We Amuse Myself

Hmmm. I might just have to make this a thing, given how I do love those movies.

Movie du jour:

Inglourious Basterds
My Grade: A

I was tempted to give this movie a lower grade, because of my bias towards some of the characters who died (and this isn't a sentimental film, so you can be sure people die). But I'm going to be bigger than that and give it an A. It was a damn good movie. I was thinking about comparing it to District 9 but I don't like it when people compare movies across genres so I won't.

I think my dad said it best when after the movie he declared (and I'm paraphrasing, cuz I forgot what he actually said) 'I know this movie was supposed to be over the top, but it's a lot more historically accurate then some movies that were supposed to be serious historical depictions.' And unfortunately the best part of what he said I can't remember. He said something other than 'over the top' but like I said... can't remember what it was. But it rings true, in terms of the realisticness of the ending and the way the plans put into motion unfold. (PS. I just asked my dad what he said, and he couldn't remember either but this time he used the word 'outrageous')

Also, I'd like to give some props to Christoph Waltz who plays Col. Hans Landa. He was one magnificently evil bastard. I suspect that one day he might be on the list of best film villians, not because he was particularly evil but because he was so deliciously calculating in his evil.

And thus I shall leave you with that. Calculated evil.

I got back from my day at the botanical garden so late that I didn't have time to post about it. And from Friday to Sunday I was in PA and outside of wireless internet range, which is why this post is several days late.

I knew there was a botanical garden in DC, but I didn't realize it was also a conservatory. The botanial garden was nice, but since it's August a lot of the flowers were loosing their blooms. But still very nice and in the early summer I bet it's beautiful.

Then, after eating a delicious and extremely filling meal at the American Indian Museum, I went to the conservatory. WOW. That building makes me want to work in DC so I can go there everyday; it also makes me wish I had gone there before leaving College Park.

My personal favorite rooms were the orchid room and the Hawaiian room. The Hawaiian room was the coldest in the building. I kept trying to hang out in there since it was so hot, but it's pretty small so everytime someone came in I had to leave.

UNFORTUNATELY, a series of unfortunate events (not the book series) led me to leave my memory card for my digital camera and my cell phone (which I needed to get a ride back to get my memory card) behind. So no beautiful pictures, which is a real shame.

After that, I went to go see Julie & Julia at the Chinatown Theatre.
My Grade: B+

I enjoyed this movie as much as a thought I would, and perhaps more. I have to say Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci, playing Julia child and her husband (respectively) were extremely enjoyable to watch. I'd probably give the movie an A, but at times the storytelling was a little slow and mainly the Julia Child obsession (although fully admitted) was kinda creepy. But it was a nice movie and worth the extra expense of seeing it in Chinatown instead of at home.

The only thing is... everytime I see a movie where meat that still looks like the animals that it once was is being prepared... I leave wishing I was a vegetarian... but I love bacon too damn much.

Behold the clouded leopard! So sleeeee-peeeee.

I was very happy to find both pandas out and about, and so very photogenic.

You know how some storks bring you babies? Guess what this one does.

This guy was one of the highlights of my trip. He was just chillin' out next to me while I stood by his enclosure and took pictures. It was almost as if he was posing.

Another highlight of my trip: the elephant shrew. Watching it root around with its adorable elephant nose was actually pretty awesome. I also should have video taped that too (curse you brand new camera that I haven't completely figured out!)

And finally: El Tigre.

Now there's a bit of a story that goes with this picture. But I'll have to type that later, because it's time to put my laptop away.

PS This is my new desktop photo.

Okay, hopefully I'll finish this up tomorrow, because I'll have new pictures of the National Botanical Garden to share (and possibly a movie review if all goes according to plan).

I've gotten back into the swing of going to the movies, so I thought I'd write down my two cents concerning their two-thumbs-up/down-ness.

The Proposal: Starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds
My Grade: B+

Now I'm sure you're wondering why I bothered to see this movie, and my answer is that there wasn't anything else playing in the rinky-dinky theatre where I live. But also, I like watching Sandra Bullock movies. They can be formulaic but they're fun and a nice, easy movie going experience.

I didn't have super high hopes for this movie, which meant I was pleasantly surprised. I think what worked for this movie was that the trailer really didn't reveal too many of the funny scenes so there were plenty of laughs you weren't expecting. Although the story is kind of predictable and it ends how you think it will, I felt the development of the main character's relationship was reasonable enough. Plus, one line at the end (I feel) saved it from having a completely unbelievable, unrealistic ending.

All in all, this movie could have had some more original story-telling, but there were enough unique moments and the characters have enough honesty that I'd watch this again.

My Sister's Keeper: Starring Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin and Cameron Diaz
My Grade: B-

The reason I saw this movie was that my mom had a free movie ticket at the Navy base theatre, where tickets are only $4. So I saw it with my mom and my sister (which was a little awkward). I hadn't read the book, but I knew the plot and I knew the ending of the movie had been changed. And I'm glad they changed the ending. It may have just been because of the dialog in the movie, but the way the story progress and the things they prepare you for, I feel using the book ending in the movie would be just too unbelievable. I don't even like it as the book ending, but whatever.

This movie was pretty good but I had a few issues with it. The main things is the order of the scenes. If you're supposed to take it at face value and things happen in the order they're presented to you (not including the obvious flashback scenes), then it doesn't really make sense. But if you follow it according to when the older sister has hair, with things hinging around when she gets sick again and when she gets chemotherapy, it still has issues. I'm pretty sure they were intending for the scenes to be out of order, but the intended order is not clear.

This movie probably could have been a C, especially considering my above complaint and a few other things, but I really liked the acting of the main characters. Another nice feature was I felt they really prepared you for the (non-book) ending, so although it's sad, it's not exactly tragic. It's an ending that will sadden some, but it's also one that I think should make people think about what they value and what they would do if they were in a similar situation. And thinking, although unplesant, is good.

District 9: Starring Sharlto Copley and Jason Cope (He was Christopher Johnson)
My Grade: A

This has the be the first movie I've seen where I read Roger Ebert's review and have come to disagree with it. Ebert says that this movie just doesn't have enough Sci-Fi to be Sci-Fi gold and wasn't too happy with some of the storytelling elements. For example, without revealing too much, he wasn't too happy with how the aliens don't have a lot of initiative.

But like The Proposal, there are a few lines here and there that I feel counter-act Ebert's points. I was impressed by the complexity of the District 9-world. If it had been more complex, it probably would have been confusing, while if it had been less complex, it probably would have felt incomplete or not entirely thought out.

I was genuinely impressed by a lot of aspects of this film. The aliens looked very realistic in their movements and facial expressions. The formation of the script (which I found out later), is practically unbelievable; the scenes were planned, but the dialog was improvised. Also, even though he infuriated me at times, I really like how the main character (with his lovely name of Wikus van der Merwe) was neither unrealistically heroic nor unrealistically adverse to what was happening to him.

While the film did have some short-comings, I think it's one of the best and most unique films of its genre for quite a while and I'd be quite disappointed if there isn't a sequel of somekind. Which brings me to the ending. A few reviewers commented that it was too dark/ ambiguous. First of all, ambiguous? Not at all. And while I'm fully happy with what happened, it could have easily been darker while staying true to the story overall. This isn't a Sandra Bullock movie guys.

I had been planning on blogging about something else yesterday, but I forgot what that was. Plus John Hughes died so I thought I'd honor his film career by blogging about my favorite John Hughes memories.

Memory 1: The Breakfast Club
Now, I don't mean the movie, I mean the one-person club my cousin started, where the dedicated members would watch the movie The Breakfast Club every day during breakfast. I kid you not. She must have had very long breakfasts. I do now know how long this club lasted, but it was a while

Memory 2: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Now this lovely John Hughes romp (his only only rated-R - * el gasp!*) I was first introduced to not too long ago. I was visiting my grandparents and they wanted me to come with them to their senior living community's weekly movie. And I was like "Aww man, I like spending time with my G-parents but I don't wanna sit through an old fart movie. It has the word automobile in the title..." But I went, and sat in the could-be-very-comfortable-were-it-not-for-the-lack-of-arm-rests high back chairs, ate their delicious senior popcorn (It's more mature than regular popcorn) and found myself enjoying the movie. But, like many John Hughes movies, the end was far too happy. Could have used some death, that's all I'm saying.

Memory 3: Pretty in Pink/ Some Kind of Wonderful

Let's face it, they're basically the same movie, but it's okay because they were supposed to be. Look it up; it's on Wikipedia so it has to be true. You know what I like about Pretty in Pink? - Duckie. You know what else I liked - the song. Can't go wrong with a good theme song. You know what I like about Some King of Wonderful? - Watts (aka the Duckie of Some Kind of Wonderful).

Not to get off topic, but I'm biased, since she was played by Mary Stuart Masterson. Don't know what it is about her, but every movie/ TV show she's in, I like. Fried Green Tomatoes, excellent. Her role in Law and Order: SVU, excellent, despite how depressing SVU is. Benny and Joon - uh, hello. Classic. She's my female equivalent of Gary Oldman. Don't know what it is about him, but everything he's in, I like. Hannibal, excellent (Oh yes, he was in it. The credits lie.). Those episodes of Friends he was in where he played Joey's drunk British mentor - only happened to make those episodes my favorite Friends episodes. Playing Sirius Black in Harry Potter -... we won't be talking about Harry Potter... No, no. But man, if those two every hooked up (not necessarily in the traditional use of that phrase) in a movie, watch out.

R.I.P. Mister Hughes. You have filled my childhood with many a movie.