*500 Days of Summer

Hipster boy meets hipster girl. Hipster boy loves hipster girl. Hipster girl DENIES hipster boy. (hipster boy becomes hipster emo boy?) Their relationship is painfully awkward at times and I can't tell if it's Zooey or Summer, her character. Is Zooey a bad actress or is her character supposed to be flat and spacey?

Another question: Why do Tom and Summer always go to the movies? Is it because they want to escape their life together and are yearning for a romance that only happens in the movies like 'Sleepless in Seattle'!?? I have not seen 'The Graduate' so I am missing that reference in the movie.

It took my bf and I a while to figure out in what city this movie was filmed. We thought it was a more urban, older city, like Philadelphia or Chicago, and we were a bit surprised to find out it was LA. This movie doesn't show the typical LA shots - the beaches, plastic girls, the 'Hollywood' sign - and it was completely refreshing to see another side of the city.

My favorite scene was towards the end of the movie and it was the rooftop party scene that compared 'expectation' and 'reality' side by side. You have to see the movie to know what I am talking about.

Wise words from the 12 yr old: Look, I know you think she was the one, but I don't. Now, I think you're just remembering the good stuff. Next time you look back, I, uh, I really think you should look again.

*Dreamgirls

I don't like musical films. I don't understand what significance the songs add to the plot and I don't like that the plot is basically put on hold for 2 minutes while people are singing and dancing. What's wrong with silos? Broadway musicals for the song and dance entertainment and movies for their storyline. Is that too difficult?

Eddie Murphy did a great job playing Jimmy Early. His character is my favorite in this movie because his character was surprisingly dynamic and vulnerable. Fame is not easy nor is it always glamorous and his character experiences the full emotional spectrum. In the last 30 minutes, Jimmy shows his depth and you see that he isn't invincible and my heart broke for his character.

Fav line: Jimmy want a rib! Jimmy want a steak! Jimmy want piece of yo chocolate cake!

*Sleepless in Seattle

Including this movie, Nora Ephron has a great resume (Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail) for light entertaining, romantic comedies. I love that she has a distinct style that makes it easy to recognize her work. I wonder how much she works with her sister, Delia Ephron (who attended Barnard College!), who is also a writer. Movies must be in their genes - their parents also wrote and directed movies.

This is a movie about the impossible love & the 'love at first sight' type romance that only happens in the movies and true to form, it also happens in this one. The ending is predictable but I think it is entertaining to watch how the story unfolds. I think all the actors in this movie did a fantastic job.

There are some movies I would rewatch because they are plain awesome (The Godfather), and there are some that I would rewatch to catch the cinematography (Citizen Kane). This movie falls into a different category - light easy and a bit mindless.

Cute line: H and G. Hi and Goodbye.

Gone with the Wind

I love the overture in this epic tale of white Southerners during and after the Civil War - after I watched the movie, in two parts because it is so long, I found myself humming the overture to myself. It is beautiful and I think perfect for this movie. I also love the costumes (the dresses, the hats, the petticoats) in the movie. Prob hot as heck in one of those velvet dresses but I think it would be fun to try one on! Prance around! Sweep the floor with the hem!

Another beautiful BUT heart-breaking aspect of this story is the relationship between Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled selfish and shrewd eldest daughter of a plantation owner, and Rhett Butler, the suave 'bad boy' from Charleston. On so many levels, they appear to be a perfect match but they, both self-centered, have a hard time really connecting and committing. Scarlett does some pretty awful things during the movie (married her sister's fiance!) so its hard for me to root for her. Her character, though, is timeless - another one of those pretty girls who is mean to everyone but still really popular. Some types of people never change...

There is one interesting story I read about Clark Gable (Rhett Butler) and Hattie McDaniel (Mammy). In the movie, Rhett and Hattie don't initially get along but towards the end, Hattie sees that Rhett has changed since his first child was born and they become good friends. It turns out that during the films premiere in 1939, Jim Crow Laws prevented black actors from attending the event. Clark Gable threatened to boycott the event when he found out that Hattie was barred from attending! She eventually convinced him to go but it seems like a bit of the loyalty they had for each other in the movie manifest itself in reality.

My favorite line and the line that everyone knows is: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

2001: A Space Odyssey

What a weird movie and definitely too artsy for my taste. I have a Kubrick collection at home and I am trying to watch them all although he's tough for me to appreciate. There is a tv commerical about GPS that makes a reference to HAL and its slow voice that says 'Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that'. HA I get the reference in the commercial! I was so proud of myself!

My favorite shot in this movie was the transition from the monkey time period to the 2001 time period. That was simple but profound and I think you have to watch this movie if only for that one scene. Crazy that in the 60's, ppl thought that there would be so many more advancements in technology by 2001. Alas, we did not meet their expectations...

The extended musical score at the beginning of this movie reminds me of the long musical score at the beginning of "Lawrence of Arabia". Wonder what that adds to the film. Any thoughts?

Memorable quote: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

Lawrence of Arabia

This epic based on the life of a poet TE Lawrence was really visually amazing. Shot on location in the deserts of Jordan and Morocco as well as in Spain, it shows well the heat and brutal sun of the desert. (Reminded me of one scene from 'The Hurt Locker' where the American and British teams are stalking out snipers and are waiting out the day with no cover. Got so thirsty watching it!) But amazing to think about the production of this movie in the 60's without the advanced technology that we have now. Some of the fight scenes look a little low-budget but I can understand why - there were SOOO many moving people and horses and camels involved in the scenes and there was no 2nd chance to edit with CGI. The sand and wind prob did some major damage to the cameras and equipment so this must have been a tough movie to film. PLUS this movie is epic long - almost 4 hours!!

I liked the film for its depiction of Lawrence's emotional struggles - with the violence of war, with his divided allegiance. I see a similarity to 'Avatar' in that regard but unlike 'Avatar', I'm not sure if I would watch it again.

Fav quote: Young men make wars, and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage, and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution.

*Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist

One of the thoughts that kept reoccurring throughout this movie was "High school kids do that nowadays?" Oh mannn I'm either a prude or getting old. I love the setting of this movie! It shows a part of New York that I had the opportunity to experience too many times - the late nights, the bar scenes, Penn Station, Times Square, LES. The character Tristan reminded me of the mean girls from the movie of the same title (which I rewatched this past weekend - such a funny movie!) as if she was a reject from that movie. I also dont understand why Nora dated that Tall guy for 3 years while she was still in high school! I thought he totally looked like the late DJ AM. Dont you think?

Awesome quote: You don't have to yell. It's not a train station. We're in a tiny car.