July 29, 2008

Happy Place

One of my all time favorite movies. I love that it's just so easy for them to laugh with each other (and, often, at). Before Sunset is also phenomenal, but I guess I just prefer this one since they're closer to my age in the first film. I'm jaded, but I'm not that jaded. Yet.



July 28, 2008

This Made Me Laugh... Hard

I was reading one of my favorite blogs A Dress A Day and the first post was about skirts with pockets. The photo on the cover of an advert had a cute design, but the color was hideously ugly and Erin had this to say, which made me laugh for a good 10 minutes:

"I can't believe, though, that Indian Head cotton comes in 39 colors and BEIGE is the one they decided to feature. Beige. You know how they say the opposite of love is indifference? The opposite of color is not colorlessness, it's beige. I mean, I AM largely beige and I hate that color."

July 27, 2008

Happy Place

Whenever life gets bad or sour or stuck, I just need to go there. That happy place where I can be surrounded by the things and people that remind me what it's all FOR, what it's ABOUT. And mostly they just put a smile right on my face. Sometimes all you need is a little perspective, a little reminder :)


Irene Dunne was Cary Grant's favorite leading lady. He never publicized it - he didn't want any of the other actresses he worked with to feel inadequate (even though the notion that some of those women would feel inadequate is ridiculous) - but it was true. Irene Dunne was his favorite - he liked the way she smelled.
Cary Grant did not deal with "floozies", he never had good chemistry with those girls. He needed a Woman, a real Woman. Intelligent, savvy, sharp witted, and not afraid to cross swords with him. Irene Dunne was one of these women - one of the best. They were perfect sparring partners, and their ability to trade the upper hand mid-conversation only made their relationship more real and comedic.

I love this picture because he looks mad, really mad. If he'd been giving this look to anyone else, frankly I'd be a little concerned. But then I see her face, and I can just tell that he won't be able to stay mad for long.




I love her face here. It's at the end of The Awful Truth, when Cary Grant isn't sure what to do. They're minutes away from being "officially" divorced, and he's finally realized that he's still in love with her. They've both been up all night (in adjoining rooms at her parents' cabin) and the wind keeps blowing the door connecting them wide open. He goes into her room and starts messing with door, trying to figure out how to keep it shut... but he can't keep it shut unless he's on her side of the door, so he sort of scratches his head and looks over at her. She then pointedly glances to the corner of the room (where there is a chair that can easily be wedged under the doorknob, hence locking them in together...) and sort of gives him this face, like "uh, are you seriously still standing over there thinking about this??"

July 18, 2008

Have you seen more than me?

EW's classics
Below is the Entertainment Weekly's list of 100 Classic Movies of the past 25 years. Bold the ones you've seen, asterisk the ones you plan to, color red the ones you hate and refuse to watch ever again, color blue the ones you absolutely love.


1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
It's a guilty pleasure, it really is. What can I say? I root for Leo and Kate EVERY time. It's my crying movie (not that I really need any stimulation these days, let me tell you) - I'll throw it in (the VCR... I still need a DVD copy..) once every few years and just cry alone for HOURS. It feels great.
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998) So sad, but it's just a story you need to hear. Runs very close to some of the stories in the Band of Brothers series (also Tom Hanks and Spielberg produced, etc)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)* Woody Allen. Why haven't I seen this yet??
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)*
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
My almost unhealthy obsession with Baz Luhrmann began after this movie came out. People didn't like it... I don't know why. Whatever. All I know is that I'm going to be first in line the day "Australia" comes out.
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
I'm not sure why this movie is so appealing to me. I mean, it's actually quite violent. I think it's just the Tim Burton/Danny Elfman combo that makes magic consistently.
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)

18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006) Sexiest James Bond since Connery. Maybe even more so, in my opinion. There's something just a little to Schauvinistic about Connery. But, you know, that was then, this is now. And right now, Daniel Craig is HOT. Plus, his girls aren't the airheads of YesterBond. (We're going to tactfully IGNORE Dr. Christmas Jones... please.)
20. The Lion King (1994) Is this the ONLY Disney movie on here?? Seriously? There are a few Pixar films, but the only one they liked from Disney was the Lion King? Sad.
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)*
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)*
25. Shrek (2001)

26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989) I think I first saw this when I was.. gosh, probably before I can remember. But what I can remember is around 9, so lets go with that. It's in the early childhood Meg Ryan catalogue along with "Sleepless in Seattle" which I watched ENDLESSLY as a kid.
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Have you even read about Molly Ringwald's wardrobe during all of those films?? She got to go to vintage stores and pick out her own stuff! For movies! And does anyone ever hear the Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" on the radio without instantly recalling the saturday morning shenanigans of the Breakfast Club? Emilio Digestivez.
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
I do not own many animated features on DVD (unfortunately. but take my word - that will change... sometime) but I DO own The Incredibles. Why? Because it is SO FREAKIN FUNNY
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Did you doubt that Jim Carrey could do a serious film? Did you? Michael Gondry is a genius, that's all there is to it.
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
I'm not actually sure why I haven't watched this recently. I think it was the first "DVD" that my mom bought all of 9 years ago. Strange how quickly technology changes.
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." Uh. Do you need any other reasons to go watch this movie INSTANTLY?
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)*
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)

54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)*
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
It's a guilty pleasure, it really is. Same with Titanic.
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985) Nothing like Harrison Ford stuck in an Amish town with a hot girl and a killer to make a great movie night.
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)*
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
With gas prices where they are, you can forget about reliving this movie on your road trip... not that you'd really want to...well, except for the Brad Pitt part. Mmmm, cowboy hats...
73. Office Space (1999) Intense over-watching by close family and friends has made this hilarious classic into a painful experience for me. Unfortunately.
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985) LOVE LOVE LOVE. Even though it's 3 hours, I know. So what - it's MERYL.
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
I preferred Best in Show, but it's still very funny
80. Michael Clayton (2007)*
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
It's one of the few movies made in the grace period before Scarlett Johansson's sex-symbolism began. Also showed Sofia Coppola's genius.
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004) My parents watch this on the tv in our kitchen at LEAST once a week while they're cooking, etc. Oddly enough it never gets old. And that's saying something since it's been like FOUR YEARS. Do you know how many hours that is??
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)

86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)* It will happen. Soon.
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)

92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)*
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)


July 6, 2008

A Silly Meme

Five snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non weight-gaining world:

  1. The darkest, bitterest chocolate I can find
  2. Naan bread with hummus
  3. Cheese (tie between Gruyére and Jarlsberg) and crackers
  4. Chocolate silk pie with whip cream on top... and raspberries
  5. Macadamia nuts

Five snacks I enjoy in the real world:

Uh, see above. But I also eat these healthier things... sometimes.

  1. Any fruit with a disproportionately large seed (mango, apricot, peach, plum, cherry)
  2. Carrots or snap peas and hummus
  3. Tomatoes and balsamic vinegar
  4. Quaker rice cakes (cheddar cheese flavored)
  5. Spanish olives


Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:

  1. Have several nice homes including one in Huntington Beach, apartments in Paris and NYC, a house in the Italian countryside, and some sort of house in the Seychelles islands
  2. Pay off all of my student loans, and help my sister and friends pay off theirs
  3. Build an outdoor drive-in theater that only shows classic movies ONLY somewhere in Orange County; admission: free
  4. Contribute to the campaigns of the politicians who I feel would most benefit the welfare of my fellow citizens
  5. Invest in exciting stocks (something beyond the mutual funds that I have now)

Five (non-academic) jobs that I have had:

  1. Demon-children Babysitter (3 boys. Ages 1, 3, and 4. That's all I'm going to say.)
  2. Coldstone Creamery ice cream (and waffle cone) maker
  3. Cashier at Lucci's (and bakery girl)
  4. Shuttle Car Driver for the Pacific Symphony Summer Series
  5. Nanny

Five habits:

  1. Snoozing my alarm clock twice every day (after which, I usually turn it off in my sleep and am late to wherever I needed to be)
  2. Biting my nails (unless I've got nail polish on... right now they're red.)
  3. Reading in bed before sleeping no matter how late it is
  4. Going online to check my email and then not dragging myself away for hours
  5. Drinking coffee every day

Five places I have lived:

  1. Long Beach, California
  2. Carrollton, Texas
  3. Huntington Beach, California
  4. Irvine, California
  5. Hm. Well, I've also lived in apartments in those cities if that counts.

Five people I want to get to know better:

I think I'm supposed to tag people, but I don't know anyone! So...

  1. Neil Gaiman
  2. Michael Gondry
  3. Julie Delpy
  4. Etta James
  5. Can I do posthumous? If so, Kate Hepburn. Obviously.

Nice Work If You Can Get It

This is absolutely my favorite picture of Ella. I mean, look at her face - the way she's sitting! So cute! And not to mention the fact that she's wearing a hoodie (sort of). Can you say generation crossing?

But really it's the face... it just says so many things about her personality. She had a hard upbringing - she was literally homeless the year before her first big break - and she had to work her ass off to prove her worth at her first couple of jobs. But look at the face! She was full of so much pure joy. Just glad because she was alive and getting to sing and bringing others happiness.

I love the face.
It's saying "Yeah, I'm feeling kind of shy right now... but just you WAIT."