Movie #4

OMG! Last night I watched How to Train Your Dragon - 2010 directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders. What a pleasant surprise. I am not an enthusiast of children's movies and I have no children, so I often miss little gems like this one. I was enthralled, raptured, completely involved in these characters lives. 

Book #2

Over the weekend I read Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl. I picked this up along 5 other books at a used book store, mostly out of embarrassment I had never read it. It is my understanding that this book is a likely candidate for middle school reading, and being that I did not complete this portion of my school in the States, I can hardly be blamed.  

This book, considered in the grand scheme of things, is a magnificent look at the trials of hiding, at the fear that being in hiding brought and at the guilt those in hiding carried. Also it is a profound look at the thoughts of a thirteen year old girl, who grows up with her thoughts and in spite of them. All in all I wish I had read this book when I was thirteen, since I would have found her irresistibly relatable.  

Movie #3

A few nights ago I watched Melinda and Melinda - directed by Woody Allen. I have loved the few Woody Allen movies I have seen and I am thinking I will minor or perhaps major in movies written/directed by him (however cliche that may be). Hopefully I will come up with a list after some poking around - I'll post it here when it's done.

As far as Melinda and Melinda goes, I really liked it! The main exploratory question is: what is the essence of human life - comedy or drama? This premise is explored through two stories, one developed by a comedy playwright and the other by a dramatist. The catch is that both are starting at the same point: a woman interrupts a dinner party. The movie then moves along, switching back and forth between the comedic and the dramatic plots. I must say eventually, it became difficult to remember which one was which.

Of course, it being Woody Allen, this movie is about relationships and about female characters that turn everything upside down. What I found most interesting was that the actors played their characters in a very theatrical manner, with somewhat melodic intonations to their lines. It makes sense, since the ones supposedly "telling" these two stories are playwrights. All in all I remained entertained and enthralled in this witty exploration.

Book #1 Update

Today I finished Man Seeks God - My Flirtations with the Divine. The author, Eric Weiner, is a former NPR correspondent who has had much success with his earlier work: The Geography of Bliss, a NY Times bestseller. Man Seeks God is Mr Weiner's account of searching for personal religion after realizing he might in fact need a god. This realization comes when Mr Weiner finds himself in the hospital, afraid something is fatally wrong and a nurse comes in to draw some blood.  While she is doing what she does, without much ado, she asks "have you found your god yet?" At this point our main character is sent searching, circularly, for himself. 

The author is painfully self aware, and writes about his internal state as much as he writes about his experiences attempting to be a whirling dervish or a Raelian. Mr Weiner becomes smitten with a certain practice in a particular religion (or the idea of a practice), he likes to underline books, and he often feels as though he is faking ritual participation (and often fantasizes about being discovered as nothing more than a fake). Throughout his encounters he asks simple and profound questions, something he asks the questions you are not supposed to ask, the questions that might pop in my own mind were I in a similar situation. He does this not with academic flaunt but with the worry that if he is having such questions, he might just not be getting it. 

This book interlaces many current and historic ideas as well as thinkers in comparative religion, and is accessible to those who may know very little about the religions he covers. While ultimately the book might not be more than musings in a travel diary, it is nice to know others are equally smitten and confused.    

Movie 2

Pleasantville 1998 - Gary Ross

Last night, my boyfriend and I watched Pleasantville. The selection process was interesting if not a little frustrating. We watch movies often, we love movies. But we also enjoy showing one another (or anybody willing to watch) movies we really like. I find myself often trying to pick between a movie neither of us has seen (the risky choice) and a movie I have seen and he has not. I get really psyched about showing people movies I have already enjoyed. That is until I realize what is riding on this choice. I become inevitably defensive of a movie, a movie I may in fact only "like a lot" but not quite "love". I also become worried for the entertainment of the person watching the movie I chose. I get nervous, hope they laugh at the right time, notice if they are fidgety in their seats.  It is anguish. 

Last night, quite pushed by the fact that I cannot afford to waste prime movie watching time, we picked a movie neither of us had seen. I had only a vague awareness of this movie's existence. Pleasantville is about a brother and sister who get sucked into a 1950's T.V. show about Pleasantville, a town where everything is pleasant and nothing bad ever happens. 

The beginning of the movie reminded me of an episode of the show Eerie Indiana, where one of the characters gets equally transported into an old T.V. show. I loved Eerie Indiana so I instantly liked the feel of this movie. I thought it was appropriate for the political climate in which we live in, and the idea that man often opposes that which he does not know. I was also glad I watched a movie that seemed a little silly (kids go into old TV show as a premise is kind of a meh concept to me). I tend to judge a book by it's cover and a movie by, well whatever I know about it. So, I hope that I continue to venture into movies that I am just not quite sure about. 

Week 1

Doing 50 movies and 50 books in one year amounts to about one of each a week. To me, looking at it this way makes it look more daunting, honestly! But here is where I am right now.

Book 1 - 

Man Seeks God -  by Eric Weiner

I got this book as a Christmas present and I am currently about 100 pages in. I am truly enjoying this read. It is not out of the ordinary for me, since I was a religious studies minor in college and am interested in the relationships people have with religions, insiders and outsiders. The writing is witty and very honest, by someone who is painfully aware of their internal state.  

Movie 1 - 

The Descendants (2011) - Alexander Payne

On Monday I saw The Descendants. I thought it was more of a drama than a comedy, but it is billed as both. It is the story of a family who is going through a tragedy. It depicts family dynamics, a failing marriage and death, managing to do so in a very day-to-day kind of way. I cried at the end, but I cry at sad commercials so that is just what it is. Payne also directed Sideways and About Schmidt, two movies I thoroughly enjoyed. 

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These two sort of happened before I decided to start the 50/50 challenge, but I am looking forward to being more proactive in book/movie choosing since we cannot do repeats, as well as concentrating on a topic in particular.

The Fifty Fifty Challenge

I am attempting to complete the challenge proposed by fiftyfifty.me. This means I will attempt to read 50 books and watch 50 movies by the end of the year!

I will use this blog to keep myself accountable and to share the experience with others who are participating or would like to participate.

Suggestions are more than welcomed, and would love to do a few minors!