Batman Begins

Maybe I'm getting too old. I'm the ripe age of 32 and I'm already falling asleep at the movies.

So many people have raved about how wonderful this film is. I just don't see it. Granted, when I walked in, I had my skeptical views about whether or not Batman would be worth it- but it was either watch this movie or watch Mr and Mrs Smith- and I'd sooner sit in a theater like Alex de Large (A Clockwork Orange) than watch something with a post-Girl-Interrupted Angelina Jolie.

Which poses a very good question: Who wins the title for most annoying? Angelina Jolie with her fake british accent? or Dawson's Katie Holmes? Or ANYONE from Dawson's Creek, for that matter? Tough competition.

Katie Holmes put up quite a fight for the title in this film. Little miss goody-goody passing judgement on Bruce Wayne walking out of the hotel with the 2 models... It's just such a typical role for her. Little virginal Katie, the big hero coming to her rescue, etc.

Maybe SHE was the one who ruined the movie for me. My annoyance with her probably started after I watched Dawson's once and within 2 minutes of turning it on, she was using words like "antithesis" and "absconded". Impressive that tv writers know how to use the F7 key, but not really believable that a 15 year old would use words like these in an every day sentence.

Anyway- back to the movie- The film itself had really loud SFX to the point where I actually had to put my finger in my ear. (And yet with my other ear, I could hear the people behind me saying "Look! She's got her finger in her ear! hahaha.") Well I'm sorry! It was TOO DAMNED LOUD. It was so loud that the sound was more annoying than the CGI's (and we ALL know how much I despise THOSE.)

The story itself was just okay. It wasn't anything I would get in a twist over. So they tied in a few things that would have been cheating the audience had they not. Big deal. That's like rewarding someone for doing something they're supposed to do. (What? You want a cookie? Chris Rock)

Overall, the movie was just meh and I may have given it more of a chance if they hadn't cast Holmes in the first place.

30 Days

30 Days is an FX Original Series that airs on Wednesday nights, 10 pm EST.

Everyone should watch this show. I'm reviewing it before it's even over.

Funny- today I was trying to figure out bills, expenses, etc. I was stressing out because there never seems to be enough money to go around. My rent takes up 90% of my first (of 2) paycheck every month. My car payment plus insurance is over $400 a month. That doesn't include gas, which is through the roof.

So I come home tonight and turn on the season premier of 30 Days. What an awakening.

Morgan Spurloch, the mastermind behind Supersize Me, spends 30 days living on minimum wage.

(Oh, and they saved the best for last.)

Morgan and his fiancee Alex, a vegan chef, moved to Columbus, Ohio for 30 days to both work minimum wage jobs. Within the week, they both needed to go to the hospital- Alex for a UTI and Morgan for a sprained wrist. They live in this ant-infested little 1 bedroom apartment in a complex that as little as a week ago was home to a crackhouse. The rent? Less than $400 a month. There was no furniture, so there was an especially touching scene where the couple go to a church and receive furniture donations.

They bought 1 bus pass to go between the both of them. Alex gets a job at a barista washing dishes and bussing tables, and Morgan goes to a temp agency. They offer him odd jobs at no less than $7 an hour- $1.85 ABOVE minimum wage. Morgan's first job was a construction site, and then he moves on to landscaping which pays a little more. This is where he sprains his wrist.

Morgan gets a paycheck every day- to the tune of about $46. Alex's weekly check? Under $200. Then Morgan makes a discovery- the guy who gives him a ride to and from the job sites makes the same amount that Morgan is making, yet he is a 22 year old with 4 kids. Morgan and Alex decide to invite his brother's 2 teenage kids up to visit for the weekend and the funniest part of the show happens- Morgan goes to the public library to see what kind of free thngs there are to do and finds http://www.ohiotraveler.com/things_to_do.htm
which suggests he take the kids to an "Animal shelter: Kind of a sad visit if you don’t plan to adopt an animal but you may consider volunteering to walk a dog. Sometimes, the facility will allow you to tour its clinic and explain the shots and other treatments. It’s good for kids to learn about pet care." or "Bank: Call up your local bank and ask for a tour. Winter Advisory: If you wear a ski-mask, take it off before entering the bank." Truly some "original" ideas. Morgan's take on the latter: "Oh, yes! Come in and see the money you DON'T have!!" They end up taking the kids to the $1 movie, but Morgan spends $12 on drinks, which throws Alex into a tizzy.

At the end of the show, just when you realize that they are barely going to make it with a few pennies left over, the hospital bills come. $1300.00!! Morgan has to pay $550 just for walking in the ER door; Alex, $300. Alex's prescription was $25, and Morgan paid $40 for an Ace bandage. No health insurance is the demise of the couple's unsucessful run on a 30 day minimum wage scale.

Now this is AFTER Morgan is working 2 full time jobs (for the latter half of the month- but it's at a pizza place, so they can have pizza instead of rice and beans) and Alex works one. That's 3 minimum wage salaries for 2 people. If not for the hospital bills, they would have just barely made it.

And here I sit wondering about how I'm going to afford a vacation to NY for my friend's wedding. It's amazing how lucky I really am. Granted, I live alone with no 2nd paycheck to help, my rent is crazy expensive, and my car is still new, but I don't want to live in the slums and it's the car I wanted, so that's the price I have to pay. (Even though that "price" doesn't include cable, power, water, food, gas, phone, etc. I'm not rich by any means, but this program showed me that I should appreciate what I do have.)

The show was sad and funny and intelligent and poingnant all at the same time. It was a fantastic program, and I plan to tune in every Wednesday night from now on.

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000843/

Anne Bancroft died Tuesday.

The Graduate is one of my favorite movies.

Very sad indeed. :(

Cinderella Man

Russell Crowe beats people up- how novel. (Don't tell me you didn't see THAT coming...)

Actually, this movie was really very good. From what I understand, this movie has been a long time in the making. During filming of A Beautiful Mind, there was talk about doing a movie about James J Braddock, the man who lost everything and still remained positive and ended up victorious. Crowe took a year off to be with his wife, and they went through a few directors before getting Ron Howard. Penny Marshall is one of the producers.

Crowe does a wonderful job portraying Braddock, and you really get a feel for the way things were during the depression. The way he interacts with his children is priceless, and you really get a feeling that his family is his whole world. When Crowe would stand in line to get work, the way so many people did in those days, the viewer stands in line with him, thinking "pick him!! pick him!!" It makes you realize how much we all take for granted. And the true metaphor of the story- a man who has to literally fight to keep his family together- makes it sweet and touching.

A few points:
Craig Bierko, from the 13th Floor and Sex and the City (The jazz man with ADD), plays the heavyweight champ. He and Clive Owen look so similar, but there were times when I didn't think it was either one of them. The 'fro he had changed his whole appearance, and he really showed a lot of rage in his facial expressions during the appropriate times. He did a great job.

The children rivaled the boys in Finding Neverland with their simple charm and undying love portrayed simply, yet succinctly. Absolute treasures.

Paul Giamatti, of course, steals the show with his surprising sacrifice that he makes for the family and by putting his name on the line to get Braddock back in the ring after he has shown himself to be destitute. We have all seen the nice guy sports agent Jerry Maguire; Paul's character could have been his grandfather. They have the same blood pumping through their veins.

And speaking of Jerry Maguire.... Ahhh... Renee. A beautiful, touching performance of a woman who shows the true meaning of love and loyalty. She stands by James in good times and bad, through destitution and riches, and you truly feel that she was meant to be with this man. We can all only aspire to be the kind of wife and mother that Renee portrays. She was beautiful and incredible, her acting superior to MANY roles that she has had in the past, and there were a few times when I ALMOST believed the Jersey accent.

In fact, if I have one bad thing to say about this movie, it would be the fact that a few times it seemed like the dialect coach had taken a coffee break. Granted, accents are not easy, and coming from someone who knows quite a few Jersey-accented folk, it was believable when it was used. But the operative word is WHEN. That is my only complaint about this movie.

The rest of it was heartfelt and pure. I would definitely see it again.

NEW LOOK!!!

Yes, you are on the right site. I changed the template. Unfortunately, my counter had to be reinstalled- and I had over 650 hits on this site!!

I don't remember what the # was exactly, so I'll just start again with 650.