Eagle VS Shark

I heard about this movie from a blog that I read. Since I think the chick who writes the blog is cool, I decided to check it out. And thanks to Netflix I had it within a few days. I watched it the other night and loved it. It was kind of like a New Zealand's answer to Napoleon Dynomite, but more artsy. A great love story about 2 very akward young adults and how they fall in love. It takes a trip back to Jarrod's home town to seek revenge on a high school bully. It was a wonderful and very sweet independent film.

$ Movie Rating: $$$$

The Candidates

I watched the last (Republican) debates from South Carolina. I thought all the candidates spoke very well. None seemed caught off -guard nor did anyone sound awkward. It has made me think just how hard it is going to be to pick one. I found this great website from Elissa's alma mater UCSB. I am reading it all the time.
These are important times in our history. We will be picking a new leader. We have to do our homework lest we get stuck with another mess like the last eight yrs.

(anyone want to tell me even one good thing Bush has done?)

G$

Steve Martin bio

My sister bought me this book for my birthday. I have always been a Steve Martin fan. He's an Orange County boy like us (Social D is from OC too).
I love this book. What a life this guy had. So many times when things couldn't look more hopeless he picks himself up and keeps trying. The people he knew, the material he tried and experimented with are so fascinating. When he finally hit the big time I guess it was not all he dreamed of. So he stopped.
I love the facts in the book: an old picture of pre-fame Linda Ronstadt (also the pre-famous Eagles as her backup band), clubs he performed in in Tustin, Huntington Beach, towns I lived in and grew up in.
What a cool guy. I recommend it highly.

Ten monies $$$$$$$$$$

Wow, these women look GREAT

I wish all women looked this good (sans the tattoos). Trash those ugly jeans and ugly shoes. My girlfriend Annie is buying some of their dresses: the Annie and the Betty Ford. And I love the skirts too. I said I'll buy her some stylish All-Stars to match.
Can't wait!


http://www.dickiesgirl.com/

Eleven outta ten monies $$$$$$$$$$$

G$

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: $$$