then she found me

***BIG FAT SPOILER ALERT***


I wish Helen Hunt the best. I really do. I've always loved her, first in "Mad About You", then especially in Twister and As Good As It Gets. She seems like a regular person; one that wouldn't be hard to approach, to have a chat with over brunch.

But I just couldn't enjoy her directorial debut, Then She Found Me. It was a big glob of gloom. Basically... she's getting old and having trouble conceiving. Then her husband leaves her. Then her mom dies. Then she finds a nice guy... but she cheats on him. Then she gets pregnant... but miscarries. Then she finds her birth mom... who turns out to be a pathological liar. The big happy ending is... a baby from China. Yeah, that's sweet, but it so did not make up for the previous two hours of big fat bummers.

It was well done and all, but I left the theater utterly dejected.

Why, Helen? I spent $8.75 and two hours on that! Come on, girl! ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , at 4:20 AM on Saturday, May 31, 2008
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sex and the city

I think I'm getting old. Years ago, I'd have had no problem staying out past midnight and then showing up to work at 7:00 the next morning. Note to self: You're not 21 anymore, Nayana.

Oh my Lord, it was fun. There were eleven of us in the bar, then twelve of us in the theater, then four of us in the bar again. And as crazy as it sounds, because we're such movie buds, it was the first time I actually saw a movie with Pistola.

Part of our group. Pistola Whipped is top row, third from left. Smokin', ain't she?


The movie was great, by the way. Fantastic. Amazing. Met all expectations.

The big draw of "Sex and the City" (the series) is, of course the sex. And the fashion, too. And the comedy, of course. But what really drives the show is the deep, real, emotional connections, especially those among the four women. And, to my delight, Sex and the City stayed true to that. Of course there was great sex, and great fashion, and some kick-ass laugh-out-loud moments, but the heart of the movie--the real memorable moments--came from the love those girls have for each other.


I can't think of one thing I disliked about the movie. And, in case you're curious, J. Hud knocked 'em dead.

See it. Please see it. I'll be there again this weekend. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , at 7:40 AM on Friday, May 30, 2008
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coyote ugly

Despite the cruddy critical reception, I loved Coyote Ugly when it first came out. So I sat down yesterday to watch it again.... and couldn't believe my eyes. It was awful.

I think when I first saw this movie, back when it first came out, it was before I had decided to fully indulge in my cinematic obsession, throwing myself into all things film-related. So my "palate" wasn't fully developed, I guess. Seriously, I can't conjure any other explanation for the fact that, back in 2000, the Coyote Ugly script didn't make me spontaneously empty the contents of my stomach into the theater seat next to me.

It's smarmy. And cheesy. And exploitative. And completely improbable.

So then here's another question... why do I still, today, choke up at the sappy parts, and why do I smile and applaud unconsciously when Piper Perabo's character finally makes it? This crappy movie must have somehow seeped into my pores eight years ago, before I knew better. Now I have no control over my emotional reaction. I guess my heart and head are always going to have to disagree on Coyote Ugly.


P.S. The two bright spots were the performances of John Goodman and Maria Bello. In contrast to the rest of the cast, they were not completely cringe-inducing. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , at 1:45 PM on Thursday, May 29, 2008
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unlikely bedfellows

A while back I posted an email conversation between me and my co-worker/friend Pistola Whipped. We have a lot of interchanges like that, and just for fun (and with her permission) here's one from a few weeks ago that's slightly more risqué.

Be warned: You may learn a bit more about Pistola and me than you really wanted to know. If that freaks you out (or if you happen to be in my immediate family), turn back now.


From: Whipped, Pistola
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 3:57 PM
To: [All employees at Pistola & Nayana's workplace]
Subject: Friday, May 2

Hello all People of [Workplace]:

I will be off Friday, May 2 to return Monday, May 5.

Please consult [my boss] with any questions or comments about [my] caseload.

Thanks!

Have a fabulous weekend,
Pistola Whipped


From: Anthony, Nayana
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 3:58 PM
To: Whipped, Pistola
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

I'll miss you like crazy. *sob*


From: Whipped, Pistola
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:10 PM
To: Anthony, Nayana
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

I misspoke earlier. I am not receiving The Assassination movie. I'm receiving Gone Baby Gone and Music Within. How much do I want to have sex with Ron Livingston? And Paul Rudd? But he's not in the Music Within.


From: Anthony, Nayana
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:11 PM
To: Whipped, Pistola
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

Gone Baby Gone was decent.

I also want to have sex with Paul Rudd. Yeah baby!

And Paul Giamatti. But that's just me. ;-)


From: Whipped, Pistola
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:12 PM
To: Anthony, Nayana
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

That is just you. Heavens why?


From: Anthony, Nayana
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:18 PM
To: Whipped, Pistola
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

Hard to explain in a concise manner. But I'm guessing his wife agrees with me.

He's hot in a "oh my God he's dripping with talent" way. Plus he seems smart. That turns me on, I guess.


From: Whipped, Pistola
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:32 PM
To: Anthony, Nayana
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

He seems smart. I'm trying to think of really unusual looking actors I would sleep with. Possibly Steve Buscemi.


From: Anthony, Nayana
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 8:04 AM
To: Whipped, Pistola
Subject: RE: Friday, May 2

Bug-eyes and all? Well, I guess he is hot in that icky, greasy Steven Tyler way.

Anyway, I'd probably pass on the generic, perfect-looking Hollywood guy. I've heard that really gorgeous people aren't usually great in bed, because they never had to be.


I figured out later that little nugget of wisdom came from none other than Carrie Bradshaw. I guess with the big event coming up, I have Sex [and the City] on the brain. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , at 12:44 PM on Tuesday, May 27, 2008
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indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull

It's Monday evening. Arguably the most anticipated action flick of the summer, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, debuted last Thursday. And I'm only now writing about it.

Oh, well. It's not like they pay me to do this stuff. And I could ply you with all kinds of excuses about sparkling lakes, bustling farmer's markets, midnight Moulin Rouge, and pink dreadlocks (damn straight), but you want to know what I thought about the movie. Right? Of course right.


It kicked ass, people. Indy's back. Yeah, he's a crusty old coot now, but he still gives good whip. Same goes for Spielberg and Lucas, who have delivered the most captivating, breath-catching movie I've seen in a good while.

Nuclear blasts. Sword fights atop racing Jeeps. Plummets down waterfalls. Carnivorous army ants. Seriously, there was barely time to breathe.

And as far as newcomers go, I can't decide which I loved better: Shia LaBoeuf and his comb, or Cate Blanchett and her moose-and-squirrel accent. Oh, who am I kidding? Cate. It's always going to be Cate.

So obviously I loved it. And as sacrilegious as I know this will be... I liked it better than Raiders. I know, I know, but there it is.
 ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , at 12:19 PM on Monday, May 26, 2008
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postlet #10

I so meant to blog more, but this weekend has been amazing. It's that kind of weather that makes you thrilled just to be alive... and also makes you forget about your laptop for a bit.

And, whatever. I'll be back.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , at 8:24 PM on Sunday, May 25, 2008
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yippee!!!

I am checking out an advance (well, slightly... it's the day before release) screening of Sex and the City... with a group of my favorite girls!

I'm used to going to the movies by myself (sometimes I honestly prefer that), but I can't imagine a better way to see this particular movie. Yay!

P.S.... The coherence of my Sex and the City review will likely be in direct proportion to the quantity of Cosmos I consume before the show. Just a heads up.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , at 12:20 PM on Friday, May 23, 2008
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young @ heart

When I first saw the trailer for Young @ Heart, it elicited a chuckle. Come on. It's old people singing punk songs. That's funny.

I wasn't sure I really wanted to see it, though; would it really stay funny for two hours? Besides, isn't it kind of disrespectful to laugh at old people?

Holy cheeses, was I wrong. Young @ Heart doesn't mock its subjects; it celebrates them.


Granted, it's a bit jarring to watch a 92-year-old British lady singing a Clash song... until you meet her. Said 92-year-old, Eileen Hall, is hilarious, sharp, and a bit of a raucous flirt. Actually, all the folks in the Young @ Heart chorus (average age: 80) are pretty cool people. They joke around, they drink, they (at least in one case) hook up with each other... they're like us.

Imagine that. Old people are just people. That was really the light-bulb moment for me. Of course it shouldn't be so surprising. But the unfortunate fact is that in our society, old people (like people who are disabled or overweight) tend to be invisible. We so easily forget that they were once young, vital, and considered rebels by older generations.

While I was watching this, I kept thinking of my grandma. Now, let me make one thing perfectly clear: Grandma is not old. If you ask her, she'll tell you she's 43. (When we wonder how that can be, since Dad is 52, she snaps, "That's his problem.") Grandma is also disabled. As a young (and gorgeous) eighteen-year-old, she contracted polio. She recovered, but without the use of her left leg. Since that time, she's re-learned to walk (with the use of a brace), she drives, she's thoroughly involved in her community, and is quite honestly more independent than many other *ahem* 43-year-olds.

Now... I know all that about Grandma. But there is still the occasional person who, seeing her in a wheelchair at the store, will speak to Grandma's companion instead of addressing her directly. To many people, because of her age and her disability, my Grandma is invisible.

I wonder how many times I've treated someone like that, just because I don't know them.

Anyway... the movie. It's brilliant. It's beautiful. It reduced me to a sobbing puddle of goo at least three times.

But more importantly, it made me think about the way the world is, and why. I think that should be the ultimate goal of every movie. Young @ Heart, at least, succeeded spectacularly. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , , , at 1:47 PM on Thursday, May 22, 2008
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5 people had something brilliant to say.

i probably won't see 'house bunny'.

It's not because I don't enjoy a good dumb summer comedy. I do. Matter of fact, the manhole incident on the trailer is pretty damn funny.

It's not because I have a problem with Playboy. I don't. Like many intelligent women my age, I actually enjoy "The Girls Next Door". Go fig.

This is why: It seems to be a makeover movie, and I think I like the "before" better than the "after". House Bunny's basic plot is this: a Playboy Bunny is kicked out of the mansion and decides to become the house mother to a sorority of "losers". Of course, she decides to make the "losers" over in her own image.

But... if the trailer is any indication... the losers are cool. I'd hang out with them. They seem like earthy, intelligent girls with a sense of what makes them unique; unlike the cookie-cutter "after" versions of themselves which the movie cranks out.

Do we have to get rid of our freakishness to be accepted? Honestly, I'm not interested in looking, acting, or thinking like anyone else. I choose to, as Marilyn Ferdinand once suggested, let my freak flag fly. And I want friends (and movie characters) that will do the same.

Check the trailer out, and tell me what you think:

 ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , , , at 10:26 AM on Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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postlet #9

Captain Crash and I went to Perkins last night. Must have been Kids' Night because, inexplicably, Superman was roaming the restaurant. I don't think it was really him, though. To my knowledge, the real Superman doesn't paint faces or make balloon animals. And if he did, wouldn't he just use his laser eyes or something?
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , at 8:40 AM on
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guest critic: baby mama (rebuttal review)

Hey y'all. My good friend Pistola Whipped has graciously offered her rebuttal to my review of Baby Mama. (She liked it; I didn't.) Enjoy!

So, this is my attempt at a movie review and like everything I do, it’s outdated, irrelevant and probably misinformed. However, after reading Nayana’s review of Baby Mama, I felt it my responsibility to the non-douchebag moviegoers of the blog-a-go-go to offer a different perspective on a movie Nayana panned. In fact, I think she may have liked the douchebag sitting next to her, or behind her better than she did Baby Mama.

Lemme say right now that I had no real strong desire to watch Baby Mama. Judging from the previews, I thought it would be another pre-fab SNL skit-to-big-screen attempt, rife with piss-poor jokes, obvious product placement and the dreaded Lorne Michael cameo. And in all honesty, it was those things, except I don’t know if Tina Fey and Amy Poehler ever specifically created a skit for SNL with the Baby Mama motif. It does seem that all the bouncing one-liners and sardonic grins off each other during the past few years of "Weekend Update" was enough energy to spark a light bulb in a GE head upstairs. And poof: those bitches got themselves a movie deal. And not only that, but they got to laugh, look good and hang out in their hometown of Philadelphia while fulfilling it.

I laughed aloud a lot at this movie. I thought it was clever, touching and funny. Tina Fey played her character with humility and practicality, which gave cinematic vets Steve Martin and Sigourney Weaver a chance to play totally offbeat, freaky characters. Greg Kinnear shone in his granola-y, anti-big business, pro-neighborhood role. I don’t know many big-budget, multi-millionaire actors who could pull off the irony of his part. And I’m no fan of Dax Shepherd, but I didn’t really have to be, since he played the a-hole in this movie, and he played it well. I was most surprised by how much I loved Amy Poehler. She was lovably neurotic, fiercely loyal, and even though she was deceitful and felonious, I still wanted her and Tina to be best friends!

So, if dumb, overplayed, stereotypical SNL movies don’t trip your trigger, then I’m not going to try and change your mind. And this movie won’t either. However, I don’t doubt for a second that Fey and Poehler, smarty-pants that they are, view Baby Mama as a way to bust into Hollywood/the men’s locker room so they can brand their comedy and make movies on their own terms. They have honed their trade, and if you can take out the airbrushed cheekbones, plays on stereotypes, and hole-filled plot, Baby Mama is like watching "Weekend Update" for an hour and a half, with some interesting people stopping by. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , , at 3:19 PM on Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Subject: Re: Where have you been?

Hey blogosphere,

I got your note. I miss you, too... sorry I've been out of touch for so long.

It wasn't you, it was me... really. I was swamped at work, and then I was violently ill, and then I had about four wildly busy days piled on top of one another. Anyway, I hope we're still ok.

In the last couple weeks I've:
  • Caught Prince Caspian--twice. Yes, yes, I'll tell you how it was. (preview: KICKASS!!!)
  • Had the perfect Minnesota day. I'll tell you about that too, if I get a chance. No promises, OK?
  • Got caught up at work... finally.
  • Ate at Mickey's again.
  • Saw all three Indiana Jones movies. Belated, I know, but I got to them before the biggie this weekend.
  • Reconnected with a gaggle of high school classmates. (I wonder if I'll like them any better twelve years later? Stranger things have happened.)
  • Spent some quality time with Zoe the putty tat. She's a freak, but I'm utterly devoted to her.
  • Figured out an amazing new recipe for homemade parmesan chicken tenders.
  • Saw Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in concert. (Mini-review: he's hysterically funny, she's gorgeously ordinary, and together they're sublime.)
  • Watched The Office... the entire American series, from the pilot up through Thursday's episode.
  • Continued to rock my dreads.
  • Fell further in love with Metro Transit. And The Current. And MNSpeak. And my amazing city.
  • Missed a blogathon that I was really looking forward to. (I am so sorry, Marilyn.)
So, there you have it. I've been living my real life, at your expense. I've been a very, very bad blogger. You still love me, though, right?

Your (mostly) faithful friend,

Nayana ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , , , , , , , at 5:53 PM on Sunday, May 18, 2008
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iron man

AMC has this deal (at least in the Minneapolis market) where you can go to any show, any time Monday through Thursday for only $6. So they released Iron Man in theaters early: 8:00 pm on Thursday. A brand new release for $6... how could we not?

I have been itching to see this one, for a couple of reasons. First, I love Robert Downey Jr. Yes, I realize he is (or was) a cokehead. Whatever. He's hot. And he seems to be cleaning up, so yay for him. Second, it just seemed like a great story, not your average superhero. Tony Stark is extremely flawed, and he's middle-aged when he chooses to transform himself. It gives me hope, like it's never too late to make different choices. Third, whenever I hear those first strains of of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man", my blood starts to vibrate.


Iron Man doesn't disappoint. I am so in love with the casting choices. Downey was fantastic, of course, but so were Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, and especially Jeff Bridges. Really, I can't think of a time I enjoyed Jeff Bridges this much since Starman.

The comedy was on point, the pathos was perfectly timed, the action was stellar... the storyline was a tad predictable, but hey: this is no indie. It is what it is, and as summer movies go, Iron Man hits it out of the park.

All that said... my movie experience wasn't perfect. It seems despite our best efforts, a lot of people don't really know how to behave at the movies. Yeah, jackholes at AMC Rosedale, Theater 8, at 8:00 on May 1... I'm talking to you.

Coming soon on The Center Seat: the 5 most obnoxious douchebags that can sit by you at the movie theater. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , , , , , at 8:57 AM on Friday, May 2, 2008
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kinky kong


Not my usual genre, but... we just got Cinemax. So whatever.

I thought this one would be fun. It wasn't. It was just a guy in an ape suit, wearing a giant (stuffed) diaper, holding two Barbies and roaring. Then when the camera did a "close-up" on the two Barbies, they were real women. And of course the Barbies made out. It's right there on the poster... the Eighth Wonder of the World likes to watch.

Huh.

Sometimes porn is so bad it's awesome. I think that's what they were going for. Sorry, though... it's just boring.
Posted by Nayana Anthony in , , , at 12:14 PM on Thursday, May 1, 2008
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7 people had something brilliant to say.
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