Ok, so the movie wasn’t that bad. I actually enjoyed it for the most part. It is a visually stunning movie and I was completely captivated by anything visual in it. I also thoroughly enjoyed Yoda kicking some ass. However, some of the acting left something to be desired. Hayden Christenson served nothing more than as eye candy for the women I am sure. He really is vacuous when it comes to acting. He had some fine moments, but no believability. Natalie Portman who I absolutely love was great, but I kept feeling like the director made some bad choices for her. I know she is a phenomenal actress but sometimes they had her so deadpan and serious that it gave those emotionally charged moments less flash. I loved everyone else. It had humor, pathos, tragedy. So I did enjoy it, but nothing can beat the first three (well, 3-6) that came out. They are definitely classics.

So black people broke the “ch”ackles, Moulin was snubbed, the Lord was dethroned, and an abusive gay pschizophrenic mathematician and Nobel Prize winner wins the top honors. Need I say more? Yes, I need to.

It is interesting that while LOTR and Moulin were lauded by many that they were snubbed in top honors, but received them in categories dealing with visual rhetoric. Now, I believe that part of that has to do with the fact that they are not mainstream genres as they used to be and would never win those coveted awards. Moulin is a musical (a genre just NOW coming back into recognition since the Golden Musicals) and a fantasy film (which requires a little too much imagination on the part of easily placated and violence driven audiences with the IQ’s of a cabbage). These two films were amazing in bother their visual and verbal rhetoic, but as is always the case when a viewer is forced to “think” a movie loses merit. Such was the case with Eyes Wide Shut and A.I. and other movies of those ilk that require more than surface viewing. SHOULD movies be deeper or should they just be there for mental masturbation? Only in this societry can everything from musicals and novels to movies and music exist on the level of pure entertainment with their historical ties to rheotoric and public pedagogy severed in favor of the Benjamins.

As for Halleand Denzel. GO!!!!!!! I am so glad that black people are finally being truly recognized for their talent and achievment. Of course, this begs the question of whether they received their awards BECAUSE thy are black or in spite of it. I would like to think the second, but one never knows. At least the doors have been kicked down and paths are being made. Maybe Margaret Cho and Jackie Chan will be awarded next year?

As for Beautiful Mind, it’s oh so not beautiful.

That using soap is a FABOOOOOOOOO substitution when you don’t have shaving cream. It actually works a lot better which makes me wonder why the hell we use and they sell shaving cream. Apart from the consumer/capitalistic needs shaving cream is pretty useless. I think we use it because it’s “fun.” All the playability of whipped cream with none of the fat gram guilt…..not that I eat it or anything.

Saw Monte Cristo with Jorge yesterday and LOVED the movie. It took me a while to remember that Guy Pearce was one of the drag queens in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (or is it dessert, I could never get those right)

I have decided to start heading my blog entries…..just because I want to. I got the damn permalinks to work right, so I am happy about that. So I woke up this morning and looked at the RTG flyer I got yesterday from the store. At first I thought to mysef, “Why the hell bother getting new furniture when you don;t entertain?” Then I thought, “I’ll be gone in a year. What’s the point?” And then I realized that I DON’T entertain because I don’t HAVE proper furniture. And then I realized that I may not be going anywhere with everything going on in NY. So then I tried looking for something cheaper. And I found it. It’s not purple…it’s white. Eh. But it will go with anything if I decide to change my color schemes, and I can get some accent pillows to make everything match up. Did I just use the words “accent pillow”?

I borrowed Someone Like You from Sara last night. Great movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We are going to see the sneak preview of Hearts in Atlantis. I love Stephen King’s new works and I love Anthony Hopkins….so why not? This blog has now gotten boring as shit.

Well I have discovered the identity of Rotunda. It is a newly married couple consisting of a white man and a Hispanic woman with their little chihuahua….how apropos. Last night I managed to sleep at 11 but was awakened at 1 am and then 3 am and then I could not get back to sleep until 6:30 a.m. I am thinking of now dubbing them The Bitch and The Fucker. I wrote a long letter to the management, not that it will do any good. The one good thing that came out of my behemoth-induced insomnia was watching The Mexican. I wish I had seen it in the theatres. It is a GREAT movie. Never seen Brad Pitt like this. It is definitely one I need to own.

Women snipers and Asian snipers???? In a Russian army??? In the early 1940s???????? No no no…..I must check up on my history, but that is way off.

Ok, I REALLY need to stop eating or drinking when I watch war movies. I should have learned my lesson when I saw Saving Private Ryan. The first 15 minutes were just horrifying. And now I am watching Enemy at the Gates. Yikes! But now here is the rub…

We have a movie about the Russian line during WWII. Jude Law of course is good. The movie seems very interested. BUT, how and why in the hell can Russian soldiers have British accents? And why do some speak a la Russian, and others not. What kind of freaking acting/directing choice is that???? Not only that, but since when were women allowed in the Russian army? ESPECIALLY then during Stalin-ism. There is only so much you can push the willing suspension of disbelief in the media, especially in the case of real-life events. It REALLY bugs me.

Cate Blanchett….another amazing actress. See The Gift and Elizabeth. Wow!

Ok, this is just too good. So, after weeks of seeing crappy ass movies, I finally get to see something really good. The Others. A definite must-see. Especially if you liked The Sixth Sense. Now, what was funny was not just the reactions of the morons in the theatre: “Ah hell no!” “Man…this movie is confusing” (said at the point when the plot was made clear) “Man, this is deep.” Ghetto movie-commentary….a show in itself. Now, the movie was great, the ending amazing, and of course, it lead to anoher great car discussion in which the following was said by Sara in reference to Donnie Wahlberg in The Sixth Sense:

Fadi: …and of course, it had the New Kids on the Block’s Donnie Wahlberg in the opening scene.

Sara : You mean that emancipated looking guy?

Fadi: [did she just say? ah hell no....Should I let it go?] Emancipated? You mean EMACIATED!!! {and cue loud racuous laughter causing temporary blindess and side-aches for Sara}

Understand that this is fucking hysterical since we are both master’s students in the ENGLISH department. In any case, go see this movie. It can be slow at times, but it all necessary. I just love being able to think in movies. Nothing against movies that don’t because I love those every once in a while too.

Ok, saw Chicken Run on HBO tonight. What a freaking hilarious movie. I was laughing my ass off. It just reaffirms my belief that the British are the only ones who understand and utilize humor in the most subtle yet recognizable manner. That is a definite must have.

One more class session left. Have to write my syllabus for my summer class. One more week and I will have money for the DVD player. And counting down the months to the green card. I really hope this streak continues.