I think today was "phone calls from friends" day.

I received calls from Zoe, Caitlin, and Candace. And I called no one. Because I'm clearly a terrible friend.

But it was so cheerful!


Anyway, so I'm back in Orlando after a week of traveling to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for my cousin Tiffany's wedding (she just turned 22, BTW).

The wedding was pretty good. The night I stayed at my sister Fayanne's house and got to meet my newest niece (who is a total cutie) was the best part of my week. The worst was most certainly spending 50 hours in a car with my parents. Ugh.


In other good news, I got an email today from my art history professor/thesis advisor about a possible internship, so I sent a resume to a woman at the Orlando Museum of Art. Still waiting to hear from her. If I don't by Monday, I'll start applying for other jobs (movie theater, Disney, whatever).


So yes. Family, friends, possible job. Things are feeling good.

Plus, I'm back in my own apartment with my own bed in my own room and my own bathroom. Which always feels good.


Oh, and I watched NPH on Ellen (he watched the Idol too!), and started watching "How I Met Your Mother" before Idol started. I love him. I really need to go see Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay...just for my NPH fix.

First off, who doesn't love "The O.C."?

Two episodes everyday on SoapNet? It's perfect. Especially on Tuesdays and Thursday when I have exactly one hour at home between classes, so from 3 to 4, I get to enjoy the unsubtle melodramadie of life in Newport Beach. Lovely.


Second, I have some big plans for movies this weekend. Tomorrow, I have class from 8:30 to 9:20am, which gives me plenty of time to get out to Altamonte Springs for a 10:30am, $5 showing of Run, Fatboy, Run at the AMC. After which I will meander home via Winter Park so that I can catch the 2:35pm Stop-Loss at the Regal there.

I don't know if I'll make it a triple-feature day, or if I'll save 21 for Saturday or Sunday, but I guarantee you, I'll be seeing it this weekend as well. Because I must. Jim Sturgess and Kevin Spacey? And gambling? Yes, please! Lovelyness abounds!!


Third, sadly that's all a lot of procrastination and I have SHITLOAD of work to do this weekend. So methinks that the television is staying off starting at 4pm when I turn off "The O.C." until probably next Tuesday night (I have to watch The Idol in realtime, or I can't vote...everything else important will be recorded on the TiVo).

5 full days without television. Thank god for TiVo.

Oh, and you should be prepared for an inordinate amount of posts. The internet will be my only outlet this weekend.

!!!!

Movies opening near me on Friday:
- Be Kind Rewind
- Charlie Bartlett
- In Bruges


Oh, so excited. Particularly for In Bruges. It's funny, because I really don't like Colin Farrell and I actively dislike Ralph Fiennes, but I feel like this might be a film in which all preconceived notions are disregarded. And Be Kind Rewind just looks like insane amounts of fun and I think Michel Gondry is a brilliantly unique filmmaker, so I'm excited to see what comes of this.


And now, I've finished my Geography homework, so I'll be spending the rest of the day studying for my Theory and Criticism in Art History midterm. (Not gonna lie...I'm excited to review my notes and compile them into a study sheet.)


Oh...and Idol is back. :-D

A quick, random post:

First off, Brad Renfro, best known for his roles in The Client, Tom and Huck, and Apt Pupil, died this morning at the age of 25.


Second, Johnny Depp donated £1 million to the London children's hospital that treated his daughter last March when her kidneys failed due to E. coli poisoning (if you don't recall, it occurred during filming of Sweeney Todd). Additionally, back in November, he had his Captain Jack costume shipped over from LA and dressed up to lead a 4-hour impromtu storytime for the kids at the hospital.

Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter are said to be matching the donation and Disney will also be donating £10 million. (Keep in mind that the British pound is worth $2, so Depp is donating $2 million, and Disney's putting up $20 million.)


Third, I'm kinda psyched that "American Idol" is back. Though I wish we could get passed the auditions. It's always my least-favorite part.

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In non-entertainment news, this is going to be a CRAZY busy semester. Suck.

I'm mostly enjoying my classes. At least while I'm in them. I rarely want to go...and it's only the second week. And I already have a crazy amount of work to do, aside from the thesis. Nuts.

I sent in my absentee ballot for the Florida primary today. Yay!

I think that's it...

I love love love "Sunday Morning Shootout."

For those of you who are not 'in the know,' it's a 30-minute show on AMC every (you guessed it) Sunday morning. The two hosts, Peter Guber and Peter Bart, are veterans in the film industry, Guber doing high-profile producing work and heading major studios and Bart is currently editor in chief of Variety. And every week, they have on a guest from "the business," sometimes stars on to talk about their movie, but more often studio execs or others in the industry with whom they discuss the current and changing trends in filmmaking.

The past two weeks, John Waters was the guest, which is always enjoyable. First, because he's hilarious. Second, because he's opinionated and not afraid to step on toes...he's blatantly honest. Third, because he loves film. He's passionate about everything that is, has been, and will be film. Fourth, he is entirely unpretentious in his tastes. The man made films like Pink Flamingos and Polyester for god's sake! (Google it.)

It's really excellent to hear people discussing film in intellectual and hypothetical ways and really just enjoying it.


Sunday's guest was Mark Cuban, an "American billionaire entrepreneur." He owns of the NBA team the Dallas Mavericks, independent film studio Magnolia, Landmark Theatres chain, and HDNet, a high-def cable channel (the last three under the company heading of 2929 Entertainment). The guy has his hands in so many pies, it's crazy. But he's clearly good at what he does, and he has a genuine interest in media and entertainment. Oh, he also has his own weblog: http://www.blogmaverick.com/


This is all leading to a point, I swear.

There are many who claim that day-date* (or day-and-date, I suppose) releasing is going to be terrible, that theaters will cease to exist, yadda yadda. Who would go out when they can stay home?

Mark had an excellent response and one different from many that I've heard from proponents of day-date releasing.

Peter Guber: Wouldn't that also mean that someone not wanting to spend $10, $11, or $12 a ticket for four people will say, "I'm gonna have it imported directly to my home and I won't go to the theater"?
Mark Cuban: No, because those same four people are thinking "Get me away from my kids, I gotta get out of here!" You know, "I've got to go do something, get out of the house." No matter how good your TV is, no matter how high resolution the movie is, there's no cure for cabin fever.

He later says "movies are a social experience," which is the main argument I've heard for why day-date won't ruin the theater runs, but I thought the "cabin fever" response was interesting. I've found that during finals week, I eat more fast food, just because I need to take a 30 minute break every once in a while, and I may as well be productive and get nourishment while I'm at it. And when I go for a week without seeing a movie in a theater, I start to feel like I'm going to go crazy. I can understand the "cabin fever" argument, the wanting to get out and see a movie, the wanting to share that experience with other people just like you who are going to the same screening of the same film at the same time and place as you. Film is a powerful thing. It's wonderful and overwhelmingly egalitarian (though that isn't always positive) and it's changing and it's inventive. I love it.


Bottom line, Mark Cuban is just cool and even Peter Guber said that his "enthusiasm is infectious." And I wish my film classes were structured like "Sunday Morning Shootout." Stop teaching us history...I know the history. Start pushing us to think about current trends and the future. Let's have a discussion about internet marketing, or day-date releases, or the impact of digital video. Because knowing about French New Wave is not going to help you sell, write, produce, or market your film. But those other things might.

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Other things:

( Ten Things You Didn't Know About 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' )


Also, clips of "Sunday Morning Shootout" can be found on amctv.com, specifically here.


And finally, I support the whole "Idol Gives Back" thing. It's incredibly, really. And tomorrow's show promises to be jam-packed with excellent stars (including Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Pink, and Daniel Radcliffe) and it's being hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. Super sweet, check it out tomorrow night.

But really, Ryan Seacrest?

"The calls you make will not only save your favorite contestants, they will also save lives. This...is Idol Gives Back."

I know he doesn't write it, but melodramatic much?


*Day-date releasing is when a film is released simultaneously in theaters, on DVD, and pay-per-view. Steven Soderbergh's film Bubble is probably the most famous example (which was released under Cuban's Magnolia Pictures). An article about that can be found here: http://www.boingboing.net/2006/01/23/mark_cuban_to_theate.html

List in the making...

( Movies list, in progress )


Plus, Fergie's song on The Idol tonight was excellent. I might need to purchase her album ("The Duchess"). Anyone have it? Thoughts? Is it worth $10?

( Idol rant...wholly unnecessary )

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Unrelated, I want someone to name their dog "Mr. Barky von Schnauzer," preferably a dog that is not a schnauzer. It's just a fabulous name.

Sir Barksalot McDoggieton would also be awesome. If you use it, give me credit. ;-)

Considering the OBSCENE amount of candy I've devoured this week, its a little crazy, but I really wish I had more chocolate.

Mmm...Reese's peanut butter cups.

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Also, in the world of semi-ignorant things I've heard recently, I got the following email from one of my aunts last night regarding a performance Jennifer Lopez gave on American Idol:

That was most odd of Jennifer singing that whole song in Spanish wasn't it ?? I would have thought she would do half and half for the crowd. I mean it is called "American Idol"...is what I told Andy.


Oh man. The things that bother me are like...20-fold.

Had I responded as I wanted to, I would have mentioned a) she's Latina and started her career in that genre, b) the song she was singing was entirely in Spanish...there isn't an "English version" or "half-English" version, c) the United States doesn't have an official language, d) not appreciating songs because they are in Spanish is stupid, e) assuming that no one else will appreciate it is just ignorant.

I'm sure there are more, but I decided not to respond. Because it's so not worth it.

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I watched Happy Feet and it was kinda Moulin Rouge meets Footloose, but without a point. Seriously? There was no conflict resolution. AT ALL. Lame.

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Final note: now that I know I'm going to have to do some sort of final thesis/research paper for my made-up major, I'm getting kinda excited about it.

My topic will most likely be something about American Art and Cinema in the 20th Century.

I'm kinda hoping that I don't have to make it much more specific or focused. I'd really rather write 50-60 pages* on a general history than 20* on a silly focus like Political Influences on American Art and Cinema of the 20th Century, or Foreign Influences, or any other sort of influences.


*I don't actually have specific requirements yet, so I'm taking a wild stab at what they might be...

It's a sad day.


Gina was voted off The Idol.


I know, you can feel free to make fun of me. But I'm seriously crushed.


As is my mom.

First, I got this email from her:

"My Gina got voted off of Idol! I'm so sad.
I don't want to watch Idol anymore - but I know I will.
I really wanted her to go lots farther."

Then, she sent a text message:

"Idol stinks!"


Silly mommy. But I agree.

I haven't posted on The Idol in weeks, so bear with me.


Gwen Stefani has somewhat surprisingly good taste in music. I mean, clearly she should have good taste.

I guess what I mean is that she and I enjoy a lot of the same music. And I'm not a Gwen fan, so that was surprising.

(For those not playing along at home, Gwen was working with the finalists and they had to choose from a list of her favorite songs...)

Songs performed tonight that I adore:
Last Dance (Donna Summer)
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic (The Police)
I'll Stand By You (The Pretenders) - Gina's song!
True Colors (Cyndi Lauper)
Every Breath You Take (The Police)
Don't Speak (No Doubt)


I voted for Gina about 15 times and twice for Phil. I just adore Gina.

I defy anyone to not rock out to Pat Benatar.


Seriously. You'd have to be a machine to not feel that!

I think it is absolutely HILARIOUS that this season The Idol is using Chris Daughtry ("Home") as the play-off song (thank god, no more Daniel Powder's "Bad Day").

Why is it so funny?

A) Chris Daughtry was on The Idol. (How appropriate?)

B) Chris Daughtry didn't win The Idol. Dude got kicked off. He had his own video montage played to Daniel Powder. Not even runner up, he came in third (unrightly so...he really should have won. Katherine and Taylor both pale in comparison).


Oh, Daughtry. Chris is fucking hot, dudes. And talented! Oh man, I love him. I totally bought the album on iTunes.


(BTW - My Hilary Duff icon has become my official Idol icon...so expect to see it a couple times a week.)

Oh man.

I love The Idol.

It's so addicting and awesome.


If any of you were watching, I totally voted for the cutie Asian Paul (though he wasn't super vocally...he's good enough and hot). I also voted for Blake (he was actually good) and AJ (he was alright). I usually only vote for one, but since 2 are getting kicked off, I figured I could bump up my vote.


Tomorrow night: the girls!