Rotten Tomatoes? Sour Grapes?

The weather here in La La Land has turned overcast and drizzly and cool. It is exactly the kind of weather that makes me want to curl up with a fuzzy throw blanket and watch movies, read books, and eat soup. And maybe bake things. You think that’s a good idea, right? The baking?

At any rate, I am relieved to announce that while it appeared that my not-quite-two-years-old Kindle had recently kicked the bucket, following some Internet research I was able to do a hard reboot and my baby has revived. This was a huge relief because had it died, I certainly did not want to have to purchase a new one. And it had not only lots of books and subscriptions on it, but also my very favorite Flight of the Conchords video clips, which I watch when I am feeling blue. Not to mention my Sudoku app! I am such a huge geek that I can complete a Sudoku in under four minutes. Not to mention my Netflix app! It is a little ridiculous how bereft I would be if I had to go without it.

So when I began this post, I was going to write about books, and how I find the books I think I want to read. I collect lists of books I want to read, but I realize I also collect lists of movies I want to watch, and I realize that what I look for in both of these things are very similar.

(I should stop here and say that despite my love of the written word, and my appreciation for a well-made movie, there are huge gaps in my literary and film education. At the same time, I realize there is a finite number of days in my life, so I am not going to waste time with slogging through books or movies I don’t like. It is rather liberating. When I was younger, I could so easily put myself in the writer’s shoes of having bravely put their guts out into the world to be read by the public that I would dutifully continue reading through hundreds of pages just to give the author a chance, even if the book wasn’t grabbing me. I felt obligated to finish! Well, no more.)

What I look for is: something that will make me laugh or make me examine what I truly think. Something that will take me on a journey, with all the little side trips and mis-steps that journeys have. Something that will make me feel different when I am done.

Well, this is hard to know at the outset as you are looking at things. I tend to like independent films, quirky films, and books that take me to unexpected places. I absolutely cannot deal with stories where violence toward women and/or children, or come to think of it, animals, is portrayed. It took me forever to see The Accused and I could not watch it all in one sitting. I still don’t think I have ever seen it all the way through. Same with Precious. These are “good” movies, they tell important stories, but I can’t deal.  

At this point, I don’t look for movies that I know will depress me. I am therefore surprised, and sometimes pleasantly, by movies like The Descendants, which I thought would be a quirky family comedy but ended up being, yes, sad, but also deeply moving.

As the weekend is fast approaching, tell me: (1) what do you look for in movies and/or books? And (2) what would you recommend?

 

Disclaimer: I may or may not read or watch your recommendations. I’m annoying quirky like that.

Low-Rent and High (In Three Parts)

Part the First

Seen today in the building where I work:

Please respect the building tenants and do not urinate in the stairwells.

(And yes, there has evidently been a veritable epidemic of stairwell peeing in my office building. Nice.)

Part the Second

Sweet Dub gave me a picture of himself posing with the director of the movie he's been working on. I took it to work with me because I thought it was hilarious. First of all, Sweet Dub does not have a small head (no, that's not a euphemism, you dirty, dirty, naughty thing), but the director? His head looks about the size of a battleship in this picture, dwarfing my husband's head to the size of a coconut. Some might say this is symbolic of how he thinks of himself, but certainly I would never take it there. No, indeedy. I know which side my bread is buttered on. But the director is also sneering mockingly at the camera, clearly cheesing it up a bit. It makes me laugh just to look at it. So when Sweet Dub called a few minutes ago, I mentioned that I was looking at the picture.

"You hung it up at work?" he said.

"Yeah, it's up on my bulletin board," I said.

"That's kind of goofy," he said.

Hello? Have you just met me? Goofy is my middle name.

Part the Third

Speaking of brushes with celebrity, on Monday afternoon, I worked half a day in the office and half a day at home after lunching with the lovely Cee, her sister, and an anonymous friend who shall remain nameless in the interest of anonymity. At about 4:30, I realized Sweet Dub and Viva would be home soon, and there was nothing to eat for dinner. I hopped into my BlahBlahMobile and motored on over to the local Gelson's on the Los Feliz/Silverlake border. You know the one, across the street from Trader Joe's? I grabbed a cart and swung over toward the meat product section, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a smartly-yet-funkily-dressed fellow with locs, pushing a cart. I am usually not one to celeb-gawk, but I did a double take, because for a split second I thought it was Wyclef Jean, but then I realized it was will.i.am. At the same time, he realized he had been recognized, and broke out in a big smile, and said hello. I am quite sure he was admiring my snazzy red boots. I said hello, and then, feeling all "first day of high school" geeky, I ducked my head and ran off to get some boneless skinless chicken. Because that's how I roll, baby.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of Tums.

Glitz, Glamour, Gaaaaah

Sweet Dub has been working madly on a movie since - oh, August, I think. It is almost done. Release date imminent.

He mentioned to me yesterday, in tones usually used by one who is broaching the subject of "say, maybe we should think about putting Grandma in a home," that we would be expected to attend the L.A. premiere. Which is in a matter of days. Not weeks. DAYS.

I know, I know, how exciting, how great, blah blah blah. Where the hell am I supposed to find a dress, shoes, appropriate jewels, etc. in a matter of days? Have I mentioned that I'm also planning our child's birthday party (now two weeks away)?

An added treat: he and everyone involved with the movie will be working on it non-stop, 17 hours a day, for the next week or so. Including the weekends. So if you thought I could maybe go frock-shopping sans the child, you thought wrong. Since I can't even take her shopping for her own shoes without her telling me how bored she is, you can only imagine how extremely ever not fun this is going to be.

The good news is that Sweet Dub will be getting a screen credit. And the director is letting him approve everything up until the final cut. (At least I think that's what he said.) It is exciting, and he is excited, and I am excited for him.

I'm just freaked about having to look my cutest, most sophisticated-yet-funky self without proper notice. You know.