Shorty-short movie reviews

Barney's Version - whoever put together the trailer must have been on crack. This movie was pretty superb. It had a good feel, Paul Giamatti was splendid. It's a great character study with a murder mystery weaved in for good measure. A little long, but very satisfying.

Frontiers - wicked weird French horror flick. Outstanding special effects are worth the rental.

Cowboys and Aliens - naptime with popcorn.

Friends With Benefits - an entertaining summer flick. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis fit.

Sarah's Key - book was much better, although I'd gladly watch Kristin Scott Thomas make soap, so it was worth it to me.

Mutants - slow, boring French zombie flick. Would've made a nice TV series.

Tokyo Gore Police - if you know me, you know I'm good with gore. This movie did me in. It beat me. Had to turn it off after 8 1/2 minutes. Feeling queasy just thinking about it. It's probably a good movie, but I'll never know.

Horrible Bosses - great. Charlie Day is like comedic cocaine for me. I need him. Everyday.

Midnight In Paris - love seeing the city, tolerated seeing and listening to Owen Wilson.

Bad form, Bravo...

So I lost 1.5 hours of my life watching the first half of the Real Housewives of New York City last night after I got home from class.

First, you may be asking why I watch such crap. Well, because it's easy on the brain after a long day at work and a long evening in class. It's been my guilty pleasure, but as of last night, I'm done.

It was horrible. I've watched each of the four seasons of this reality show, and have to say that with the departure of Bethenny, it's taken a 90° downhill turn.

Nothing about it was entertaining. Or funny. Or remotely civil. It was the brunettes vs. blondes, and nobody won in my opinion.

Each of the ladies dished out their fair share of meanness, some more than others. The brunettes really ganged up on Alex, but she took it in stride and help her own. Good for her.

It's not worth going into detail, but I was disgusted by everyone, even the host, and can't spend any more time on this tripe.

My new guilty pleasure? Not sure yet. But you can bet it won't be on the Bravo network.

Movie Review - Horrible Bosses

Want a lot of good laughs?

See this movie.

Here is a short list of reasons why:

1. Charlie Day - just watching this guy open his eyes makes me laugh.

2. Colin Farrell - he's just so gross in this movie. Genius.

3. Jamie Fox - MuthaF*cka Jones. 'Nuff said.

4. Charlie Day - he's like the illegitimate child of Bobcat Goldthwait and that weird kid you went to Jr. High School with. Strange, funny, a mess, and a voice that varies in pitch depending on his stress level.

5. The Ting Ting car scene. So simple, yet so wet-your-pants-from-laughing-so-hard funny.

6. Jason Bateman - he's back after a brief foray into smugdom.

7. Charlie Day - dammit, this guy is funny.

I get the feeling that a lot of the scenes were ad-libbed. The flow seemed natural. Jason Sudeikis is okay - he's a bit smarmy for me.

Jennifer Aniston? She was Jennifer Aniston saying dirty words. No big deal.

Enjoy.

Movie Review - The Rite

Watched this a couple weeks ago.

Wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did.

I am always on the lookout for good, spooky movies. This one delivered in spades.

I'm a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins. He didn't disappoint.

The thrills and chills in the movies weren't of the "boo" kind, but more of the constant creepy kind.

There was a great backstory on the wayward priest, in terms of his upbringing, career choice, and the path he eventually chose to take.

There is also an element of science to it, when the exorcists & journalists are taking class. I would like to attend one of those classes.

There's a spooky scene with a demon-possessed mule - unique and weird, but it worked for me.

And if any of you know me, you know it takes a lot to get me scared. During the first half of the movie, I had to turn it off and walk away because I was getting too spooked.

It's not in my Top 10, but definitely in my Top 20.

The Dr. Is In

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

I love this quote. It's from Dr. Seuss.

However, there is something missing that I think is important, which should come after "say what you feel"....and that's "in a kind way."

I don't know if it's a generational thing (evidence it pointing in this direction) but I encounter many people who say what they feel in a completely offensive, insensitive and unkind way.

Sometimes it's not what you say, but how you say it. A person can express their feelings in a way that is kind, or at the very least neutral. It's called tact. It's a skill, to be certain, but everyone can learn it.

And this goes for email also. It seems etiquette has been overthrown by laziness. Greeting, complimentary close, signature. Not including these is a show of disrespect, plain and simple. If you're too lazy to include these in an email to a colleague, manager or stranger, be prepared for a defensive response or none at all.

The love of my life

Before marriage therapy class started last night, I had a conversation with Suzie, a classmate, which made us both very emotional.

It was about the loves of our lives.

Her best friend and love of her life, Martin, passed away in March. She talked about visiting his grave often, telling him about her day - the challenges, the triumphs, and about how much she missed him. She said that her grief was incomparable to any other loss in her life.

I shared with her the details of my loss, when my best friend died in 2005. It was a very difficult time of my life, and I often wish I could go back and do things over again.

Suzie said she hoped to someday find that kind of love again, but she just wasn't ready now. I shared with her how I went for years without thinking I could get that lucky again, but that in 2007 I was fortunate in that I found that love again.

Oliver came into my life through chance. I was not looking for him, but he found me. And that was the beginning of what is for me, one of the greatest love stories ever told. :-)

Coincidentally, my friend Ash posted this on her Facebook page just now, which made me remember last night's conversation. Below is her tribute to HER best friend:

He is not just a dog
He is my friend
He is my family
He is my partner
He is my companion
He is my defender
He is my hero
He is my eyes when I cannot see
He is my ears when I cannot hear
He taught me to be kind
He taught me to be compassionate
He taught me to be human(e)
I am his voice

It's the sound - my favorite words

Words. They're pretty powerful.

"I love you." Put a few together and they can swell a heart.

"Never again." String a couple up & they could tear a couple down.

One of the sweetest words on earth could be "yes", like when it's the answer to the question "Will you marry me?"

It can also be one of the most harrowing of words to the ears of a mother, when she asks her son if he will be going overseas to fight a war started by a ego-busted Texan with a penchant to "do what's right" in the most wrong of ways.

But then there are words that, when used on the rarest of occasion, delight. It could be they way they roll off the tongue, or what they look like when spelled out, or even their meaning. Whatever the case may be, I have a few favorites:

milquetoast - wussy

titleist (misprounounced "tit least" for a very long time)

replete - filled with, or stuffed

assclown - does this need an explanation? If so, you might be one.

deuterogamist - someone who marries for a second time. I aspire to be one.

cacafogo - a spitfire. I aspire to be this also.

stoopnagel - an idiot. My mom used this word alot when I was little, and it made me giggle. She was divorced. Figure it out.

chapeau - fancy French word for hat.

crapulous - it really means drunk, but I like to use it to describe a situation, thing or person which is the opposite of fabulous

lavavjilla - Dishwasher. It's probably the only Spanish word I can tolerate.

Scritti Politti - it's just a kickass name for a band.

croissant - they are tasty, and I lurve to hear how people try to pronounce the word all French-like and fail. I don't pose - it's "crahsahnt" to me, not "cwuhsahhhh."

doppleganger - Drew Barrymore played one in a sucky movie. Means "twin"...

egregious - superbad, in the best of ways.

superb - it's the epitome of good.

insouciant - couldn't give a crapulous.

spatula - because I am an "ula" fan. Dracula, tarantula.

onomatopoeia - did you think I'd leave this one out? Silly you...

NOW THEN...there are a few words I cannot stand. They make me shudder. For real. And I know I'm not alone in this...

moist - umm, gross?

panties - it sounds wussy, and when paired with the above word, well, ew.

snippet - it makes me uncomfortable. So does Whippet. Don't know why.

gawd - are you a stoner?

epic - are you a stoner?

Most every word in the German language - yes, I can speak/read/write in German, and that's probably why I hate it. Geshchshchsharumph. So damn guttural.

Pus/mucus/snot - kinda goes without saying.

crusty, scab or crusty scab - same as above.

harum scarum - wth? It just frightens me. Weird-ass word...

dopesick - no explanation needed.

slacks - probably the worst word in the English language. To me. Oh hell, it should have been eliminated back in the 1970's when the apparel went out of style.