two small side notes

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!! Hope it's a happy, healthy and economically recovered 2010 for us all!

And second, I realize that I sound a bit like an airhead in some of my posts, but I hope most people remember I'm just rambling my thoughts here and that I am capable of constructing proper sentences. I promise I'm well educated.
I mean, like, duh! :)

Movie Update

So over the last week or so, I saw SHERLOCK HOLMES (really enjoyed!), YOUNG VICTORIA (um, beautiful and well-acted but hello- can we allow the threads of conflict to actually GO somewhere?!), BROKEN EMBRACES (i don't pretend to understand Almodovar's subtle messages at all, but it was pretty and well-acted), THE LAST STATION (loved it, surprisingly!), THE WHITE RIBBON (could Haneke please film an ending to one of his movies), and IT'S COMPLICATED (good, not great).

But what i'm really here to discuss is why on God's green Earth is INVICTUS getting so many people kissing its butt and putting it on all these top 10 lists? I mean, come on- Clint Eastwood is NOT a movie-making god. He's made some boring movies - hello, Gran Torino was one of the worst screenplays I've seen in awhile and most of it was poorly acted, in my opinion. CHANGELING was interesting but DEFINITELY flawed. And I'm sorry, but INVICTUS is a snore-fest of the highest order. If it gets nominated for an academy award in place of another movie that deserves the spot, I will be seriously peeved. UGH! I'm really over it. AND btw, I love Matt Damon as people are well aware, but he doesn't deserve a supporting actor nomination for this one at all. Not one bit. Sorry Matteo.

Holiday Movie Picks!

I've seen most of the holiday movies, save IT'S COMPLICATED, PRINCESS AND THE FROG and SHERLOCK HOLMES (and I've heard the first two are great and Sherlock is just an action movie). So here's my very brief - what to see and what to avoid - report.

MUST SEE:
AVATAR - I personally fell in love with this movie and I think it's quite an achievement in filmmaking. It looks AMAZING... and the 3D really makes the images richer and gives you more texture to the film. Whether or not you can empathize with the blue people is really going to be what makes this a movie you like or you love... I bought in. Wholeheartedly.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX - another great achievement in filmmaking, this time in stop-motion animation. It's clever, fun and something you can enjoy even if you aren't a Wes Anderson fan.

UP IN THE AIR - one of the year's best movies. Funny, poignant, and very touching. George Clooney manages to do a bit more onscreen than he normally does, but his performance doesn't quite lose the Clooney image. Anna Kendrick is a revelation, especially in one scene when she bursts into tears like any high-strung 22 year-old would. Loved that moment.

THE BLIND SIDE - I was very surprised this movie wasn't a total manipulative tear-jerker, but instead it's a really wonderful story and Sandra Bullock does pull off quite a character. I really bought into her performance and am glad she's getting recognized for it.

PRECIOUS - it's heartbreaking but it's a great film and a reminder for everyone who has had loving people in their life to give them big thanks, hugs and kisses this year at the holidays.

THE HURT LOCKER - It's still playing in some specialty theaters and this intense, on-the-edge-of-your-seat film about a bomb diffuser in Iraq is a must-see this year. It's not my favorite film of the year, but it's intense, it's emotionally engaging and it feels very honest about life for these guys.

AN EDUCATION - This is a very good film, though I was not as struck by it as many of my colleagues were. I think it's an interesting story and certainly well-acted, but it's third act was greatly lacking for me. Carey Mulligan's getting a lot of heat off of her performance, and it's true- she was stellar. So if you're an awards season junkie, you should definitely get to this one.

From what I've heard, also check out: THE YOUNG VICTORIA (which I plan to see this week), THE WHITE RIBBON, CRAZY HEART (if you are a Jeff Bridges fan) and THE MESSENGER (which by all accounts is fantastic!!)

WHAT TO AVOID:
INVICTUS - truly one of the most boring movies I've seen in a long time... even my sweetheart Matt Damon couldn't salvage this snooze-fest.

NINE - another snooze-fest. I couldn't believe they managed to make a big musical film THIS boring. I just didn't care about a single character or performance and turned it off about an hour and fifteen minutes in.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? - I hope I don't have to explain why this is terrible.

THE LOVELY BONES - Unfortunately, they missed the boat on this adaptation. I loved the book and therefore I think I was able to appreciate some moments of this film, but the story was a mess. Even chronologically certain things didn't make sense and though Sairose Ronan's (sp?) a great actress (with an amazing voice for voice-over work), it just misses the mark.

BROTHERS - Don't go see this watered down and sometimes forced remake of Suzanne Bier's amazing Danish film. (I think it's Danish...) Instead, get on Netflix and rent the original - it's far superior and one of my favorite movies.

MIXED EMOTIONS:
THE ROAD (playing in a few specialty theaters still and soon to be on DVD)- it's a film that is certainly committed to its dark vision and is a relatively faithful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's portrait of a father trying to get save his son's life after the apocalypse, but it's also relentless and difficult to get through. I thought Viggo Mortensen is fabulous and there is something beautiful about the movie, but I also found myself fast-forwarding through a fair bit of it b/c I couldn't handle it.

Happy Holidays!

So I've totally neglected the blog, I know, but it's been a busy winter and I've been feeling kind of "eh" about what I've got to share.

But I hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday with their families this year!! I'll be here in Cali for the first time ever for the whole break since Chris' new job means no vacation this year. So I am definitely jealous of all the snow the East Coast is getting right now and hoping that it gets cooler again for Xmas.

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, back to work he goes!

A friend reminded me that I haven't done a post dedicated to Chris' new job yet! First off, Yay Chris!! Congrats to my fabulous hubby for finding a great job in this crappy market within three months. woohoo!!

So as most of you remember, Chris was working in the Hilton Honors marketing department for Hilton corporate, which oversees all the brands. NOW, Chris will be doing something similar but at one specific Hilton property - the LAX Embassy Suites. His official title is E-Commerce Marketing Manager, so as you can guess by the title, his focus will be on all internet marketing and online partnerships for the hotel. So far he's enjoying the new job (this is week 2), though he has to wear a suit everyday. (Boo!) One of the great things about the job is that the hotel ownership group (Sunstone Hotels) has a number of hotels in SoCal, so this may turn into something of a regional position as well.

As much as I am sad to lose a house-husband and to go back to helping out with household chores, I'm thrilled Chris has found something that he's enjoying!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

So I'm doing a separate post to review this movie b/c ever since I saw it on Saturday, I've been thinking a lot about it, about childhood, about movies and about entertainment value.

Let me begin by giving you my immediate thoughts in reaction to seeing the film, which were "boring, bloated and depressing... though it looks great." The movie is only an hour and a half (approx) but it feels MUCH longer. The time issue stems from the storyline, which never feels like it has momentum, especially while Max is on his adventure with the Wild Things. I kept thinking, "Is this the moment it turns?" Or, "Is this when we get an idea of what's coming?" While being surprised in a film is a good thing, and I'd never say I want to always know the direction a story is taking, you do want to get a feel of pacing and direction as you are watching a story develop. But here, because the film is an exercise in understanding a child's complex emotions and inner life, there is little to no plot. [SPOILER ALERT] What IS clear, is that things are going to go well in this new civilization that Max has become King of for awhile, and then things will go badly, and then hopefully they'll get better again... And that is sort of what happens, except for the last turn towards happiness. Max leaves the Wild Things virtually as miserable as when he found them. Is the lesson that we cannot fix anyone else, but just ourselves? Or that it's not our job to go into someone else's life and fix their problems? Or is this simply a more realistic vision of how deep-seeded emotional problems in groups and communities never really change. Because, in truth, the latter is what I took away at the end of his journey, and that is freaking depressing. At least when Max goes back to his mother, they share a heartfelt moment, during which we assume Max does understand that his mother loves him and that he doesn't need to be so angry all the time.... though you leave the theater knowing that the anger under the surface will surely bubble to the top again unless he goes to see a therapist to talk it out.

However, when I saw the movie, I was in awe at how

beautiful it looked - both the surroundings and the creatures. Plus, the child playing Max was incredible and his acting so naturalistic, that I understand why the head of Warner Bros production has been quoted as finding the a movie disturbingly realistic portrait of childhood angst. So overall, I didn't think it was a "bad" film, I just thought it was an expensive, adult movie that wasn't very enjoyable to watch.

So those were my initial thoughts... and as I kept thinking back on the movie and reading some more interviews and reviews, I came across one person's interpretation that the movie is divisive because it's very "personal" and "intimate", which I think is very accurate. The movie really deals with the unseen and often unreported disillusionment and frustration and rage that exists in adolescents. Hurt feelings and rage at the unfairness of life is such a part of growing up. And Max embodies all of those difficult emotions in his character, and in fact, he seems to be experiencing them simultaneously during the first act climax, when he runs away and heads off on his adventure. I've been there. I've felt those things. I've been scared and angry and confused and totally out of control. And I would wager that most adolescents have too... that's why the movie is interesting, but not entertaining. While I don't believe every movie should be all popcorn and mindless entertainment, I think part of a film's purpose is to entertain. And sometimes tear jerkers can be enjoyable b/c they are cathartic. And other movies deal with difficult material because you want to experience something out of your own reality and be touched by it. In the case of this movie specifically, I don't think it succeeds because it highlights all of this child's emotions without working through them to a satisfying ending. I guess we're supposed to be happy at the end when Max leaves and comes home to his mom, having dealt with his feelings with the Wild Things... but the truth is, he hasn't! At least, I didn't think he did. So in the end, I sat through this boring adventure to wind up with a hero that didn't make things better for his new friends, hasn't truly worked out his own issues, and simply gets a hug from his mom and some soup to make it better. Is that a more "realistic" ending? Sure. Is it satisfying? Nope.

So I'm sorry Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers - you're very smart and very talented, but sometimes that's not enough.

Recap

It's been a REALLY long time since I blogged, so I thought I'd do some fun recapping:

First Anniversary:

Chris and I took a long weekend and drove up to San Francisco, by way of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

As many of you know, Chris was laid off at the end of July, so he had some time on his hands over the summer and earlier this fall. He went to Legoland with his niece and nephew, and he spent some time in

North Carolina with his brother's family out there. PLUS he did some great cooking for me- here are some of my favorites from the summer. (However, he's now working again! YAY!)

In other fun news, I got two tickets to see "Star Wars: In Concert!" for my 29th Birthday. It's something I saw advertised at Comic-con and was SUPER excited to go to. So, thanks for the tickets Mara! At the Nokia Theater, they also had some props and costumes from the movies, which I took a few photos of. Nerd alert!!

So what'd you do this weekend?

Me, oh not much. Saw THE INFORMANT (eh- not bad, not great. interesting story though), hung out with the Danisons & the nieces and nephews on Saturday, then at night went over to Lindsay and Fernando's house...AND RAN INTO A SCREEN DOOR. Yup, I ran full force into a screen door that I didn't realize was open. Let me tell you, not a pleasant experience. For one thing, it's pretty damn jarring and I seriously wounded myself in a few areas. The other obvious side effect is embarrassment, especially when the force of you running into it means you pulled the screen from the door at the top and the bottom. sigh....I'll set it up for you.

We're playing a rowdy game of Pictionary with boys v. girls and I decide during the boys turn I'm going to run out to the car to get some sweat pants. I grab the keys and go to head out of the front door, which has been left open since it's a warm night. But little do I see that there's actually a screen door that comes across the front entryway and since I'm kind of still paying attention to the game going on, I only turn to look in front of me just as I run into the screen. And you know what I think JUST before I hit it, "wow, it looks a little misty outside."

OMG to the MAX!!!

Check out the new NEW MOON trailer. holy crap it's awesome!! I think Chris Weitz will redeem the Twilight movie franchise after such a disappointing beginning...

CLICK HERE to see!!

OH- and if you wanted to see the "extended version", which I believe only has 4 extra snip-its/shots in it, you can see it here

Summer Movie Wrap Up

Here is the MUCH delayed (what else is new) Summer Movie Wrap-Up from yours truly...

Let's start with the winners:

STAR TREK

By far, this was probably my favorite summer movie...Yes, possibly because of my geek-ish upbringing and long love of the ST franchise, but also because J.J. Abrams gave this reboot a hip, glossy and fun flavor that even non-trekkie fans could embrace. Plus it introduced us to Chris Pine, who will surely be a star.

JULIE & JULIA

Just because I'm biased doesn't mean this wasn't a terrific, delightful and yummy treat for adults that are tired of movies for kids driving the summer box office. At $80 mil and counting, I know I am not alone in this. (Plus Meryl Streep just kills it.)

UP

Pixar continues to get it right with this bittersweet tale of an old man and a young boy on a tremendous adventure together in South America. While I thought they may have gone a bit far with the dogs in the end, I loved this movie and cried at its moving and poignant first act montage.

DISTRICT 9

A thoroughly original sci-fi movie with a great anti-apartheid message, this movie takes CGI aliens to a new level. The talented filmmaker and actors made you feel for both the abused creatures, as well as for Vickas, a desperate, weasel of a man, as they struggle for freedom. I had no idea the movie would be so emotional and I think that is precisely why it succeeded. Good lesson to screenwriters and moviemakers in all genres, don't shy away from the emotion! Give your movies a bit more depth!

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Quentin Tarantino is back in theaters with another violent, comedic look at a group of resistance fighters during WWII. The movie's riding a delicate line because of its subject matter, but Quentin bursts through it at the end with an unforgettable finale. Controversial for sure, but pure Tarantino from the first moment to the last. (And the acting was incredible! ...except for Eli Roth)

Movies that I definitely enjoyed:

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE

As with all the Harry Potter movies, they are good- but the book is way better. I enjoyed most of this adaptation, but since I had just recently read the 6th installment, I felt more irritated by the changes the filmmakers made. I just didn't understand why they needed to tweak the ending (SPOILER ALERT) and not have a bigger fight at Hogwarts. Also, why skip Dumbledore's funeral and make less of Ginny and Harry's romance. I wonder if they will address that in the first movie of the 2-part book 7 adaptation. We shall see.

THE PROPOSAL

A charming and surprisingly well made romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds as a work duo forced to fake an engagement to keep Bullock stateside. A ridiculous premise? Of course. But the physical comedy and great performances keep you locked in for the ride. Reynolds is charming, handsome and on point. Bullock resurrects herself in this film and reminds us why we all thought she was the next Julia Roberts so many years before. (sadly, ALL ABOUT STEVE will prob undo this.)

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

Truth be told, I was a little disappointed by this movie, but only because the script was one of my favorites in the last five years. It's a great way to do a romantic comedy that feels young, fresh and surprise- it's not a happily ever story! And no, that's not a spoiler. They say it in the first five minutes of the movie. Support "indie" filmmaking and go see this!

Middle of the pack:

AWAY WE GO

Sam Mendes directs an incredible performance out of Maya Rudolph, mostly known for her SNL gags and not much else. But in this small, quiet movie about a couple trying to find a place to put down roots before their first child comes into the world. Though some of the characters they come across are a bit cliche and over-the-top, Maya's naturalistic performance is worth the viewing. Be sure to get on DVD.

THE UGLY TRUTH

Okay, okay - I know it's not a great movie and I know Katherine Heigl appears to be a biznatch of the highest order due to her constant gum-flapping in public...But this was a cute movie! It's totally predictable and maybe a bit insulting if you read into the female/male dynamics that are in it, but truth be told they had good chemistry onscreen and I enjoyed it!

ANGELS & DEMONS

It's better than DaVinci Code, let's put it that way. Not a great movie, but it's not bad either. If you are a fan of the book, it's worth a DVD rental.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER & TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

Both of these adaptations were okay- not great. I loved both books and was definitely more disappointed by TTW, but felt that they weren't complete failures either. Both managed to get you to experience the emotional weight of the stories, even if they didn't quite get the stories quite right. If you want a tear-jerker, rent SISTER'S KEEPER. If you loved TTW and are just curious, it's worth a rent. If not, don't bother with these. You aren't missing that much.

As Chris would say, "Worst-Movie Ever":

TRANSFORMERS 2

I can't believe this movie made $400 million at the box office. It makes me sick and very very sad. DON'T see this movie if you don't have to.

TERMINATOR SALVATION

Ugh, there was no point whatsoever to this movie and it irritated me throughout. Again, another movie to skip. T-3 was WAY better than this, and most people didn't like that so you can imagine what this is.

G.I. JOE

"Kill all the Joes!" This is one of the worst scripts I've ever seen come to life and rather than killing the Joes, I want to kill the filmmakers and the studio execs that greenlit this piece of crap.

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST

I love bad romantic comedies and I couldn't even stomach this one. It's TERRIBLE!! Seriously, nothing redeeming about it at all. (and that's coming from someone that could watch Jennifer Garner do almost anything.)

FUNNY PEOPLE

While I was watching this movie, I didn't hate it...but the more I reflected on the characters and the story, I saw what a mess it really was. I think the movie doesn't have a clear focus, especially after the hour and a half mark, and our main guy (Sandler) is totally unlikeable throughout. While Seth Rogan is pretty good, and his friends (Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill) make the comedy bearable, I'm not sure it's even worth your time as a rental unless you're just curious.

So that's it. I hope you find this somewhat helpful as you prepare your netflix lists for this fall. I may have forgotten a few, but I will come back and add some as I think of them. :)

Mandate picks up 'Dream On'

Check it out! The first time my name's been in the trades!!

Mandate picks up 'Dream On'

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29 for the first time

So as a friend of mine said to me about this year's birthday, I'm 29 for the first time. Sigh. Is it weird that I think this birthday is almost harder to swallow than 30 will be? I just feel a bit blah about turning 29...and thinking about my 20s. It's true that I'm still young and I have so much ahead of me, yadda yadda yadda, but I can't help feeling like 29 is a year of reflection and re-evaluation. Sort of taking stock of where I am in life and what plans do I have to make sure that I'm doing what I want and getting the most out of my upcoming 30s.

With work, I feel torn. I certainly am at a good place all things considered in terms of the state of the business right now and by how I believe my co-workers feel I'm doing. I can't help feeling a bit stuck right now and like I wish I was doing more...but I also know that most summers I feel this way and I'm almost at the 2 year mark for my job. My mother once noted that at a year and a half at any given job, I start to do this. What's next? Am I in a rut? Am I working hard enough? So maybe I just need to push through and get past that two year mark and I will see a difference. (the only job I was at so far more than two years was Imagine, and I was interviewing like crazy at that point to get the heck out!) Also, it will help when things pick up and the movie I set up gets closer to getting made. [Btw- stay tuned, the press release should be coming in the next couple of weeks - and the studio quoted in it that they are putting the movie on the fast-track for 2010 production. woohoo!]

In my personal life, things couldn't really be much better. Chris and I are doing great and we're excited to see our first anniversary rapidly approaching. [sidenote, can you believe it's been a year?! I can't!] We're hoping to find him employment again this fall and then start really saving towards a house or a condo to buy in LA in the next two years. We figure realistically that's what it will take us, and the housing market in not likely to have rebounded much by then....we hope at least for our sake! We're very much getting anxious to have our own place where we can entertain and have a yard and a real guest bedroom! Our cats will like a home much more too, since they won't have so many weird noises in the apartment building to startle them all the time. Seriously, the term scaredy-cat really does apply.

That's it for now. Not much of an update other than to say, "Hi! I'm alive and still blogging." I'll try to start updating a couple times a week now that summer's over.

Hi again

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post. Jeez! August has been zipping by.

Quick update:

The deal finally closed on the project I sold - woohoo! We worried it would fall apart a time or two, but luckily it's all done.

Chris is no longer at Hilton and currently looking for his next gig, so let us know if you hear of something great in the LA area!

And finally, in about 6 days I will be entering the last year of my 20s. holy moly! Can't believe it.

We had a little bbq on Saturday to celebrate with some friends and it was great. I'm not really feeling into the bday this year; not sure why but it doesn't feel like something I should, or want to, make a big deal out of.

I think I'm going to do a summer movie wrap up later on today, so stay tuned and get your netflix queues up and ready!

Video Chat w/Mara & Adelin

In case anyone hasn't visited mara's blog yet, here's a photo of my first video chat with the baby today...

MUCH Belated Post

So July 11th was the day we celebrated Sage's 35th BDay. And we did so in style...at the Hollywood Park racetrack, on a day with a hat contest, so all the ladies were sporting their finest wide-brimmed hats!



Sage's best party-throwing quality is that wherever we go, she manages to work out some deal for her party. Always some kind of special deal or extra thing to have thrown in - it's quite impressive really. And for this bday, she reserved boxes for us to be in, a man came over to explain all the betting rules and options for us, AND she had a race run in our group's honor. The awesomely dubbed "Sage Against the Machine" group.

For that race, we got to go down to the winner's circle to watch the horses run right by us at the finish line, and we had our photo taken as a group in the grassy area of the Winner's Circle. Here's a video of the last leg of the race


All in all, it was a great day, despite the fact that chris and I had very little luck with our picks. And when we did decide to randomly pick a horse b/c 8 was my lucky number, he turned out to be the favorite! So when we won, we won like $8. Haha. But the day was really about celebrating Sage, so we didn't care much about the results.

p.s. One of the reasons I didn't post for so long was b/c of all the excitement and running around with the work thing (see my last post!) and b/c Mara just had her baby! You can click on her blog site to the right to see photos.

Woohoo!!

I'm on the verge of selling my very first project on my own here at the office. YAY!! Offers are being made and we're all very excited. Deals have to be closed before anything is definite, so send me good karma but alas, it appears I've finally set something up!

What's up? I rule. JK. I'm just in a GREAT mood now. This means my first producing credit ladies and gents. that's right- I don't know what it'll be yet, EP, AP or CO-P but it'll be something.
Go me! Go me!

I will post again when it's official but once last time - WOOHOO!

How am I going to celebrate you ask? Seeing HARRY POTTER 6 tonight. YAY! Good day. Good day.

Kit-tay Post

Look at the handsome kitty posing for me...awww. So distinguished.

And now...a little to the left. that's it!

Hollywood Bowl

For the 4th, Sage, Jeff, Sharon, Rich, Chris and I decided to do the Hollywood Bowl again this year for an evening of fun music and fireworks! We picnic-ed about two hours before the show and enjoyed some seriously gourmet good including Sharon's curried chicken salad, some delicious sun dried tomato and olive tampenade, fruit, chesse and crackers and of course my flag cake :) (oh- and we had like 5 bottles of wine for the evening)



This year, the special guest performing along with the LA Philharmonic was John Fogerty (of CCR). The concert is typically split into three parts - the first being the LA Phil performing some hits by LA composers, then the special guest, then the LA Phil along with the fireworks. While typically the special guest has just been okay (we've seen Kenny Loggins and Randy Newman before), this year John Fogerty was AWESOME! I was so surprised by how fantastic his voice still is and his guitar playing was seriously sick. Plus he played all the big hits and the songs people want to hear, which is nice since not all performers do that. Sometimes I get that they want to perform their new stuff and show they're still developing their art (or whatever), but come on-play what people want to hear! And truthfully, last night I was surprised how many of his/CCR's songs I did know. Jeff was most excited to hear "Centerfield" and literally heard two notes of the song and yelled "YEAH!" really loudly. It was hilarious and I think we all agreed we'd never seen him so excited about anything...ever!

Anyway, we all had an amazing time and I took a little video of the end of the fireworks for your viewing pleasure.


Happy Bday USA!

Happy 4th of July!!

I'll do a bigger weekend post tomorrow night, but I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 4th! If you're on a boat, don't fall off. If you're at a bbq, don't burn yourself on the grille. If you're on the beach, wear sunscreen. No, I swear I've not been drinking when I am writing this post!

Look at my fun flag cake!

BBQ at the Newlyweds!

On Friday, since we were all lucky enough not to have to work, we went just down the street to our friends Leigh & Ward's house for a midday bbq. Along with Sage and Jeff, we all had a great afternoon of beer, burgers and other yummy munchies.



As the afternoon wore on, we played some flip cup, beer pong and then Kings...which I think was our undoing. The afternoon turned into night and two beer runs later, we were all a bit tired. Luckily Sage was our DD with her allergy meds keeping her on a strict (well mostly strict) Diet Coke regiment for the day.

You can see Leigh & Ward have two beautiful black labs, Turk & Tiller, who are absolutely adorable! They were a bit overexcited when we got there, but I think the boys managed to wear them out with some fetch and rough-housing.

It was a great start to our weekend!

Double Feature Weekend in Opposite Land

So this weekend I saw MY SISTER'S KEEPER and TRANSFORMERS 2....you cannot get further apart than these two movies, let me tell you.

Let's begin with the girly weep-fest. Based on a Jodi Piccoult book, MY SISTER'S KEEPER is a movie steeped in emotion and tragedy. A 15 year-old girl is at the end of her lifelong battle with cancer, and to survive she needs a kidney transplant from her younger sister, who has been her own personal donor her entire life. However, the younger girl is done- she hires a lawyer for medical emancipation so she can sue her parents for the rights to her own body. The very premise of this story is one that automatically produces an emotional reaction - typical two. A heartbreaking sorrow for both young girls, dealing with issues beyond their maturity, and secondly, some shock at the idea of, Can a child really do that? Would she do that to her sister?

The movie is an interesting blend of sticking to the book's mechanics (for example, the novel is broken into chapters for each character's point of view/experience, and the movie begins with voice-overs from all of them so we see how their lives have changed in the midst of this drama, or trauma depending on who you ask.) However, the film also makes marked departures from the book, namely the ending - which is a totally different idea and one that I actually think is better and less cloying - and the elimination of a character related to the court case. That second change is understandable, but what it does is take the emphasis off the courtroom drama, eliminating a large portion of the lawyer's role (And a shame since Alec Baldwin had such potential for this character) and minimizing the struggle associated with suing your parents. (And a lot of the mechanics of what that actually means.)

Overall, I'd say the movie was a moderate success in its adaptation - they chose to focus on the family and the life associated with having a very sick child. It's heartbreaking and confusing and maddening, and as a viewer, somehow very cathartic to watch it and cry your eyes out. Performances were great, and while I missed a few things that felt key to the story, I thought the filmmakers did well by the story. Biggest success if the romance between the teen girl and a fellow cancer patient. They spent a lot of screen time on it and for good reason.

Now, moving onto to another movie that also might induce crying, but for a wholly different reason - TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN. Now, hearing the full title for this movie, you might think this is Megatron's revenge, since he "fell" (or was dumped, technically) into the ocean at the end of the first movie. But it's not. The "Fallen" has a wholly separate - and completely stupid - meaning in this movie. So I guess let's start there- with the story...or lack thereof. The movie's storyline makes no sense. Seriously, try to follow it and you'll eeek out a kind-of legitimate plot that takes us through the movie, but in truth, as you dig just a fraction of a milimeter below the surface, it falls apart. The movie is really just, forgive the language, Michael Bay jerking off onscreen for two and a half hours. Now, some people might say, "Isn't the always the case with his movies?" I would argue "no". BAD BOYS, THE ROCK, even ARMAGEDDON and BAD BOYS 2 were so much better than this. As I sat there watching it, I felt the first hour was decent, "watchable", I'd say. And then we go to war....like a big war in the desert for about an hour. At least it felt that way. And again, none of it really makes sense. I didn't have a problem following which robot was doing what, which a lot of reviews had mentioned. Visually, I was okay to follow, but it didn't matter- I was bored. I thought that Shia and Megan Fox, and the roommate, and the parents, were fine. (And actually, I'd venture that John Turturro was less annoying in this movie, but mainly because he had less screen time.) The acting wasn't the issue- it really boiled down to the story and how incessently long the battle was.

So yeah, I could go on and on, but I don't feel like it. I've already wasted a lot of time on this movie. No more. Moving on....dying to see HURT'S LOCKER and CHERI this week.

Coolest Tables EVER!!

Last night, we went to a launch party for the new production company Ten/Four Pictures, which our friend Sharon is the lawyer/business affairs person for. There, I saw the MOST AMAZING tables ever....I have to have these some day!!Aren't they amazing!! They're from a store in LA called "Sonrisa" and here's a link to their site in case you are interested in any of their other cool stuff. Very pricey but pretty awesome!

http://www.sonrisafurniture.com/

A big "Whatever" to this apparently devastating news...

Michael Jackson is dead at 50. Yes, it's sad. It's sad when anyone dies suddenly or before their time. But I have a lot more sympathy for a lot of other people that have died and/or suffered than I do for this man....and I am going to be really really sick of all the MJ coverage very soon, I kind of already am. Whether or not you believe he was a child molester and whether or not you feel sympathy for him that he was beaten as a kid and forced into a destructive world of fame, I think the bigger issue is that Michael Jackson was no longer a relevant part of pop culture, and the news reporting that we've lost a huge piece of that is ridiculous. We lost it YEARS ago when he essentially turned himself into a freak and stopped making good music. So, RIP MJ? yeah, of course. But I think more like RIP the "real" MJ of the 1970s & 1980s.

and p.s. why do we continually look the other way with celebrities and their criminal wrongdoings? A friend made this point about Mike Tyson being in THE HANGOVER and how we're glorifying a convicted rapist...just sayin'.

Short lived new lease on life

It's a cloudy morning again...which means I got up slowly and have yet to fully awaken three hours later. I hate this overcast B.S.! I mean, this is LA, not CT! sigh.

Good Day Sunshine!

Alright LA! It appears that the worst of the "June Gloom" may be behind us! It was bright, sunny and beautiful this morning when we woke up. Chris and I remarked how much easier it was to get out of bed, despite it being a Monday morning!

So, I get up- am feeling great. I think, and even say outloud to Chris, "I think that this is a great day to get back on the horse at work and stop feeling so lethargic and bored. The sun is shining! Here we go!" I then get dressed and head to my 8am physical therapy appointment like always....and as I am about to park, I realize that oops- my appt isn't at 8am. It's at 9:30 today!! Sigh. So much for my big start....instead I start Monday morning realizing I'm a moron.

haha. Just thought I'd share that tidbit with you. But despite being an hour and a half early, I at least made good use of the time, going to my own gym for an hour and then doing some errands. I'm still on my full energy, kick ass, sunshine kick!

More wedding bliss!

Yes, folks - it's another wedding post. Yay! This time, the happy couple was the son of family friends of the Danisons'. Chris grew up with Brad Fallon (and his brothers and sister) playing in their neighborhood cul de sac, riding bikes, etc. Their wedding was at The Reef in Long Beach, which is right on the water and the ceremony was up on the "sunset deck", overlooking the bay. (I think it's a bay...) Reception was indoors at The Reef's big ballroom, with beautiful glass windows as a backdrop. It's cool at night b/c all the city and marina lights are on and it's very colorful.

Anyways, we really didn't take photos b/c we were just enjoying hanging out, but they have the always-enjoyable photo booth that we took a few spins in. (As the night went on, we got progressively drunker in the photos, but I declined to scan that one in!) But I did scan in their save-the-date, which was really neat. (Yes, I said "neat". Remember when people said "neato-skeato"? I do. I was def one of them.) Anyway, they are big Anaheim Angels fans and they were able to go out onto the field to take their engagement shots- very cool!

We realized that we only have one more wedding in 2009 (October 10th- and it's another one of the Fallon kids), and probably will have 3 come 2010. Phew! After that, who is left to get married?! Just kidding. We love celebrating with friends and family....especially when there is an open bar. Ha!

Kitty Post

Where is it Sundance?

I don't know Butch...keep looking!

Hmm, I can't see anything up here.
You idiot, it's not on top! I told you it fell in here!

What were we looking for again?
Sigh, this is boring. I'm leaving.

Nephew love

So during my trip back east, I got to spend an afternoon with my nephew when Tom & Rebekah brought him down to visit Mom, Dad and me in good ole Guilford. Eric's currently 4 months shy of being 3 years old and it's amazing to me how much he's talking and how big he is!! I took a couple of videos - the first of me trying to get him to say "Hi, Uncle Chris" on video - I was mildly successful, as you can hear him say "unk crisss" twice - and the second trying to get him to count, which he's very good at, but he's having none of it.




In fact, it's funny b/c he really has no interest in having his photo taken these days. He likes to close his eyes at you instead. I managed to get a couple of snap shots, but not many.


You'll see he's holding this purple caterpillar toy, which is mine from childhood and sat on the end of my bed for years. Every time he comes to my parents' house, he runs into my bedroom to grab it. Incidentally, it's a toy that my brother won for me at a fair when I was really young. I also introduced Eric to my plush Guilford Indians soccer ball...not the best choice, since he kept wanting to throw it around the house. Whoops!

Baby Mania!

No - not that kind. (Take a deep breath Chris!) This baby mania was all about Mara and Matt's soon-to-be little girl and her baby shower last weekend that I helped throw in Cambridge, Mass.

Mara's just over eight months pregnant and looking fabulous! I'm so amazed and jealous - it's all belly on her! When she turns around, you can't even tell she's preggie. Sigh, I just know that that won't be me.

But back to the main event. So at her mother's home in Cambridge, we gathered a bunch of her family and a few friends for the afternoon. We lucked out with some incredible weather, considering it's been raining pretty constantly all spring and early summer in New England. The afternoon began with some drinks and apps out on the deck, with everyone greeting each other and chatting a bit.

We then moved out of the sun for an ice-breaker to get the party started! I'd put together a little baby shower trivia game, with questions ranging from "When was the first disposable diaper introduced in the US?" to "Which celebrity named their baby Phinneaus?" Mara's cousin Rebecca won, and most people think it's because she's a doctor and there were a bunch of questions about baby's developments, etc.

Then we did lunch- which Mara's mom had organized and provided. A beautiful summer salad and swordfish & veggie kabobs! Yum!

After we ate, the crafts began! First, everyone designed and decorated a bib for the baby (Mine was naturally an LA-themed one). Following the bibs, we got the women to do a page in a baby scrapbook for Mara so that the pages were ready for her to put some photos. Because what new mom has time to make scrapbook pages, right?! I think some of the ladies were skeptical at first about the crafty-ness of the activities, but then got really into it. AND they each got to write a note to the baby to be inserted into the baby book pages, so she can read them when they're older. (This was Mara's idea, but people kept giving me credit for such a great idea :)

Dessert and presents were up next. Mara's mom-in-law Claire brought a gorgeous chocolate cake with pink polka dots on it, along with some of her famous chocolate chip cookies and Mexican wedding cake cookies.

The afternoon wound down after the presents, with people slowly scattering their departures. It was such a fun day and it seems that everyone had a great time.

I was SO glad for Mara & Matt, but also selfishly for myself that I was able to be there and celebrate with them! Here are the photos from the day:

Not saying I told you so....BUT

I've been complaining about this for awhile now! (and I am sure I'm not the only one) Nice that people are finally recognizing it at the top.

Check out this article in Variety about the summer stockpile of big, franchise movies...

Hollywood's May melee

UP, Up and Away!

Pixar's newest flick UP is worth a post of its own, in my opinion. If you haven't seen this delightfully whimsical and heartwarming movie yet - go to your local (3-D supporting) theater! Chris and I saw this on Monday night, and I must say it's a great date movie.

I don't want to give too much away, but I will say a few things about the story. First off, Pixar continues its growth towards more mature material as it has been doing since THE INCREDIBLES, with each new picture becoming more and more sophisticated (especially the most recent, WALL-E). UP begins with the story of our main character as a boy, seeing his love of adventure and then how he meets his future wife. We're privy to a beautiful, romantic montage of their life together before we finally land in present day - maybe 20 minutes into the movie. Now we're prepping for our big adventure and get to know both main characters Mr. Fredericksen and Russell a bit. Once they take off in the house, as you've seen in all the trailers, get ready for a beautiful trip. Pixar's animation is just amazing - there's no other way to say it. These guys continue to top themselves and get better and better with texture and subtleties in the frame that make it feel so real. This is the first 3-D Pixar movie, and what's great about it is that they don't exploit the technology and have things jumping out at you. Instead, it simply enhances your experience and gives the picture an incredible depth and sense of motion.

I think that what makes this movie special is the sweetness that lies in its story and the very lyrical nature of the film. It's no wonder that the French loved this film at Cannes. It's feels a bit French in the way that it blends a sense of reality with the most fantastical elements you can imagine. The colors are brilliant and so inviting.



I don't know that this was my favorite Pixar movie, but I was very moved by it and cried about 3 times. I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying the movie and finding it a bit breathtaking.

Dave & Laura 5/24/09

Last weekend, Chris and I went up to Berkeley, California for the wedding between my good college friend David Flink and his bride, Laura. It was a beautiful day. (Thanks for the photos Dave!)

As with all these Brownie wedding weekends (mine included!), the reunion portion is as much fun as the festivities themselves! It was fun to see the usual suspects of this particular crew, plus a few other Brown peeps I hadn't seen either since graduation or the 5 year reunion.

Before we got to NoCal, however, we stopped for an evening with Chris' cousin Jeff and his wife Mia (you may remember them from my Thanksgiving post, but here they are from our wedding...[I forgot to take a photo with them this trip.]) Anyways, we got up to Jeff & Mia's about dinnertime on Friday night, having taken the coast up to their place in Monterey, which is a really cool drive! I'd never been up the coast past Hearst Castle in San Simeon, and it's amazing! The water is so blue and you're driving right along the cliffs. I tried taking some photos in the car but it was too hard. they didn't really come out very well.

Anyways, we had a very yummy dinner and a lot of wine and beer afterwards, sitting outside by their outdoor fire pit! It was a great night, and their cat Simon snuggled up with me during the night, so I didn't feel like I was missing Butch and Sundance too much.

By Saturday mid-morning, we had had a big breakfast and were on our way up to Berkeley, where we met up with Beth and Andrea (and her new beau Josh!) for some lunch. Then the whole crew met up at Dave & Laura's reception to welcome out of town guests.

That night was the rehearsal dinner, during which Dave, his wife Jaime, Evan and I got up to give a joint speech. Since Flink is very into projects via his Eye-to-Eye non-profit, we decided to do something different - a Madlib speech, where the audience filled in words that we left missing from the speech. It was really fun and while I don't think everything totally made sense to some people, it was fun to get everyone laughing and participating.

Then Sunday was a group brunch and then the wedding, for which I was an usher, which was fun. I was rocking a new hairdo for the wedding (Cut me some bangs last week!) and I'm hoping that it doesn't look ridiculous in Dave's photos.

The wedding was beautiful and the reception seemed to fly by. The day was a bit blustery outside, and as you can see, Laura's veil was going nuts during the pre-ceremony photos! They had a very pretty outdoor cocktail hour, and the backdrop were these gorgeous hills you can see in these photos.

Both the bride and the groom are dancers, so you can imagine, they were tearing up the floor all night. And it was really wonderful to see them both so happy- they were beaming at each other all night! So sweet :)

Here are a few more of everyone:




Monday was the post-wedding breakfast, and we had to say goodbye to friends far too soon. The weekend seemed to zip by and I was reminded how quickly our own wedding weekend flew by almost 8 months ago! Holy cow!

Anyways, to all my peeps, I miss you guys and loved seeing you! I'm working on our Summer 2010 reunion plans!

Happy Birthday Chris!!

Yay! Chris is 29 today! old man that he is...haha. Okay, he's not actually old but he is older than me. woohoo!

Anyways, we had a low key evening after work tonight since we are leaving for Berkeley, CA tomorrow for David Flink's wedding this weekend. Chris wanted ribs so we grabbed a casual dinner and then came home to hang out, play with the cats and pack.

Love you honey!

Oooh- this looks awesome

Check out the trailer for NINE - new movie directed by Rob Marshall (CHICAGO), starring Daniel Day Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson and Fergie. Lots of peeps!

Click here to check it out!

Ooh La La!

Sunday Night Pictionary Man

On Sunday night, Sage & Jeff invited Chris & I over, along with our friends Leigh & Ward for a little game night and dinner. We started off with some wine and a first round of Girls v. Boys playing "Pictionary Man". It's sort of a new version of the classic game. But instead of drawing on a board, you get this little dude to draw on (he's made of the white board material) and two props to go along with him. Naturally, after some wine, it started getting a little dirty. As you can see, Leigh and I were having way too much fun in between rounds with the little man!











The boys won the first round, so the women were naturally happy to adjourn for dinner. Sage has this fun Rachelette (sp?) thing where you cook your own meat and veggies, and then melt cheese on them at the table! Yum! It's essentially a grill and a broiler in one.


The little trays make bite size portions and the whole thing is perfect for a group dinner so everyone chats while we're cooking our food. It's the same kind of party idea as fondue, you're just not dipping anything...you're cooking it instead!


Anyway, after dinner we played a second round until it got a bit late and we called it a tie...so I suppose the men kind of won...boo!

Kitty Post

It was so hot one day last week that the cats were lying around with no energy. The upside, them being super cute and laying on each other.

Run for the Boobies

This morning I participated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women again! (I can't remember if it's my third or fourth time running it!) It's an annual 5K race (or walk) in NY and LA that Revlon sponsors, the intent being to raise money for women's cancer research. Sony sponsors a team each year and the past two years, my friend Darcy and I have done it together. So much nicer to have someone to walk around with at the expo before the race and also to meet up with afterwards. I remember doing it on my own and it's really not as fun.

Anyway, I digress. I love the event because you see men, women and children - all ages too - participating. Many of them wear signs clipped to their shirt, declaring who they are running/walking the event for - many survivors and many victims. It's a pretty emotional event and I always get a bit choked up through the course when I see a young kid with one of those signs on.

I have to say, I haven't been running very much lately b/c of an issue with my knee, and man- 3.2 miles felt a lot farther than I am used to! It made me sad as I crossed the finish line to realize that back in the day, this would have been a warm up for my long run, instead of being my whole one. But the good news is that I am seeing a doctor (finally, I know, I know!) this week about my knee. Hopefully I'll figure out what the issue is and find a way to fix it so I can be running again. I love spinning and the stairs, but it's just not the same as a good run!