and the likelihood of seeing Topher Grace bite it, I'm in for the ride.

Inception (7/16)

The Plot: All I can tell from the trailer is it's another Nolan mind trip dealing with manipulating other peoples' dreams. 

The Players:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Lukas Haas

The Prospective: This. Looks. AWESOME.  Now that I've seen it, I can say for sure that it absolutely freakin is!  5 STARS! I would gladly pay $10 to see it again!

Get Low (7/30)

The Plot: In 1930s Tennessee, backwoods hermit Felix Bush (Duvall) enlists the aid of Frank Quinn (Murray) in his decision to throw a party for his own funeral --while he's still alive.

The Players:  Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, Lukas Black

The Prospective: It's an interesting idea and there's no question on the talent involved.

Dinner For Schmucks (7/30)

The Plot: A rising executive (Rudd) gets in over his head when he must find a guest for his boss's monthly event, a "dinner for idiots" which offers major advantages to the exec who shows with the biggest moron. 

The Players:  Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis, Ron Livingston, Jermaine Clement, Bruce Greenwood

The Prospective:  I find it very hard to resist Paul Rudd, Ron Linvingston, Steve Carrell and Zach Galifianakis individually, put them together and I'm a goner. 

The Extra Man (7/30 [limited])
The Plot: A man who escorts wealthy widows in New York's Upper East Side takes a young aspiring playwright under his wing.
The Players: Kevin Kline, Paul Dano, John C. Reilly, Kaitie Holmes
The Prospective: Kevin Kline is amazing.

AUGUST 
Eat Pray Love (8/13) 
The Plot: Based on the biography by Elizabeth Gilbert about her trips to Italy, India and Bali to rediscover herself after a painful divorce.
The Players: Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, James Franco, Billy Crudup, Richard Jenkins
The Prospective:  Might as well check it out. I always kinda meant to read the book.  I do like me some James Franco. I also really love the song in the trailer :) (Lame as that is for a reason to see a movie.)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (8/13)
The Plot: Scott, an average dude in a band, falls for the new girl in town, Ramona Flowers, but in order to win her heart, he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends.  Based on the manga series.
The Players: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman, Anna Kendrick
The Prospective: I may not be a fan of Cera, but this looks so fantastic!  Video game meets comic books meets awesome.  Plus, I can't explain it, but Jason Schwartzman is bizarrely appealing.

The Expendables (8/13)
The Plot: A team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator... cuz that's new.
The Players: Sylvester Stallone (who also directs and co-wrote the screenplay), Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Steve Austen, Eric Roberts, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger,
The Prospective: I'm sorry, I'm laughing too hard at the cheesefest this is bound to be!

Tales From Earthsea (8/13)
The Plot: Based on the fantasy novels by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Players: The voice talents of Willem Dafoe, Mariska Hargitay and Timothy Dalton.
The Prospective: Goro Miyazaki brings the Le Guin novels to stunning anime.

Vampires Suck (8/18)
The Plot: A spoof on Twilight and other such recent teen dribble.
The Players: Ken Jeong and Diedrich Bader were the only two I recognized.
The Prospective: I don't typically enjoy recent spoofs, but this one I will make an acception for >:)

The Switch (8/20)
The Plot: An unmarried 40-year-old woman (Aniston) turns to a turkey baster in order to become pregnant.  Her best friend (Bateman) gets drunk at the impregnation party and accidentally spills her donated seed down the drain and replaces it with his own...and then blacks out.  Seven years later she returns with her little boy who seems to share many personality traits with her dear old friend.
The Players: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Jeff Goldblum, Juliette Lewis, Patrick Wilson
The Prospective: I love me some Jason Bateman, and hopefully enough that I might be able to ignore Aniston's involvement. Plus, Jeff Goldblum! :D

Going The Distance (8/27)
The Plot: A rom-com about the trials of long distance relationships.
The Players: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston, Jim Gaffigan.
The Prospective: Looks pretty damn funny, but could be another sucky rom-com.  I do enjoy Barrymore and Long respectively.

Centurion (8/27)
The Plot: Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) directs this period film.  After the Roman Ninth Legion is attacked by the Picts -Celtic tribesmen who serve as some of the Roman Empire's toughest opposition- a band of soldiers who survived the brutal massacre try to make their way back across enemy lines.
The Players: Dominic West, Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Olga Kurylenko, Dave Legeno (HP and the Half-Blood Prince), 
The Prospective: First of all, I'm a fan of Marshall.  He's become something of a master of genre filmmaking and is notorious for being about to squeeze riches out of lo budgets. Second, it's Dominic West and the Brit from Inglourious Basterds! HOT!

Other Comments:

Twilight Saga: Eclipse (7/2)- Let the horrid, masochistic hilarity continue!

Ramona And Beezus (7/23)-  Nostalgia calls me to this one based on the Beverly Cleary books of my youth.
Salt (7/23) -Really Liev Schreiber? This?  Really brotha, c'mon, you're better than this.
Step Up 3D (8/6) - Why?! I'm blaming Kent for this one.

The Panty Puzzle

Today I decided it was time to do some laundry. Woot. After sorting through the pile on my bedroom floor (yes, floor, there's not a lot of room for one of those handy bin organizer thingys OK) I realized I had enough to do an entire load of just underwear and put them on the "Delicate" cycle. YAY! Usually, I just have to suck it up and put my bloomers in a garment bag and toss them in with other clothing items on a regular cycle, so yes, I was excited that I would got to treat my delicates more, well, delicately.

After they were done washing, I pulled out the ol' drying rack and started laying my lady garments out. This is when I began to notice just how many bum huggers I have. Of that laundry load alone I had 34 pairs of undies! And while it is looking more sparse than usual, my delicates drawer is by no means empty. After all was laid out, my curiosity took over and I had to go count the rest...


74 total!!! I own 74 bikini, hipster, thong, and boyshort styles of knickers! Plus 10 bras and 3 sports-bras*!

So now I wonder if this is average? I mean, how many happy pants does the typical lady own? This isn't exactly standard conversation material, you know, they're "unmentionables"**. 74 seems like a lot, yes, but then what would a standard number be? I mean, they all fit nicely in one dresser drawer, so it's not an obscene number of beaver covers... right?

What if I have a pretty panty purchasing problem?! I almost always peruse the Intimates section of any clothing store I go to, looking for something fun or sexy...

Well, on the bright side, I could go two months without wearing the same nether garments twice :)


*I count sports bras separately because they are not real bras; they don't lift and separate, they don't make me feel pretty and they sure as hell aren't pretty themselves not matter what color you make 'em in. Besides, as I've often said, I do not possess the running/jumping/climbing trees variety of breasts, so in my mind "sports" and "bra" just don't mesh.

**Yes, I do love the palpable irony of referring to them as "unmentionables" whilst writing an entire blog entry about them. HA!

Movies: The May Edition! (and with a bit of April thrown in too)

The movies that have caught my attention and interest for the coming month. Also, I'm trying a new writing layout here, so let me know what you think.

APRIL

Clash Of The Titans (4/2)

The Plot: We all know the story here right? Well, just to cover my bases; this remake of a 1981 cult fantasy flick tells the story of Perseus, a demi god raised raised as a man, who sets off on an epic mission to get stop Hades from overthrowing Zeus and unleashing hell on earth. Fun.

The Players: Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation, Avatar) is our young hero; Liam Neeson as Zeus; Ralph Fiennes as Hades, Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace) portrays Io, + Jason Flemyng (Snatch, The Red Violin), Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), Hans Matheson (Sherlock Holmes), and Nicholas Hoult (Skins).

The Prospective: I've already seen this one. It was OK, hot guys fighting mythical beasts and what not, but nothing to write home about. I mean, the actors did alright, but didn't even seem to drop their natural accents; some of the effects and dialogue were a bit weak and there was a throw-back to the original so obvious I even got it (I have not seen the 1981 flick). Ralph Fiennes portrayal of Hades likened to Voldemort in a couple ways -more than just the obvious they're-both-bad-guys that is. I think the best part of this movie for me, besides the hotties, was looking at all the actors and trying to figure where I've seen them before (like the irony of Polly walker portraying a Greek after starring in the series Rome). Oh, quick back to the hotties, Sam is fabulous and I've always loved Liam, but Gemma is definitely a chic to watch, talent and grrrowl factor with that sultry but wise sounding voice.

The Losers (4/23)

The Plot: Based on the re-imagined comic series put out by Vertigo in 2004 (the original was released by DC in 1970). The story centers on the members of an elite U.S. Special Forces unit sent into the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission. The team -Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar- find themselves the target of a lethal betrayal instigated from inside by a powerful enemy known only as "Max". Presumed dead, the group makes plans to even the score when they're joined by the mysterious Aisha, a beautiful operative with her own agenda. Working together, they must remain deep undercover while tracking the heavily-guarded "Max", a ruthless man bent on embroiling the world in a new high-tech global war.

The Players: Jeffery Dean Morgan (Watchmen) as Clay, Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Avatar) as Aisha, Chris Evans (Fantastic Four)as Jensen, + Idris Elba , Columbus Short , Oscar Jaenada.

The Prospective: Look at that frickin' trailer and tell me it doesn't look bad ass! Plus, Zoe Saldana is very likely my newest chic-crush, grrrowl!


MAY

Iron Man 2 (5/7)

The Plot: Jon Favreau returns to the directors chair to helm to sequel to his 2008 comic-to-the-screen awesome-fest, Iron Man. Having shown the world his dual identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark comes under the fire of the press, the public and the government to share his technology with the U.S. military. But there is an even greater foe lurking: Ivan Vanko creates an equally powerful alternate persona known as Whiplash to exact his revenge on the Stark family.

The Players: Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow return; Don Cheadle takes over the role of Jim 'Rhodey' Rhodes, + Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, and Sam Rockwell.

The Prospective: Say it with me now: FUCK YEAH!!! I ♥ RDJ! I don't want to jinx it, but this one may, MAY, be one of the rare exceptions to the rule that the sequel sucks ass.

Babies (5/7)

The Plot: A documentary capturing a year in the lives of four babies from around the world; from Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco to Tokyo.

The Players: Babies portraying themselves, namely Bayar, Hattie, Mari, and Ponijao

The Prospective: Despite myself I totally want to see this! Sure, this looks like it could be an interesting look at the similarities and differences in child development across cultural lines. At least that's how I'll validate it. Honestly though, when I saw the first teaser for this, there was a part of me that just squeed, "OMG! They look so adorable!" Friggin' biological clock.

Robin Hood (5/14)

The Plot: Ridley Scott directs this adaptation of the mythos of the legendary English archer of justice.

The Players: Russell Crowe as our title dude (he's hit up just about every era now hasn't he?), Cate Blanchett as Marion, William Hurt, Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice, Death At A Funeral - the original!), plus Max von Sydow, Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Danny Huston (John Adams), Kevin Durand (LOST), and Scott Grimes (Band of Brothers, Mystery, Alaska).

The Prospective: Ridley Scott is undeniably awesome. Top that with some Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett and I'm all over it like ice cream on pie.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (5/28)

The Plot: Based on a video game, the story follows adventurous Prince Dastan who teams up with a mysterious princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing the Sands of Time, which could destroy the world.

The Players: Jake Gyllenhaal is our prince, Gemma Arterton (Clash Of The Titans) is the princess with the sultry voice, Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina.

The Prospective: Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) directs this game brought to the screen, with Jerry Bruckheimer teaming again with Disney to produce. So it will be like Pirates of the Caribbean, but in the dessert...and with some magic...and a hotter heroine.

Micmacs (5/28)

The Plot: A man and his eccentric friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers.

The Players: Dany Boon (Joyeux Noel) and a slew of other French actors neither you nor I know.

The Prospective: Written and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the writer and director of Amelie, it looks hilarious and quirky.


Other Comments

The Human Centipede - That. Is so fucking jacked up. A whole new meaning to the phrase "ass to mouth".
Letters to Juliet - Vanessa Redgrave is great, but this kinda makes me want to vomit.
Shrek Forever After - They're still milkin' that green cow?
Sex in the City 2 - Didn't watch the show. Didn't see the first one. Why should I see this one? Honestly, I'll take arguments if you got 'em.

Fogo de WOW

The other night (March 12 to be specific) I had my first experience dining at Fogo de Chão, an "authentic Brazilian steak house." I'd heard about this place from a few friends, including the three that invited me, and let me tell you, I was more excited than a virgin on her wedding night. Vegetarians beware: this joint is meat paradise...NOM! Honestly, I have never been so happy to be part carnivore.

Do I smell Fogo in there?

The drinks were very well mixed and did not go light on the liquor, always a plus; I had a whiskey sour (my usual) and their feature drink, the Caipirinha (tasty!). To start the meal, we headed to the nice salad bar they have that features imported cheeses, cured meats, artisan breads and other tasty things like artichoke bottoms and jumbo asparagus - I didn't know it came in "jumbo" size - delicious! And the 24 month aged Parmesan was a-mmm-azing. Then came the main event; they offer 15 different cuts of meat. FIFTEEN! I don't think I got to try all of them, but what I did try was exquisite. And they are all served fresh off the spit, by trained gauchos dressed in a gaucho inspired uniform (boots and puffy pants!). At one point I thought, "Guys in uniform with hot accents eagerly hurrying to your table to serve you drinks, food and hot meat off a spit? A lady could very easily get spoiled here." I ended my mouth-gasm of a meal with their key lime pie. Now, I dig lime and you all know my love of pie, so key lime pie is in pretty good with me. This key lime pie though... I think that must be what Adonis' cum tastes like. That pie would be on my last meal menu, no question.

I definitely want to go back within the year. I also suggest that if you get the opportunity to go, take it! I warn you though, it's pricey - including tip I laid down $100 - but sooo worth it. I understand that they do the same thing for lunch, which is not doubt cheaper than the dinner price I paid, so that may be a better option for me (or you) next time around.

A Reflection on a Film (and maybe myself a bit as well)

I had not seen a movie yet this year until tonight.

I have this cheap little, light-weight, brushed silver "business card holder" that I picked up at Target on clearance for a dollar or two. I use it to keep all of my movie stubs in for a year. Yes, a full year. Once a year is over I don't empty the contents until after the first film I see in the new year. Today is March 10, 2010 (or 11th if you want to get technical about the time)and I finally opened the tin and emptied my 2009 movie stubs.

I like to keep my movie ticket stubs, well all ticket stubs really. Part of it is because it's a way of holding onto that memory -sometimes I think I have a shite sense of memory -a way rekindling the sparks to that time and place and event. Also, as a self-proclaimed movie geek, I feel as though they are badges of honor and accomplishment on my geek sash. You don't just trash your badges.

I had heard of The Hurt Locker, but had not seen any great deal of promotion about it; had heard there were some good reviews and, of course the Oscar buzz and then nominations and still new little on what the film itself was about other than it was a military/ war film. Then I actually watched the Oscars. After seeing the few clips played for it's nominated categories and after it took the two biggies (Director and Film) I knew I wanted to see this movie. For the record, I have not yet seen Slumdog Millionaire, No Country For Old Men, The Departed, nor Crash and I refuse to see Million Dollar Baby on my staunch ground that Hilary Swank is a horse-faced hack of an actress. This means that the last Best Picture winning film I saw was 2003's Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King. I have the feeling that even if I do see the aforelisted films, I will still believe that none of them deserved that award as much as the one I saw tonight did.

The story revolves around the three members of an elite Army bomb squad and their remaining 38 days of duty operating in Iraq. Heavy shit. The camera shots were sometimes shaky, quick moving or shifted focus to give that point-of-view, right-in-the-mix-of-it feeling, at other times direct and poignant and over all very well executed and edited. The plot was well timed and had an definite flow but safely avoided the pitfall of being too predictable as some war films can. Powerfully intense and raw in a way I have not seen before. Just the right amount of light moments so as not to inundate the audience too. I do wholly appreciate the historical weight if Bigelow's directorial win - one more for the ladies - but seriously, if you see this film you will know that it is so beyond that. The entire cast and crew deserved every statue they got the night of March 7, 2010. I have not seen Crazy Heart and thus cannot completely judge; I do enjoy Jeff Bridges and can agree with the popular critical/politic thought that "this was his time"; but Jeremy Renner deserved that fucking nom, if not the statue. Phenomenal, solid performance. I hope to see more from him.

I have experienced cathartic moments before from many films, be those feelings giddiness, sadness, anger or passion. I cannot recall walking out of a theater feeling quite the way I imagine the actors [and the real persons their characters were based on] felt in the situations in the film. A bomb detonates and sends its surroundings into temporary chaos; even after the rubble and dust settle, the core of you is still shaken, permanently changed, by what you've witnessed.

The Hurt Locker is already available of DVD and Blu-ray. It was playing at the cheap theater in Hopkins ($3) and seeing it tonight weighed on my night class letting out early. Class let out early. I went alone. Being a cheap theater, my first ticket stub of the year is nothing but receipt paper. If that is the only stub to be in that case for the rest of the year, I would be perfectly alright with that. Netflix it, buy it, borrow it, whatever, I highly suggest you see this film.