An Education

Yet another Friday night was spent at the movies. This time we were off the see the three time Oscar nominated "An Education" written by one of my favourite authors Nick Hornby (I like reading books by Britt's because I get to learn cool British slang words!) The movie also had some of my favourite actors including Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia) and Rosamund Pike (Pride & Prejudice) along with new comer Carey Mulligan.

I don't quite know what I was expecting from the movie. I knew it would be good.

What I was not expecting were the tears.

Jenny a six-teen year old high school student with hopes of going to Oxford falls for the much older David, who is defiantly hiding something. Jenny, along with her parents, are completely taken by David. Everyone in the movie seems to be so taken by David they don't even realize he is a lying jerk who gets pleasure from seducing young girls.

The movie was great. The actors were some of the most under rated in Hollywood today including Sally Hawkins (A golden globe winner for her performance in "Happy-Go-Lucky"), Emma Thompson (who is not under rated but who knew she was in this film?), Alfred Molina (who has 112 acting credits to his name), Rosamund Pike (who usually plays the serious type but is the much welcomed comic relief of this film) and Peter Sarsgaard (I am not used to seeing him in leading role, but he was amazing. Like Always!) Of course I can't forget about Carey Mulligan whose first feature role was as the youngest Bennett sister in Pride and Prejudice and who got an Oscar nomination this week for her part in "An Education".

This was so far the best movie I have seen in 2010 and 2009! It was funny and sad. It reminded me that my education is important and that love is not all it is cracked up to be.

Post Note.....

I wish more than anything that I was grew up in 1960's London. I know women were oppressed and a bunch of other people for that matter, but the cloths and shoes are to die for. Plus the smoking just seemed so glamours, and they drank cherry with every meal. Also there is something about the idea of tea time that makes me giddy.

Side Note....

If Sandra Bullock wins the Oscar, for that movie where she played a rich white women who takes in a poor black kid I might die! Mulligan is amazing in this movie in fact Sandra has nothing on her. Mulligan has 20 acting titles to her name, 6 of which are still in production, Bullock has 44. Yet all of Mulligans are equally amazing while most of Bullock are equally razzie worthy.

So on Oscar night I will be crossing my fingers that Miss Mulligan takes the prize that she deserves and if she loses I will be reminded that the Oscars really do suck!

Sixteen Snowflakes

Once again I woke up at a shameful hour! So rather then get started on homework or something else productive I watched the documentary "Don't Forget About Me" about the writer/director "The Breakfast Club", "Pretty in Pink", "Sixteen Candles", etc. It was very good made me cry and all!

See that little blob? It is a man and his dog!

All the snow outside my window made me want to venture out into the winter. Also I wanted to wear the snow pants I brought hear but have yet to wear. I decided to walk down to the frozen lake, but this meant walking down a hill in the forest (not so much fun when you are wearing boots made in Australia.) Luckily I fell only three times. By the time I made it to the lake the wind was crazy and it was an official blizzard, but it was not very cold so I was happy!



By the time I got back "Sixteen Candles" was on the telly, so I am currently spending some time with Jake Ryan (God he is sexy, even for someone in the 80s) while sipping hot chocolate.
The thrill of my day is to much for even me!

"I'm Sweating Like a Sinner in Church": Review of Disney's The Princess & the Frog

-I really want to see "The Princess and the Frog"

-Me to. I mean I want to see how long the first black princess stays black?

-Ya, that's why I want to see it to!

Although I am 20 years old I enjoy cartoon movies as much as the 8 year old behind me. Last night I saw Disney's newest creation "The Princess and the Frog". I had high expectations for this movie, that I first heard Disney was going to make when I was on vacation in Florida in the 12th grade, naturally the movie did not meet my expectations. For some reason the movie seemed to be a mix of the animals from "The Jungle Book" and the villain from "Aladdin"; there was a snake like Kaa (but nice), an alligator like Baloo (the song where the frogs sang on his belly while they swam down the river was the same) and the Voodoo shadow man was Jafar's twin.

As for the music it was not at all what I expected from a movie that took place in pre-Katrina New Orleans. It was not jazzy or innovative; like the music from "The Lion King" or "Tarzan" instead it was blah.

As for the Princess herself, Tiana, she was different from traditional Disney Princesses. Most notably she was black, first a black president than a black princess, the world is moving up! Also she was not an orphan like Cinderella, she was not a damsel in distress like Jasmine or Sleeping Beauty, and she was not a mermaid like Ariel. Tiana was a hardworking girl whose Daddy told her she would have to work hard to achieve her dreams, she couldn't just wish upon stars, and work hard she did. She was saving up to buy her very own restaurant until a prince who had be turned into a frog by the Shadow Man convinced her to kiss him, causing her to turn into a frog, with mucus and all. This lead to to there adventure in the Bayou and the friendships with a crocodile named Luis and a lightning bug named Raymond. Blah Blah Blah. There is a lot of song and dance in between and a scary Voodoo lady who might just have the coolest house in the world (a boat in a tree above a swamp.) Eventually the two frogs, Prince Naveen and Tiana fall in love.

The comic relief of the movie was Charlotte, the daughter of the richest man in New Orleans, and Tiana friend. She is Tiana's polar opposite when she wants something she gets the money from her big daddy or she wishes on stars. She has a typical southern accent, which is hilarious coming from a cartoon, and all the funny lines, while waiting from the prince she says, "I am so nervous I am sweating like a sinner in church", that caused me to LOL. Eventually i think Charlotte learns that she to has to work hard to make her dreams come true, but this wasn't really clear to me so I dout it was clear to the 8 year old behind me.

SPOILER ALERT! The downside. The death of the lighting bug, Raymond, was cry worthy and had one littler girl full out crying and another boy asking "So there never going to see him again" and me thinking "why would Disney want to hurt children, and bugs?"

"Dreams do come to true in New Orleans..." Ironically this is the last line of the film, sung of course!