Into The Wild

I finally saw this movie. It was good. I felt it was a good visual representation of Jon Krakauer's book. I liked the free spirit the young man was portrayed as being. I pictured in my head this guy when I read the book. There he was now on the big screen. I certainly don't think enough investigation was made as to why the boy did what he did. Why he gave up his high education and money to hit the road to live (and die) like a hobo. The book did a better job. And I dang sure did not like the way the start of the movie glossed over the bad dream the mother had one night of her son crying out for her. This event was based on fact and, as best the then coroner could give her, about the precise time her son in fact died. Far too spiritual to make light of. I think that scene should have been at the end of the film. If done properly, it would have had HUGE impact. I also think the film should have been dedicated to the mother. If you can imagine her sitting at the screening watching her baby immortalized on film. Her baby she never saw again and could never ask him "why?".
I liked the people he met along the way and the brief connections he made with them. One actress in the film I have seen before from an old Seinfeld episode (called The Letter). She got better looking with age. FAR better looking. Wow, what a nice surprise.
The photography was good, sometimes great. It should have had more scenes of grandeur conveying just how small man is compared to the wilderness. We don't stand a chance against its vastness and extremes.
I did not like the female narration (the sister doing the talking). What the heck for? I think narration would have worked in first person only. What insight did the sister have? None. It's not like she went with him.

My favorite line in the movie: "Every man, in his heart, wants a Mexican mistress". So true.
I'll leave you to see the movie and get that line yourself.

This movie gets seven monies out of ten: $$$$$$$

G$

Trendy is bad

Bad trends I've seen for a long while now (guaranteed to offend):

• People cannot dress themselves. They think flip flops and/or Ugg (ugly?) boots look good. They don't. You are guilty of bad taste.
  
• They wear their pants far too long (they drag on the ground and tear and look dirty. (The homeless look maybe?)
• Men are becoming effeminate. They hang around each other all the time and even go to the bathroom together. Not good.
• Kids taking a backseat to stupid dogs. Shameful!
• If you find yourself looking at the supermarket tabloids and know everyone on the cover, declare a personal state of emergency and go get yourself a library card.

That's all for now. I will be taking more notes on the sad state of America.

G$

Latin Lovers (1953)

I sometimes will look through our channel guide and see what the Turner Classic Movie channel is playing. I read the summaries and well record movies that look interesting. I have a thing for classic movies. They rarely disappoint me. This weekend I recorded "Latin Lovers" from 1953 starring Lana Turner and a young and surprisingly handsome Ricardo Montalban.

The story is about an oil heiress. Nora Taylor has inherited $37 million from her father. Her father was a mailman who on his weekends searched for oil. He struck it rich and now Nora is a business woman with millions. Her current boyfriend Paul Chevron is also a millionaire. Nora is seeing a shrink because she her money makes her relationships confusing. Paul is about to ask Nora to marry him, she consults her shrink because even though Paul is a millionaire, she is still afraid he is after her money. Her shrink convinces her that Paul is a straightforward man, and will not ask for her hand, but demand it. This works well for Nora. What Nora doesn't know is that Paul is also seeing a shrink who convinces him to not demand her hand, but to ask her, and give her plenty of time to think. Paul takes a trip to Brazil. Instead of waiting weeks for Paul to return, Nora decides to follow Paul to Brazil, hoping to get the forceful proposal she needs. The air in Brazil makes Nora feel free and energetic and she hopes the air effects Paul in the same way. It does not. While in Brazil Paul takes Nora to a horse ranch. While viewing horses a tall dark and handsome man catches Nora's eye. She walks into the stables and without a word the tall dark and handsome man grabs her, pulls her close and lays a kiss on her that changes everything. Nora is immediately and desperately in love with this man, Roberto Santos.

And of course there is the stereotypes of the Latin lover. Roberto sings and salsas, he is macho and displays this by refusing to see her when she is late, and demanding that she not ever walk away from him or ever be late. Of course Nora loves the macho Latin man. Her only concern is what Roberto will think when he finds out about her money. She tells him and he is overjoyed. Nora begins to wonder if Roberto just loves her for her money. As they quickly become engaged, Paul, on the advice of his shrink stays Nora's friend. Nora comes up with an idea to see if Roberto really loves her. She decides to give away all her money. At the engagement party she tells Roberto that she gave all her money away. Roberto kind of freaks out says if he doesn't know if he can still marry her. Nora heads back to pack up to leave Brazil. Paul comes to her room and demands that Nora marry him. She refuses because even though they have a lot in common, she does not love Paul. Despite everything she loves Roberto. Her assistant reminds her that it is the one with the money that has to worry about it. This gives Nora an idea. She heads back to Roberto's. She yells for him at his window. She tells him that she is going to marry him, on her own terms. And she is still going to give away her millions, to him. Now it will be Roberto who will have to worry.

I enjoyed this movie, despite its negative stereotypes of Latins and women. Definitely not a politically correct film, but its what you get from 1950's films.

Money Movie Rating: $$$

Nurses to be

I love going to school. Had another Anatomy midterm today. Think I got an A. But yesterday made me feel real good. My chemistry classmates and I went to eat at the cafeteria. I saw other friends there. Two were nurses from Vista Del Monte retirement community. They were taking classes to further their educations. So we all sat there eating and studying, all towards the same goals. I feel so good to be with them. Sure most of them are great looking, but they are so smart and for some reason look up to me. Like I'm the smart one. They make my feel special. They complain I am such a loner. I just don't feel like hanging around a bunch of 20-yr olds.
I am sure I will know most of them for life.

G$

State & A bar and grill

Cheap (student budget) eats at State & A for Monday Night Football. I had the following:

1. Nachos (the big, real kind. not like 7-11)
   
2. Hot dog with fries
3. Two pints of Bud
4. Two Cokes

Total: $10.77!
I can't eat that cheap anywhere. LOve the place. Thanks to them I always have a cool place to have a pint and read my homework.
G$

PS: I'm moving across State St. My roommate is insane.

My housemate is FUBAR

FUBAR means F*&*ED Up Beyond Repair. It's a word we used to use to describe a machine that needed to be replaced or at least had been damaged so badly it warranted replacing so as not to waste much time fixing. Kinda like putting an animal to sleep.
My house mate is a pathetic old woman, 65 yrs old, unemployed, "retired" teacher.
Here's the lowlights:

1. Suffers from migraines and is therefore...
2. ...addicted to every painkiller known to medicine
3. She gets weekly morphine shots and staggers around the place a danger to herself and a nuisance to me
   
4. She is also under anti-depressant and anxiety meds
5. She takes more pills than I have ever seen anyone take
   
6. She is flat broke and in major debt
7. She is irresponsible (doesn't pay her bills)
   
8. She let the power be cut off last week
9. It was turned back on the next day
10. I always see "passed due" notices on her desk (util's, mortgage, insurance, medical bills, cable, etc...the list is endless)
11. Loves to keep all the windows open, even during a a windy dust storm like today
12. She has rearranged her furniture twice this week only to put it back in the same place!
13. Leaves her TV and light on all night, every night
14. There's so much more!
    

I expect marshals to come knocking any day now to kick her out and have the bank take repossession of this town home. At the very least I expect another utility to be cut.
I hope she overdoses and dies. Well, at least check into rehab.

G$

Weeds

okay, okay so I am way behind when it comes to this show. The beauty that is Netflix sent me the first disc of the first season of Weeds and I love this show. Basically it is about a weed dealing soccer Mom. Of course it more complicated than that, but I said basically. The setting is a suburb that I swear looks exactly like the town that I grew up in. The main character is Nancy and she is a recent widow, raising 2 boys and doing what ever she has to maintain her upper middle class suburban lifestyle. She is constantly seen with a "It's a Grind" coffee cup in her hands. I am only half way through the first season but I am hooked and can't to see the rest of the DVD's. This is a showtime show so I will have to wait for the DVD's. The show is funny, and dark and sad. A great roller coaster of emotions and you find yourself rooting for the drug dealer!

-$

$ Rating: $$$$