accidental feminist

juno = acting saves well-paced but overly stylized and overwrought script December 30, 2007

Yeah, who’s the bitch now, Diablo!? No, seriously, she’s definitely got something unique going on, and I think her next script will tell. Will she go the way of Apatow, and perfect that “edgy, pop-culture referency yet grounded and realistic comedic tone”, or will she go the way of Tarantino, and wallow in that “extended pop culture references that provide a surprising contrast to the dark intensity of the surrounding plot because everyone loved it when I did that ‘Like a Virgin’ thing at the beginning of Reservoir Dogs but that was when they didn’t see it coming like the Hindenburg” thing? The choice is yours, Ms. Cody.

That said, I love Michael Cera. I love Jason Bateman (Best Supporting Actor nomination? No? Too much?). I love Sydney Bristow. That girl who plays Juno is really charming (and looks just like Rose, for those of you who know what I’m talking about). And the pseudo-romance between Page and Bateman was just pitch perfect; they went just far enough where it was still very charming and honest.

Plus, any movie that does a double shout out to yosefblog’s hometown goes in my “thumbs up” pile. Yay, Manteno!

Happy New Years! December 27, 2007

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, the way I don’t believe in Truth or Dare (as in: I am no more or less likely to do something because I am dared to do so, or because it is January 1st). So it has nothing to do with December ending that I am considering joining the Evanston Athletic Club. It has to do with other considerations, like the fact that:
1) this year, I was transfered to the Freshman campus of the high school at which I am employed, and it does not have a Faculty Workout Room. (And yes, I did use the Faculty Workout Room at the other campus last year; obsessively; like, to the extent that the other teachers called me “hard core”.)
2) I got winded walking up to the top of the balcony at the United Center last night (where I watched the Blackhawks beat the Predators, and then missed the last 1 1/2 minutes of the game to take my daughters to the bathroom, thereby missing what yosefblog has called “the greatest hockey fight he has ever seen”).
3) my daughters have taken to calling me “squishy Mommy”.

Here’s to a new year filled with Cardio Funk and Spinning classes (and the DQ Blizzards I’ll reward myself with by participating in them).

“I Feel Pretty!” December 23, 2007

Nothing’s more fun that going on the David’s Bridal website and making fun of the dresses you didn’t wear to yours, especially after you’ve just been to a wedding where the bride wore a dress that you didn’t wear to yours. This process is called “rationalization”. You should try it sometime. It makes you feel better about your own choices, and it’s loads of fun!

But what’s even more amazing is the incredible insight you can gain into the bridal mind from browsing this site. Our informal methodology:

1. Find the poufiest, corsetiest, touilliest, laciest dresses.
2. Make fun of how ridiculous they are.
3. Get curious and start reading the customer reviews.

Our discovery: In more than 50% of our sample reviews, of a variety of styles of dresses, brides said at least one of the following (paraphrased):

1. “This was the first dress I tried on!”
2. “I didn’t think I’d like this at first, but when I saw myself in it, I cried.”
3. “I knew this was the dress for me the second I tried it on; I didn’t need to try on any other dresses!”
4. “I didn’t even like this dress, but my mom made me try it on…”

Our conclusions: (more…)

sexploitation December 17, 2007

I agree with Amelia Hill. I too yearn for the good old days, when sexual exploitation could be freely expressed, without need of subterfuge and reappropriation, and relegated to the poor, disenfranchised, and otherwise disempowered females of our society. Then the rest of us could continue to conveniently ignore the implicit economic nature of sexual exchange. Where’s Sonia Seminovna when you need her?

“just one more thing…” December 3, 2007

The Dovid just made my day with this little tidbit: “The character of Columbo was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, who claimed that Columbo was partially inspired by the Crime and Punishment character, Porfiry Petrovich”. Here are The Dovid’s insights as to the connections:

1. The show always begins with the murder. You get to see exactly how it’s done. So the mystery isn’t “whodunnit?” or even how they did it. It’s just the thrill of watching the cat and mouse game.

2. Because the entire beginning of a given episode is just setting up the motivation for the murder and showing the murder itself, the viewer has a long time “alone” with the murderer. The viewer almost sympathizes with the murderer’s motivation, and gets investested in the success of the crime. Then it’s all thrown off balance when columbo enters the story (about a quarter through the show already) and becomes the prtagonist again. The viewer isn’t quite sure who to identify with.

3. Columbo is very friendly with the suspects, and often shows interrest in their lives and what they do. He’ll eat lunch with the suspect or just hang out at work with the suspect, admiring his talents, asking him all about his field of expertise and being very impressed. This is definately a Porfiry Petrovitch influence.

Other connections will make my day, and the days of the few other people in the world with my love for all things Crime and Punishment (all things, that is, except the Epilogue; Damn you, Dostoevksy, for letting Raskolnikov go soft!).