Cinephelia!: 2010

29 December 2010

Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.

Now, Voyager 1942

Now, Voyager is probably my favorite weepy romance film ever. There are a lot of really great tearjerker romances out there, but I think that Now, Voyager takes the cake. The story, the cast, their acting, and especially the teaming of Bette Davis and Paul Henried give it that little bonus that gives it that win by a nose.

Bette Davis plays Charlotte Vale, the daughter of the most famous and wealthy families in Boston. At first glance, you'd think she's middle-aged, but surprisingly, she's quite a young woman. Years of miserable living under her tyrannical mother's reign have led her to become totally spinsterish. She finally cracks under all her unhappiness and goes through a nervous breakdown. Fortunately, kind and sympathetic Dr. Jasquith (Claude Rains) takes Charlotte to his sanitarium where she can recover, and then sends her on a South American cruise to learn how to socialize and give her a shot at making friends with people who have no idea who she is. While on the boat, she meets Jerry Durrance, a man who is unhappily married and staying with his wife for the sake of their daughters. He helps coax her out of her shell and the two end up falling in love. But how long can it last?

Aside from being supremely romantic and wonderfully gushy, Now, Voyager is the perfect example of Bette
Davis's incredible glamor. Never conventionally pretty, Bette Davis was living, breathing, glamor incarnate. And in this film, her transformation from ugly duckling to swan is just as amazing as The Wizard of Oz going from sepia to Technicolor, and just as astounding each time it's seen.

Now, Voyager is one of those sentimental romance films that you really cannot watch without a box of tissues on hand. I think everything about it is great, and side-by-side with Casablanca it leads the way of great romance films of the World War II years.

26 December 2010

What is it you want, Mary? You want the moon?

It's a Wonderful Life, 1946

Being that yesterday was Christmas, I'm going to attempt to keep a kind of theme going on around here. And so I'm going to make this entry about not only one of my favorite Christmas (sorry, holiday) movie, but one of my favorite movies in general- It's a Wonderful Life.

Directed by Frank Capra, It's a Wonderful Life tells the story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) a man with big dreams and high hopes. However, none of these big dreams are ever fulfilled because he always puts everybody else before him. While his brother goes to college and becomes a famous war hero, George (who always had aspirations of seeing the world) stays home in the small town of Bedford Falls to take over his father's business. He marries Mary (Donna Reed), the town nice-girl, and has a family, but after the business falls apart, George, distraught, seriously contemplates suicide. Luckily for him, his guardian angel, Clarence, shows up to save his life. George wishes he'd never been born, and Clarence shows him exactly what the world would have been like had he not been born. And it really opens up George's eyes and he learns that his life really is significant.

I can't watch this movie without crying. I'm far too sentimental for my own good and am rather inclined to cry at the smallest thing. And this movie always does the trick. Especially the message from Clarence that George gets inside a book: "Remember George, nobody is a failure who has friends."

This is one of those movies that everyone really needs to see. It's to me, the ultimate feel-good film and it always helps to remind you that, as lame as it sounds, you really do matter, and you really have made a difference. It's so beautiful, and I think that it should be shown year round, not just around Christmas time.

24 December 2010

It was nice to meet you, even if you are my least favorite vegetable

Howl's Moving Castle, 2004

I was extremely hesitant about watching this movie. I never really cared for Japanese animation, and so I thought that this was going to be just a typical, run-of-the-mill film. How wrong I was. What I didn't know was that this was a film by Miyazaki, and so would be anything but average or run of the mill.

The thing about Miyazaki is that he manages to make his drawings seem alive. You almost forget that you're watching an animated film- everything looks so real, from the backgrounds and landscapes, to the character's faces. What I really appreciated was that their expressions aren't exaggerated as they usually are in a lot of Japanese animation.

What's really cool about Miyazaki is that pretty much anyone who is anyone has voiced a character in one of his movies. Howl's Moving Castle features the voices of Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, and Jean Simmons.

Other filims of interest include Spirited Away (which won the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2002, I think), Nausica of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and most recently, Ponyo. Seriously, check out his work. It's excellent.

13 December 2010

I'm not the one who's confused, you don't even know who you are!

The Lion King, 1994

I think that The Lion King is probably Disney's best film. Everything about it is perfect, from the hand-drawn
animation, to the incredibly lifelike images of the African plains (remember how they drew the sun rising over
the Savannah?) to Elton John's songs, and the great cast of voice actors (Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, and Cheech Marin)- The Lion King is good, old fashioned Disney at its best, when the animation department was untouched by any other studio, and the company had something that it seems to have lost now- pride.

I think that the Lion King has got to be the saddest movie I have ever watched in my entire life. Remember how hard you cried when Mufasa died? I'm not sure I've ever cried harder watching a movie before or since. I've seen this movie so many times, and that scene is still totally heartbreaking. I would say it's the saddest thing in moves ever. The only other scene I can think that would run a close second would probably be when Old Yeller gets shot.

The best part of the movie to me though, is the ending. It is so epic, and so Disney in its heyday. With the animation, and the gorgeous Hans Zimmer score, I still get goosebumps to this day whenever I see it. It's such the perfect ending- Simba ascending Pride Rock as the rain washes everything away for a fresh start. It's so beautiful.

Now that's how to end a movie!

Apologies- I can't understand why there's like 18 of the video clip posted, and I can't get any of them off. Forgive me!

09 December 2010

Heathcliff, fill my arms with heather


Image courtesy vivandlarry.com

Wuthering Heights, 1939

Before I do anything else, I really need to give Wuthering Heights credit for introducing me to Laurence Olivier in all his glory. Before I had seen this movie, I only really knew that Laurence Olivier was married to Vivien Leigh. And I really didn't get him. Maybe I just wasn't as interested in getting to know about him as much as her, but after I saw Wuthering Heights, that all changed.

Now I'd be lying if I wasn't absolutely floored by how gorgeous he was in this movie. It's ridiculous. Really, it is. Just look.


Courtesy vivandlarry.com

Of course, the gushy, melodramatic love story didn't hurt matters either. Being a girl, I do like an occasional weepy romance film, and Wuthering Heights is one of my favorites.

Although Merle Oberon is not one of my favorite actresses in the least, I do have to admit that she is really beautiful in this film.

This is also a really important film in that it taught Laurence Olivier how to act on camera. (Before this, he was still kind of green, and still really stagey and hammy). The director of the film, William Wyler, really deserves the credit for bringing him down and really getting an incredible performance out of him. (Wyler's directed some of my favorite actors/actresses in some of my favorite movies...Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years of our Lives, Roman Holiday, ect).

Since I watched this movie, Laurence Olivier has become my favorite actor, and I haven't been able to stop talking about this film in general.

If you don't like Laurence Olivier, or want to get to know his work better, watch this movie, because it's excellent.

05 December 2010

Now when I get the sun, I smile

Requiem for a Dream, 2000

I have got to say that I'm quite sure that this is the scariest film I have ever seen in my life. I firmly believe that if kids were shown this film, there would be no more drug problems in this country.

Requiem for a Dream examines a year in the life of Harry Goldfarb, his mother Sara, his girlfriend Marion, and his best friend Tyrone and their increasing inability to control their respective addictions and eventually falling prey to them.

Ellen Burstyn plays Sara, and it is such a disgrace that she was passed over for the Best Actress Academy Award. Her performance is flawless, particularly her monologue attempting to justify her addiction:

-I'm somebody now Harry. Everybody likes me. Soon, millions of people will see me, and they'll all like me. I'll tell them about you, and your father, how good he was to us. Remember? It's a reason to get up in the morning. It's a reason to lose weight, to fit in the red dress. It's a reason to smile. It makes tomorrow all right. What have I got Harry? Why should I even make the bed, or wash the dishes? I do them, but why should I? I'm alone. Your father's gone. You're gone. I got no one to care for. What have I got Harry? I'm lonely. I'm old.

-You got friends, ma.

-It's not the same. They don't need me. I like the way I feel. I like thinking about the red dress and the television and you, and your father. Now when I get the sun, I smile.

The whole cast did a really fine job of playing addicts trying their best to keep their addictions under control. They show the desperation of doing anything for a fix, consequences be damned. Requiem for a Dream is an unflinching, in-your-face film that doesn't back down for a second.

The first time I watched it, I was literally stunned and speechless. I tried to brighten up by watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail afterward, but it was to no avail. I was still haunted by Requiem for a Dream.I still am. I'm sure I'll always be haunted by it.

02 December 2010

I just wish I could go someplace where no one knows me.

Stand by Me, 1986

Set in small town in 1950's Oregon, Stand by Me tells the story of four best friends' quest to find a dead body in the woods and become heroes.What starts as a fun time turns serious as the boys reveal their true selves to each other and make discoveries about themselves. I think it's the quintessential coming-of-age story and one of the greatest films about friendship ever made.

For me, the person who stand out most is River Phoenix. He plays Chris Chambers, a typical tough-guy with a heart of gold. to quote the movie: "He came from a bad family and everyone just knew he'd turn out bad...including Chris." Chris is terribly intelligent but is practical enough to know that he has no shot of being successful in life. Accused of stealing milk money at school, he is looked down upon by teachers and parents alike. His tearful confession about what really happened to the milk money is one of the most devastating performances in film history.

"I'm just one of those low-life Chambers kids. No one even asked me if I took the milk money that time. I just got a three day vacation. Maybe I was sorry and I tried to give it back. And I took it to Old Lady Simons and told her, and the money was all there. But I still got a three day vacation because the it never showed up. And maybe, the next week, Old Lady Simons had a brand new skirt on when she came to school. Just suppose I told that story. Me, Chris Chambers, kid brother to Eyeball Chambers, you think anyone would believe me? And do you think that bitch would have dared try anything like that if it had been one of those douchebags from up on the view if they had taken the money? Hell no. Well...I'm sure she had her eye on that skirt for a long time. Anyway, she saw her chance and she took it. But I never thought.....I never thought, a teacher...oh who gives a fuck anyway? I just wish I could go someplace where no one knows me."

"Would you two shut the fuck up? If either one of you assholes had two thousand dollars, I'd kill you both."

Another character of interest is Ace Merrill, played by Keifer Sutherland. Ace is one of those rare bullies that is actually menacing. In fact, Ace is terrifying. He's completely psychotic and wouldn't think twice about sticking his switchblade right in between somebody's ribs.

I fell in love with Stand by Me the first time I saw it, because I saw myself and my childhood friends in it. Those four kids did everything that me and my friends did; they teased each other, they fought, they cried on each others shoulders, and eventually, drifted apart. Stand by Me also offers, in my opinion, the most heartbreaking closing line in all of cinema history.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

28 November 2010

You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.

Gone With the Wind, 1939

I remember the first time I watched Gone With the Wind. I was sixteen years old, had just come out of tenth grade, and had recently fallen in love with TCM and all things classic Hollywood. So when TCM showed Gone With the Wind as its Essential for that week, I was excited beyond belief. I found out about a week in advance that it would be coming on, and I literally planned my whole Saturday around it. I remember eating dinner super early that night, as the film would be airing at 8:00 and I was not going to be missing it for anything.

Well, by the time about 7:45 rolled around, I had a burger on a plate and some fries, and a drink. Settling down on my basement sofa, I flipped to TCM and waited for the film to start. From the opening music, I was hooked. For the next four hours I didn't move off my sofa, except to run to the freezer quickly to cram another creamsicle. I eventually polished off the whole box by the end of the movie.

Gone With the Wind was my first foray into the epic film. It also taught me not to finish a drink within the first twenty minutes of the film, because you're not going to be leaving the sofa for another three hours. It also introduced me to Vivien Leigh, who has since become my favorite actress and one of my favorite people. It was also the first Clark Gable film I saw, and I kind of went "Oh. So THAT's Clark Gable. I get it now, his appeal."

I think you really need to see Gone With the Wind if you are really into films. There's really amazing performances, I think the cinematography is brilliant, the score is beautiful, and it's a prime example of the Hollywood epic that they just can't make anymore. And I think that it's pretty safe to say that it's the most famous film of all time.

PS: Even when you adjust for inflation/deflation, when you add up all the numbers, Gone With the Wind is still the highest grossing film of all time. Take that, Avatar!

27 November 2010

Well, bust my buttons! That's a horse of a different color!

The Wizard of Oz, 1939

As usual, it's going to be a little difficult for me to write this without being all gushy and sentimental and saying that I love this movie simply because, well, I always have.

The Wizard of Oz was my first taste of classic cinema I suppose. I've been watching it literally as long as I can remember. It became a full-blown obsession when I was in the fifth grade, and it's stayed that way ever since. The VHS that Ihad included a documentary titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic. I used to watch this all the time and because of it, I was able to drop names like nobody's business. Never mind that I had no idea what I was talking about, but I knew Luis B. Mayer, Victor Flemming, George Cukor, David Selznick, Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Mervyn LeRoy, Gale Sondergaard, Liza Minnelli and even Adrian. Like I said, I probably couldn't have told you who most of those people really were, but I'm sure that I sounded very pretentious rattling off names like that at ten years old.

It was also the film that introduced me to Judy Garland, who I've always adored. In the fifth grade, I would have listed her as my favorite actress. She remains among them today.

I guess I really need to give credit to the Wizard of Oz for introducing me to classic film. I didn't even know it at the time, but it was my first viewing of classic films and so I guess that Citizen Kane needs to move over and give The Wizard of Oz that title.

20 November 2010

How could I have known that murder can sometimes smell like honeysuckle?

Double Indemnity, 1944

I think that Double Indemnity is the best example of film noir, if not my favorite. Fred MacMurray plays an insurance salesman who finds himself first falling for Barbara Stanwyck and then murdering her husband, only to be betrayed by her later on. It's the classic noir film, filled with tough-talking guys and rotten dames, and plenty of cigarette smoke and shadows.

What really stands out to me in this film is Barbara Stanwyck. I've read that she took on the role of Phyllis Dietrichson after Billy Wilder bet her to. I think that she really makes a kind of trite character into something really extraordinary. I think she's just fantastic in this role.

15 November 2010

Welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win.

Casablanca, 1942

My list of 15 films continues with Casablanca. I was first shown this film in my tenth grade film class and I was instantly in love with it. I got so lost in the story and completely swept away and involved in the love triangle. I honestly had no idea who Ilsa was going to end up with, and I totally felt for her, because I had fallen for both men as well.I was drawn to Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and his smart-ass remarks, and I thought that Victor (Paul Henried) was such a good, brave man. By the end of the picture, I had to quickly wipe my eyes and pretend that I hadn't been crying.

Also, I remember thinking that the girl in the movie was very pretty. Only later did I learn her name was Ingrid Bergman and that she was an Academy Award winning Swedish actress. (She's now one of my favorite actresses). I think she's especially beautiful in this film. She's absolutely luminous- especially when Rick sees her again for the first time in years:

The part that stands out to me the most isn't the famous goodbye scene, but when Victor leads all the people in a chorus of La Marseillaise, much to the annoyance of the German soldiers. In this scene, Paul Henried is so brave, and so handsome, and Ilsa is so proud of him. It's such a beautiful scene. Observe:

Casablanca is true escapist cinema, and I can just imagine what it did for people during World War II. I've always wanted to talk to someone who was around during that time and ask them what it was like seeing that film back in 1942, and how they reacted to it.

With its great story, love triangle, endlessly quotable lines, and great performances by all involved, Casablanca is s treasure of a movie that everyone really should see.

PS- I'm sorry about the video, I didn't realize that it couldn't be embedded. It's going to take you straight to the youtube page.

12 November 2010

15 Films

So has anyone seen that thing on Facebook where you randomly list 15 movies that you'll always remember or affected your life significantly? Well, I'm going to make a post every day for each of the 15 films that I selected. I'll also write a little bit about why I chose that particular film. So, here goes. (This is in no particular order, just the order of how they went down)

Citizen Kane, 1941

I'm going to start by saying that Citizen Kane isn't necessarily one of my favorite movies. It's not that I think it wasn't good, or it was boring or anything like that, but I don't know, it's just not really my cup of tea. I think it's one of those films that you need to watch a couple of times to really appreciate.

As the movie opens, we come across an old, lonely manor house on top of a mountain. Ignoring the No Trespassing sign, we enter the house and make our way into a bedroom. A silhouette of a man lays on the bed, clutching a snow globe in his hand. He whispers the word "rosebud" and drops the snow globe. As it shatters on the floor, a woman rushes in and pulls the bed sheet over the dead man's face. So ends the life of Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles).

The rest of the story is told in flashbacks. Kane becomes an unscrupulous newspaper tycoon (the character was apparently based on William Randolph Hearst and as the story goes, he was none too happy about it). As his luck would have it though, he finds out that money really doesn't buy happiness, and he is left a broken bitter old man.

This is one of those essential films that is requisite viewing in any film class. I think Citizen Kane is one of the best films ever made from a technical point of view. In fact, I think that the cinematography is my favorite thing about Citizen Kane. The opening scene alone is absolutely brilliant. It's perfectly moody, Gothic, and almost brooding. You feel the chill in the air, and the mist sticks to you. Observe, the opening of Citizen Kane.

Citizen Kane was one of the first black-and-white/classic viewings that I can remember. Actually, I think it was the second classic film I'd ever seen, the first being It's a Wonderful Life. I remember sitting in my tenth grade film class and being totally absorbed in this film. I jotted down notes so fast I was slightly surprised my pencil didn't spark. I was totally impressed with the film, and I still am. When I took a college film course, the professor, Faye Dunaway- I mean, Dr. Rebecca Dean- showed this film first. As I said before, it's one of those films that you just need to see if you want anything to do with film. It was groundbreaking, astounding, and somewhat shocking on so many levels, and it none of that has diminished yet.

08 November 2010

A Vivien Leigh birthday tribute.

I'm sorry that I didn't get to post this when I really wanted to. Three days ago (November 5th) was Vivien Leigh's 97th birthday. And so I wanted to do a photo tribute to her on that day, but since I worked all day, I didn't get to then, so I'm doing it now. All images courtesy of vivandlarry.com

Vivien Leigh

November 5, 1913-July 7, 1967

03 November 2010

I think you're overreacting, Miss Crawford.

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

This has got to be one of the most brilliant videos I've ever seen. It's a mash up of one of my favorite movies- Mommie Dearest- and a song that I really like quite a lot- Mama Mia by ABBA.

I was first introduced to Mommie Dearest about three years ago when my uncle gave me a copy for Christmas. It instantly became one of my favorite movies. And you know what? I think it's actually a pretty well-made film. Yeah, there are some parts that go a little overboard, but for the most part, I don't think it's as bad as it's been made out to be. And I think for the most part, Faye Dunaway did an amazing job as Joan Crawford. Again, she has her moments of going over the top, and she does get a little cross-eyed when she yells, but all in all, I don't think it's a performance she should be ashamed of. I think she should lighten up and accept the movie for what it is.


See what I mean about the slight cross-eyes?

Anyway, back to the video. I think it's hilarious and totally brilliant. The editing and cutting syncs perfectly with the music and it's totally entertaining, fan of Mommie Dearest and/or ABBA or not.

29 October 2010

Get a load of this.

27 October 2010

Film survey

Amanda over at a blog called A Noodle in the Haystack created this survey, and it's pretty good, so I'll be filling it out.

1. What is your favorite movie starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, excluding all of The Thin Man films? I haven't seen anything else that they've done together except the Thin Man series. I had Manhattan Melodrama recorded but it got erased before I got around to watching it.

2. Name a screen team that appeared in only one film together but are still noteworthy for how well they complimented each other. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

Photo courtesy vivandlarry.com

3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ best film together? Which is the one where he sings "The Way you Look Tonight"? I think it's Shall We Dance.

4. Your favorite actor named “Robert?” Robert De Niro is pretty badass. Robert Mitchum is totally cool too.
.
5. An actor/actress who, when you see one of their movies, you always wish that someone else was in his/her role? Scarlett Johansen.

6. An actor/actress that someone close to you really loves that you can’t stand or vice versa? I'm not sure that we really disagree on much acting wise.

7. An actor/actress that you both agree on completely? Katharine Hepburn for sure. We both worship her.

8. Complete this sentence: Virginia O’Brien is to Ethel Merman as Scarlett Johansen is to Bette Davis.

9. What is your favorite film starring Ray Milland? I don't think I've actually watched a Ray Miland movie, but I do have Dial M For Murder on my DVR, and my friend still has yet to bring The Lost Weekend over.

10. You had to have seen this one coming: what is your favorite movie of the 1960s? Only one?!
There's so many! I'll go with My Fair Lady- Audrey Hepburn is divine in it.

11. An actor/actress that you would take out of one film and put into a different movie that was released the same year? Good question. I'm not sure. Maybe I'd take Vivien Leigh out of Anna Karenina and have her play Ophelia in Larry's Hamlet. Though I really do like Jean Simmons quite a lot in that film.

12. Who was your favorite of Robert Montgomery’s leading ladies? Not sure.

13. You think it would have been a disaster if what movie starred the actor/actress who was originally asked to star in it? If Paulette Goddard had played Scarlett O"Hara.

14. An actor/actress who you will watch in any or almost any movie? Bette Davis.

15. Your favorite Leslie Howard film and role? I think he's quite good in Of Human Bondage.

16. You have been asked to host a marathon of four Barbara Stanwyck films. Which ones do you choose? Double Indemnity, Meet John Doe, Ball of Fire, and Baby Face.

17. What is, in your mind, the nearest to perfect comedy you have ever seen? Why? Annie Hall, because it broke all the rules of romantic comedy.

18. You will brook no criticism of what film? The Wizard of Oz.

19. Who is your favorite Irish actress? Greer Garson. Okay, maybe she's not Irish Irish, but she was of Irish descent, so she still counts, right?

20. Your favorite 1940s movie starring Ginger Rogers? Is it wrong that I don't really care for Ginger Rogers unless she's dancing with Fred Astaire?

21. Do you enjoy silent movies? Oh yes. Nosferatu was great, Chaplin's silents are beautiful, and Greta Garbo is just amazing. Lon Chaney's horror films are great too.

"Waugggh!"

22. What is your favorite Bette Davis film? All About Eve, for sure, followed closely by What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

23. Your favorite onscreen Hollywood couple? I quite like Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn a lot.

24. This one is for the girls, but, of course, the guys are welcome to answer, too: who is your favorite Hollywood costume designer? A lot really. Adrien, Irene, Edith Head, Givenchy.

25. To even things out a bit, here’s something the boys will enjoy: what is your favorite tough action film? Planet Terror!

The machine gun leg is so badass!

26. You are currently gaining a greater appreciation for which actor(s)/actress(es)? Steve Buschemi. I love his versatility.

27. Franchot Tone: yes or no? Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein nein! (Inglourious Basterds, anyone?)

28. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are underrated? Natalie Wood.

29. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are overrated? There's only a few Joan Crawford films I care for. Norma Shearer as well.

30. Favorite actor? Laurence Olivier.

image courtesy vivandlarry.com

31. Favorite actress? Vivien Leigh.

32. Of those listed, who is the coolest: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, or Patrick Stewart? Seriously? This isn't even a contest. Paul Newman!

33. What is your favorite movie from each of these genres:
Comedy: Bringing up Baby
Swashbuckler: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Film noir: Sunset Boulevard
Musical: Way too many to choose just one.
Holiday: It's a Wonderful Life
Hitchcock: Rebecca

26 October 2010

Spa-ghee-tea

Saute an onion and a couple cloves of garlic in olive oil (Be careful not to let the garlic cook too long, or it'll burn and get bitter. About 30 seconds will do)
Add a couple cans of tomato puree. Just plain old tomato puree. Nothing fancy.
Throw in some basil, oregano, parsley, and a small amount of mint leaves. Add a little garlic powder, some salt and pepper, and about a quarter cup of red wine. (The general rule of thumb is don't cook with what you wouldn't drink).
Then just let it simmer away for a couple of hours until you're ready to eat. The longer you let it cook, the thicker and more flavorful it'll get.

This is one of those recipes that you can make hours ahead of time and just let it simmer all day long. It's also one of those really versatile recipes where you can throw in pretty much anything in your fridge and it'll still be good. It's a good chance to use up ground beef or sausage, or (my personal favorite) chicken thighs. Just brown the meat in a skillet and throw it in the sauce. And it's delicious.

25 October 2010

When I was your age, television was called books

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

A lifelong hobby of mine is reading. I can't remember a time when I wasn't reading. I'm not sure, but I think I learned how to read pretty early on, but then of course I don't remember. I've always been known in my family to never be without a book. I usually don't leave the house without one, unless I have to go to work or something like that.

When I was younger, my biggest obsession was horses, and so I was always reading a book by Marguerite Henry or Black Beauty or something horse related. I also remember being really into The Babysitter's Club and the Goosebumps series, and I was mildly interested in the Animorphs series.

Now I'll read pretty much anything with the exception of science-fiction and those crappy romance novels. I've done a couple of posts about books before, but those books are so good they bear repeating. If I were to recommend a list of books to people it'd probably look something alone these lines:

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Me: Stories of my Life by Katharine Hepburn
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Me and my Shadows: A Family Memoir by Lorna Luft

I'm also really into reading biographies about people that I have an interest in. I think my favorite biography is either Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland by Gerald Clarke or Vivien: The Life of Vivien Leigh by Alexander Walker/Vivien Leigh: A Biography by Hugo Vickers. (I include them both because they're pretty much the only two biographies out there written about her).

Biographies to stay away from would include anything by Anne Edwards. I've read her Katharine Hepburn bio and I have her Judy Garland bio but I have yet to read it. I say to avoid her because she can't get major facts straight. For example, in her Katharine Hepburn biography, she didn't even have Kate's date of birth correct. (May 12, 1907 for anyone interested). And in her Judy Garland biography, a lot of little details are incorrect. Now I'm not saying that I could do better because I'm not sure that I could, but I just think you should have your facts straight, that's all. Actually, Anne Edwards did one thing of note: She was the first author to reveal that Vivien Leigh had bipolar disorder. And it really pissed a lot of people off. Fun fact.

24 October 2010

Encouragement

Last night while talking on the telephone with a friend, she told me that she always felt that I was going to go somewhere and do something big. She said that she always thought that about me, ever since she first met me about seven years ago.

And that felt good, to be supported and encouraged.

22 October 2010

Food, glorious food!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Something that I can do pretty well is cook. I've been cooking since I was about fifteen or so and I never really stopped. I started out by learning how to make spaghetti sauce from my dad. I then graduated to cooking three or four course meals on my own. Now, I can cook just about anything and I have a few signature dishes that I can make with one hand behind my back. Spaghetti, French onion soup, boeuf bourguignon, chicken Florentine, and chicken Marsala are among them.

This March, for Oscar night, me and my friend got together and over the span of the Oscar weekend, planned out a whole formal dinner event. Our plan was to spend Saturday shopping and preparing as much food as possible in advance and finishing everything up Sunday before the show. Our menu consisted of spanakopita, butternut squash soup, mushroom and pea risotto, Greek salad, Brussels sprout hash, and chicken tzatziki. Everything came out really well, and I regret that I didn't take any pictures.

This year, we're planning a Christmas party. So far, the menu consists of roast turkey, mushroom and pea risotto, butternut squash soup, chocolate mint pie, peppermint bark, and vegetable lasagna. I'm definitely going to have to remember to take pictures of how everything comes out.

20 October 2010

That kind of music just soothes my soul

I think I've always been in love with Classical music. I honestly can't remember a time when I didn't enjoy listening to it. Ever since I was a kid. Remember Fantasia? Yeah, that was one of my favorite Disney movies when I was a kid. I always loved hearing the music. I thought it was great. And of course, old-school, hand-drawn Disney animation didn't hurt either.

In particular, I've always loved Beethoven. I think his music is just really honest, and pure, and in a way, simple. Unlike somebody like, say, Mozart. (Who I don't dislike, but sometimes, he kind of overwhelms me).

Anyway, what I've posted above is the final movement of Beethoven's 6th Symphony. For anyone not familiar with it, the 6th Symphony is like Beethoven's homage to nature. He loved to go out for walks in the woods and from what I've read, would often just sit and listen to the forest. The 6th Symphony tells the story of a day in the German country. In the final movement, a new day breaks after a terrible storm though the night. It is so incredibly beautiful.

Whenever I hear it, I always feel like no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay. So long as we have music like this, so long as it survives, so will my hope for humanity.

He looks more like Marlon Brando in Mutiny on the Bounty .

19 October 2010

Aesthetic guidelines, you mean whether it's a good photo or not?

This painting is called The Scream and it's by Edvard Munch. It was painted in 1893. That's pretty much all I know about it, except the fact that I really really like it. A lot. I really don't know much at all about art or its history or anything like that. But I do know what I like. And I think that's what art's all about.

18 October 2010

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart

I just love this song so much, and I love hearing Judy Garland sing it. As I've said before I'm sure, she's my favorite singer. I think that her voice is perfect and I'm positive that if she had made a recording of 'Row Row Row Your Boat' it would have been a success.

Anyway, this song is called You'll Never Walk Alone and it was written by Rogers and Hammerstein (Remember The Sound of Music and The King and I? Yeah, those guys) for the musical Carousel. I've never seen it, but from what I understand, it's sung at the end of the play by the main character's dead boyfriend. (I think I have that right, if not, forgive me!)

I've heard a few other renditions of this song, from Elvis (meh) to Barbra Striesand (blech) but I think this is the best. I think that Judy has such a clean honest voice, and I think that she really believed what she was singing. This song always makes me feel better after a rough day. I've read other people's comments elsewhere and they've all written about how much this song has helped them too. (Actually, if I remember correctly, I read that back in the 1940s when Judy originally recorded this song, a woman who was told she would never walk again managed to prove all the doctors wrong, and she said that she owed it all to Judy and this song).

This song always makes me get a little teary-eyed because, well, it is very pretty and the words are encouraging. It also makes me a little bit sad too, because I wish that Judy could have kind of taken the song's advice and sort of kept her head up a bit more and not let so much shit get to her. I wish I could talk to her and tell her how loved she is.

Judy Garland

June 10 1922-June 22 1969

And as a sidenote, I really do hope that Get Happy is going to be a success- I hope it's going to be sort of an American La Vie en Rose and it will stay out of Mommie Dearest territory. (No disrespect Mommie Dearest, but still)

No.

I dislike fanfics. So there.

13 October 2010

Love has nothing to do with what you're expecting to get, but what you're expecting to give, which is everything.

Me: Stories of my Life is one of my favorite non-fictional books ever written. Katharine Hepburn wrote it and it's all pretty much just little stories about herself and the people she knew. When you're reading, you can almost hear her voice coming out of the pages. It's really simply written and really unpretentious, but her writing style feels almost animated. I think that's why I like it so much. And, it's really nice to have someone who was as private as Kate to come out and actually share personal things about herself. I would definitely recommend this book not just to anyone who's interested in Katharine Hepburn but also to people just looking for a good read.

11 October 2010

Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful...

One of the greatest books I've ever read is Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. Published in 1936 it became an instant bestseller and caused quite a phenomenon. It was THE book to read, much like the Harry Potter or Twilight series are today. It's really no wonder the book did so well; an engaging story, a torrid romance, war, rich, vivid characters and beautiful descriptions all contribute to the brilliance of this book.

It centers around Scarlett O'Hara who is sixteen years old when the book opens. She lives the good life as a rich Georgia plantation owner's daughter until the Civil War breaks out. She faces hardships she's never known and must grow up and do anything she can to survive.

Then there's Rhett Butler- one of my favorite literary characters ever. He's cynical, snide, a self-appointed misfit, sarcastic, and head-over-heels in love with Scarlett. He's also the one with the most sense, I think.

I first read this book in the summer of 2006 when I was sixteen. I had just watched the movie and I knew that I had to read the book. About a week later I went out to the library in town and got myself a copy. That book took up the rest of my summer. I still remember waking up, reading, getting something to eat, reading some more, taking a nap, reading, eating dinner, and reading until I fell asleep. I was so gripped by that book- no matter what I had to do, I would try to read just a few more pages.

I was since given my own copy of Gone With the Wind, and I think I've read it about four or five times. Every time I read it, I still get just as involved as I did the first time. I still want to get to the end to find out what happens, and I still get sad once the book is finished.

What I really love the most about Gone With the Wind is the sense of humor that Margaret Mitchell wrote into it. There's moments of absolute hilarity. Most of them center around Rhett teasing Scarlett. Something I remember actually laughing aloud at is a scene when Scarlett and Rhett are sitting on the porch at night talking about something or other. As is his way, Rhett needles Scarlett and she gets more and more irritated with him. She then declares the conversation over and gets up to go inside, attempting to slam the door shut. But the door is too heavy and so she just stomps away. As she gets to the top of the stairs, she hears Rhett slam the door shut for her.

If you haven't read this book, I strongly recommend it. Just about any library should have it. If they don't, go to a Barnes and Noble's or Waldenbooks. Actually the latter is probably the better option. You'll not regret buying it at all.