Star Trek

I managed to pull away from the work grind long enough to check out J.J. Abrams newest blockbuster - Star Trek. I will preface this by saying I am not the biggest Star Trek fanatic, I have watched episodes of the newer ones, but am by no means an avid fan. So here we go:

The movie starts out with a the back story of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) - who following an attack by a Romulan captain - is left without a father. The story follows Kirk joining the Starfleet as somewhat of a rebel and how he meets those who would affect his future. The film focuses specifically on the relationship between Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto)

Any hard core lover of Star Trek can see that the plot line of the story is somewhat skewed as J.J. Abrams imagined the story to follow a somewhat different path. This alternative version is still fantastic. The story is easy enough to follow, the visual fantastic, the plot lines and the acting absolutely what a film of this magnitude deserves. It was a bit long at a little over 2 hours - but I hardly noticed this time passing as I was completely engrossed in the film. The only thing I would have changed about my viewing of this film was to have maybe seen it in Imax instead of a regular theatre - I highly recommend seeing this on the big screen and I will definitely be getting it when it comes out on DVD.

Procrastination and Life and a Movie

Works been a bit crazy lately - as in I have spent the last few weeks pulling 40 hour weeks as a 16 hour part timer. I shouldn't complain, its nice to have cash in this difficult time - but its slowly started eroding my procrastination/summer time. As I watch the summer hours start I am forced to realize that regardless of how I ignore it, life and reality are slowly creeping into the picture. So enough procrastination and lamenting that summer isn't forever...on to something that made me smile today...

500 Days of Summer
Saw the posters for this movie when I saw Star Trek over this weekend. The movie stars Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel - the movie spans their relationship (hence the 500 days in the title).

I wont lie I was intrigued first by the fact that these two amazing actors were billed together in this movie, but when I saw the trailer I absolutely fell in love with the concept and the look of the film.

Check it out:

The Road

Right now I am currently on a Cormac McCarthy kick. Currently I am reading Outer Dark and continue to be astounded. For me the best part about reading McCarthy's books is that he depicts the landscapes with such depth that you feel like you are there. The last book of his I finished was The Road. An apocalyptic thriller that they have made into a movie starring Viggo Mortensen. The book was very dark and the subject material intense, so I was a little skeptical that they could pull off a movie version. Charlize Theron is cast as the wife and Kodi Smit-McPhee is cast as the boy. The trailer is promising. I am wondering how much Theron is in the movie as she is featured pretty prominently in the trailer, while her character in the book is only shown in flashbacks.

Here's the trailer, can't wait:

Quote - One Tree Hill

I was watching a marathon session of One Tree Hill on Soap Net aka writing my paper for graduate school, and heard this quote that I just had to write down.

Every song ends [Jake] is that any reason not to enjoy the music?
- Peyton Sawyer, One Tree Hill

SOWA Open Market

The South End annual open market starts this weekend. Ridiculously excited to check it out. The opening is only this weekend as the market runs every Sunday during the summer, along with the SOWA antiques market. Check it out at: http://www.southendopenmarket.com/

The Hurt Locker

I want to see this movie!!

Perfume

About a year ago a co-worker told me to check out this movie called Perfume. Intrigued and lacking cable at the time I decided to take him up on his offer. The movie was disturbing, but at the same time I was so completely entranced by what I saw that I had to watch.

Recently I had been perusing the library aisles trying to find something new to read and I came across the book the movie was based on. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind. The book follows a young man named Grenouille who while possessing no odor of his own, does have a remarkable sense of smell. The story focuses mainly on how Grenouille attempts at making the perfect perfume. Unfortunately the perfect perfume requires women, hence the "Story of a Murderer" part of the title. I will not ruin the ending, but it was pure perfection.

The book was absolutely entrancing. Had I no had so many things to do with finals and what not I would have easily devoured this book in a day. The words are so enticing, somehow so rich that you almost feel as though you are part of Grenouille's world. While realizing that Grenouille is entirely the bad guy, you still want to see him succeed in his quest for the perfect perfume. I beyond a doubt highly recommend this book, I still hesitate to give it back to the library...

Anthony Bourdain

So I finally sucked it up and watched Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Not only am I addicted to the show now, but it has also renewed my faith in the Travel Channel. I was so impressed by his show that I not only watched the marathons on TV, but also online as well as purchasing his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.

I grabbed Kitchen Confidential for one my five hundred flights that I have had to take in the past few months. It was incredible. The sarcasm, wit, humor, crassness, and absolute brazen truth that appears on Bourdain's show is all there in his writing. The book attempts to expose the real life going ons of a working kitchen. The things that most people sitting down to a nice steak dinner wouldn't even think (or perhaps wouldn't want to think) about. In addition to providing insight into the life behind the kitchen doors, it also chronicles Bourdain's history into becoming a chef. Reading just his history one would think that we were looking at the autobiography of a ex-heroin, junkie rock star, rather than a chef who now makes a living traveling the world looking at all kinds of foods.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick read, mainly due to its ease. The words literally flow off the paper and make reading the book quite enjoyable. The humor is also something that kept me along for the ride. Bourdain doesn't spare any details, gross, crass, or otherwise. It is this sense of openness that gives the book that something extra. While I understand that I am only getting a second hand version of a working kitchen, and will never fully appreciate what truly goes on in one - it was extremely interesting to hear about. Definitely check this book out it you are a fan of the show or just plan interested

You Belong With Me

Occasionally the awkward sixteen year old girl comes out in me - this is one of those times. I was flipping through one of my favorite websites popsugar (http://www.popsugar.com/) and came across a posting for Taylor Swift's new video "You Belong With Me." The video is the typical cliche of the geeky chic (played by Swift) who wants the hot guy with the equally hot girl friend (also played by Swift). The video culminates at prom. I can almost hear the eyes rolling, but it seriously is such a sweet song and video that I can't help but post it. Check it out!

Graduation!!!

Its only taken 5 years but I have finally graduate from undergrad with my B.S. in Psychology. If the next 5 years are anything like the first they will fly by before I know it. Over the past week I have listened as countless speakers have tried to summarize the last five years of our lives. Here would have been my speech (were I asked to give one):

I remember quite vividly my first day of college. The anticipation masked by complete dread that I my acceptance had been a mistake and I would soon be called out as unworthy to attend college. Five years later as I stand on the other end of this educational journey I realize that what I had really worried about was the unknown. The worry that somehow I would fail, falter or stumble in my quest to achieve the education my mother struggled so hard to get for me.

As I embark on yet another stage of my life I realize that fear of the unknown will continue to be ever present in my life. The world that was promised us following graduation has greatly changed since we signed our acceptance letters and donned our freshmen t-shirts. Economic and global crisis continue to bombard us from all sides, but I urge you all to embrace this time. The unknown can be just as thrilling as it is scary. You have worked hard to be where you are today and you should be proud.

Before I end let me offer a few bits of wisdom from my limited but ever growing knowledge:

Continue to dream - it will only serve to help you in the future. You may not achieve those dreams, but dreaming is what makes us human. Laugh - realize that life will be a struggle. It wont be easy, no one said it would be. But laughing amongst some good friends (and perhaps some good food) can make the burdens of life a lot lighter. Reach - continue to strive for those goals, even those that seem completely unattainable. The life you live is your own do not forget that.

You will probably forget most of this by the time you exit this place, but I am sure you wont forget the good times we all have shared over the past five years. Those are the memories that last... Congratulations class of 2009, and thank you for the memories