Movie Catch-Up

For the last several weeks I have been very busy and have had little free time. I have maximized that time and continued to see movies. I just have not continued to have the time to blog about them. I was sad to see that for the first time in months, views of my blog in September dipped below 300. If I don't write there is nothing to read so here's to remedying that. I also still struggle with not wanting to give away the details of movies. Writing about a month's worth of movie watching affords the luxury of being brief and still being able to write something of any significant length that is more than captions to photos.

I was fortunate enough to, in one week, be treated to two screenings with Emily in September. Tuesday September 13th was 50/50 -- excellent. Very funny handling of a serious subject matter that touches everyone's life at some point or another. There certainly were tears but Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen are phenomenal in it. Strong cast with Anjelica Huston and Anna Kendrick. Takes place in Seattle and is based on the real life experiences of the writer of the film and his friendship with Rogen.

Thursday the 15th was a sneak peak at Moneyball. It was supposed to be I Don't Know How She Does It but I went to get in line at the wrong Tigard theater. We ended up better for the mistake. Brad Pitt is delightful as general manager of the Oakland As. This is a movie I could not help but think my father would love. Maybe because I am his daughter, maybe because of all those times the family watched Field of Dreams and A League of Their Own, but I love a good baseball movie.

Movie night of that week was also significant. We watched the Time Traveler's Wife, a movie none of us (Marla, Laura or myself) had seen. We had fun posing for photos that tied in with the movie and the theme.

The Saturday after my two mid week movie bonanza, I enjoyed a tasty meal of Thai food with Laura in Sellwood and then a treat of Our Idiot Brother. Paul Rudd is a comic genius. He can almost do no wrong (Over Her Dead Body -- ironically the first screener I saw with Emily and the worst). The ensemble cast of Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Kathryn Hahn and Hugh Dancy are excellent. Great, fun, offbeat flick.

The last Friday in September, movie night was an expanded edition with a Back to the Future viewing at the Zahm's. They projected the movie onto the white wall at the back of their tv room, it was very cool. All who attended got nostalgic about when they watched the movie as kids and it was cool to learn that we all thought that the mall was the mall closest to where we lived (Lisa, Clackamas Town Center, Eric and me, Washington Square).

This past Saturday I saw What's Your Number with Katy at Cedar Hills. Anna Faris is a delight in it and much like 50/50, the jokes in the trailer are expanded in the movie and are even better. I am always so pleased when this is the case. Nothing more disappointing in a new movie than when seeing the trailer is as good as it gets. When I first saw the trailer for What's Your Number I thought, I'll probably see that. If its good will all depend on the delivery. As the September 30th release date came close I became increasingly more enthused and the flick delivered. Chris Evans was a good guy and excellent eye candy. I enjoy him in roles like these (see also The Nanny Diaries).

Tuesday Emily had passes to see the Way. It was written and directed by Emilio Estevez and starred Martin Sheen (Estevez briefly acts in the film). It was pretty good. I had not heard of it before Emily got the passes but the trailer made me cry and I wanted to see it. Where did Charlie come from?! So the black sheep. It is a drama with a lot of humor about a father whose son has just died as he walks the "El camino de Santiago" from France to Spain.

Last night at movie night, the return to the Igoe's house from the summer hiatus to the West Side, we watched the Wedding Singer. I have seen the Wedding Singer probably a hundred times. It is so good. Made the comment that it would be fun to have an 80s wedding. Trademarked, my idea. Anyone I know that beats me to the punch, I said it here first, you copied me. Marla smiled tolerantly as Laura and I sang many of the key moments in the film. We also discussed how Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore were really at their best and in their prime in the Wedding Singer. As Laura said, it was when Drew was at a healthy weight and I added, and a regular shade, not the scary orange she sports in Cover Girl ads. Sandler's last few movies have been sub par and will certainly continue along the downward spiral with Jack and Jill. Wedding Singer also carried the theme from time travel, Glenn drives a delorean.

All in all, I have had a really good run at the movies lately! Bring on Oscar season baby~