An Education

Chick flick? Maybe but i made my brothers watch it and they seemed to like it as well. This movie is about a young high school girl in London and her education in the 60's. She is always at the top of her class and her parents, especially her dad, always stress the importance of a college education. She dreams of going to Oxford to read English, sing French music, dance, write, and do what she pleases. That is until she meets a charming older man who understands all her interests and offers her everything she wanted from a college education: a home, traveling to paris, going to classical concerts, fancy dinner, and anything she wants. 

Half way through the movie i was convinced that a college education is a horrible thing that doesn't allow us to express ourselves the way we want and traps our interests, but toward the end, i realized i was completely wrong. Getting married to someone who can offer you these things may be a shortcut to success, but not to eternal happiness. Shit happens and you never know what will happen to you and you cant rely on someone else to get you where you want to be. We are each responsible for our lives and with that, i think comes the responsibility of getting an education to be what we want to be in life. 

Anyway, this film is great and Carey Mulligan does a fantastic job!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRbp-dd1QvM
9/10

500 Days of Summer

This movie has been one of the very few films i don't mind watching over and over. First of all, I like that it is unlike so many love stories and films about love out there and like the poster says, 500 Days of Summer isn't a love story, its a story about love. I dont think i'll be spoiling anything by saying the character's relationship in the movie doesn't end up so nicely. The movie starts off with a disclaimer "any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. Especially you Jenny Beckman... Bitch."

HIlarious way to start off a movie but does this mean Jenny Beckman is Summer Finn? Well i did some research and i found out that she just might be. The movie is based on writer Scott Neustadter's failed relationship. Im not quite sure if this ex girlfriend is in fact a Jenny Beckman but both Scott and director Marc Webb talk about turning this story into a film. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Exclusive-Interview-500-Days-Of-Summer-Screenwriters-13994.html  It made sense to me afterward as well because in the movie, there is a scene where Tom is down about Summer and his friend says something along the lines of (because i really dont remember) turning a woman into literature to get over her. Well, wether or not Jenny is Summer, this is a great movie because its a good escape from predictable love stories.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM

10/10

La Vie En Rose

La Vie en Rose is a film about legendary parisian singer Edith Piaf and her life as a singer and her various struggles along the way. She was poorly raised by her mother, causing her father to send her with her grandmother who owned a brothel. It was here she met Titine but was soon taken from her as well and joined the circus with her father. She began singing on the streets for money and was soon discovered by a night club owner and the rest is history. Edith Piaf's story is very tragic yet legendary. Among her best songs are "La Vie En Rose", " La Foule", and "Milord".

Marion Cotillard does a beyond imaginable job at playing Edith, and won an Oscar for her role. For anyone looking for a kick ass movie to watch, this is it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzEJ7NV_g98

la Foule http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqW7CgJNkAg

Factory Girl

I have always been in love with the 60's especially fashion and music. Edie Sedgwick is a genius fashion icon who i dearly love and i also love Andy Warhol's pop art. I never knew these two were tied together (ignorant  i know..), so when my friend told me about this movie, i definitely had to watch.

Sienna Miller plays Edie Sedgwick in this film and captures the moments in her life as Andy Warhols muse both at her best and worst. She does a wicked awesome job at playing Edie as well as Guy Pearce as Andy Warhol. I found out a lot about her and Andy through this movie that i never would have thought were true. In this movie are also Hayden Christensen as Bob Dylan ( ;] ) and i really dont know who as the Velvet Underground.

This movie made me cry... thats pretty lame, but it did. But before it made me cry, it made me want to be a part of the 60's art movement so bad. I'm tempted to say more, but i feel as though i give away too much in my reviews so if you love the 60's, or Edie Sedgwick, or both.. watch this film!

Or just watch the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAW0F2QY7S4

9/10

Interpol

As I sat and pondered what I could possibly write my next blog about, it hit me that I hadn't written one about Interpol... then I almost cried. How could i possibly forget to write a blog about my favorite band in the world!? I dont know. Maybe im eating too much tuna and all the mercury's gone to my brain.

Anyway, Interpol is a indie/rock band from New York. If you're alive, you should listen to them. Im not very good at describing the sound of music (not the movie..) but speaking purely out of opinion, they have the most beautiful lyrics accompanied by the most soothing perfection. I'll bet its the music they play in the monasteries. I can listen to them all day er day! A lot of people I recommend Interpol to say "eh, they're alright." or "they're depressing.." Then I say, "alright...?" *face turns green* I dont care what people say, Interpol is amazing and their music inspires my artwork as well as my sanity.  If you're sad, listen to The New. If you're pumped listen to Say Hello To The Angels or Slow Hands If you're chillin, like a villain, listen to No I in Threesome or my personal favorites NYC and the Specialist. And if you're crazy like I am, listen to the whole album Turn On the Bright Lights it's the best.. in the West.

Another reason to go to Amoeba (like i said before -_-) with the release of their latest album, if you bought any of their musical thingamabobs, (cd, vinyl..) you got a free, i repeat FREE, wristband to see Interpol live.. up close... and personal.. yeah. Go to Amoeba.

The Specialist. Just for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODNWSgmVYF0

Pleasantville

Pleasantville is a movie where two teenage siblings, David (Tobey Maguire) and Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) accidentally transport themselves into a 1950's television show after a mysterious man replaces their broken remote control. On ordinary life, Jennifer is the more outgoing popular girl in school, while David is the book worm obsessed with the tv show pleasantville. When they go into the tv show, they literally live in black and white and must play along until they can return back home. The problem is that they must try not to disrupt the normal order of things or else things aren't so pleasant anymore. However, Jennifer and David begin unintentionally instilling modern values and Pleasantville slowly acquires color.

Pleasantville is such a beautiful film, both in technique and symbolism. One of my favorite lines is when David gives Bill( the restaurant owner) an art book and he says, "Just where am I gonna see colors like that? Must be awfully lucky to see colors like that. Ill bet they dont know how lucky they are." I dont think a lot of us really appreciate the color in our lives, and i dont mean literal color, but the things that remind us that we are not simply living just to live. The little things that define who we are and what we love.

8/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lrdr5UjZHc

A Night In Casablanca

 I used to be a semi-big fan of the three stooges... until I found out about the marx brothers and I am hooked. These guys are hilarious in ever way possible. The characters are Chico (an italian character), Harpo (plays the harp and never speaks), and Groucho (known for his infamous moustache and cigar). 

These three characters make up A Night In Casablanca.   The plot takes place in Casablanca and after the hotel manager is murdered, a replacement is sent in (Groucho Marx). The villain wants to get rid of Groucho to be the manager himself and steal a valuable treasure hidden in the hotel by nazis. The problem is Harpo accidentally vacuumed his toupee and he can no longer go out in public, for they will recognize the scar on his head. Harpo then used gestures, whistles, and horns to try and tell Chico of the villains plan to murder Groucho.

These three are up to no good and this film is full of action, mystery, and humor, from beginning to end. Im sure you'll find yourself laughing the whole way through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo0ZkclUzCg
9/10