Inglorious Basterds

I have to say, if history had played out the way it did in Quentin Tarantino's mind, I would have paid a hell of a lot more attention in history class.

That being said, this alternate history is very much entertaining. A group of Jewish Americans form the group known as the Basterds. They are dropped into Nazi-controlled France and basically do what they do best, kill Nazis.

The dialogue, as is the case in most of Tarantino's movies, is the most interesting part of the movie. That being said, the visuals were good, as well as his quirky choice of music for the soundtrack.

It was bloody, action-packed, dialogue awesome, music awesome, intense.

I loved it. While not as good as his earlier works (see Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Part 1), he still managed to tell a damn good story, as unrealistic and historically inaccurate as it is.

Watchmen

First off, I'd like to complain about Americans. Damn you all for having such short attention spans. Watchmen is PERFECT story-telling, as long as you can sit through the long 165 minutes.

It was a graphic novel, perhaps one of the most celebrated graphic novels of all time. The idea of alternate histories is something that I, as a nerd, very much enjoy.

What if super heroes really were around? How would they have changed the course of our history? We could have won World War 2 more easily (or about the same if you look at how Captain America fared during World War 2) or we could have, like in Watchmen, won the Vietnam War within days.

The movie plays mostly with the idea and the thin line between right and wrong. What is right? Is right following the laws placed upon us by governments? Is right following what you believe is right in your heart? Is wrong truly evil?

The blur between making someone a hero and someone a villain is confusing at best. In our lifetimes, we're often seen as both. In the eyes of some, we are but heroes, we can do good, we try to do good. But sometimes, other people view us as evil.

What we do throughout our lives, seen through other people's eyes, can be seen as right or wrong. What we see as good for us is bad for them. What we see as bad for us can be seen as good for them. It's confusing at best, and really, what is right and wrong, what is good and evil but human descriptions of things?

I Love You, Man

Dear reader,

I absolutely love Jason Segel. I am a full fan of How I Met Your Mother, having started somewhere in the middle of season 1. Everyone I talk to that has seen the show loves Jason Segel.

That being said, I Love You Man is a great movie. Starring Paul Rudd (always a hoot with his deadpan face) and Rashida Jones (INCREDIBLE actress, most notably from The Office, that's right PAM BEASLEY, she was there first), the story talks about a man who has no guy friends trying to find guy friends for his upcoming wedding.

I'll openly admit it, I have more girl friends than I do guy friends. That being said, having just spent the last weekend with quite possibly the four coolest guy friends ever, one of them being my best friend since SIXTH grade, I know that I will have enough close guy friends to choose as my groomsmen.

Still, the idea of love in this movie is very real. When asked why he was marrying Zoey (Rashida Jones' character), Paul Rudd's character doesn't immediately have an answer spring to mind. However, later on, in an argument with Jason Segel (the new best friend), he yells out a million different reasons, and then when apologizing to Zoey, even more reasons pop up.

When people ask me about love, I do exactly what Paul Rudd's character does. On the spot my mind blanks, all I know is that I do love her. Then later, without thinking of it, I can list out a million different reasons.

It's strange how life works that way, isn't it?

Twilight

Dear reader,

Yes. I caved and decided to see what all the hubbub was about. I was of course, always on guard. "A pop culture phenomenon" is what the cover said.

First off, I don't understand why women think that Edward Cullen guy is so hot. I'm secure enough in my masculinity to be able to say when I think men are handsome. Example, George Clooney. Damn handsome. Brad Pitt. Damn handsome. This Robert Pattinson guy? NO. *sprays girl with water hose* NO. BAD. BAD.

I must admit, the concept and the ideas behind Twilight are different. Vampires that don't die when shown in sunlight? Vampires that have a reflection? Okay, wait. They're not vampires. They're about as much vampires as mosquitoes are. Mosquitoes drink blood right? Oh man, that must make them vampires too.

Looking beyond that, the story wasn't too terrible. It was entertainment, which...let's just say, is what movies are supposed to do. Whether or not it was entertaining due to the good storyline or the terrible terrible dialogue is an exercise I leave to you.

Defiance

Hello reader.

Defiance. We defy people all the time throughout our lives. Our parents, our teachers, our friends, social norms, our bosses. What we do not defy are Nazis coming to wipe out our people, which, in the case of Daniel Craig's character, Tuvia Bielski, did.

The movie is about a band of four brothers (played by Daniel Craig, Liev Shreiber, Jamie Bell and George McKay) who set up a resistance camp in the middle of the forest, sheltering and providing for Jewish men and women fleeing from the Nazis.

Good plot, based on a true story. Makes you wonder what people like us would do if we were placed in events such as those. For them, the story ended well, they survived long enough to make a difference, saving thousands. Even more shocking is that the two brothers that survived and immigrated to the United States did not try to take any credit for their deeds.

I'm given hope that people like this have existed in the past, they do so in the present, and will still be around in the future.

I also hope that if presented with the same situation, I would also be as honorable and brave as the brothers were.

My Best Friend's Girl

My Best Friend's Girl. A movie that I really really wanted to hate based on one fact, Dane Cook is in it. I should utterly hate everything this guy is in, but...there are a few movies that slip through the cracks.


Dane Cook is usually not funny. And honestly, in most of this movie, he's not funny, he's just an asshole. Being an asshole works for Dane Cook. He plays the role of Tank, a guy people hire to take their ex-es out on dates and show them exactly how much of an asshole he can be.


He's good at it. Jason Biggs plays the lovable loser who you think at the beginning is going to be the main character, but really, he's just there because...well, he needs the job. As much as we used to love Jason Biggs, his career has sadly fallen short of what used to be.


Kate Hudson is, as always, adorable.


How often is it that we come across a girl that we think is the ONE and unfortunately tell her too early, causing her to run away? Sure, it's more cliche when you see a woman do it to a man, but let's face it. Men sometimes think the overly romantic moves are actually the moves that work.


Let's face it. If they do work, then yay. Most of the time they don't. But when they do, and, speaking from experience, they do on occasion, cherish it. Live in the moment. Be cheesy.


Course, there's also the other end. We think we're king of the worlds and that all women are our playthings. And then BAM, out of nowhere, love hits. Love.


What a confusing subject, yet so many people can make movies based on the concept of it.

Inspired by Julie & Julia

First, I enjoy writing. I may not be terribly good at it, but I think that if I enjoy doing something, I should do it regardless.

That being said, I also love movies. How much do I love movies? Well, in the past three days, I've seen at least four movies. That's right. Four of them.

Unfortunately for me, there are movies out there that are really bad yet I still love them.

So I figure, why not write about all the movies that I've seen, keep a summary, my thoughts, what I would give the movie.

I should warn you, I am a fan of all types of movies. Sure, you can make fun of me for watching certain movies, go right ahead.

I have to say, this was partially inspired by the movie I am just coming back from, Julie & Julia.

In it, the main character, Julie Powell (played by the lovely Amy Adams) decides to start a blog chronicling her attempt to get all of Julia Child's (played by a shrill Meryl Streep) cookbook recipes completed within a year. And by writing in that blog for every recipe she tried, her life was changed.

My response? Start a blog chronicling all the movies that I've seen. And maybe, just maybe, relate my life to it in some way. Who knows, maybe my life will change because of it?

Maybe instead of art imitating life, life can imitate art. Or I guess, life can imitate art imitating life.