A Gulp of Sunshine

Don't let the title fool you--this is not as cheery as it sounds. The latest trip to the cinema was to see the film Sunshine Cleaning staring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Alan Arkin. I saw a preview for this film quite a while ago and thought it looked intriguing, but hadn't gotten around to seeing it. This past Sunday, my boyfriend and I got the chance to run down to Santana Row in San Jose to see it. When first seeing the preview, it looked as though it was going to be a little reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine (down to the bright title), which frankly made me want to see it. Of course, after seeing it I discovered it wasn't really like Little Miss Sunshine, except for the appearance of Alan Arkin and a similar sort of dark humor. The concept of cleaning up after crime scenes was really intriguing and looked horribly disgusting, but I guess one can get used to anything! So anywho, I really enjoyed the whole movie from beginning to end, and watched intently as if I was waiting for something to happen the whole time. It gave me that feeling that something big was about to happen, but in the end those "big" moments weren't all that big. Of course, they were good turning points, but parts were quite predictable. The parts that made the movie more enjoyable were the small, less "big", and bold moments. The moments of characters interacting and sharing intense, emotional moments. Though the film was a little predictable, the characters were great and the humor was quick and clever. I think that Emily Blunt really stole the show, being vulnerable, yet tough in a hilarious fashion. While, Amy Adams was good, I feel as though Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin really made this film glow. All in all, I really enjoyed this film, but not nearly as much as the other "Sunshine"!

Slice: Lemon meringue with fresh strawberries

A Bite of Blob..or Bob

Whenever I hear that Dreamworks is coming out with a new animation, I am usually fairly certain that it is going to pretty great. Dreamworks has become a stiff competition to Pixar in the past few years, but sometimes I still have my doubts about whether they will be up to snuff. This being said, the most recent installment from Dreamworks, Monsters vs. Aliens, was not exactly up to par, but was no doubt entertaining. I have to admint that I wasn't dying to see this particular film like I am to see others. I think it is just because I feel like the whole monsters, aliens, superhero thing is bit overdone these days. There are so many films about superheroes and I also feel as though the line between monsters and superheroes is getting blurry. For the most part, it seems as though monsters are supposed to feared, but now monsters are becoming more lovable than scary. I actually truly like this concept, but I feel as though this idea will soon become a little boring. Going into this movie I just couldn't get "Monsters Inc." from Pixar out of my head. Monsters Inc. was such an incredible creative, original film and it is one of my favorite Pixar movies ever. That was such a classic, and really started the whole idea of friendly monsters in this era.
Anyway, the reason I went to see this installment was because my boyfriend really wanted to go (he is a big kid), and also because we have a friend who works at Dreamworks. The main draw of the movie was the B.O.B. character, played by Seth Rogen, whom really stole the show. I also loved Dr. Cockroach, but that is mainly because I looove Hugh Laurie. The problem was that I didn't really emotionally feel that much for the "main" character, Ginormica/Susan. I think the other characters made it enjoyable, but the story of Ginormica wasn't quite interesting enough. Also we saw the 3D version, which was cool at times, but after a while I forgot that is was even in 3D. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing..
All in all, this was a good romp and I am sure the kids absolutely loved it. Actually, I could hear the laughter and comments of the little tikes because they made up the majority of the audience. If I didn't have someone pushing to me see it, I most likely wouldn't have gone to the theater. But just because I wasn't chomping at the bit to get to this one, doesn't mean I won't be for the next Dreamworks animation. I think all I need is an innovative idea and lovable characters to get me there.

Slice: wobbly blue Jell-O with fruit chunks and mini marshmallows inside

A Mouthful of Pillow

What says "I love you" better than whacking your loved one with a large, fluffy pillow? Well, I don't know about romantic, but it sure is fun.

Our Valentine's day started romantically enough with a trip to famous Ghirardelli Square to indulge in some gluttonous delight at the famous chocolate store/ice-cream shop. The line was long, but moved quickly as people slurped down their treats and moved on to walk it off in the streets of San Fran. We shared a classic sundae complete with hot, melted chocolate. Mmmm.... Anyway, afterwards we headed off on the MUNI to Justin Herman Plaza to check out the scene of the crime. The San Francisco Pillow Fight 2009, baby! The rain was coming down fairly steady as we entered the plaza, and we still had an hour to wait until the event. We played in the fountain and wandered around the shops, while people carrying pillows walked by. Soon the plaza was beginning to fill with people donned with pillows of all shapes and sizes, and I started to feel the excitement of what was to come. As time was getting closer to 6pm, more and more people were gathering, and before we knew the chaos began.

Then, the countdown started as everyone was looking at the clock tower, waiting for that second hand to arrive. 5, 4, 3, 2, .....GO! The madness had begun and pillows, limbs, and people went flying. At first I was a bit timid to delve into the center of the beatings, but as time went on I eventually jumped into the middle and waved my arms in the air like I just didn't care. Some people were very tender, while others wanted blood, and I definitely came away with fewer brain cells in the end. The variety of people was pretty interesting with some people bringing their tiny children, and others dressing up in all sorts of costumes- Zombies to Zorros! All in all, it was an amazing time and I would definitely do it again. To just see the amount of people and feel the energy of the crowds made it so spectacular. I wasn't thinking about anything, just letting go and enjoying those few hours with my love and hundreds of strangers on Valentine's Day.

Slice: A white vanilla cake with coconut frosting with strawberries in the center

A Slice of Coraline

 

First of all, I love stop-motion animation. Secondly, I love Tim Burton and will see pretty much any movie he is involved in. This time, Henry Selick took the directors role again to create another classic. Ever since I was a little 7-year-old captivated and equally frightened by The Nightmare Before Christmas, I have loved these films. These films create a style like none other made for any age group. In this latest installment, he doesn't disappoint. Coraline is the story of a young girl who is bored by her simple life and leaves her wanting something more. The story line of Coraline keeps you engaged from the first frame to the last credit. As for the animation, it was nothing short of amazing. The simplest movement of a small flower opening its petals keeps me glued to the screen. 

The story seems a sweet, simple, and innocent one until you see it's dark side creeping through in subtle ways. The shadow of a black cat, a button-eyed doll, or the eccentric neighbors make you soon realize that this is not just going to be a cheerful, cutesy film. This, of course, is the beauty of Tim Burton and Co.'s animation films and the main reason I am (and so many) so attracted to these films.  

The characters of the film are classic, odd, and just plain creepy at times, but I loved them all. Especially the Eastern European acrobatic neighbor, Mr. Bobinsky, who bounds around the house, circus style in an eccentric, but elegant manor. All the characters are special and crazy in their own right and bring a great deal to the film.

 Something else that made this viewing special was the 3-D version we happened to see. It just happened that this was the version playing closest to us, but I am glad. The 3-D effect was like icing on the slice of Coraline cake, but I have no doubt that the original version is just as good. The effects give it an added entertainment factor, especially for small children in the audience.

All in all, Coraline keeps you entertained with great animation, sound/music, and creativity. How could it be better?? I don't know, but there is always room for improvement! 8 out of 10 

Slice: Black Forest Cake with a colorful marzipan icing