Month: August 2015

And what has HE been doing?

From an article in People magazine about the Ben Affleck/Jennifer Garner breakup.

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Weird.  I don’t really understand what’s the driver behind magazines/media emphasizing how happily domestic famous women are, all while building their career and taking care of the children.  There is no such emphasis or constant need to reassure people that the male half of the couple is also happily domestic while building his career and taking care of the children.  Hands-on dad?  So nice that men can have that as a goal, instead of what’s required of them.

*This is not to say that the reporting in this piece accurately reflects anything about the Affleck/Garner relationship.  For all we really know, he could be the hands-on dad and she could be the person who builds her career and ignores her children.  I think we’re all media savvy enough to realize that what we read in the magazines might not (and probably isn’t) actually what’s really going on.

Three sentence movie reviews: Trainwreck

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Halfway through my theater experience I realized that it would have been smarter to wait and watch a DVD copy of this movie, because the extras are probably going to be pretty good, what with the improve and what-have-you.  This was an entertaining movie, (but too long*) and peopled with a lot of really good cameos.  I think the reason behind the romance could have been better developed–for both of them it was more of a telling “I like him/her” than a showing–but overall the film hit its marks, was funny, and aside from her formidable comedic chops, I also enjoyed the vast variety of dresses Amy Schumer wore.**

Cost: $5.00
Where watched: Regal City Center Stadium 12

*Here’s what we’re going to do. Half of the country is going to take Judd Apatow and the other half is going to take Martin Scorsese and we are going to lock them in their editing rooms and make them trim their movies to acceptable lengths.
**Though her gait had me wondering if she is perhaps a person who does not wear high heels in real life.***
***Feeling guilty that I ended this critique of an actor-who-is-female by talking about dresses and shoes, but there you have it.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2015/trainwreck.html
(I do not believe she wore this dress in the movie.  The fact that it is on the poster bugs me.)

Quality book packaging equals uniform edges!

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You’ve paid for the cutout book jacket, and someone to illustrate your book. Why not also pay to make sure all the pages end in the same place?  This ruffled edging is (I think) supposed to make the book look fancy, but really it just makes it hard to turn the page or to flip back through the book.  I find my thumb traveling down to the bottom of the page where the pages are even, because that’s the only way I can turn the pages.

Three sentence movie reviews: The Guard

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I was glad I watched this with Matt because the buzz about this movie was that it was funny, but I only cracked a smile a few times, while Matt laughed many times.*  Regardless, this was an enjoyable film with Mr. Brenden Gleeson pulling in a great performance as a Guard who isn’t really that interested in following the rules. Don Cheadle (who always elevates his material) was also a good straight man.  Overall, a solid film, and really funny, if you are a guy/have a guy sense of humor.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home with Matt

*I think this would be a boy humor/girl humor difference.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/intl/misc/2011/guard.html

Three sentence movie reviews: This is Where I Leave You

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This is one of those movies where you spend two hours with people you wouldn’t choose to spend time with in real life, but thanks to the Hogan Family Jason Bateman has imprinted on me* and I greatly enjoy a many of the other actors, so overall, I liked this movie.  This movie has parallels to those zany comedies where you think: “that would never happen in real life” but some of the things could possibly occur means you aren’t thrown too terribly far out of reality.  There are some nice moments here and there, so overall it wasn’t time wasted.**

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home

*despite the fact that he plays essentially the same role in every single movie he is in: the guy who is smart enough to know he shouldn’t be doing what he’s doing, but he’s doing it anyway.  (Exception: Juno.) (Although, now that I think about it, not really.  He was just smarmier than usual in that film)
**Wow, is this a lukewarm review or what?

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/this_is_where_i_leave_you.html
(Lots of complaints about the amount of Photoshop for this one.)

Completed receiving blanket

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And we are done!  I really like the size of this and the colors turned out to be fun.

Having one side be flannel gives the blanket a nice weight to it.

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Binding troubles (I brought on myself) aside, this is a quick and easy project that looks great.  It may become my go-to baby gift.

Media consumed while making this:
Mikey & Nicky
A New Leaf
Sherlock Season 2
The Sessions
This American Life episode 443
Dear Hank & John 008
Filmspotting SVU #87
Please Give
Endless Love
This is Where I Leave You

 

Three sentence movie reviews: Endless Love

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I knew Alexandar Pettyfar was British, but imagine my surprise when I watched the DVD extra and discovered that so was the female lead, the guy that played her brother and also the actress playing their mother.*  This was a by-the-book romance that threw in a few surprises now and then.** Overall, a fine way to pass an afternoon, though it will be quickly forgotten.

Cost: free from library (a “why not?” selection)
Where watched: at home.

*I find Pettyfar’s American accent to be far into the “dumb jock” register to really like listening to him talk (see: this movie, Magic Mike) but the rest of the cast’s accents were flawless. Though certainly not Southern-by-way-of-Atlanta, where everyone was supposed to live.
**It is also apparently a remake of a 1981 movie of the same title starring Brooke Sheilds.  The library does not have it, alas, but just the quick plot synopsis tells me that a significant number of details were changed.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/endless_love.html