Made you look.
Dec. 9th, 2002 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raybearRemarkably, none of my dreams this weekend involved War of the Monsters, even though I spent much time playing the demo or watching others play. I'm sad the game won't be released until January. I'm having a very Veruca Salt "But I want it NOW, daddy" type reaction to this news.
I cooked a huge meal yesterday and was so overwhelmed by leftovers this morning that I brought no food for lunch, so I'll be going out. I suck like that sometimes. I also suck because I didn't do laundry or get scheduled phone calls completed to certain people (including Richard and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
geekgrrl47). Though I did attend two birthday celebrations and a going-away party, plus made a trip to the grocery store. And watched two movies: Judy Berlin and Vanilla Sky
First is Judy Berlin. This films is arty and pretentious and a little boring, but I still liked it. It was saved by a pleasant concept (taking place over one day in a small town in Long Island during a lunar eclipse) and fantastic performaces by the actors. This movie is Madeline Kahn's final film, which is the main reason I ever wanted to see it. She was this woman, this housewife who is completely needy and clingy and annoying in a strange flighty way, but makes her absolutely sympathetic, so that even though she'd drive me nuts as a wife or mother (as she does to people in the movie) I couldn't hate her. Performances like this make me happy. I like she was able to draw out this aspect of me, this ability to see someone's humantiy and look past any frustrations. I'd like to think this would help me feel this way towards a person in real life. Madeline is amazing.
Starring as Judy Berlin was Edie Falco, who may be my new favorite actor -- she's giving Julianne Moore a run for her money. This movie was made in 1998 and Edie is playing a twenty-seven year old woman and it worked. She's quite endearing as a sweetly optimistic hopeful actor (who initially seems naive). But the most surprising performance was by Ms. Barbara Barrie (who has been in numerous television shows and movies, but I'll always think of her as Aunt Margot in Double Trouble).
Sidestory: My family had cable since I was six -- we were one of the first people in the world to have HBO, or at least I believed as such. My brother and I watched the movie "Swamp Thing" a LOT that first summer. In the mid-80's I watched television all the time. This is probably not surprising given the amount of random trivia I have in my head. Anyway, my favorite sitcoms were ones that got cancelled then shown ad nauseum on USA network or Lifetime. These included Double Trouble, as well as Throb (a sitcom about a record label starring Jane Leeves, who will always be known as "Blue" to me rather than her Frasier character), ER (a sitcom starring Elliot Gould as the main doctor and George Clooney as the long-haired young sexy hearthrob intern -- a precursor to the 90's version), Easy Street (starring Loni Anderon and Dana Ivey (another favorite character actor of mine)), and Foley Square starring Margaret Colin and Hector Elizondo. I think during this time I was watching lots of My Sister Sam reruns. I'm pretty sure all of these show either aired '84-'85 or '85-'86 and most of them might have only lasted one season. I wish had them on tape.
But back to the movies I watched. Secondly was Vanilla Sky aka "Waking Life For Dummies". Oh my goodness, this movie was crap. Well-made pretty crap that wasn't too difficult to watch, of course. I hate hate hate hate movies that do complicated plot twists and explain them with "something went wrong but we fixed it." I'm pretty sure that line was a direct quote. (Okay, here come some spoilers.) I can't believe the movie did the whole "it's all a dream". What? And then tried to play that it was a complicated dream caused by your subconscious but that's really all we're going to say because we don't want to actual draw on any actual psychological principles or theories, oh no. Other problems with the movies: I hate Tom Cruise. And certain directors can make me hate him less, but not Cameron because they're all on each others dicks, to put it frankly. Tom is an eager-to-please over-actor who milks his tiny bit of charisma while playing the same note over and over and over and over and over. He's the guy at the party who's funny for ten minutes but then you want to leave the room and stand out of earshot for the rest of the evening because you're annoyed at him and embarassed on his behalf.
And Cameron. Oh, Cameron. You run so hot and cold with me. But let me praise you for one thing -- directing female leads. I couldn't help falling in love with Penelope Cruz anymore than I could help falling for Kate Hudson or even Renee Zellwiger in the twenty minutes before I shut off the tape because I couldn't stand to sit through Jerry Maguire anymore (I know this movie is a favorite to some people on this friends' list, but I'm sorry, it makes me jaw hurt from grinding my teeth in annoyance. I'm sure I've loved plenty of movies you hated, so let's not fight, okay?). But Cameron, just because you have a kick-ass music collection and I love all the songs you love, PLEASE stop putting them in your movies. Film score and soundtracks are an art, and we may say "this album is the soundtrack to my life" but really, we don't REALLY want to see a movie with the song playing because it ruins it. Ruins, I tell you. Movie should use lyric-less songs, or ironic placement of familiar songs, or songs we've never heard of, or song specially written for the movie, but not Jeff Buckley and not Joan Osborne and not John Coltrane at a party and not many others I can't remember. This is probably just me, and I own that.
And Cameron, it's not symbolism if you put it in every scene and then later tells us what it means. It's annoying and simplistic and insulting. And if I heard one more person use the phrases "sweet and sour" or "what makes you happy" I would have shot my television and then hunted you down and only Courtney Love could have pulled me off of you (cause, you know, she's on your dick too, but that actually makes me forgive you a little).
But Vanila Sky is lame. Oh so lame. And I must add one more thing, courtesy of MelRo. If it's supposed to a "lucid dream", shouldn't he know he's dreaming? That's the definition of lucid after all. You suck for not knowing that. Unless of course, that's part of the "something went wrong" you didn't bother to explain to us stupid movie viewers.
But I did get one good line out of the movie: "I'm sorry -- I blowing your mind." This was of course said quite earnestly.
Oh, and before I go, let me quote this reviewer from IMDB.com:
Most films are built on other films; some -- especially recently -- openly quote other films. Some of these are also in the category of films about constructed realities, and that's when things can get interesting: you go to a film to construct a reality for you, and the story is about constructing a reality. Often these fold with sophistication. But here they do this intrinsically intelligent thing in a fifth grade dumb way. Not Monet, but paint by the numbers.
The film is about fantasy love and deciding between lovers. Rather than quote `Jules and Jim' on this in a light way as anyone else would: Crowe puts a floor-to-ceiling poster in Cruise's bedroom, then when a voice (`tech support') explains that the constructed images were taken from movies, we see an actual clip. Those of us who Crowe targets would immediately recognize the quote of Bob Dylan's most famous album cover. But instead of quoting it like Greenaway would use a famous painting, we are walked through it with chalk.
Patronizing. Embarrassing. Discouraging. Does he think we all move lips when reading?
But you know, there were still a few clever lines and moments and pretty ideas. I just think the whole movie should be redone.
This morning someone mentioned the joy of a post-powerwalk cigarette, and I remember riding my bike all over campus as undergraduate. I would ride for a few minutes, then get off and smoke while walking the bike, then hop back on and continue on my journey. This perplexed many people. I would explain that 1) the bike was mostly for transportation purposes, not exercise, so techinically it's not stranger than smoking while walking since walking is a form of both exercise and transportation depending on what shoes you're wearing; and 2) better I bike and smoke than lay on my bed and smoke.
I cooked a huge meal yesterday and was so overwhelmed by leftovers this morning that I brought no food for lunch, so I'll be going out. I suck like that sometimes. I also suck because I didn't do laundry or get scheduled phone calls completed to certain people (including Richard and
geekgrrl47). Though I did attend two birthday celebrations and a going-away party, plus made a trip to the grocery store. And watched two movies: Judy Berlin and Vanilla SkyFirst is Judy Berlin. This films is arty and pretentious and a little boring, but I still liked it. It was saved by a pleasant concept (taking place over one day in a small town in Long Island during a lunar eclipse) and fantastic performaces by the actors. This movie is Madeline Kahn's final film, which is the main reason I ever wanted to see it. She was this woman, this housewife who is completely needy and clingy and annoying in a strange flighty way, but makes her absolutely sympathetic, so that even though she'd drive me nuts as a wife or mother (as she does to people in the movie) I couldn't hate her. Performances like this make me happy. I like she was able to draw out this aspect of me, this ability to see someone's humantiy and look past any frustrations. I'd like to think this would help me feel this way towards a person in real life. Madeline is amazing.
Starring as Judy Berlin was Edie Falco, who may be my new favorite actor -- she's giving Julianne Moore a run for her money. This movie was made in 1998 and Edie is playing a twenty-seven year old woman and it worked. She's quite endearing as a sweetly optimistic hopeful actor (who initially seems naive). But the most surprising performance was by Ms. Barbara Barrie (who has been in numerous television shows and movies, but I'll always think of her as Aunt Margot in Double Trouble).
Sidestory: My family had cable since I was six -- we were one of the first people in the world to have HBO, or at least I believed as such. My brother and I watched the movie "Swamp Thing" a LOT that first summer. In the mid-80's I watched television all the time. This is probably not surprising given the amount of random trivia I have in my head. Anyway, my favorite sitcoms were ones that got cancelled then shown ad nauseum on USA network or Lifetime. These included Double Trouble, as well as Throb (a sitcom about a record label starring Jane Leeves, who will always be known as "Blue" to me rather than her Frasier character), ER (a sitcom starring Elliot Gould as the main doctor and George Clooney as the long-haired young sexy hearthrob intern -- a precursor to the 90's version), Easy Street (starring Loni Anderon and Dana Ivey (another favorite character actor of mine)), and Foley Square starring Margaret Colin and Hector Elizondo. I think during this time I was watching lots of My Sister Sam reruns. I'm pretty sure all of these show either aired '84-'85 or '85-'86 and most of them might have only lasted one season. I wish had them on tape.
But back to the movies I watched. Secondly was Vanilla Sky aka "Waking Life For Dummies". Oh my goodness, this movie was crap. Well-made pretty crap that wasn't too difficult to watch, of course. I hate hate hate hate movies that do complicated plot twists and explain them with "something went wrong but we fixed it." I'm pretty sure that line was a direct quote. (Okay, here come some spoilers.) I can't believe the movie did the whole "it's all a dream". What? And then tried to play that it was a complicated dream caused by your subconscious but that's really all we're going to say because we don't want to actual draw on any actual psychological principles or theories, oh no. Other problems with the movies: I hate Tom Cruise. And certain directors can make me hate him less, but not Cameron because they're all on each others dicks, to put it frankly. Tom is an eager-to-please over-actor who milks his tiny bit of charisma while playing the same note over and over and over and over and over. He's the guy at the party who's funny for ten minutes but then you want to leave the room and stand out of earshot for the rest of the evening because you're annoyed at him and embarassed on his behalf.
And Cameron. Oh, Cameron. You run so hot and cold with me. But let me praise you for one thing -- directing female leads. I couldn't help falling in love with Penelope Cruz anymore than I could help falling for Kate Hudson or even Renee Zellwiger in the twenty minutes before I shut off the tape because I couldn't stand to sit through Jerry Maguire anymore (I know this movie is a favorite to some people on this friends' list, but I'm sorry, it makes me jaw hurt from grinding my teeth in annoyance. I'm sure I've loved plenty of movies you hated, so let's not fight, okay?). But Cameron, just because you have a kick-ass music collection and I love all the songs you love, PLEASE stop putting them in your movies. Film score and soundtracks are an art, and we may say "this album is the soundtrack to my life" but really, we don't REALLY want to see a movie with the song playing because it ruins it. Ruins, I tell you. Movie should use lyric-less songs, or ironic placement of familiar songs, or songs we've never heard of, or song specially written for the movie, but not Jeff Buckley and not Joan Osborne and not John Coltrane at a party and not many others I can't remember. This is probably just me, and I own that.
And Cameron, it's not symbolism if you put it in every scene and then later tells us what it means. It's annoying and simplistic and insulting. And if I heard one more person use the phrases "sweet and sour" or "what makes you happy" I would have shot my television and then hunted you down and only Courtney Love could have pulled me off of you (cause, you know, she's on your dick too, but that actually makes me forgive you a little).
But Vanila Sky is lame. Oh so lame. And I must add one more thing, courtesy of MelRo. If it's supposed to a "lucid dream", shouldn't he know he's dreaming? That's the definition of lucid after all. You suck for not knowing that. Unless of course, that's part of the "something went wrong" you didn't bother to explain to us stupid movie viewers.
But I did get one good line out of the movie: "I'm sorry -- I blowing your mind." This was of course said quite earnestly.
Oh, and before I go, let me quote this reviewer from IMDB.com:
Most films are built on other films; some -- especially recently -- openly quote other films. Some of these are also in the category of films about constructed realities, and that's when things can get interesting: you go to a film to construct a reality for you, and the story is about constructing a reality. Often these fold with sophistication. But here they do this intrinsically intelligent thing in a fifth grade dumb way. Not Monet, but paint by the numbers.
The film is about fantasy love and deciding between lovers. Rather than quote `Jules and Jim' on this in a light way as anyone else would: Crowe puts a floor-to-ceiling poster in Cruise's bedroom, then when a voice (`tech support') explains that the constructed images were taken from movies, we see an actual clip. Those of us who Crowe targets would immediately recognize the quote of Bob Dylan's most famous album cover. But instead of quoting it like Greenaway would use a famous painting, we are walked through it with chalk.
Patronizing. Embarrassing. Discouraging. Does he think we all move lips when reading?
But you know, there were still a few clever lines and moments and pretty ideas. I just think the whole movie should be redone.
This morning someone mentioned the joy of a post-powerwalk cigarette, and I remember riding my bike all over campus as undergraduate. I would ride for a few minutes, then get off and smoke while walking the bike, then hop back on and continue on my journey. This perplexed many people. I would explain that 1) the bike was mostly for transportation purposes, not exercise, so techinically it's not stranger than smoking while walking since walking is a form of both exercise and transportation depending on what shoes you're wearing; and 2) better I bike and smoke than lay on my bed and smoke.
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doctor can you give me something for the pain.
Date: 2002-12-09 09:34 am (UTC)conchita ferrell. elliot gould. OMG OMG> i heard you. you know i loved that shit.
foley's square. no. you. didn't.
days and nights of molly dodd?
dana ivey was the SHIT IN the harrison ford version of sabrina.q
Re: doctor can you give me something for the pain.
Date: 2002-12-09 09:51 am (UTC)i was also all about Thor on ER. and wasn't Lynne Moody in that show too?? from "that's my mama"?
why aren't all these shows out on DVD?
Re: doctor can you give me something for the pain.
Date: 2002-12-09 10:22 am (UTC)Bruce A. Young.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-09 11:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-12 09:17 am (UTC)Throb! Oh, god.. when Frasier came on, my mother and I both immediately sat up and screamed, "Blue!!!!!!" I loved that show.
Oh, I thought I was the only one to remember all these shows. I was letting my little one watch the Brothers Garcia the other day and suddenly I realized I was watching Paco and Maria from Nurses reunited.
I cheered.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-12 10:03 am (UTC)I'm so happy you remember Throb. Sometimes I wondered if I dreamed up these sitcoms.
Re:
Date: 2002-12-12 10:08 am (UTC)