The Art of Movie Scamery
Even when it is someone else's money, I still can't see spending $6.25 to see just one movie. I began the day, after a requisite viewing of one of my favorite television shows,
CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. Even though I am chasing down the dream of being a film scholar and doing something vaguely arty and intellectual with that, I am still holding out for two more perfect careers - (1) a travel writer - budget or luxury, I'd kill to write about journeys and places, preferably for a magazine, but every now and again, I'd love to see my name in a New York Times by-line, particularly in the Sunday paper. If that doesn't pan out, I'd like to work for CBS Sunday Morning - it's all fluff journalism, but it is always sarcastic, poignant, and terribly interesting, in a very civilized, stiff-upper lip and starched collar kind of way. I am not sure if I have ever sung the praises of Osgood before, and aside from the 1970s modernist set, it's really as close to perfection as you get for Sunday morning TV. Also, when that show ends, the Sunday TV really goes downhill, at one moment, I caught myself watching local real estate (toured by local radio personalities) and that's a bad fate to be relegated to...
Anyway, I went to the movies with my parents today. Since my sister is out of town, I get to be the only child I never was - thai food, invitations to go to an art museum, it's very nice when your parents accommodate you. We went to see Tim Burton's
Big Fish. I think I am becoming cynical, because although this movie had some cute moments, it didn't really do it for me. It was predictable, I thought the voice-overs were overt (it was like being spoonfed the moral of this story), and I just didn't think it was quite **magical** enough. I like Tim Burton too, but this didn't seem quite up to his quirky par. But it made my Mom cry and my Dad nearly tear, so clearly, I was the one who missed the
Big Fish boat. My sister went to see it tonight, so tomorrow when she returns, we'll compare notes. Jack was a big fan too. The second feature, for me was
Something's Got to Give. I felt more emotionally wrapped up in this AARP-does romantic chick flick. I love that Diane Keaton, period. She can do no wrong. The only downside about this film was the unfortunate casting of Keanu Reaves as a doctor, please. If anyone in Hollywood has a reputation for being dim, it would be our Matrix'd friend... Clearly, there could have been another, better choice. But I thought this was another predictable and almost cliche movie, but it was charming and made me laugh. It didn't make me cry or anything, it just nurtured that inner 50-yr old woman within. For the record, I was about 25yrs too young to be in the audience. It just made the Hamptons look so nice... between these two movies, I got my (Dad's) $6.25 worth. Tonight was a TV-friendly night, watching
Sex and the City wind down (only six episodes left, which I am pouty over) and then
Curb Your Enthuiasiam, what is rapidly becoming my new favorite show. If you don't have the cable, I also find that Fox's new sitcom with Jason Bateman and Portia Del Rossi,
Arrested Development is a high quality selection for your cheapskate ass. Since it's still early enough, in preparation for my French cinema class, I might watch Truffat's
Jules and Jim. When you have to fill your time with this much narrative, things can't be good, but I almost feel like a camel going back into the desert... once school gets going again, I never have the luxury to soak up television and movies with this healthy an appetite.
Ticking down the days until I go back... leaving the movies I chatted with my gal pal Lauren as she was driving back to Wisconsin from her house in Michigan. It seemed like we had similar breaks, or at least ran similar emotional gauntlets in trying to explain our current studies and future ambitions (the only thing harder to explain as a field of study, second to film, must be musicology). Just like I need to tell people the difference between studying film and making one, she has a practiced monologue about not being a piano player or music teacher, and just being a scholar of things harmonious. But it seemed like we confronted some of the same issues, in seeing old friends and what have you, this break and it made me feel all the better about going back where I can be on the same page as other people.
I am also issuing a blanket apology statement to all of my East Coast friends that I failed to visit over my break. I don't have a good excuse aside from the fact that I was tired, it was damn cold outside, and I just never got my shit together to actually get in the car and go. After I put some time aside to see my family, I just never had enough together at the right time to make any kind of productive roadtrips. You are all in my thoughts, I owe you all a round of drinks when I am next home, probably in May, and we'll catch up sometime soon, by the impersonal phone, but at least this way, we can both be drinking wine in our underwear and not feel weird about it.
posted by lmjasinski at 10:11 PM
