"Funny Games" is not so funny

"You must admit, you brought this on yourself."

I'll start off with Funny Games. I saw the movie - starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth - Sunday night at Alamo Drafthouse and loved it! The film is a shot-by-shot remake of the Austrian film by the same name and same director.
The film is, of course, not for entertainment. Two young men hold hostage a lovely little American family when they go off on vacation. What I loved most is Michael Haneke's own game of playing with the audience. The film is obviously not made for entertainment considering the plot and the violence; it is a message to movie-goers everywhere. And I completely agree and love it. I'm not sure if I could watch the film simply because it is quite disturbing but I am very interested in watching the 1997 Austrian version.
I read in an interview with Naomi Watts that Haneke encouraged the characters to have different physical and emotional actions because they are American in this 2008 version instead of Austrian. Naomi Watts also talked about the acceptance of the film and how one of the most intriguing aspects is Haneke's toying with the audience.
Personally, if Haneke didn't have the message to the audience I think the film would have been a waste of time. But it kept me entertained and shocked the entire time. I highly recommend it!

Have you seen the full-length trailer for Mamma Mia!? It's disappointing. I do enjoy some Abba songs (who doesn't?!) and I am in love with the loverly Meryl Streep, but those are my only motivations for planning on seeing the movie. It just seems... lame and cheesy. From the trailer it's too childish and playful, like the actors were running around the beach all day and THEN filmed without any care in the world. But, we'll see.

Look at the suckfest of movies coming out this weekend! Drillbit Taylor (I could stand you in The Darjeeling Limited, Owen, but I will not tolerate you here), Meet the Browns (it would take too long to complain about this one), Shutter (another scary movie with a pretty girl, pretty boy, and creepy Asian girl with a tongue problem - why?!), and La Misma Luna (this trailer looks SO. EFFING. CHEESY.). So, I won't be going to the movies this weekend! I hope you won't, too.

UT is having a screening of Juno on March 27! :)

Last comment: I Am Legend came out on DVD yesterday. Don't waste your time. I hate that movie with a fiery passion.

Tiff.. is this boring? I think this is boring, me blabbing about movies.

I'm BACK!

Watch out!

SO! I haven't posted in this thing in almost a year and Tiff brought it up that I should continue.. but now.. get ready.. it's a critic's blog! Me. Criticizing movies (as if you [all] haven't heard it before). I'm quite good at bitching in general, but I think I would receive an A+ in movie bitching. If there was a class where we just bitched about movies, I would achieve a 1o5.

So last year was 2007 and it was wonderful movie-watching experience.. I actually saw nearly every film I wanted to see and nearly every film nominated for an Oscar. That was my goal so I could rightfully judge the winners and nominees and I will say that I am extremely pleased with the result. And, as everyone knows, Marion Cotillard deserved the Oscar for Best Actress and she got it!

As for the year of 2008... does NOT look promising. Jesus, I hate the period after the Oscars because it's a crapfest of films! The other day I watched THREE - count 'em THREE - trailers that involve poker! Who the hell cares about poker?! One of which is the new film with I-no-longer-have-a-career Keven Spacey ("Don't call me dude") and I-look-pretty-but-not-that-pretty-and-can't-act Kate Bosworth called "21". And why, why Jim Sturgess, are you working in a male suit store and can do amazing math but cannot afford college? Ever heard of an INTERNSHIP?! I guarantee you there are businesses that need mathematicians like you!

I watched "The Hulk" trailer the other day and have to say I was very impressed. I'm not a Hulk fan and - like everyone else - couldn't stand the 10 minutes I saw of Ang Lee's remake of the film a few years ago. But I have to say, the trailer was good. And you can't go wrong with Edward Norton.

Harry Potter news! "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" will be split into TWO films. Screw that! WB just wants MONEY. I think it's a terrible idea. Yes, the book was long. Yes, all the books are long. Yes, they cut things out of the books repeatedly. BUT the movies are wonderful. Always enjoyable. I see them as their own art form; the books are different. Better and different. Half the time in Book 7, the trio is hopping around the countryside. And someone - I think David Heyman - said both films might be both 2.5 hours long. KILL ME. How can they do that?! I don't understand it. But we all know that I'm going to go see the movies at midnight and enjoy every second of it and see them both 24324.3423 times in theaters.

As for DVDs.. last week I bought "No Country For Old Men" and LOVED it all over again! I especially love the ending. So many people were pissed but I love it!! And I also rented, watched, and fell in love with "The Darjeeling Limited." I cannot wait to get my hands on that DVD! It's beautiful and hilarious and wonderful!

Okay, I'm off to see "Funny Games" soon! I shall update with my review another day/tonight!

In you, that journey is.

Today I cleaned a bit of my room (and by "a bit" I literally mean that - just picked up and folded some laundry that was bundled up in a chair). I then accompanied my family to Garden Ridge because my mama wanted some stands for her plants. Then we went to Red Robin and I had a very delicious BLT croissant sandwich! Mmm! And I also applied to Blockbuster - that DAMN application! Took so freakin' long, but I really hope I get hired because I think it will be an OK job. And movies, what better to surround myself with?!

Did I mention how good Disturbia was? Cara and I saw it the other day and I really did like it. I thought the beginning dragged on a bit, but I was never truly bored by the film and I really thought the performances were really good. Not fantastic, but I was really impressed by Shia because I really am not a fan. I really enjoyed it though! I nice little teenage flick that is actually good is a pleasant thing to encounter.

And good news! I called UNT on Friday and it turns out they sent my Official Transcript on Thursday! For once they actually did something correctly! I guess when you're trying to leave they really treat you right. Go figure!

And now I'm sitting here watching my beloved Angels in America. Tomorrow: visit my grandmama for her birfday, and apply to a few places (or maybe save that for Monday) and hopefully go to Main Event with Cara and some peeps! I will miss my Cara - she's leaving for "boot camp" on Tuesday and I won't see her until God knows when! But I'm sure she'll do well - tomorrow will be my last day to see her before she leaves. :( But if that doesn't go through, then I'll be watching my Desperate Housewives season finale! Hooray Housewives! It has, of course, lacked its greatness compared to first season, but Season Three has been much better than Two.

And now I leave you with words from my loverly Harper Pitt: "People are like planets; you need a thick skin. Joe stays away and now, well, look my dreams are talking back to me.."

Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Oh My!

Today I went to the zoo with Krysti, Andrew, Kayla, and Rachael and had a bunch of fun! We went to the park and had a little picnic in the wonderful shade and beautiful weather; it was extremely nice to relax with some nice food! And then we all went to the Houston Zoo and saw many many animals, my favorite being the giraffe. Very tall and so neat! With their long tongues and neat little fur pattern - I love 'em.

I also watched the season finales of The Office and Grey's Anatomy. LOVED The Office finale, but Grey's I am very mixed about - a lot of people to be pissed at for that one. But of course, the finale I'm most looking forward to is on Wednesday - LOST! Love love love that show and I really hope Locke is alive!

On another note, I'm still sick. :( Stupid cold - I keep getting a terrible headache that won't go away and gets worse when I stand up and I'm all stopped up and sniffly. Listen to me complain, it's just a cold! But it's even more annoying because medicine won't help. But I'm sure it will be in within a week.

And tomorrow I will be giving UNT Registrar's Office a call and see if they have [not] sent my Official Transcript to UT. I pray that they did, but it would not surprise me if they did not. Anyway, I must have faith!

Off to blow my nose and kiss my beautiful puppies goodnight!

4.0*

Being home is good. Today I took my pops to the airport at 9:00, then played with the puppies all day and did some shopping at American Eagle with mi hermano - a pair of shorts and a shirt! Mmhmm summer clothes! I meant to pick up an application but completely forgot. I also went to Barnes & Noble for a gift for my loverly Cara who is leaving in a week for boot camp! :( And Krysti and Forrester came over and we went to Bruster's for some yummy ice cream (Butterfinger Blast) and then watched some of the Planet Earth DVD's. And me, my mama, and Andrew tried making peach cobbler but it didn't really work out - and Jamie and Krysti popped by because they were bored, but all we did was sit around and talk about our not-so-well-planned vacation, but hopefully we'll muster something up (like camping, for example - picture).

I have a cold/am in the process of getting a worse cold. :( I've had a headache for the past two days and I've figured out it's because my head is as stuffed as a teddy bear. But it'll probably be gone within the week, so it's all good. Nyquil always helps!

Tomorrow I have an eye appointment as a check-up on my contacts, and then I've gots to go get my mama's car vacuumed out as part of our Mother's Day gift to her. And then I'll hopefully have time to pick up some applications, and then dinner with Cara, Ruth, and Sarah at 5:30 (Cheesecake Factory!) and Disturbia at 7:30... not exactly my first pick for a movie, but it's the only decent movie out at a decent hour after dinner. Zoo on Thursday! And a late picnic as well! Yeah, I'll be bankrupt by Friday.

*Sorry, I had to brag. Take that, UT! :D

Home Sweet Home

So, I am finally away from UNT, hopefully for good! My finals went well and I have already received my Journalism grade - hooray for A! Moving out was not as terrible as I thought it would or could be. My dad came up to help move me out and we then went to Plano for the night to visit my brother and my sister-in-law; nice and relaxing! And we drove home today and it was a pretty good ride - until, of course, the traffic in Conroe, but that is always expected.

And now I am home! With my loverly puppies and the pain of unpacking. And the anxiety of awaiting grades being posted! These are some of the most anxious days of my life!!!

I watched Little Children today as well. Did not like it. I thought the acting was good and I loved the direction from Todd Field, but I was extremely disappointed in the ending of the story. And I think it was just boring because I knew everything that occurred and it was a very slow, character-based movie, so I was not extremely interested while watching it. However, I do recommend the book by Tom Perrotta - extremely good, whereas the movie (in my humble opinion) was not; but it usually happens like that, doesnt it?

SNL Weekend Update just said some kid found spiders in his ears.. that is not cool. I need to buy earplugs.

I guess that is all! Now I can look forward to summer.. and not look forward to some things about summer. I shall go looking for a job tomorrow or Monday! :-S

Finals = Murder

I hate finals.. and as you can see, I use my time very wisely. :)