"And I Hang My Head Low"

Almost 2 months since my last blog post?? Really?? Yikes.

Okay, starting tomorrow, back on track. I promise. 

<3

Top 100 Movies Of All-Time: #100

This is going to be a new feature where I count down my favourite films of all-time. These might not be set in stone or anything (I'm kinda making it up as I go along), but you know how I love my lists and I'm bored and it gives me a way to talk about movies that I love!! By the way though, I have strained out the animated films, just because it's too difficult for me to rank them all with the rest of the films. 

So without further ado...we begin.

100. THE GRIFTERS (1990, STEPHEN FREARS)

Starring: John Cusack, Angelica Huston, Annette Bening 

Taking away the fact that John Cusack plays one of the main three characters in the film, I would still love this movie. It is smart, it is sexy and it is an unbelievably satisfying watch despite the riveting but ambiguous end. 

There is something to be said about the quality of the writing of the film. It's very smooth yet sharp. It's fascinating how it carries these two characters, interweaving this Oedipal relationship in and out of the audiences consciousness. John Cusack describes it as a "bullet train", having these characters speeding directly at each other where nothing good can come in at the point of contact. Well, that expectation comes true...and then some.

Besides the superb acting from the main three characters, the world of the "con man" is so eloquently explored and brutally manifested that it makes you want 

to both be a grifter and be more cautious of those who are. It's really amazing. You get to see all the angles as well, the short con, the big game, the sex and violence that results. Five minutes into the film, I want to try out everything that's been shown!!

Compared to other con movies, the way that it is explored doesn'

t really give any sort of gratification to the life either. I mean, you can look at The Sting (1973) or Matchstick Men (2003) and those films never really delve into the lowly, sad and desperate life that really comes along with a career in crime. There is certainly more of a gangster edge in this film compared to those ones, where you do feel that nothing is going to be okay. The Sting has Robert Shaw, sure. But you are never in any doubt that Newman and Redford are going to be the ones who bite the biscuit. Here, at any second, you're never sure at who or what is going to down. And that's extremely difficult for a movie to do.

Bottom line, Cusack as Roy Dillon gives the best work of his career

 (arguably). Huston as his mother Lilly deserved her Oscar nod and then some. Bening's Myra Langtry brings an uneasy yet sensual feel to the film, playing the remarkable middle man between the son and mother. She is supposed to be normal and yet at the same time overly sexual while still being ambiguous to the audience, never knowing whose side she will end up being on. It's a constant guessing game of who's playing who and it does such a fantastic job of dividing its audience into getting them to choose a side as well and making them hope they have chosen the right side.

In the end though, it's the movie that puts the con on the audience. Of course I won't give it away, but there's no question as to whether this film is worth its weight. 

No Question.

Things That I Love Today: Love Power from The Producers

This is just so funny. I can't help but think of Robin Williams.

"Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there"

I heard an unbelievably disheartening statement this evening as one of my friends stated that she doesn't think that she wants to have kids. Her main reasoning for having come to such a conclusion was that she was certain they were going to grow up to be something of a bratty teenager, the same kinds that we all see around today. 

I mean, if you haven't noticed a recent surge in snot-nosed punks over the course of the last few years, then you obviously haven't been out enough. There are more and more examples of children who think they are hot to trot and believe they are exempt from any sort of consequences that pertain to the real world. When I was in high school, there were certainly a number of these students there. But after recently going back into my old high school to do a presentation, it was quite apparent that that number of children has noticeably increased. There just seems to be so many more children who don't give a rat's ass that I can't help but think that we are doomed within the next couple of years.

Going back to that original statement though, I think that my friend's way of thinking is exactly why we have an onslaught of these immoral teenagers running about. If you have kids, and your perception of what they are to become is set even before you have them, then you're screwed right from the get go. And really, you aren't doing society any favors either. But not only that, the reason that you're kid turns out that way in the first place, I believe, is based in large part to your parenting skills anyway!! You would be the reason for your kid to turn out to be the reason that you were skeptical for having them in the first place!! 

Am I wrong here?? Is it not the parents duty to direct their child down the right path?? I mean, I definitely want to have my own kids, and I see it as my job to make sure that they don't end up shooting up a school. I'm certain my parents had a massive influence on the way I turned out, and as a result, ta-da! No schools shot up!! 

But if I have something here, and it is thinking like this, where parents are simply going to be afraid of their children instead of shaping them into a better example within society, then I can only fear for myself and the world that we are in for a worse set of children than the group we are currently dealing with. If parents don't think that they are the ones who control whether their children become the model citizen or the drug addled drop-out, then we're screwed people. 

And I find that a very scary thought.

"It's the breathing, it's the breathing in, and out, and in..."

I did my first presentation for a class today in a long frickin' time. It felt good. I really miss being able to stand up in front of a class and be in control, and have them actually listen to me not because I'm up there, but because I am in command of my audience. I miss the ability to be funny in a serious context (I had the class laughing once I began to talk about Jennifer Garner not being well endowed, chest-wise). I wish University gave me more opportunities like this...essays just don't cut it for me.

And I have the grades to prove it.

"That's the way we do it, 'round here."

Once again I have fallen into the depths of the world where I cannot seem to find time to write anything down. Despite the fact that I still have work to get done, and am pretty damn far off from completing it, I have opted to blow it off in favor of finding some sort of salvation in this blog post. I have literally never been this swamped with work before, and yet I cannot seem to just suck it up and plow through it. I have completely lost myself in oblivion, cutting off all ties to the world while attempting to find inspiration to finish off these last few essays. It blows.

I actually really enjoy my one essay topic. I was very proud of myself for coming up with the topic, I just can't seem to bring it together and because of this it is rambling off in about eighteen different directions at once, and I don't have the critical mindset to pull it all back and piece it together. It's just not happening. 

On top of this essay I have another one that I haven't even begun to think about yet because I have very little idea what I will be writing for it. Its the exact opposite of the one I like actually, in that I have no ideas heading in any direction. The professor made me change the topic, and incidentally, pitched me a new one that at least three other people are writing about. There is a sheer lack of originality required for this one, whereas that is the entire point of the other one. I hate that I have contradicting professors confusing me one essay guideline at a time. But really, I'm just infuriated with the one who has such strict boundaries because this limits my paper to topics that I know nothing about. Even before she changed my topic for me, I still didn't see where I was going with the paper, but at least I could bullshit my way out of the prison cell that she put me in. Now, instead of a shovel to tunnel my way out, I have a bloody toothpick. Piss me off.

More than any time ever, I really want a guide. I want someone to point me in the correct direction here. I have so many fucking things to think about, that I can't help but convince myself that thinking of nothing will be better. And that's exactly what I do. But really, that helps no one.

I also can't help but convince myself that this is NOT what adulthood is supposed to be like. No, with adulthood I feel that the stress of writing papers and doing work is something that can be handled through the time that you actually are required to DO that work. Never in my life will I ever have 4 separate projects due at the same time. It's just not going to happen because I will be given sufficient time to complete them if I do. At least that's what I keep telling myself. 

Dammit...I really just want to be done with this work, have a job lined up for the summer and have a new place to live. Then everything would be just dandy. 

This has actually lit a fire under my ass kind of...I'll get right on those essays...

...right after this "Friends" episode.

Things That I Love Today: Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting)

The movie itself is a tad frustrating at how illogical the plot is, but my god, Chris Parker is a cinematic dream girl. Nothing is better than the opening dance. I love it.

"Tell me I'm not dead because I'm going crazy."

I had a dream the other night that had a stirring effect on me. It is now four days since I had the dream and its essence has almost completely warn off. 

I need to find it again. I need that feeling back. 

And as much as I hate to post lyrics anywhere like some grade 10 love-sick teenager, these sum up the last little bit:

I'm a mess, such a mess
I'm a coward and a hypocritical sinner
Like a bitchin' politician
But my anger's true
I am tense and intentional
I'm passionate to a fault
I am old
But I'm a work in progress

"And I'm Out of Here"

Last night/this morning I decided to go through the some 46 pages of saved emails, 50 plus saved MSN conversations and any old writing material that I have accumulated over the course of the past 5-6 years. All I really wanted to say after reading it all, is that it's really hard to believe how much I've been put through (some my fault, some others). Very little of the worse stuff had to do with my own life either, but rather, most had almost everything to do with the lives of others. 

I feel as though I should just write it all out to be able to sit back and look at the damage that's been done...

Things That I Love Today: Garfunkel and Oates (aka The Best Named Comedy Group EVER)

I stumbled upon this comedy duo after seeing Kate Micucci on Scrubs and fell in love with her songs that she sang with her ukulele. Then, after further research, I am officially in like-like (which can lead to love, as they tell in their song "F*ck You") with the pair and their comedy music stylings. You may recognize the blonde from Million Dollar Baby as well (that's where I do anyway...she played Hilary Swank's sister) but yeah, have a listen. They are both the right amount of cute and funny. Awesome.

Worst Song Medley

I don't know what's better: how great a medley it is, or that I actually like about half the songs they make fun of...

F*ck You

Here's their myspace followed by their website where you can download songs!!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=340823434

http://garfunkelandoates.com/