Rental Queue: Weeks Two, Three and Four

On top of the movie reviews I also write for the commentary section of the paper. Here I just write little blurbs about movies I've seen. They tie into the movies that released that week in theaters, to new releases on DVD, as well as the movie I chose to review. There are also recommendations tied to trailers I saw, or inspired by channel surfing, or whatever I rented from Blockbuster that week. So... pretty much any movies I want. Hah. These are my Rental Queues so far.


For Appaloosa: (Week Two)

The Jack Bull:

After viewing Appaloosa this week I could not stop thinking about this great flick. Set in a similar venue, the old west, with a sinister land lord to deal with, The Jack Bull is a more serious exploration of character and justice than this week’s reviewed movie. It features a very powerful performance from John Cusack, and a plot that is simply captivating.

Being Julia:

Not a western. Actually, I recommend this movie simply because I think Jeremy Irons is remarkable in this strange, distinctly individual character. Sure, it’s difficult for me to believe Annette Benning playing a ‘great actress’, but that doesn’t detract from how good a movie this ends up being. If you’re an actor, know anything about the craft, or just appreciate a good character piece, this film should do it for you.

Pollock:

Another film directed by Ed Harris. It’s difficult to compare the two, considering how starkly different the content is. This is one I can’t say much about, beyond this: if you want to see more of Ed Harris’s directing style, as well as his ability as an actor, then this is the place to look.

Iron Man:

No. This has nothing to do with Appaloosa, or any of the actors in it. But it is a relatively new release this month, and one of the best super hero movies I’ve ever seen. Robert Downey Jr. is ridiculously awesome here, and it’s a nice way to gear up for his next movie release, The Soloist, in theatres November 21. Not that I’m counting the days down, or anything.

The Contender:

Sometimes I spontaneously rent a movie because the cover looks cool, or there’s an actor that I recognize in it doing something interesting on the back of the box. This was one of those rentals. It stars Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen and Gary Oldman, all of whom deliver remarkable performances. Oldman, particularly, steals the show. Though, the last monologue from Jeff Bridges is simply exhilarating. It seems fitting nowadays, considering all the ruckus Sarah Palin is raising as a prospective Vice President.

For Max Payne: (Week Three)

Super Mario Bros.

With the release of Max Payne, my attention was returned once again to video games that have been turned into movies. With rip-roaring successes like Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Doom and so many others to pick from (is she being sarcastic?) I think the best recommendation I can make is the original: Super Mario Brothers. Sure, Goombas are giants with itty bitty heads with an affinity for elevator music, but, really, what else do you need?

The Italian Job

This is a role I think Mark Wahlberg is more adept at playing. He’s charming, amusing, intelligent and has his serious moments. Not slighting him for his more recent, dramatic roles, but it’s beginning to fool like he gets work because he’s really good at looking confused and/or intense. Not to mention the fact that the rest of this cast is absolutely brilliant, and the movie is entertaining from start to finish.

Hairspray

It was a toss up for me to decide on what James Marsden film to recommend in honor of the opening of Sex Drive. I love the X-Men movies, as well as Superman Returns and, of course, Enchanted. But if I had to recommend something based on sheer display of talent, it has to be Hairspray. He plays Corny Collins, the host of a popular television show, and shows off not only his charming personality, immaculate hair, and ability to act, but an amazing voice.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

The release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull this week forces my hand as far as this recommendation goes. I cannot honestly allow myself to recommend the fourth installment directly, but if you’re picking it up anyway you might as well take another look at Raiders. The start of the Indiana Jones movie franchise, this film is one of the strongest installments, and my personal favorite. Reintroduce yourself to Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. and strap in for non-stop action, comedy and the rugged handsomeness that is Harrison Ford.

Wag the Dog

I’m mostly using the opening of W. downtown as an excuse for this one. Wag the Dog is one of my favorite films, hands down. It features powerful, comedic, engaging performances from Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro, with numerous supporting characters of worth and note. Its story is always applicable, and seems to echo the president we’re so close to saying goodbye to. Plus, it’s funny and very well written. It will leave you questioning, or at the very thinking about, the way the government, and elections, works.

For Quarantine: (Week Four)

Shaun of the Dead

So I don’t usually go to see scary movies. I am just not a fan of being terrified as I walk home alone, in the dark. But I have to admit, I love zombies. And I love comedy. Shaun of the Dead, then, is the perfect combination of both. It is one of the best zombie movies I’ve seen, simply because it’s entertaining, funny, and scary all at once. The set up and the execution of the zombie outbreak is one of the best I’ve seen. Absolutely hilarious, while still managing to be chilling.

28 Days Later

Not so hilarious. Not at all, in fact. The infected of this movie are similar to those found in Quarantine, and thus it earned a spot on my recommendation list. The sequel, too, is worth a look. Not at the same time, though, unless you’re really interested in being as freaked out as humanly possible. One of the many blood curdling things about the monster this chimpanzee-borne infection is how face and terrible the infected become. If someone was running at me like that, I would definitely be concerned.

High School Musical

What can be more terrifying than high school kids singing and dancing in a musical? Actually, a lot of things. Shamefully, I like this series of bouncy, innocent films. The first is still my favorite, and with the release of the third in theaters, I think it only fair to recommend that this movie be viewed. Only by the brave and daring, of course. Or fans of musical theatre, I suppose.

The Incredible Hulk

Ed Norton released a movie this week. It got a little lost under High School Musical and the fifth iteration of the Saw franchise, but it’s in there. In honor of that brave film, fighting for views against impossible odds, I think it fair to bolster the sales of his newest film to DVD. That, and it’s another addition to the high quality super hero movies we’ve been seeing as of late. Not as good as Iron Man, despite what the commercials try to tell you, The Incredible Hulk is still a worthy piece of work and a good buy, or rental. And if you wait long enough, there’s a little Tony Stark to be enjoyed.

Jurassic Park

This recommendation comes from channel surfing, once again. This is one of my personal all time favorite movies. The kind that I will stop and watch, no matter what else is on and how many times I’ve seen it. Dinosaurs, Jeff Goldblum, and the story from one of the coolest books ever written all adds up to a great time in my opinion. Plus, I still consider it one of the most graphically impressive movies of its time. Just watch out for Velociraptors. They know how to open doors, and they don’t know pity or fear.

Movie Review: Week Four

Quarantine Review: B

Getting into the Halloween swing a little bit early, I decided to check out a scary movie this week. It is not a new release, as I’m wont to review, but the opening of High School Musical 3 this weekend made my regular viewing schedule a hellish rush of teenagers that I just did not have the time or patience to deal with. So I opted out of wading through the giddy boppers and instead went with a movie that literally only had myself and the friend I went with as its audience that night.

Quarantine has a relatively straight forward plot. A newsreporter and her camera man are covering a fire station through the night shift for their show. A seemingly simple medical call brings them their first emergency run of the night, the intrepid pair shadowing two firemen as they make their way to an old, small apartment complex. Police are already on the scene as the four rush inside the building and are told by its inhabitance that there was terrible screaming coming from one of the apartments upstairs. From there they learn that there is something awful running amuck which makes those infected extremely aggressive. Things go from bad to worse after a policeman and a fireman are attacked, and the building is quarantined by plastic window coverings, metal door braces and armored men with big guns.

Jennifer Carpenter plays the oddly precocious young reporter who spends most of her time in front of the camera. I imagine she might strike some people as annoying, particularly during the first few scenes as the news team struggles to find something interesting to cover during the relatively quiet night at the station. Yet I found her to be endearing and honest: just a natural reflection of a woman who has fun with her job, but might not be as good at it as she wants to be. She is calm and quiet, even when she’s screaming, and her progression into panic as the night marches on and the events get worse is just horrifying to watch. I think because I identified with her so readily really plays in to why the movie struck me as very, very scary.

That, and the zombies.

Okay, so a minor spoiler is to remind you that they’re not actually zombies, because they’re not technically dead as they attack the uninfected few. But they certainly act, move, and bite into human flesh as masterfully as any zombie I’ve seen, so I’m willing to over look the technicalities. There is a scene where the firemen, having just arrived at the building, move into the apartment where they were told some awful screams were coming from. There’s a woman standing at the end of the hall, and you can hear her breathing. It’s raspy and piercing: something close to growling. This is a moment where, if there had been more than just the two of us present, the entire audience would be yelling ‘don’t go in there’.

There are some truly great, heart-thundering-in-your-chest scenes littered through out this film, which all adds up to a terrifying conclusion. The acting by most of the main cast is solid and believable, ranging from the typical confusion over the events around them to a very potent, quiet breakdown after one of the civilians has to kill an infected attacker. Their hysteria never seems out of place, and it does not distract from the movie viewers own reactions to the thrills and chills.

Now it would be unfair not to mention that Quarantine is a remake of a Spanish horror movie called [REC]. It is not entirely word for word, as a lot of the plot content from the original was removed for this version. Without going into detail and spoiling both movies, it would just be fair to say that the two should not be compared in a ‘which one is better’ kind of competition. I don’t think the point was to make a better version of it. It’s just story telling, and both are compelling for their own reasons. There are more than enough similarities to justify just viewing one version, and being content in the choice. Giving Quarantine demerits because it’s not exactly the same strikes me as defeating the purpose of remaking something: of wanting to tell the story in a different way. And that’s just what happened here.

I thought the camera was going to be a detriment. We were warned going in that it had the ‘seasick camera’ in it, and I could not help but think back to Cloverfield. Yet this movie managed to keep the camera far more stable, the running scenes limited to stairs and hallways rather than expanses of New York City blocks. Or maybe the professional camera man character was simply better at filming live situations than the every day party goer. In any case, it was not a nauseating experience as far as the camera work itself went. There were, of course, other things to feel sick about, but that was an intended part of the fun.

Of course, there are faults in this movie, as with any other. Some of the plot elements are easily figured out, and a number of explanations fail to be revealed. Particularly at the end, as the news crew explore one final room in the building. They take moments to show you new and interesting things, but the film comes crashing to an end before they are fully revealed. I suppose that makes sense, since the tag line says that the only evidence of these events is what the camera crew caught on tape, and they can hardly be expected to get everything, but still. It seems cruel to show us these things that might really help to understand everything, and then end if before we get there.

Movie Review: Week Two

Every week (or almost) I review movies for the paper. These are the uncut versions of those reviews.

Appaloosa Review: C+

Jeremy Irons swaggering around in a cowboy get up, toting a gun around and being generally, western-ly awesome? I’m there.

Appaloosa is set in the Old West, and focuses on the trials of two gunslingers hired by the town of Appaloosa to clean up its reputation and handle the ruthless, rancher that has been keeping the town under his thumb. Throw into the mix an unconventional stranger in the form of a beautiful, whimsical, woman and you’ve got yourself a story.

Ed Harris stars with Viggo Mortensen as Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, the City Marshall and Deputy who use their guns to uphold their laws. Renee Zellweger underwhelms as the floozy, Allison French, and Jeremy Irons curls his long, elegant fingers around a gun as the outlaw Randall Bragg. Timothy Spall also has a part worth mentioning, playing a fear strangled official of Appaloosa and offering a few small laughs.

The film was directed by Ed Harris, and I think his flair for the subtlety of characterization really came through here. I’m so used to watching him ground himself in his roles, developing and delivering well rounded, independent performances. Directorally (that’s a word now), he seems to focus on his actors. Each player has some truly powerful moments, be it through comedy, gunslinging, villainy or good old fashioned drama. The most enjoyable characters to watch are the leads, Cole and Hitch.

Mortensen near steals the show with his lawman-with-a-heart routine. He is so soft hearted and kind, and yet at the same time he manages to carrying himself as the man you would never want to see angry. It’s easy to accept him as a feared gunman, as well as Cole’s closest friend. Harris supplies some great deliveries, his comment at the end of a shoot out literally cause the house to rock with laughter. Together they’re dynamic and engaging, their chemistry bringing life to what is, ultimately, a fairly slow paced film.

Zellweger, unfortunately, could not seem to provide the same level of honest enthusiasm for her role that was absolutely pouring off of the two leading men. She faltered, her character appearing flat and apparently based on one or two words. I know what she wanted to be. She wanted to be charming, and was as much as cardboard can be, and she wanted to be uninhibited. Instead, her character came off as selfish and transparent. I never doubted for a second what her intentions were, even as the tangled web between Cole, Hitch and Mrs. French had even begun to be woven.

Earlier I mentioned that I really only came to see this movie for Jeremey Irons. While I’m pleasantly surprised to have found other things to enjoy, it really would have just been worth the price of a ticket for him alone. Why? Picture Scar from the Lion King ordering you off of his land, and then shooting you in the face for not doing it. Then picture him taking over a town through wit, charm, money and fear. All while remaining graceful and while sporting an immaculate vocabulary.

As far as the looks and sounds of the film, I can’t really complain. There was a scene in a sand storm that looked a bit odd, but I don’t imagine a sand storm really lends itself to ideal shooting conditions. The film was never too dark for me to see, nor too bright whenever they were outside. Both of these happen a lot in western movies, I’ve notice, in an effort to make it appear more edgy or pointed. The camera did what it needed to do, and never distracted me enough from the story to take any particular note of it.

That’s not to say there weren’t other things that took me out of the world of the film. Some of their lines, the word choices the writer or director made, seemed out of place for the time period. The same can be said for some of the strange casting decisions. Though, once I decided the movie wasn’t taking itself all that seriously, I found myself more willing to forgive these oddities.

At the end of it all, Appaloosa is an entertaining trip through the old west. It’s linear, easy paced, and sometimes falters in the quality of its performers, but the leads and the journeys their characters go on make up for it all. It’s worth a look at a matinee price, at least.

Movie Review: Week One

Every week (or almost) I review movies for the paper. These are the uncut versions of those reviews.

Flash of Genius Review: B-

Summer is over and the new school year begins. With the last remnants of homework-free hours go the flowing stream of blockbuster movies. This ebb of ‘big names’ allows for some lesser known films to steal into the limelight, though the lull in movie goers might be disheartening for most. As far as I’m concerned, the fall is one of the best times to catch good, honest movies. Of course, living here in Ashland, for me, means walking down town to see most of them.

Flash of Genius was, mostly, worth the effort. Which is good, because I don’t like breaking away from my usual lazy habits for nothing.

The movie is set in the 60’s, and focuses on a college professor who’s background in and passion for engineering lead him to designing a new kind of car windshield wiper, one that does not require constant turning on or off, and has an electronic delay between wipes. Branding this the Kearns Blinking Eye, he offers it to Ford only to find himself betrayed and cheated. Desperate to prove that Ford stole his invention, he engages in a years long battle through courts and letters that sends his once quaint life into chaos. Six children, a loving wife, and his own sanity suffer from his near obsessive conviction, yet he never bows to the ever building pressure to back down, willing to risk everything in the pursuit of his own, personal sense justice: recognition.

Greg Kinnear leads the cast as Bob Kearns, the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper. The character is a bit intense, a bit too focused. There’s a moment in his long endeavor where he loses himself, and it’s difficult for me to believe he ever really came back from it. In any case, Kinnear’s acting is solid. He’s endearing and soft, a bit confused and adorable. He’s not quite as funny as I would have hoped, but not because the writing didn’t provide for some cute, simple moments of humor. Though, I suppose if I was looking for comedy I should have gone seen Ghost Town, another release in theaters featuring Kinnear.

Not that I would. I’ve seen Heart and Souls. What else do I need in a ghost movie?

Lauren Graham of Gilmore fame plays Phyllis Kearns, Bob’s loving and patient wife. Having been a stalwart Gilmore Girls fan, it was refreshing to see Graham acting, while at the same time it was interesting to see the difference so poignantly in the choices made for this character. She did not speak quickly, or even pout as much as good ol’ Lorelai was wont to do. In fact, Graham was beautifully subtle here, the depth of patience and love she portrayed, even in her character’s hardest moments, fascinating to watch. It was a shame she didn’t have more to do and yet I was glad not to have her over exposed.

The plot was a bit rushed yet still managed to feel its length, some moments dragging on for the sake of direction rather than character or story development. Yes, some of the shots were pretty and effective, but mostly it felt like it was trying too hard to be impactful from behind the camera, while the grace of its characters and potency of the real-life message was played down. Sure, you leave the theater feeling inspired, but the classic David and Goliath story is designed just for that. I don’t think this movie, however strong the actors were, accomplished anything new.

Save for telling me a real tale I had not heard before, of course.

In any case, it is an interesting way to spend an afternoon. Anyone looking for fast paced action, dialogue or… anything might do better looking elsewhere. But if you’re interested in character pieces, dramatic documentaries, or windshield wipers, this movie is worth a look. Kinnear and Graham are strong enough to warrant some recognition, and the message of justice against corruption is applicable in many lives, in big and small ways. It’s a motivational film and, ultimately, a good one. It doesn’t have to be great to get the job done.

[Movie Babble] John Q, Shaft, Random Hearts

Watched a few movies. Last night I started John Q, but couldn't finish it until today for various reasons. I also watched Shaft and Random Hearts.

These are all just movies I grab randomly from my dad's collection.

John Q:

I liked it, but I wasn't blown away. I felt it was pretty linear, and wasn't as potent as I think it wanted to be. But maybe I've become jaded, by watching so many movies. I've seen a lot of plots, man. I've seen too much.

Anyway, I did not like two of the decisions made in this movie. The first? Showing the car crash of the woman at the beginning of the film. It's like saying 'here's the heart! Remember this? This is important! Don't worry everyone, it'll work out!' Really, I didn't want to know that it would all work out. I wanted to be pissed at the hospital, to hate the world, to be fed up with bureaucratic bullshit, to rebel against the system. I wanted to hate the administration, the insurance companies, the doctors and everyone that seemed to be in the way of a boy and a new heart. But I could never really get that invested, because I knew that crash was important.

Still, I wanted to punch that hospital administrator in the baby. I know I was supposed to hate her, but this was a kind of vehemence I don't think they anticipated. I was just glad she was not on the screen for too long at a time. The small redemption of putting his name on the list was just not enough for me. And I liked that.

James Woods was hilarious as the doctor. He wasn't supposed to be, but I'm so used to having his voice attached to Hercules and Family Guy that it really took me out to actually... see him. And I have seen him in other things, which makes it all the more ridiculous. I did like his character, though. Even if he was responsible for the other thing I did not like about this film.

The suicide plot. 'I'm going to kill myself, and you're going to put my heart in his body'. I did not buy into it. It's not that I wanted the doctor to put up more of a fight against the idea, but... I don't know. The various reactions from the hostages just did not feel right. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief that far, for any of them.

Haha, Ray Liotta played an ass hole. Is that... really very surprising?

Shaft:

Not much to say here. I thought it was cool, but not cool enough. Like, Shaft is this licensed badass, right? So... why wasn't he more badass? I didn't think this John Shaft, Samuel L. Jackson's character, lived up to his uncle's theme song. Sure, he played some funny tricks on people and had some great stunts, but I felt like I wanted more. He seemed to be on the losing end of the game more often than not, and that's just not that badass in my book.

Christian Bale was great as the baddie, though. It's interesting, watching someone play a racist. He was pretty downplayed in it, save for his scene where he bashed the dude's head in. Oh, and in the jail cell. Yeah, that was pretty awesome. I would not want to mess with that white boy: he can keep his damn shoes.

Random Hearts:

It felt pretty long. The pacing was deliberate, but it still dragged on in places. I did like how the story was developed for the first half an hour or so. I wasn't actually keeping time, but the way it would cut between the cop, the politician, and the plane. I liked how the stories met, and the plot went on from there, though their becoming an item was not very subtle or... interesting. It felt like it had to happen.

So it did.

And that's all she wrote, for now. Getting dragged away, against my will.

[Journal] Top Six Answers on the Board

Ah, I'm dying for this summer to be over.

I mean, I've been having some fun. Had some great moments. Love my friends and my family. But come on. Enough is too much: I want to get back to school. I miss Ashland, and the campus and the newspaper. I miss going to movies whenever I want, and how renting from Blockbuster was as simple as crossing the street. I want to walk every where again, and I want to go back to a place where there is no fast food save one Wendy's.

The first half of this summer moved so quickly. Half a week in and I was at the theatre, reading for Hamlet and As You Like It and finding all my At Home buddies again. I got the parts I wanted in both shows, and had an amazing time playing them. I really did, and I miss it so much! I love acting, and I know I can't do it at the college, so it's going to be tough going a full year without it. I want to know where ACTC is going, and what it's got planned. I want to be more involved with it, if I could, because I love it so much.

If I had to choose, I'd go ahead and say Rosencrantz was my favorite role this year. I loved Phoebe and, by the end there, I was really getting into playing her, but with Rosencrantz I had a much more profound journey. That's cheesy to say, but it's totally true. The more I played him, the more I came to know his decision making process, and his relationship with Guildenstern and how it differed from the one I have with my own twin. I think playing them as brothers was a surprising, revealing little trip for me, and made it that much more enjoyable. Rosencrantz's thoughts on Hamlet really struck me, as he moved from being a childhood friend to an enemy.

I'll have to find some time to write all about these thoughts of his. I'm a bit too scattered for it now, but I had an idea about writing a short story for Rosencrantz. It would be from our Hamlet, the way our play turned out, from my perception of Rosencrantz and his interaction with everyone else in the show. Of course, I always say I want to write things, but I never actually get to the writing part.

While I was in the shows one of the equity actors for this year, Shaun, spoke to me and my friends Victoria and Nick about the progress we've made since the start of Midsummer two years ago. He played Lysander in that show, and was not in the following season, but returned for these two shows much to all of our joy. He's this naturally happy guy that's just generally sweet, and a hoot to be around and work with. I remember this as one of my favorite moments through the whole rehearsal process, save some really hilarious times, because it was so... I don't know. It was something to take pride in, and I don't have much confidence so it was more than welcomed. He told us he was amazed with how far we had come, and that ACTC was doing what he, and I to be honest, imagined it should. We were learning, growing, and becoming more confident in not only ours roles and abilities, but ourselves and our friendships. He said that we should be proud of ourselves, and I just wanted to hug him. Of course, I remember most clearly when he turned to me and spoke to me about the changes from when I just started playing Helena in year one to this third year, and how much progress I had made. I'm pretty sure it's not true, but it was such a delight and an honor to hear him say it that I think it'll be one of those memories I'll look back on just to reassure myself that I must be doing something right.

My best friend and I have been 'hanging out' a lot. I use quotes because she lives a bit too far from me for us to physically hang out, so we talk on the internet a lot. I mean. A lot. We have recently gotten into the habit of watching Family Feud on GSN and playing along, as a two man DYNAMO, whenever it's on. Almost, anyway. The 7:30 time slot is a bit too early in the morning for either of us. We are hilarious. I mean, I'm usually laughing out loud whenever we play, making the other people in this house wonder what the hell is wrong with me.

That's a whole lot of win, right there. Full of win. By the way, we're playing AS I write this. No joke. There's a family called 'the Greenhouse's'. Hah.

We're also playing Tetris on Facebook. It is eating my soul.

I like talking to Chelsea about my writing and ideas, because she really gets me. And she has a passion for the process, though it needs a bit of reviving, so she understands where I get stuck and the motivation behind the choices I make for my characters and the plot. I've got this story in my head that I've shared with her, and only her, and every time we talk she helps me develop something new. It's pretty cool, because I've never written anything of my own invention before, nothing worth the time and effort anyway, and it's exciting, terrifying, to be starting something like this now.

Now another thing I've come to appreciate this summer is how far Chelsea and I have come. We've been best friends since the sixth grade. That's a... pretty long time. And I know we've changed, and I can see how. It's weird, and thrilling, because I think we're pretty awesome. With my twin it's different. We have grown up together for years, and I had never been away from her long enough to see any real change. It's hard to notice it, when you're moving at the same pace, watching it every day. But then I went to school, grew up a bit, and came back to find I was, in fact, far different. And it wasn't limited to just myself, who I had become, but how different I was from my twin now. It's almost unbearable, and I think the longer I have to stay here and dwell on it the worse it'll get. We argue so much now, it's ridiculous, and a lot of it is petty and leaves me wondering why I even bothered to fight back.

A matter of pride, I suppose. I want to have some left when I go back to school.

I really appreciate my friends, too, for hanging out with me and just being cool people. I've had a ton of fun with Will, at movies and gatherings, as well as all the other people from my cast. They're what I refer to as 'the regulars', when I'm talking to someone unfamiliar with ACTC. Will, Victoria, the Nicks, Sean, and Kasey, though the lattermost is a new and most welcomed addition to the crew for me. There was Rob Addison, but he left again, and I know not when I might see him again. Alas. Alas. These are just the people I feel the most comfortable around, and like hanging out with. I know I'm a really difficult person to be friends with, and that I'm more likely to be a bitch to someone than be nice, but they seem to put up with me and we have a lot of fun. They're good people, you know? Just good people, and it's an honor and blessing to know them.

Even though some of them are not old enough to go drinking with.

Ah. Drinking.

Okay. I am not a boozer. I have no tolerance, and will probably pass out at the mention of hard alcohol. But I do like beer. A lot. And so what? I've never had more than one at any given time, and I drink when everyone else has gone to bed, so as not to upset my mom, brother or twin. They're all 'no drinks at any time, ever', which is fine for them but just does not work for me and my dad.

One day I'm going to go to Boston and play a Family Feud drinking game with my best friend, and it will be hilarious.

I know I mentioned Tropic Thunder in passing, but I freaking loved that movie. I'll write a lot more on it later, when I have the chance to see it again, but good lord. It was great.

In other news, I have to have my wisdom teeth pulled this coming Tuesday. That's terrifying to me. I mean, really, legitimately terrifying. I'm an anxious person by nature, but this is a whole different kind of fear. Because I can't get out of it, and I've heard some stupid stories that are stuck in my head. Everyone tells me it will be fine, but really, it does not sound all that fun. I have to be awake, all four are coming out, and one is really close to a nerve. It's this one that's coming in sideways pushing up under the tooth that's already there. That one is going to be fun.

It's going to be an experience, anyway.

It was kind of funny, though. I was at the dentist's and they were telling me about the procedure. I was trying my best to look cool and attentive, but the dude paused, looked at me funny and said 'you'll be alright!'. Apparently, according to my twin, I wear my emotions on me sleeve and I'm becoming increasingly unaware of it. Maybe that's why I suck as an actor!

I've had that note a couple of times, too. 'Your energy was way off'. This happens after a bad day, and I'm just dragging my feet through a performance. I never noticed until the director or someone in my cast tells me, because I'm actually trying pretty hard to either cover it up and pretend I'm normal, or ignore it. Neither tactic works, apparently, and I hate that I can't tell. I'll fix it, though, because I like this acting thing I don't want to be that kind of person. It's a let down and it's not fair to anyone else. I mean, really, what the hell do I have to be moody about? When I think about it, my life is pretty sweet.

Writing is way distracting. I'm going to need to stop, so I can effectively play some Feud. It was just nice to get some of this out. Notes, if you will, or something like that.

Movie List!

Here's a list of all my movies. Or rather, the ones in my DVD case. I think three or four of them belong to my twin, my brother and/or my mom. Hahah. But MOST of them are mine. They're split up into groups of ten, in no particular order. They used to be split up by actor, but the more I watched them the more mixed up it got. Haha. There should be 129.

The Negotiator
Swimming with Sharks
The Ref
Pay it Forward
The Usual Suspects
American Beauty
Beyond the Sea
The United States of Leland
Outbreak
The Life and Death of David gale

Glengarry GlenRoss
A Time to Kill
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
K Pax
Iron Will
Superman Returns
Blades of Glory
Conversations with Other Women
Brothers Grimm
Because I Said So

Welcome to Mooseport
Stranger than Fiction
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Les Miserables
Swimming Upstream
Shine
Mystery Men
The Banger Sisters

Candy
Intolerable Cruelty
Finding Nemo
Ned Kelly
The Illusionist
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Moulin Rouge
Down with Love
Eye of the Beholder
Identity

Three to Tango
Big Daddy
Enchanted
Dogma
Galaxy Quest
Sweeney Todd
Must Love Dogs
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
America’s Sweethearts
Big Fish

The Phantom of the Opera
Chicago
Till Human Voices Wake Us
Jekyll and Hyde
The Heart of Me
American Splendor
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Weather Man
Tenchi Forever
Tenchi the Movie 2: Daughter of Darkness

Tenchi the Movie: Tenchi Muyo in Love
Cowboy Bebop the Movie
Advent Children
The Prestige
Grilled
Tarzan
Mulan II
The Road to El Dorado
Muppet Treasure Island
The Terminal

A Prairie Home Companion
Pride and Prejudice
Crash
The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers
X-Men
X2
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
Casino Royale
Babel

Duane Hopwood
Scoop
13 Going on 30
From Justin to Kelly
Much Ado About Nothing
Music and Lyrics
Liar Liar
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Insomnia
Winter Passing

Sense and Sensibility
Oxygen
Santa Clause 2
As Good As It Gets
A Merry War
Shopgirl
Tootsie
Flight of the Phoenix
Quicksand
Love Actually

Little Shop of Horrors
Donnie Brasco
The Holiday
Nadine in Dateland
Max
Live from Baghdad
Knocked Up
Last Holiday
Zodiac
Game 6

RV
The Stepford Wives
Strangers with Candy
The Faculty
Secret Window
Edison Force
The Oh in Ohio
Two Girls and a Guy
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Hail Caesar
Confidence
Meet the Fockers
Being Julia
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus
Sleepers
Family Business
Less Than Zero
Air America