Movie: Objectified

It's not what you think, Objectified is a documentary about design and manufactured goods. While it sounds rather dry, the film was very interesting. Best of all, if you dropped your DVD option from Netflix recently, Objectified is available to view instantly.

Sundance 2011

For the past few years I've written a small recap of each of the Sundance movies that I've seen. I'm not sure that any of you really care about that but it is a great reminder for me to keep track of what I've seen. Seeing ten movies in ten days always leaves me a bit blurry by the end of the festival.

I'm not sure when I turned into such a lazy blogger but I'm five movies into this year's festival and I haven't written a thing. Sigh. The best I might muster this year is just listing them out. Maybe 'fessing up will inspire, we'll see....

Abraxas This movie was okay. It's the story of a Buddhist monk longing for his punk rock days. It didn't really resonate with me but Ban really enjoyed it.

Shorts Program - We saw six shorts. Two were awesome including Right to Fight: Revisited and Worst Enemy. The rest weren't worth writing about.

Pariah I LOVED this movie. The characters and story were so compelling. I even cried a little.

Higher Ground Vera Farminga's directorial debut (you know her from Up in the Air...yah, she was naked with Clooney). I wasn't sure what to think about the movie while I was viewing it but I've continued thinking about it for days after. Probably a good sign.

Resurrect Dead The first documentary that I saw during this festival. Fascinating story! Tale a three people trying to solve the mystery of some street art (and the artist who created it) found on the east coast and in south america. The weirdest part, however, was during the Q & A and an audience member who stood up and claimed to know one of the potential suspects on the list of possible artists. Small freakin' world.

Page One: A year inside the New York Times

The Green Wave

Gun Hill Road

Benavides Born

Win Win

Movie Review: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This week the Swedish movie, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was released on DVD and is available to watch instantly on Netflix. Last night I settled down in the cool basement to watch it. I was a little bit apprehensive about the movie, but I always feel this way watching a movie based on a book that I adored. By the way, if you haven't read the book already, what the heck are you waiting for? It's a thriller! Go get it and start reading.

I'm happy to report that the movie was a thriller too. In fact, Ban hadn't read the book and a half hour into the movie he decided to stop watching so that he could read it first. I thought the movie was exceptionally well cast and the Swedish landscape austerely beautiful. Don't be put off by the subtitles, after a few minutes you'll forget that you're reading.

Hollywood is making their version of this movie due out in 2012 and I'm afraid to see who they cast. Do yourself a favor and see the Swedish version of the movie. Best of all, it's a trilogy, I can't wait for the next movie to be released in the U.S.

Movie: Coco Before Chanel

Last night I watched the French film 'Coco Before Chanel'. I've been enchanted with Audrey Tautou, who plays Coco, since first seeing her in 'Amelie' (if you haven't seen that film, stop on your way home and pick it up). 'Coco Before Chanel' chronicles her early years and the struggles that she and her sister faced after their mother died and their father left them in the care of a Catholic orphanage. I enjoyed the film and was curious to know more about Coco Chanel and her rise to prominence as fashion designer.

A quick review of the Wikipedia page about Coco reveals some details of her life such as an affair with a Nazi spy and being charged as a collaborator to a British spy. The British royal family intervened and the charges were dropped. Coco Chanel not only influenced the way women of her time viewed fashion but also women's role in society. She never married and successfully launched the fashion empire that still bears her name.

His Girl Friday

I've been home sick for the last few days and watched an obscene number of hours of Olympics coverage. Yesterday I was looking for something a little different so I watched Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in 'His Girl Friday'. Grant plays a newspaper editor who schemes to keep his best reporter and ex-wife from marrying her new beau. 

The dialogue is witty and clever delivered in a rapid-fire pace.  I'd love to hear from some of my current newspaper friends who've seen this movie. I got a kick out of the press room reporters sitting around the table playing cards waiting for the candlestick phones to ring. Also, can you imagine writing stories on a typewriter? 

Cine-Dips

Earlier this year some of our friends started Cine-Dips which is a group of friends who meet monthly to watch a movie and share delicious dips. Ban and I have not been able to make it even once this year because of conflicts in our schedules.

But all that changed last night. We watched The Man Who Planted Trees, the 1987 Oscar winner for Best Animated Short. You can actually watch the 30 minute short in its entirety below. You can also check out my post (and links to recipes) on the Cine-Dips blog here. All told, the food, film, and company were excellent and we can't wait until the next installment of Cine-Dips.


The man who planted trees

Miguel | MySpace Video

Whip It

This October Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with Whip It. Ellen Page stars as the disgruntled small town beauty pageant contestant who falls in love with roller derby to her parents dismay. I'm bummed that they chose to portray banked track when it is flat track that has had the powerful resurgence but whatevs. I'm still excited about the movie. Check out the trailer.

Son of Rambow

Last night I watched an incredibly charming movie called Son of Rambow. I missed this one at Sundance and am thankful for Netflix's extensive selection of movies so that I could watch it from the comfort of my patio.

Set in England, the movie follow two boys who are loners and outcasts but forge an unlikely friendship. Additionally, the movie features charming illustrations, French foreign exchange students and a few off-beat songs from the 80s thrown in. I really enjoyed this amusing albeit quirky film and would highly recommend it.

Kick Like a Girl

I don't have HBO and most of the time I couldn't care less. But this weekend I'm mourning having access to what seems like a great local documentary film, Kick Like a Girl. My friend and team mate Nico Noir worked on this film. Read the compelling story of film maker, Jenny Mackenzie here.

Plus, you know how much I love some girl power action and this movie seems ripe with it. I'm going to see if Nico can score a DVD of the film for me. Let me know if you'd like to come over for a screening.