Atlanta Content Creator Inspiring [life] style

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Words on a Page...Images on a Screen

As you may know, I love movies. I don't just love to watch movies, but I also love to talk about them, analyze them and I've even considered starring in them (if anyone would have me). Movie watching is my go-to pastime. And even though ticket prices have escalated into the ballpark of near crazy, I'll still shell out $10 for a twist-filled drama, a high-voltage action flick, or a side-cramping comedy.

At the same time, I also enjoy a good book. I'm partial to mysteries, but anything that can hold my attention with the written word will suffice. Two of my favorite books are written by Dostoevsky and Voltaire, but I'm much more of a movie snob than a book snob.

Sometimes the movie world and the book world collide. The marriage between the two is not always happy and fruitful, but it usually opens discussion to determine which of the two mediums portrayed the story in the best light. So here is the Oh to Be a Muse movie/book rundown.

Movies
Daybreakers
This movie takes place a bit in the future in a world where a virus has taken over mankind turning humans into vampires. The few humans that are left are either being farmed for vampire sustenance or are hiding out. The main characters are portrayed by Sam Neill (the head honcho vamp who owns the company that farms humans); Ethan Hawke (the lead vampire scientist who searches for a human blood substitute since human resources are depleting); and Willem Dafoe (the man with the answers--who, in any other movie, would have been the crazy old neighbor who is not allowed near children).

To really enjoy this film you have to go into it with an open mind. Love for vampires and vampire-related movies will definitely help. The Twilight franchise is not considered in this proclamation. The movie entertains from start to finish even if it lacks some consistency. Neill is very believable, and Hawke's portrayal reminds you that he is a diverse actor who can play more than Pip (Great Expectations) and that guy in Reality Bites. If you can get past the few plot holes that are undeniable, then you'll like this movie for what it is: a scary vampire flick that delivers on the blood and gore.

The Book of Eli
I'll preface this by saying that five minutes before the movie I turned to Ari and said: "This is about the Bible right?" In which Ari replied, "No, I don't think so."

I'll now preface this review by telling you that yes, this movie is, ultimately, about the Bible. A man named Eli (Denzel Washington) travels west in search of a place to bring his well-guarded book. Another movie that takes place in the near future, The Book of Eli is set in a place where it seems the sun took out its anger on the world by scorching everything and burning all the resources. Some people were even left blind because of the UV rays. On his path, Eli comes across a range of people: those who are just looking for food and water; those who aren't keen to outsiders; and those who want to snack on you for breakfast, lunch and dinner (no idea why cannibalism has become so popular in movies lately).

Gary Oldman's character is in search of the book that Eli has and basically spends the movie obsessing over this. His malevolent quandary leads him to barter Mila Kunis for a chance at the book, in which he discovers is in Eli's possession. The best thing about this movie is the scenery in the beginning, the action in the middle and the revelation (ha) at the end.

The Lovely Bones
Here is where everything gets interesting. The big difference with this movie is that not only did I see the movie but I also read the book. Actually, I started the book on a Tuesday and saw the movie on the following Friday. I haven't read a book that quickly in years--but I'll get into the book in a few.

Oh Marky Mark. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Mark Wahlberg and not just because of Boogie Nights or "Good Vibrations," but because of his overall ability to always be Mark Wahlberg. If the movie is crap (The Happening) or amazing (The Departed), Mark will always be Mark. This movie is no different. At times it is Wahlberg at his best like the scenes with Saoirse Ronan. Then there are times when you simply can't see past the character and you wish you could because the film would only benefit from more sincerity.

Saoirse Ronan is great in her portrayal of Susie Salmon--Wahlberg's daughter who is murdered and is stuck between the living and the dead. But the creepiness exudes from Stanley Tucci's character, and in the end, he truly carries the movie.

Books
The Lovely Bones
Contrary to how I felt about the movie, I actually thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters had depth, the story kept me intrigued, and the words flowed from sentence to sentence. As in most cases, the book is better than the movie and maybe that's because certain elements that are acceptable in novels just don't cut it in movies. I can find the middle of a book to be drawn out but still be OK with it if it ends nicely. The same can't always be said for movies. With movies, there is a carnal desire for more than just a nice ending. Unless you're one of those people who sees every rom-com out there.

Utopia
The only reason I chose to read this book is because it was recommended on Amazon. According to the site, if I loved Candide (and I absolutely did), then I would enjoy Utopia. The level of incorrectness was through the roof. I don't think I can begin to conceive of a novel that I've disliked more, especially since I was led to believe that Utopia was going to be a life-long friend. I can only find it quite ironic that a book with a title that boasts a feeling of great happiness left me far from happy and not even slightly amused.

Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs
So...yeah. This book is the hipster's anthem. If you want to know the meaning of the word pretentious then I recommend you read this book. The author manages to hypothesize everything, overanalyze all that's simple, and make you hate the fact that you like cereal. But, even though I have my qualms with this book, I definitely had some very funny and entertaining moments over the 18 chapters. Two or three chapters stand out in a way that would make you copy the text and frame the words in your too-cool-for-school apartment. I understand that the author's musings are just that: his musings. I'm not expected to agree with his opinions, but I would have garnered more love for the book if it wasn't so into itself. But hey, I get it. I'm too uncool.


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Monday, January 11, 2010

something borrowed, something blue

Happy new year. Just like the beginning of January every other year, in 2010 things are no different. Uncommitted people are still making transparent resolutions and naive and egotistical people are still reminding others that this will be the year that they remove you from their life. is no one original anymore?

For 2010, Oh to Be a Muse will not make a statement that I'm removing you from my life--I'll just remove you. I won't make resolutions about going to the gym, eating more veggies or spending less--I'll just trust in myself to do what I've always done--but better. Stop broadcasting to the world that this year you will be more important than you were last year if that broadcast never makes it past your status update. Less talk, more do.

So here is what is actually going on in my life in 2010. They are my plans for 2010 but they would've been my plans for 2009 if I had the money; so, 2009 but better:

Wedding

You may or may not be in the loop but I am getting married in 89 days. the clock is a-ticking. wedding planning has been so much work, but not surprisingly, the kind of work that i revel in: checklists, registries, to-dos, managing shit--my fave.

With less than three months to go we've managed to pin down the photography, videography, DJ, furniture, venue, dress, menu, wedding party, invitations, most decorations, etc. i do believe that we are still around our budget so that's a plus. can you believe some people consider $3k to be a conservative price for photography--photography alone! they must be smoking some superb dutchie. i think the next big item on the list is the cake.

so i'm going for a Nightmare Before Christmas cake but I still want it to look like a wedding cake and not too much of a crazy, customed "Ace of Cakes" mess. and i have thought that maybe--just maybe--i am the one smoking the dutchie because a NBC cake could be totally weird and super expensive. but then i realized that i'm sober and i won't get something over the top. no images on Google truly suffice but that's not Google's job--that will be the job of the cake maker.





Now, i want the simplicity of this cake (just with one more tier). i want callalilies where the shells are on the bottom and in the space between the two tiers.








but i also want the theme to be apparant when you see the cake. this means i want some decorative spots on the cake itself plus jack and sally as the cake toppers.

something between the top pic and the pics to the right should be perfect. ari is ok with this.

Apartment

Our lease will end in a few months and we are thinking about moving to a new apartment. we really like our apartment now. it's definitely the best place we've lived in together. but there are a few drawbacks: we want something located in a place where driving to work will be less of a task; we want to get off the first floor; we want a usable balcony; we want a view. and, of course, we don't want to downgrade. for example, i would hate to get a great balcony but lose the in-home washer/dryer combo.

we've been looking at some places downtown that i think will do the trick as long as the price is right (come on down!). we've been feverishly (not really) looking for a place with a good downtown view and a 5-minute drive to the highway and in walking distance of the shops and nightlife. this is what california does to you, people. it turns you into a person who needs to be able to walk to where they eat, talk like they live in the valley, and wear 15 clanging bangles. maybe i don't plan on moving out there any time soon, but i rolled with the homies (if only in my mind) and i enjoyed it.

Who knows...i'll just focus on one thing at a time. these aren't new year's resolutions. they are just things. things that aren't ruled by an uncharacteristically high level of importance in the start of the year or by the characteristically low amount of fb friends they will have at the end of the year. they are just things that may or may not happen depending on if i get to them on my everyday life, everyday list.

make your life simplier...listen to fortune cookies.

P.s. if I ask why there are so many random donut shops in l.a. and someone says it's because the lapd need to eat--does that mean we have a deep-seated hatred for police or are we just two funny individuals? some girl decided to let me know that i shouldn't rag on the "cops" (term she used, which--by the way--is offensive to police officers) because they will be there to protect me in a time of need. so, of course, i had to let her know that her comment doesn't change the fact that the lapd love donuts. it was on the intanetz and i wasn't about to start one of those online fights....but maybe i should've trolled her.

p.p.s. last year i didn't put Slumdog Millionaire on my movies of 2009 list (and I do believe that was a 2009 movie). i just totally forgot about it because it came out so early, but my god man! what a great flick. just saw it again last night. latika!
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