May 30, 2008

Absof*ckinglutely Fabulous

I just got home from seeing the Sex and the City movie. I laughed. I cried. I cried some more. I loved every moment, every memory, every witty line, every emotion. All the anticipation? Totally worth it. This movie was amazing in ways I never expected. I want so badly to share some of the movie plot with you, but as a loyal S&TC fan, I must hold my tongue.

I have so much to say…but first I must unleash the inner Carrie Bradshaw in me and write it in a way you’ll appreciate. I can’t tell you how the story ends, but I will say, you won’t be disappointed. See the movie. You’ll thank me later.

April 25, 2008

A Plumm Summer

A few weeks ago Doug and I implemented “Family Movie Night” because we wanted to spend more time together. With busy schedules it’s difficult for us to really hang out with each other and Dawson, and we realize we have to make an effort. Not only are we sharing quality time, we aren’t subjected to watching SpongeBob SquarePants over and over again.

It’s rare to find a heartfelt yet funny family flick. Most of the movies we choose have over-the-top, complex but entertaining plots intended to hold our interest as well as keep Dawson occupied (think Disney’s The Country Bears where the bears actually talk and walk on their hind legs. Yeah. Over-the-top. I know.)

When I was asked to view A Plumm Summer, an independent, family film opening this weekend, I jumped at the chance.

Based on true events, A Plumm Summer is set in small-town Montana in 1968, the story of brothers Elliott and Rocky Plumm who go head-to-head with the FBI when their town’s beloved TV star and puppet, Forggy Doo, is kidnapped (err…frognapped?) and held for ransom.

[Read More]

May 8, 2007

Weekend Horror Movie Review

Last weekend Doug and I were just laying around the living room and surfing the TV for something good to watch.  After four rounds of channel cruising we couldn’t find anything that sparked our interest.

I started to check the listings of the movies available on Pay-Per-View.  What caught my eye was a flick called Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield.

Many of you may have heard about Ed Gein, and the ghastly discovery of corpses and furniture made of skin in his barn in Plainfield, Wisconsin.  The town is only 25 minutes from my home. 

Gein was charged with the murders of two women around the 1950s.

Growing up, my father would tell us stories about this serial killer and grave robber.  I never really researched his crimes because his name is not spoken much here.  People in Waushara County don’t really like to talk about it.

Movies like Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre were based on Ed Gein.

I’m sure many of you had heard about the eBay auction of his property?

I thought it would be fun to watch this movie and see how accurate it was according to the local lore.

First of all, it was filmed nowhere near Wisconsin.  There were mountains in the landscape.  We have no mountains here.  Unless they are invisible and I just can’t see them.

Second, there were African-American characters in this movie.  There is nothing wrong with this, however it is historically inaccurate.  There are no black residents in Plainfield now, let alone circa 1957.

The movie shows a Plainfield Police Department.  They’ve never had one.

The victim’s names were changed.  Gein was charged with the murders of store clerk Bernice Worden and tavern worker Mary Hogan.  The movie named them Sue Leighton and Anne Mason.  Mrs. Mason being the mother of the sheriff who ultimately arrests Ed Gein in this film.  This part was not true at all.

Overall, this movie was entertaining because of all the errors and complete fabrications. 

I’m still laughing at the attempt.  I suppose I wouldn’t recommend this movie unless you want a vague idea of the horror in Plainfield (only 19 miles from my home)!  I won’t dare go near his property.  I’m superstitious like that.  Ick.

April 2, 2007

Gone With the Wind

One of the things I love most about my job is meeting the patients. A majority of them are elderly and they tell the best stories. For instance, this morning, the first patient of the day told me all about the movie “Gone With the Wind”, one of my favorite movies.  

The mention of this movie brings back such memories.

When I was a little girl, my mother and I watched it on television when it was aired on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Immediately, I fell in love with Scarlett and wanted to be just like her. I loved her southern belle style and the way she spoke, and her carelessness. “Fiddle-dee-dee,” she’d say, and I’d repeat it expertly as though I too, were born in the south.

I never did like Scarlett’s love of Ashley. Even as a child I knew that Rhett Butler was the man for her and she was too foolish to realize it until it was too late.  My favorite part of the movie is when Rhett decided to join the Confederate Army and Scarlett begs him not to go and tells him she’ll never forgive him if he leaves. 

He tells her, “I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’ll never understand or forgive myself. And if a bullet gets me, so help me, I’ll laugh at myself for being an idiot. There’s one thing I do know… and that is that I love you, Scarlett. In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you. Because we’re alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names.”

Vivien Leigh was a wonderful actress, and Clark played Rhett perfectly.  It’s funny looking back on it now.  I thought Clark Gable was so handsome and I remember telling my grandmother that I wanted to marry him.  She said, “So did I, darling girl. So did I.”

My patient reminisced about the movie and told me there was nudity in the original film.
 
“There was not!” I exclaimed. “I have the movie at home and there is no nudity in it!”

“You haven’t seen the orginal version.  There’s a scene where Scarlett is swimming in the pond near Tara and Rhett joins her nude.” He said. I gasped.  “I don’t believe it.”