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Deep Summer
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 5:06 PM

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability. - Sam Keen

Summer so far is pretty good; I'm actually enjoying it a lot. I've been seeing a lot of movies, reading books, going out, watching American Idol—so it's all good. And considering that our WiFi router at home isn't working (i.e., have had no Internet for a longish time), it could be a lot worse.

Oh yeah. Some spoilers. But nothing too serious.

1. Hard Candy (film): This is really good. It's very dark and gothic, so do not watch this if you're weak of heart; no kidding. It stars Ellen Page from Juno and it's a psychological thriller, basically sending the message that the predator can be the prey and vice versa. You actually sincerely feel sorry for a pedophile—that's how intense this film is. It's very scary and very, like, "closed" in terms of the space; it's like a small and limited stage for theater. You really feel disturbed after it, but in a sort of good way because it makes you think—when does it really cross the line?

2. Big Fish (film): Well it's kind of old, but I saw a DVD in our house and this is pretty good. It's very pretty and fairytale-like, but not sappy or romantic. I think it's pretty smart, very heartwarming, and I absolutely love the ending. Good times.

3. A Beautiful Mind (film): Another old film, and truly stunning. It's a film about a schizophreniac mathematician, and absolutely riveting. I love the whole concept of the first half of the film being so real, but in the second half you incredibly realize that everything you've been watching up to that point was fake. It really gives you a true sense of how schizos really believe that these things are real and that they are happening, and I love that whole concept for the audience. It starts off with a certain lightness to it, with the whole college setting with friends and girls and all that, but it brillaintly builds up as Russel Crowe's character gains more knowledge and more intellect. I love this, and it's really, really good.

4. Valkyrie (film): I hated it. I slept through it. End of story.

5. Skylight Confessions (novel): This is truly one of my favorites, I must say. It's probably one of the most poetic and lyrical type of prose I've ever read, and it's brilliant. I love the whole concept of three generations ruined and doomed by love. It's stunning; and truly unforgettable that you turn the last page of the book sort of missing the characters because they were so complex and sympathetic, yet with a beautiful strength in their personalities. There were so many memorable and beautiful lines in the novel as well. Great stuff, I highly recommend it.

6. Nights in Rodhante (film): Well my mom bought this (lol), and coincidentally I was looking for something a little less doomed-ish to watch, looking for a sappy love story. And yup, I got it alright. Nights in Rodanthe, if you look at the second half, is definitely all about the romance and drama. HOWEVER. Richard Gere and Diane Lane just DO NOT have any chemistry! I mean, my God, when they started kissing I was like, what the hell what a pathetic build-up. They don't even look like they're in love with each other. I mean I just sincerely thought them to be two old people who like talking about their lives in a washed-up old inn. Terrible chemistry. But then, I was satisfied since I was looking for sappiness. It didn't end really happy, but happy enough. I mean it is based on a Nicholas Sparks.

7. The Painted Veil (film): BEAUTIFUL. Great. I loved it. It's a period piece starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, mostly about China and the cholera epidemic, but at its core is a love story between a husband and wife; it's a love story about two people who are already married, and I love that concept. Although it is kind of convential with how it abruptly develops the story as in most period pieces like The Duchess and Becoming Jane, The Painted Veil is just a really beautiful story. Considering all trappings of a sappy period piece, The Painted Veil overcomes that and really brings the audience a well-developed, heartfelt story. Plus Edward Norton is just so underrated, he was brilliant in this!

8. Remember Me? (novel): This was my first non-Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella book that I've read, and the first chick-lit novel I've read in such a long time, and Remember Me? did not disappoint. Although Remember Me? is totally predictable and generic and at times even annoying like how some chick-lits are, the way the story is delivered is just really so terrific and funny that I really had no reason to hate it. It's light and cozy, sexy in many parts even, and a total delight. I read it in like a day, and that's never happened to me for any book before—it's a page-turner for sure.

9. Definitely, Maybe (film): Well I saw this on HBO last night, and I found the film to be relatively enjoyable. I mean it's not the best and it isn't at all memorable, but it's okay. It's kind of weird though—the mood isn't extremely dark comedy, neither is it extremely light comedy; it's somewhere in the middle and that's a bit hard to place. It's a nice romantic story, and I liked it. Though I would totally understand if someone else would totally hate it.

And oh yeah. American Idol.

I CAN'T BELIEVE MATT GIRAUD WAS IN THE BOTTOM THREE (!!!).