A List Because It's Thursday

Um, this is an entire post that I wrote (in 2008) and didn't post. No idea why. But here it is for you because I have nothing original to say since it's VBS and I spend most afternoons napping and then staring mindlessly at the television. Or working out. Yeah, that's it. Working out...

Here's the post from 2008:

I'm watching a movie (because that's all I do nowadays), and it's got one of my all-time favorite movie kisses in it. And, because my summertime boss and I were talking about movies today and he mentioned that his wife's favorite movie has the perfect kiss in it, I thought I'd make a list of great movie kisses. Now, mind you, these are movies I've seen and loved, so these are really just my favorite movie kisses, but here's the list, in no particular order:

1. Where the Heart Is- when Forney says "there's nothing better than you" and kisses her. Mmmm.

2. A Lot Like Love- the NYE party when the clock strikes midnight and she's staring at her ex and he comes from across the room and grabs her and kisses her.

3. Serendipity- Boss' wife is right...a great movie kiss

4. 10 Things I Hate About You- playing around in the paintball court and grass- kisses should be surprising and fun like that

5. 50 First Dates- "Nothing beats a first kiss"

6. Saved- love love love this movie and Patrick Fugit is adorable...and their little outside of the limo kiss...

7. Love Actually- many different options to choose from here...particularly like Colin Firth's kiss in the end

8. Penelope- when he discovers it's her and he rushes up and kisses her.

9. With Honors- Monte and Courtney... she says "What are you doing?" he says "Ending the friendship." I say "Have mercy..."

10. And, my all-time-favorie movie: "Say Anything" When they're in the park and it's misting and they're kissing...swoon....

And one non-movie kiss I just seriously swoon over: Jim and Pam, end of season 2. Mmmm.

Of course, as I'm making this list, I am thinking of all of the almost-kisses in the movies I love, and could (and may) someday make a list of those as well...

Um yeah, Satan's Carmaro? It's stalking me!

"I bought a car. Turned out to be an alien robot. Who knew?"

I love movies, and tend not to be a harsh critic. Movies fall into one of three categories: good, bad, or just eh. Occasionally, I'll throw a "really" in front of one of the three categories to really hit home a point.

I just saw Transformers. It was a good movie. Not really good, but better than eh. My sister and I went to see it, and we didn't argue, and we both enjoyed it, and it had a lot of fun dialogue, and good use of music, and I laughed, so I'd say it was a good movie. And Shia LeBeouf is pretty adorable.

What Happens When I'm Left Alone (part 2)

The family came back late last night. They have been gone since Tuesday night. I have had a sinus infection since Wed. afternoon. So, I've been a little out of commission. I made it to work half-day Thursday, and made it to church this morning, but what have I done in the meantime you ask? Well, my friends, I have watched movies. Lots of movies. Lots and lots of movies.


I have no problem going to the movies by myself. Been to two of those. Love going to Blockbuster. Rented two of those. The main thing, though, is having the tv with all the movie channels and on demand all to myself. Watched 8 of those. Yes. That's 12 movies. In 6 days, I've watched 12 movies.


This is why I work during the summers. Because if I didn't work during the summers, I'd spend my entire day on the couch, leaving it only to drive to the movie theater and Blockbuster on my way home. Now, by nature, I'm drawn to more intellectual movies, but still. That's a lot of vegetation I'm creating.

Here's what I've watched in the last six days:
* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
* Say Anything (my personal, all-time favorite)
* Miss Potter
* The Illusionist
* License to Wed
* American Dreamz
* Something New
*Eight Below
*Waitress- had to see it because of...
* Serenity

Serenity. Mmm...good movie. One of the first things said in the movie was "Doctor, I'm takin' your sister under my protection here. If anything happens to her, anything at all, I swear to you, I will get very choked up. Honestly, there could be tears." I knew that I would enjoy this move (and probably use that line again.) This movie is very space-cowboyish. I had to go buy it. And buy the series Firefly that this movie was based on. Yeah, I'm a dork. It's okay. I'm coming to terms with it.

Next up...Harry Potter five. Can't wait.

License to Wed

Well, I said I was going to see this movie the.very.minute it came out, and while I didn't make it to the theater that early, I did see it today. The movie was funny, but what surprised me was the abundance of cast members from The Office. There were at least three cast members other than John Krasinski. And, the little kid that is in the movie has been getting a lot of work lately. He's been in two movies I've seen this year, and I've only seen six. You do the math (and, yes, I know it's not hard math.)

So, the movie was funny, if predictable. And I still pink-puffy-heart John Kraskinski. And Advil LiquiGels are wonderful.

That is all.

Nancy and Evan

It's been a two-movie weekend for me, which, in the past would not be unusual, but given how this year's playing out, it was a bit odd for me. I saw Nancy Drew and Evan Almighty. I love love loved Nancy Drew, for it's open message about others first, and doing the right thing and obeying and following rules. It was very refreshing to see a movie geared at tweens that was honest. Two thumbs up.

Evan Almighty was also very good. I give it two thumbs up also. I thought it was a little reachy for Bible-ish stuff, but what exactly did I expect from a movie about a guy building an ark? I think these two movies make up a little bit for the other movies I've seen this year. Maybe not...

It Takes a Village

I stumbled upon the movie The Village on tv this afternoon. It's actually a good movie that brings up a few very thoughtworthy ideas. When I first saw this movie, I was put out with it. The premise is straight out of a book I used to read to my students. It's a great book with a really neat twist, and I was so put out because M. Night Shaymalan is noted for his original screenplays and plat twists, and this one was so clearly not original. I think the author of the book even sued him or something.

But the one thing I really love about the movie is the beautiful, subtle romance in it. I happened upon that scene, and swooned a little... here is my favorite scene:

Ivy Walker: When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable. Why can you not say what is in your head?
Lucius Hunt: Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying that I sometimes cannot think clearly or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night.

The Thing About Teenagers (And, More About Pirates)

On the last day of school, my freshman sophomore girls wanted to go to the midnight showing of Pirates of the Caribbean at World's End. It opened on Friday, so they wanted to go to the midnight showing, which actually started at 11:05, or so the theater said. I took them to the Studio Movie Grill, because they wanted to go, and apparently, that's the only place I'm to see movies now.

Having worked at school until 8:30, I needed Starbucks to become a functioning human being again, and after I picked the girls up and we hit the drive-thru on Main, we made it to the Grill at around 10ish. We were able to go right in, and after heated discussion about where to sit, and the paper-covers-rock-decision made, we sat our happy little selves down in a row. There was a group behind us that was comprised of young girls, young boys, and two adults that were apparently in charge. The whole gathering just screamed 'youth group' much like our little clique of three freshman sophomore girls and two adults did.

As is the common case with teenagers, conversations are automatically up for grabs, and we quickly found ourselves all talking together, as if we were friends and came there together. One of the boys tried to teach us how to whistle, and we all got into a discussion about passing notes on tithe envelopes and how three is not in fact an unlucky number (the Trinity...duh!). By the end of it, we were all playing Shrek Operation, and comiserating together over whether the movie was ever going to start.

There is the popular C.S. Lewis quote that says “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one” That quote is not always true of adults, but I can tell you it is true of teenagers. As the movie did start, I thought about whether or not all of this would have happened if teenagers weren't present. Probably not.

And the Pirate movie. Dumb. Confusing. Violent (okay, I knew it would be). Over it.

This is SO not the movie I came to see...

Ever have one of those days when two things happened that would require separate blog posts, and you don't know which to blog about? No? Okay then. Moving on. I decided to take my mom to see Georgia Rule at the new Studio Movie Grill as a birthday/Mother's Day thing. Well, I have much to say about that.

First, the new Studio Movie Grill. Cool place, I guess. You can go and order dinner while you watch a movie. Not the best movie-viewing venue, but with the "dinner and a movie" atmosphere, it would be a great first date kind of place. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? The funny thing is that their silence-is-golden-so-turn-off-your-flippin'-cell-phones-and-babies message is set up as a DVD player loading, and for a good two minutes, I thought they were actually playing from a DVD. The sad part was the trailers...
Random chick flick preview...puh-lease.
New Dane Cook preview...what-ever (though it does look to be mildly funny)
Melodramatic female-only cast...maybe...
New Fantastic Four preview...close, but no cigar.
The one movie preview I was really looking forward to was but sadly withheld...the new Harry Potter. (Maybe I shouldn't have admitted to that level of dorkiness)

The movie. First, it was hard to watch the movie with the waitors and waitresses bobbing and weaving and trying to deliver orders without interrupting the rest of us movie-watchers. The movie itself? Um, holy guacamole this was not the mother-daughter bonding-chick-flick-please-hand-me-a-hankie-mom movie that I thought I was going to see. It has some harsh acting, harsh words, and harsh topics. When we left, my mom actually summed it up pretty well when she said "Well, I know we have issues, but at least we aren't that screwed up."

Will you defeat them, your demons?

I went to Blockbuster tonight for the standard chick flick. I've been lagging in the ridiculous romantic comedy as of late, so I thought I'd get the new Jennifer Garner or Drew Barrymore movies, which are sure to feed right into my "want to be in love in a movie" tendencies. They were both all rented out, so I picked up Come Early Morning. This is an exceptional film. It won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. I just discovered it came out on DVD on my birthday. And it's no coincidence that it takes place in North Little Rock, where a lot of my demons grew their strongest and did the most damage. I may have to own it. Or just not return it to Blockbuster, and let them charge me for it.

I loved so many things about this movie. I identified with the self-destructive Lucy, with whom I share many a demon. I loved Cal, the guy of the film, (because doesn't every film have a guy?)But the thing about this film, and this guy, is that he fought for the girl. Literally and figuratively. He fought for her. He helped her fight her demons.

I have so many demons, and it gets so exhausting fighting them on my own. I know I have to. Even in the movie, she had to handle her demons on her own. I have to face them on my own, in the light of the reality of God. And I'm getting there. Really, I am. It was just such a lovely notion that he would go there with her and fight them with her. And I can't help but want someone to fight mine with me. And fight for me.

But even if no one shows up, and it's just me, I will defeat them. My demons.

Don't rush to judgement on something like that until all the facts are in...

On Sunday mornings, I get up at one of two times: 5:45, or if I get to sleep late, 7:15. This morning was a late morning. The good thing about late mornings is that I get to sleep in a little. The bad things is that I almost always find something on the TV that I can't pull myself away from, endangering my promptness. Last time I had a late morning, Mat Kearney was on Breakfast with the Arts, so of course, I was late.

Today, it was a top-five favorite movie: Gross Pointe Blank. Love that movie. Own the DVD. And yet, I was still late. This is an excellent movie. Fresh, funny, and with a soundtrack that rocks and also really works for the movie. Violent Femmes, The Clash, The Pixies, The Cure, David Bowie...can't beat it. I didn't get to see all of it, because I had to pry myself away from the television or I would be seriously late, but it was a nice surprise, and I got to see the parts of the movie that held some of my favorite movie quotes, like the title post. I didn't put my very favorite quote as the title, because I have that in mind for a whole different post. But that's for later. I'm just enjoying the happy little surprise of the morning.