Over the Rainbow

On this lazy Sunday, with a bad headache, lady cramps and a humid grey sky I know there is only one thing to do.. put on my favourite movie. 

I still remember the first time I ever sat down to watch The Wizard of Oz.  It was 1989, I was 5 years old in and my Father was pleased as punch at the purchase of our very first VCR.  And the first video he rented was the tale of young Dorothy Gale and her dream to go over the rainbow.

Too young to understand much of it, I loved the songs and the cast of sidekicks.  Today, 22 years later I love the kitch production quality, the references to opium and occasional sly adult remarks, the history of the film and the magical moment when life turns to vivid colour.  

L. Frank Baum was on to something.  He wrote the Oz series of books in the late 19th Century, and 40 years later MGM strapped down Judy Garland’s boobs, hired some drunken midgets, loaded up the Technicolour and made possibly the greatest film of all time.

I think, at some stage or other we’ve all wanted to click our heels three times and we’ve all had the occasional wistful longing that somewhere, over the rainbow, life is a little bit brighter. 

When conversation turns to film, as it frequently does, not once since I was 5 has my answer to the question “What’s your favourite film” changed.

The Wizard Of Oz. Always.

The Plants Have Eyes

Another “Really?” moment today when I read an interesting article on news.com.au. 

Apparently there is a filmmaker by the name of Jonathan Keats who has made films for plants.  The film supposedly is a visual of the Italian countryside.

I seriously do not understand the point of this.  Keats has said he wants to provide plants with what companies such as Disney or MGM provide humans. 

I’m missing the bit where a human-like plant has been discovered, that has a sense of humour oh, and EYES. 

There are some people who obviously have far too much time on their hands

In Defence of Miss Jones

I quite enjoy the occasional difference in opinion, and marvel at how defensive I can be.  I think it must be the ginger genes!

The other day there was a semi-heated discussion in the tea room regarding whether or not romantic comedies,  in particular Bridget Jones Diary, are wonderful or ridiculous.

My opinion on this is - 

1. They provide us with some escapism from our world
2. You are guaranteed a happy ending, and likely to come out the other side with a warm fuzzy feeling that all is right with the world
3. It gives single girls the hope that no matter how ridiculous or hopeless you are, no matter how many nights you spend in oversized pjamas drunk and singing “All By Myself”, things always work out in the end
4. It also gives single girls hope that even though there are many Daniel Cleavers in the world.. The occasional Mr Darcy will come and rescue you from utter despair

Yes Bridget Jones is ridiculous, but she (in my opinion) is also real.  Perhaps because I relate to all the horrible mistakes that she has made.  Perhaps because I have had my fair share of Daniel Cleavers, the dastardly cads who like to prey on vulnerable, loving girls.  Perhaps because I know what it is like to have an embarrassing yet loving mother, the awkwardness of having slept with a co-worker and the disappointment of realising that life isn’t a fairytale and sometimes you don’t have anything to eat but cereal and cheese.  Who hasn’t been caught out “in the moment” wearing really really enormous knickers? Or pretending you know more than you do at work?  

And what I love most about Bridget is that despite the fact the she is really ridiculous and “feels like an idiot most of the time” someone loves her.  Just as she is.  Which is what this ridiculous Ginger is holding out for.  

So I ask you dear readers.. What is so wrong with having a whimsical story concluding in a happy ending? Absolutely nothing.

Story? What Story? I Was Perving on Downey Jr

Today I went and saw the new Sherlock Holmes film.  And I have only one opinion – Robert Downey Jr is SMOKING HOT.

In his 40s, with obvious grey hair and some wrinkles he’s not your obvious sex symbol.  But there is something about him that I know if I ever saw him I’d strip off my clothes and beg him to have his way with me.

I think it is the combination of vulnerability, manliness, scruffiness and the twinkle in his eye, that makes him irresistible.  I like my men a bit rough around the edges, but who obviously sometimes need a cuddle.  And the eyes, that look that men get when you know they want to ravish you. But at the same time, you can see that they are nothing but trouble. Mmmm. 

The only thing that could make Robert Downey Jr any hotter would be a Scottish Accent. Then I’d be well and truly weak at the knees.

Mr Darcy, You Are Just Not Rude Enough.

I am enjoying a delicious, rare day off where i have nothing planned and nothing to do.  So to indulge myself I have made a plunger coffee and am sitting down to watch some Regency finery in Pride & Prejudice.

NOT the classic 90s BBC Mini-Series with the delectable Colin Firth, but the atrocious 2004 version starring my nemesis Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen.

I have many problems with this movie. The first being Keira Knightley is a wooden actress and a terrible choice to play one of the greatest heroine in literary history. It always looks as if she is trying to hard and can’t breathe. 

My second issue is that Mr Darcy is all wrong.  Usually I enjoy MacFadyen as an actor, especially in Spooks,  but he could officially be the worst Mr Darcy in history.  Hot, yes.  Haughty? No. Disdainful? No. He’s all over the place. 

Mr Bingley is portrayed as an idiot and they only give him one sister (Did Mrs Hurst die in some strange accident that the movie goer is unaware of?).  Mrs Bennet is not nearly annoying enough.

Also the movie goes against societal mores of the time. When Jane Bennett is sick in Netherfield, Mr Bingley would NEVER have presumed to go into her room.  To do so would be practically to confirm and engagement.   

So I am baffled as to why I put this movie on this morning on my day off. Especially because I am perfectly aware that Knightley makes me want to staple my ears and eyes shut so I don’t have to look or hear her. 

Next time I’ll stick to Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

2012 & All It’s Impending Doom

Yesterday I went and saw 2012.  I have always been a massive fan of the disaster movie epic. Armageddon, Deep Impact, Independence Day.. Love the romance, the father/daughter thing, the saving the world. 

2012 did not disappoint me. Yes it was a bit ridiculous but it was highly enjoyable, John Cusack was delicious as the stereotypical anti-hero.  The special effects were great and there was enough deaths, suspense and goodbyes to keep me in tears for the majority of the film.

The whole premise of the film was that the ending of the Mayan Calendar in December 2012 signals the end of days, the apocalypse, the rapture.  Slightly ridiculous really, but is it? 

Curious, I got on Wikipedia to read up on the 2012 phenomenon.  December 21st 2012 is said to be the end of a 5,125 year old Mayan Calendar.  I continued reading and got very confused by all the big words.  There is something about a planet alignment, global shifts in consciousness, geomagnetic reversal, black hole alignment etc etc.

Interestingly it is also the year that analogue television will switch off in many countries, the year of the London Olympics (therefore a leap year), the year that a massive near earth size object will pass earth, there’ll be a couple of solar eclipses, the 60th jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II,  the year that the US will cease military control of the Republic of Korea and I will turn 29. 

After reading a number of websites I came to the conclusion that whilst there is lots of theories, nobody seems to have any proof of anything and that it may just be a bit of Y2K fad. 

So if the world really is going to end, just as the Mayan’s may or may not have said, I won’t be one of the millions of people scrambling for higher ground or trying to outrun a giant super-volcano/tsunami/massive hole in the earth’s crust like in the movie.   What would be the point?  I’d much rather say a prayer, open a bottle of wine, and spend my last few hours on earth with a beautiful looking naked man.  And on the plus side.. I won’t have to deal with the whole turning 30 thing. 

God Bless As All. 

Blugh…

Today has been a long and tiring day.. work at 6.30, then went and saw 2012, then work again at 2.30.  I’m not feeling at all inspired so instead will tell you a funny story about what happened to me yesterday.

I was cleaning up in our office and put a tray thing full of display folders on top of the cupboard. All display folders come tumbling down onto my upturned face, one gets me in the eye, and cuts my eyelid.  Was excruciatingly painful and I don’t even have a black eye to show for it. Today one of my colleagues ran over my toe with a trolley. 

Tomorrow I shall have a brilliant review of 2012 for you, but as of this moment, I am getting into bed with “Romancing Mr Bridgerton” (Julia Quinn is the BEST trashy romance novelist around) and a glass of wine.

All By Myself (Not That I Mind)

As a somewhat only child and being perpetual singleton in a world of couples I have gotten extremely used to my own company. 

I travel alone, spent much of high school and uni hanging out with myself and I don’t have a particular issue with taking myself out for a nice meal.

This is why I don’t understand the vast majority of my friends who can’t even go to the movies on their own.  When I saw New Moon last Saturday, I said to my companion that it was the first time in such a long time that I could remember going to the movies with someone.

If I had waited for someone to do things with, then quite frankly, I would never have done anything.

My BFF and I always planned lots of holidays together, but never went, so in the end I went on my own (She went with her boyfriend/now husband).  I desperately wanted to go to Turkey with The Ex but he chose to go with another girl so I went on my own. I probably had a better time than if I had gone with him.

I’ll admit travelling by yourself is scary.  Moving to the other side of the world when you know less than 5 people, it’s scary! And perhaps not for everybody.  But spending quality time with yourself is important. Whilst I do enjoy company, sometimes even crave it, after days on end spent in the company of others I am longing for some alone time. I think perhaps I’ll always be that way.

So harden up dear readers and go see a movie on your own.  You’ll probably enjoy it more when you don’t have someone fidgeting beside you.

New Moon vs The Vatican. New Moon Wins.

Yesterday I waited in line, clutching my tickets to see the latest instalment in the Twilight Saga “New Moon”.

I am a big fan of the books and found the movie highly enjoyable, very silly, and the audience comprised of 15 year old girls made me giggle with glee every time one of them whoop whooped at Jacob Black’s bare, buff and quite frankly delicious chest.

What I find interesting is the public reaction to the Twilight phenomenon. It reminds me of Pottermania of about 5 years ago, and it seems it is provoking the same amount of furore from the Vatican. 

Pope Benedict the whatever number he is publicly denounced the “subtle seductions” in Harry Potter, going on about how it promotes Un-Christian values towards Children (this is despite JK Rowling being a Christian herself and the whole 7 books being about the battle between good and evil, friendship and love).

Today it is Twilight that is angering the Holy people at the Vatican. Monsignor Franco Perazzolo has claimed that Twilight is a “deviant moral vacuum.. a mixture of excesses aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element”. 

The first thing I did after reading this was of course look up the word esoteric (adj. Intended for or understood by only a particular group: an esoteric cult). The second thing I did was wonder why people take things so seriously.  I am the first person to admit I got carried away by the Harry Potter universe and have devoured the Twilight series with a hunger that surprised even myself. 

I think that perhaps the Vatican is a bit jealous, and without reason.  I mean, the bible is still the best selling book of all time and has more die-hard fans than all the Potter-heads and Twi-hards put together. So why complain? Are they worried that Rowling and Meyers are cutting into their book sales?  Jealous that whilst both series have hugely successful movie franchises, all they have is “The Passion of the Christ” and a few old Charlton Heston movies from the 50s? 

The quote that I liked best in this article (Saturdays Courier Mail) is that they think that the, and I quote, “the sex appeal of Robert Pattinson will have wider ramifications among Gnereation Y”.  I would like to know what these wider ramifications are? Pale will become cool? Men will become deliciously scruffy? All sounds pretty good to me! 

Twilight is not evil. It is not a cult. It is 4 books and 2 movies (so far) about a delicious love story, that has a legion of dedicated followers. Vampires and Werewolves are, I think, secondary to the romance.

And, in closing, as a Team Edward fan.. seriously Bella, quit being such a whore!  Getting poor Jacob all worked up then saying, sorry don’t need you anymore? Such a prick tease.