Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Six: Playing the Single Friend in Movies

As I sit and wake up this morning I realize, and not in a sad way (well I hope not).  I have been living in a house with people in relationships lately.  There is my mom and dad of course, and then there is my sister who has been dating her new boyfriend for the last six months.  They are a cute new couple falling asleep on the living room floor and couch cuddling together. But, when you are surrounded by couples all the time and you are a single I can't help but wonder how to fit into things.  They all do things together, it kinda is a real bummer. Moving back home has been different.  Different because I am used to being surrounded by friends for the last two years who I could call up and they were literally minutes...

Read more »

Time to Reach For the Tissue: Movies that Make Me Cry

I have to admit a lot of my most recent posts come to me while I am just sitting around.  Today was a great day and I was going to write about something that connected films with memorial day, but something else came to my attention.  I sat by my pool the whole day and relaxed with my family, then had a great meal (surf and turf-yummy) but my real inspiration came after dinner when Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was on and Dumbldore had fall from the tower and I started to shed a few tears.  There are many movies that make me cry, but they are divided into several categories.  This first category in today's edition is about my go to cry movies.  Please beware there are spoilers below!Big Fish (2003) Something...

Read more »

Sequels, Can they Measure up?: When the Success Started

Well, I just started reading "The Girl who Played with Fire" the sequel to the Steig Larsson book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."  As I was in Barnes and Noble the other day deciding which book to pick out, I had the sequel debate in my head.  Will this book be as good as the first?  Can this book bring something new to the table?  I am about 60 pages in, and I must go on a book rant before I talk about movie sequels.  Mr. Larsson, and current authors if you ever read this (which I doubt you will) stop with the exposition from your first book!!  The author is who has done this most is Stephanie Meyer (yes I read the Twilight books); she explained who Bella, Edward, and Jacob were and their qualities too many...

Read more »

Don't Go There!: Movies that Should Never have been Remade (The Horror Edition)

I was sitting in my living room at 2 in the morning last night a the remake of the film Psycho (Original-1960, Remake-1998) was on HBO.  As I sat and watched (for the first time) I noticed something that I had been told, this is a shot for remake of the original film.  That fact was one of the reasons I have always avoided seeing it, but why make that remake?  The director Gus Van Sant is well regarded independent film maker and this is a huge blemish on his resume.  This film (well what i could watch) was a pointless foray because Van Sant created nothing new and tarnished the bran of a classic (one of the worst crimes a director can commit).  This is a classic film that should have just been left alone.After this...

Read more »

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Five: Time to Dive into Swimming Pool

Yesterday my dad started to open our swimming pool, as we pulled off the cover an unearthed the leaves and gunk, that clogged the filter and were floating on the surface it reminded me of the best part of summers at home, sitting by my pool.  Today I sat out on our deck reading and finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (onto The Girl who Played with Fire).  Today was a great relaxing day and as the summer heat takes over, I will continue to enjoy nice days sitting by my pool.Every time I see a pool being opened it reminds me of the film Swimming Pool (2003) this independent film is directed by Francois Ozon who works with primarily french speaking films.  This film stars Charlotte Rampling as Sarah Morton who writes...

Read more »

In Memoriam: Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway who played Kenickie in Grease (1978) has passed away due to complications from pneumonia.  Jeff had been in a coma for two weeks; he was sixty years old.Most of Jeff's work had been on television but was part of iconic and highest grossing musical film of all time.  Jeff had great one liners and made such a huge mark on that film.In recent years the star had been plagued with constant drug addiction issues, but in my mind I always remember him as a lovable hilarious actor who brought smiles to peoples fac...

Read more »

Rooney Mara: From Elm Street to being the Girl with Dragon Tattoo

I am currently in the middle of reading the book The Girl with Dragon Tattoo.  It has taken me a while to get into, the book but I am just at the point where the main characters meet up for the first time.  As this meeting occurred I could tell the book was going to pick up.  While reading this book, I thought about the different adaptations that were happening.  This book was first adapted as a foreign language film (which I will be watching as soon as I finish the book).  The next adaptation is being released this December and it stars Rooney Mara as the main character.Rooney Mara is a star on the rise.  There is not much to write about this young lady; she took a small role in the film Youth in Revolt (2009);...

Read more »

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Four: Ding! Ding! Everyone to your corners its time for The Fighter

Last night made me laugh because it reminded of my teenage years, with my family.  During that time everyone in the family would be in the respective rooms doing their own thing.  My mom and dad flip flopped where they would be, my mom would either be in the kitchen cleaning and my dad in their bedroom, or my dad would be in the living room and my mom would be in their bedroom.  My sister would always be in her room, while I would be in my room.  We like our space, but when I looked at it last night it felt as though we all went to our separate corners in a boxing ring.  I could have thought this because we watched NBCs reality series The Voice, but I think I also thought this because another thing I learned...

Read more »

Academy Award Snubs: The Best Pictures of the 2000s

As I sit here on my brand new Mac Book Pro I will start by writing about the films Oscar forgot in the Best Picture category.  The Academy Awards do a decent job of picking five great films in a year.  There are some years where they did better than most, and some year where the nominees were trash.  In 2008 they snubbed The Dark Knight and the next year they had ten nominees.  The Dark Knight was never cited as the reason for ten nominees in the Best Picture race, but it was a contributing factor.  Here are five (well 8) films that deserved a nomination their year and some honorable mentions.1-The Dark Knight (2008)-The film that "started" the thought process behind ten Best Picturenominations.  The Dark...

Read more »

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Three: Reality Television Abound in the Truman Show

Living home has been fun because it has inspired me to write in this blog much more, I had a bit of writers block for a bit, but there is so much material in living at home.  I could write 25 different chapters (but I won't be).  Last night I sat in front of television screen with my family, and is astounded me, and I had always known this, but the fact is they watch SO much reality television.  From 8 pm to 11 pm I watched The Biggest Loser, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and The Voice.  The only time I ever watch reality television is when I am at home (although I occasionally watch some cooking shows on Food Network and The Real Housewives.)  Reality television has just never been for me full time, I can't...

Read more »

Stop! Don't Do it!!! You are Wasting your money on that!! Summer Movies You Should Avoid!

As I looked at the slate of movies that have been released or will be released within the next couple of months I noticed a couple of things 1) I will be wearing a lot of 3-D glasses 2) there will be lots of explosions in the movies and 3) there will be some pretty terrible writing (my prediction).  Now the "summer" movie season has begun earlier and earlier each year.  This year started with the unnecessary (but number one film at the box office for the year so far) Fast Five.  Then came Thor and that sleeper comedy Bridesmaids, and this past Friday saw the release of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Strange Tides.  Now I would go see Fast Five if I had a free pass, but it would not be a top choice, and I have...

Read more »

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Two: Groundhog Day Edition

In my last blog post I talked about how I have learned a few different lessons about living at home in my late twenties.  The first thing I learned or felt was that as you change you may not feel like your home is still the same place, because you create a separate identity from the people who live there.  Tied into that first lesson is the fact that things never seem to change.  My house feels as though the same things happen over and over again.  Last night my sister and I got into a fight, probably for the thousandth or millionth time.  We will probably fight again.  My mom is cleaning, my dad is outside doing yard work, and my sister is trying to find a place to do what she needs to do (i.e. talk on the phone). ...

Read more »

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part One: I'm in a Garden State of Mind

So I am done with my graduate degree, what an accomplishment.  In between getting a job and graduating with a masters, I somehow ended up living at home for a short amount of time.  I love my family, they are great and would do anything for me.  With that said, my mom actually just walked into my room and asked me if I could clean up my room; she has also asked if I brushed my teeth and sent me a text message last night asking me where I am.  My sister has a new boyfriend, and I got to spend time with him this weekend, and she is becoming an actual adult.  Going home has taught me a couple of lessons, and I think that I have learned in films that these messages ring true. 1)...

Read more »

Rose Byrne: Burn her Name into your Memory

After seeing the film Bridesmaids for a second time this past Friday I realized that one of its stars is truly on the rise.  Yes, Kristin Wiig is on her way up, but actress Rose Byrne has become a huge presence on both television and in film.  My first true understanding of her talent was not in film, but in the television show Damages.  Damages was on F/X for three seasons and was recently picked up for a fourth season by Direct-TV.  The premise for the first season of this television show had to do with a young up and coming lawyer who was seen running out of an apartment with blood all over her.  We get to see her journey and relationship with manipulative boss Patty (Glen Close).  Byrne's dramatic prowess is...

Read more »

A Tribute to Working Girl: Getting a Job!

So I may or may not have accepted a new job today.  The first thing that came to my mind was whew, what a relief, the and then for some reason I thought of the movie Working Girl (1988).  This great film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weave, and Joan Cusack is all about Melanie Griffiths character Tess is about her taking on a job that belongs to her boss.There is no parallel between Tess's struggle and my own search for her job, but this movie to me represents that eternal struggle to keep fighting and pursuing a job until you know it is the right fit.  At this moment in my life I think I am making the right decision and working towards my own eternal happiness.  There...

Read more »

Bridesmaids is No Bridesmaid to Laughter

Bridesmaids (3 1/2 out of 5 Stars)Director: Paul Feig (TV's The Office, Arrested Development and Freaks and Geeks)Written: Kristin Wiig and Annie MumoloStarring: Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and Rose Byrne This film takes the funniest people who have been working in television in the last 10 years and make a great film.  The film follows Annie (Wiig) who is a failed business woman; she owned a bakery and it went under in the economy.  The beginning of the film opens with her catching up with her best friend since childhood Lillian (Rudolph).  Soon after this interaction Lillian calls Annie with the news that she is engaged and asks her to be her maid of honor.  To give away any plot details or the jokes...

Read more »

I Paaked yaah caah in Haavaad yaad-Movies that Highlight the City of Boston

So it has been a while since I have posted.  I am in the middle of moving back home to Albany, NY  after my graduation.  I am prepping for a long 10 hour drive from Bowling Green, OH (hopefully I get to do some fun things on my journey back).  I also had a job interview at college in Boston, and was there with limited computer access for 3 days.  I love Boston it has such a wonderful historical component, and is just one of those classic cities that feels as though there are so many different stories to tell.  Being in Boston made me think about all of the great films and one not so great film (but I had to include it, well because you will understand in a few paragraphs).  Now also before you give me any...

Read more »

Thor Earns a Thunderous Applause

Thor (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)Directed by: Keneth Branagh (Hamlet, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Gilderoy Lockheart)Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom HiddlestonMarvel has another comic book hit on their hand.  This film has done a much better job than I expected when the project was announced.  As a comic book fan I was worried how they would make a successful film out of this comic book character.  The film starts by explaining the myth the behind how Thor came to be a hero.  Thor's father Odin (Hopkins) tells his two sons Thor (Hemsworth) and Loki (Hiddleston) about how they came to posses a mythical object from an enemy.  When Thor's arrogance gets the best of his arrogance...

Read more »

Adele Hometown Glory

Adele Hometown Gl...

Read more »

A Tribute to The Graduate: I am Actually Graduating from Graduate School

Today is a great day in my life I am graduating with masters.  This moment reminds me of the film The Graduate (1967) starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman.  Unlike Hoffman's character Benjamin I am already in and graduating with my masters; his character had just finished his undergraduate degree and felt his future was uncertain. There are parallels in my own life, my future is still uncertain I do not have a job at this point, but I have options out there.This film had a huge impact on me growing up, it made me think about my own life, and what I wanted to do with my future.  Like Benjamin my family hope I would become a lawyer, and become rich and successful.  After my graduation no one came up to me and said Kevin...

Read more »

Academy Award Snubs: The Actors in the 2000s

Well Daniel Radcliffe was not nominated for Tony yesterday, and although I have not seen the show I have seen and heard things online, and across the board people agreed that he deserved to be nominated for the role that has won Tony Awards for other actors.  This made me think about films, actors, directors, screenplays etc that have been left out of the Academy Awards.  In each decade I could up with a list of ten items within each category.  Since the snub that occurred yesterday was an acting snub I am going to focus on the actors who should have been nominated for great performances in the 2000s but were not.1-Paul Giamatti-American Splendor (2003) and Sideways (2004) Its funny Paull Giamatti plays two, well losers in each...

Read more »