Tuesday, December 27, 2011

What To Do

I texted Blood Sister A.

"Do you ever wish some wise being would just drop into your life and tell you what to do?", I texted.

"All the time," she texted back.

I can't claim to be a wise being.

And I can't weigh in on life's mysteries.

But in the mean time, it's the week between Christmas and New Year's.

I plan to write about our trip once I am recovered from it, but I thought that maybe

just maybe

until then

you would let me tell you

what to do.

1) Rent Hanna.


It was fantastic. So unexpectedly delightful. So fully entertaining. This movie had it all--script, cinematography, set design. Hanna is a young girl who has been trained as an assassin by her father. If that doesn't hook you, I don't know if we can be friends. I don't want to give away too much, I'll just say the movie was more than I thought. It had both more depth and more levity than I anticipated. Saorsie Ronan is one hell of an actress. Just watch it. It's one of my favorite movies I've seen in a long time. This is the kind of thing you wish you had written. Or at least, I do.

2) Rent Midnight in Paris.


What? It's cold outside. You're tired. You're recovering from too much food, too much drink, too much socializing and elbowing with the relatives. You deserve to sit in front of the tv for five evenings straight, might as well have fun while you're at it. While you're having fun, you might as well escape to the City of Light. Mr. V and I just finished this one moments ago. It had me at hello--opening with a long montage of shot after shot of Paris, City of my Heart. I could watch this all night, I thought to myself. Pleasant music, pleasant Seine's (get it?) So clever. So delightful. Ten minutes in, I'm thinking to meself, "I am in love with this movie". The glow didn't fade. (Don't worry, I didn't get all the literary/artistic/cinematic references. Just gives you something to google later).

3) Rent Far North.


Ok, seriously? Yes. It's unlike anything you've ever seen. The story felt different, off somehow, until I realized it wasn't modern cinema. It's a fairy tale. A grim fairy tale (pun intended). Not for the faint of heart. Not for the squeamish. It takes its time, don't go in expecting 27 Dresses or whatever the hell the masses are watching these days. Oh boy. Just rent it.

4) If you haven't seen any of these, see them: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (watch Heath Ledger act the pants off Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell), Let The Right One In (do not, under any circumstances, watch the American version), and the Swedish version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Swedish Title? Men Who Hate Women. Awesome. Let us always call a spade a spade, dear Swedish ancestors).

5) Read The Hunger Games.


It's possible you haven't already, and you know what? It's time.

It. Is. Time.

What the world needs now, is Katniss, sweet Katniss.

I'm for real, guys. You won't regret.

When you're done, go watch the trailer for the movie and see if it makes you cry like I did.

6) Read Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey's books.


Again, if you haven't?

It's time.

Bossypants made me laugh so hard I nearly peed my pants. I only read a few pages of Kaling's before I had to return it back to the library, but I'd bet on it being every bit as good. I read an article of her's in the New Yorker that still makes me chuckle, sitting here in my cold, cold house, dark and all alone. (Strep vs Yeast Infection. Ha!)


7) Prepare yourself to watch Supernatural on Netflix instant queue.

It hits instant watch in January. You're going to need these few days to prepare. Act like you're having a baby, and don't pinch me, I ain't jokin'. Clean your house. Make and freeze plenty of casseroles, cookies, and soups. You might even consider asking friends to drop off meals and neighbors to pick up your mail and shovel your sidewalks. We are talking 126 hours here of pure silver screen bliss. I am telling you to prepare for this 126 hour marathon (once you start, you will not stop) like it's one of the biggest events in your life because IT'S GOING TO BE. Stock up on cozy socks and hot cocoa, and get ready to have your world rocked.

You know why Dean fell out of bed? He just watched the first episode of his own show.




Someone served this at a dinner party we went to. She was off gluten for her nursing baby and boy am I glad that sweet baby was having gastro-intestinal upset! Otherwise I might never have had this cake. Incredibly moist and flavorful, it was served to us with big spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt on top. Yum. Yum.

Now things are gonna get weird. Numbers 9 and 10 are going to be items that I haven't actually read or seen myself but I'm hearing really good things about. So procede, but procede with caution, you feel me?

9) Introduce yourself to something new and read Habibi.


It's a graphic novel. I checked it out from the library before Christmas, sat down with it for about ten minutes today, and my gosh, is it beautiful. The art work and the story are so splendidly suited for one another. I'ma borrow amazon's review here: "Sprawling across an epic landscape of deserts, harems, and modern industrial clutter, Habibi tells the tale of Dodola and Zam, refugee child slaves bound to each other by chance, by circumstance, and by the love that grows between them". There you have it.

10) Watch Shameless.


I stole this recommend from Mindy Kaling's blog, which is fabulous. She loved it and I can't wait to check it out. What I'm saying is if you don't like it, blame Kaling. Apparently the show is about a widowed father and lots of siblings? And the oldest sister, at only 19, has become the family matriarch? I don't know. The Brits did it first. Don't get all a flutter, it's happened before.


Got something for me to do? Post your recommends in the comments.

That is all, and

I love you.


7 comments:

  1. I almost rented Midnight in Paris the other night, actually, but I ended up thinking it might just be some dumb romantic movie like all the others seem to be...

    Now I'll have to rent it. And the Imaginarium of Dr. P is on our DVR waiting to be watched one of these nights when the girls go to bed early...

    Good recommends. I got nothing.

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  2. I would add - go see the American version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It was better than I expected. Bonus? They're showing the Hunger Games previews. On the big screen. Totally worth the eleventy billion dollars to go to the theater right there.

    Do NOT rent Apollo 18.

    Do rent Our Idiot Brother, but don't expect anything life altering. It's just cute and funny and I like to laugh and have light-hearted stuff on my TV, especially after watching Dragon Tattoo. Whew.

    I think I'm going to read THG trilogy again before the movie comes out in March. My book club and I are meeting up in Dallas to watch - want to join? ;-)

    Okay, but seriously, I'll be in Denver in late February. Just saying.

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  3. can I please let you tell me what I should do for the rest of my forever...lol

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  4. You can be my wise woman indeed. I loved Hanna, loved the weird tinkly music and the fairy tale aspects of the movie. Also, that whistle song the creepy guy in yellow does will be in my head from now until I meet Jesus. I've added Midnight in Paris to my queue, Bossypants and the other book (long title) to my library queue. Done and done with the Hunger Games, but I'm about to dive into the last Eragon book, Inheritance. My recommendation for you...hmmm...try some Friday Night Lights (also on Netflix streaming right now) or Sherlock (BBC version), give Game of Thrones another shot, and keep blogging - I love your blogs so very much!

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  5. Oh, and I forgot, Swedish dragon tattoo..I liked the first one, the second one left me kind of depressed. I'll give the third a try thought.

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  6. M half, thank you for the words of wisdom on Apollo 18, which I was considering. You are coming to Denver? Coffee. Let's make it happen.

    Colleen, I do like FNL a lot. Husband and I keep getting sidetracked by other shows, but I think eventually we will finish it. Coach Taylor is so darn dreamy.

    For the record, the first Swedish film was the only one I really enjoyed. I lose interest quickly if I know what's going to happen.

    I can't read the Game of Thrones books, because I find them rapey and weird. But I can't wait for the HBO series to come to DVD ten years from now!

    I watched the first ep of Sherlock and enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for reminding me!

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  7. How did I miss this post??? I never saw it in the post-Christmas blur. I, like a previous commenter, thought about renting Midnight in Paris last week, but was worried it would be too much of a chick flick. Not that there's anything wrong with a good chick flick, but I just wasn't in the mood for that. I will definitely rent it now, based on your recommendation. I've already read the Hunger Games (LOVE) and BossyPants, which I only kind of loved. I read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books and loved them, but for some reason, I have no interest in seeing the movies. I am going to check out Hanna and the Mindy Kaling book. Thanks for all the suggestions!

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