"What do you want to know?"

It's official! CherryBomb looks like the most awesome teen movie for a long time and I'm not a big fan of teen movies. Rupert Grint is, well, awesome. Who doesn't love a sexy redhead? Kimberly Nixon (Wet Lindsay/Slaggy Lindsay in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging)has taken her acting up a notch and her style. Watch for her blue coat and yellow sweater. And I've never seen Robert Sheehan before but his facial expressions are to die for. And his hair is awesome.

In fact, all three of them have some of the best hair I've ever seen. Plus, they all learned Northern Irish accents for the movie, which is one of my favorite varieties. Is it weird that I talk about accents as though they were candy? Hmm ... I'm so excited, I can't stand the suspense!

And so, without further ado, here's the trailer for CherryBomb. And anyone who is squeamish about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, just don't watch it. This has all three.

“Confessions of a Shopaholic”
Directed by P. J. Hogan
Based on the novels by Sophie Kinsella
Released February 13, 2009
My Rating: 2 stars


Initial reaction: Amy Adams said no. While Isla Fisher is charming and pretty, she is not memorable. The clothes are more memorable than her. I am coveting that green scarf. Overall, the movie was okay but it didn’t go that extra mile for me. Perhaps some people think a girl drowning in credit card debt giving financial advice is brilliant and ironic but I don’t. The plot has been done, just not in Prada or Chanel.

The love story was tacked on. No chemistry whatsoever. I was really surprised when they started kissing, after that horrible line about “She’s not you.” Lame. I guess I am romantically old fashioned, wanting to go back to the time where a kiss was never just a kiss.

When I walked out of the theatre, I felt great that I was so well (and affordably) dressed. On the other hand, I felt guilty about my spending habits, which are no where near as bad as “the girl in the green scarf.” Too much of the film dwelled on her denial as a shopaholic and not enough time on the real life issues. She and her friend made up in about, oh, fifteen seconds? And her thrifty parents just accept their daughter as a debtor without a fuss.

What I really wanted from this film was perhaps a justification as to why fashion is important, why how you present yourself is important, and hence why people become shopaholics. I’m still trying to figure it out myself. The closest the film got to a fashion metaphor was how “a store is like a boyfriend,” which didn’t cut it for me.

And if Rebecca Bloomwood is supposed to be a writer, why is the writing in this film so bad? She wrote her job-winning article while she was drunk. That can happen once but it doesn’t happen twice, which it did. She wrote her second piece while she was drunk on shopping. Her writing took no effort and yet was supposedly brilliant. No one can pull that off.

Maybe I didn’t relate because I’m not a shopaholic. I give myself limits. I only have one credit card. And I know every piece in my wardrobe because I wear them frequently. Maybe I’m not as well dressed as I could be, but at least I’m not in debt. If only I could get a refund on the time I spent watching this movie and invest it elsewhere. I give it two stars. I would recommend it as a fluff show that is very pretty but will probably wear out in about three weeks.

coraline: a movie review

“Coraline”
Directed by Henry Selick
Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman
Music by Bruno Coulais and They Might Be Giants
Voices by Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders
Release Date: 6 February 2009

Honestly, there aren’t enough fantasy/horror movies for kids. I really like the slightly creepy, especially when the story is expertly told and doesn’t rely on a bunch of gore and muck to freak you out. And after seeing Coraline, I can honestly say I am slightly afraid of buttons.

Coraline is the story of a frustrated child. Who wouldn’t be with two parents who both write about gardening but hate mud and are so absorbed in their work that they hardly seem to have time for an energetic and imaginative girl? When Coraline and her family move to Pink Palace Apartments, Coraline finds a perfect world behind a secret door, where everyone is crazy about her. However, as with all classic fairytales, this world is not what it seems. And the adventure begins …

First of all, the geeky knitter in me wants to point out that every garment that could be knitted in this movie was. By hand. On needles as thin as human hair. Some garments took 6 months. That is knitting dedication for you. I really can’t stop geeking out about it. Click here to see a featurette about the knitting in the movie. Watch how the knitted garments move … it’s awesome!

Second of all, not only is the story telling well done, funny and memorable, the visuals are gorgeous, colorful and insanely attentive to detail. I love claymated films (see my post about Mary & Max) partly because they are always really well done. How could it not be when they usually take about three years to make? Wouldn’t want to get bored with bad material… But mostly I love claymated films because I get tired of digital effects. Claymated films are something your can squish your fingers in, figuratively speaking. Or not.

And lastly, the French geek in me is totally satisfied with the music. The score composed by Bruno Coulais is not only haunting thrilling but French. All hail the Children’s Choir of Nice and the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra of Budapest! I’ve already listened to the soundtrack a few times since viewing the movie. It is on my list of soundtracks to listen to while writing. Very inspiring. And of course, a big round of applause goes to They Might Be Giants for their contribution with “Other Father Song.” The only problem with it is that it’s only thirty seconds long.

At this point, some of you are wondering what happened to the critical, nitpicky writer who always finds something to be disappointed with. Well, I have one tiny problem with once particular scene: Sirens of the Sea. So we all know fat naked ladies are hilarious but, well, it just felt weird and out of place in the film. Seriously, why did you have to ruin a perfect film with such a stupid, pointless scene?

Moving on, I give Coraline four out of four stars. It was excellent and practically perfect in every way. Here is a trailer to get you all as excited as me.

a rant for the cosmic void that is the internet

I saw this PostSecret today and felt inspired to rant on my blog since it's been a while. Ahem.

In my case, high school was a time of learning and working hard. Yes, I had a few friends and yes, we hung out and did some semi-stupid-but-completely-legal things. However, I do not and never have thought that high school was "the best years of my life." I knew it wasn't and I was right. College is. College is 100 times better than high school ever was or could be. I am finally living the life I always wanted. And it finally happened because of what I left behind.

So here's a message to an old high school friend who I dropped because she still acts like she's in high school and probably still reads my blog because she loves the drama. This is for you and you know who you are.

I'm angry at how much time I wasted trying to please you only to find out you never really cared at all. I don't care what you think because I am finally free of your influence. I'm sad I ever thought you had any depth of character. I'm angry that you degraded me for having those depths. I still can't believe you sent me flowers because you thought I was dying in the hospital, you hypocrite. I find it ironic that you prided yourself on being a bitch. I still want to smash your head in because you were anorexic. I can't believe you wouldn't take my phone calls and then lied about it. I hate texting. A lot. You were the most outspoken person I ever met and yet you couldn't say anything you thought about me to my face, you coward. I hope you choke on your own tongue. It must be swollen with all the lies you tell yourself to stay afloat every day. Good luck to you and I hope we never meet again because I probably will punch you in the face, only because you said you expected me to when I never had that intention in me.

P.S. To my real readers, so sorry about the negativity. I just really needed to get this off my chest to completely move on. I should be back to my normal, cheerful self by next post when I finish my review of "Coraline."

belated valentine

So I really meant to post this on Valentine's Day but we couldn't find the cord to upload the picture from the camera! Curse you technology! Anyway, I spent the day with my adorable nephew, rather than watching sad movies and eating chocolate alone because, as per usual, I do not have a significant other at present.

Instead, we watched football and basketball. Old reruns on KBYU. Is it any surprise all the reruns were of BYU winning? Well, Baby G loved it! As you can see in the picture, he would not stop looking at the tv. Very frustrating. But I love him anyway. Aw!

the wisdom of comics

Can you name any other American monuments?

exciting news, for me anyway

1. The deadline for my study abroad application has passed and now I just have to sit back and wait ... oh dear!

2. I finally finished reading "Oliver Twist." It is the longest book on the reading list for my study abroad so hopefully this will jump start reading the rest.

3. Both Dublin and Edinburgh have literary pub tours. Yippie!

4. Rupert Grint has a northern Irish accent in Cherrybomb (which will quite possibly be in theatres when I am in London.)

5. Here are the first clips from Cherrybomb. I am such a nerd but I am in love with all three of these kids. Watch it now.