A Movie to See: Midnight in Paris

 

After seeing this movie I basically floated out of the theatre!

Midnight in Paris takes everything that is attractive and lovely about Paris and distills it down to 94 minutes of cinematic magic.  It sounds so cliche, but this movie can only be described as magical.  The casting, the story, and the setting (obvs) make this one of the best movies I've seen in awhile!

I was a little worried about Owen Wilson, being, well, Owen Wilson, but he is the best incarnation of Woody Allen yet!  His nervous existential angst is endearing, not annoying.  And the casting of every other character in the movie (I can't tell you exactly who, or it will spoil it!) is nothing less than perfect.  From the epitome of the "ugly American" to an iconic author, every role was filled exceptionally.

If you are missing Paris *ahem* or just want a snapshot of what the big deal about Paris is, see this movie!  You get to see all of the things that make this city one of the most loved places on earth.  My heart literally ached watching characters walk in the rain or visit a Parisian outdoor market.  Cheesy, but true.

The movie was such a hit with friends, it's now part of our next reading assignment for book club!  So, I'm giving you an assignment, too: go see Midnight in Paris!  As soon as you can!

In which I find embarrassment is a constant state of being.

I am, if nothing else, an opinionated person.  There are very few things that fall into a purgatory of indecision in my life: I know what I like and I'm even keener at what I do NOT like.  The one glaring caveat is that saves me from utter jerk-dom is that I allow myself to change my mind.

At a recent book club, which deserves multiple posts all its own, I brought up the subject of books I had read as a teenager that really affected me and after rereading them as an adult, how much they (and I) had changed.  One utterly embarrassing example was The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand. 

As a young woman, I identified with the protagonist, an architect named Howard Roark, who was true to his vision and creativity.  He would never be a part of "the collective" that stole the ideas of these creative few.  On the surface, I thought as a teenager, this book was a-maz-ing.  Be yourself!  Don't follow the crowd!  Middle finger to the man!  It was only after a reread as an adult, when the subtext of Rand's individualism and objectivism was fully realized by me, the reader. 

I was appalled that I had allowed this book into my favorites list as a kid!  The xenophobia and disgust with the "weak" in The Fountainhead really scared me.  I was utterly embarrassed to admit to my book club that this had been a book that I truly enjoyed the first time I read it.  Of course, my perspective and opinion of the book has changed, but it got me wondering: what other books (or movies) did I adore when I was younger only to be embarrassed or bored by now?

Do you have any books that you loved as a kid, but on the second read as an adult they just don't hold up?  I'd love to hear your opinions!  I promise I don't think all of my opinions are the right ones anymore! (Pinky-swear!)

Book Club: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Remember how I was sooooooooo excited for book club?  Well, our first official book club was a success!  I really don't need to mention the fact that we only spent 20 minutes of the 4-5 hours we all were together actually discussing The Hunger Games, do I?  I think the book, being youth fiction, was probably not "meaty" enough to really get some good conversations going. 

The main points that were brought up revolved around the simplicity of the book's main character, Katniss.  She's really portrayed as a product of her surroundings: a killer, unidirectional in her goals, and a heartless survivor.  Most of the book club agreed that they found Peeta, Katniss' "love" interest in the reality killing games, more interesting and much easier to care about.  I did enjoy the commentary on reality television and the rampant voyeurism that is a part of our current pop culture; this theme is central to the "importance" of the Hunger Games.

Some of our book club attendees couldn't help but read the next two books in the trilogy, just to find out the resolution between the characters.  I was tempted to do the same, since the first book was such a page-turner!  But again, as much as we tried to dig deeper into the subtext of The Hunger Games, we realized there wasn't much else to discuss.

In light of that, the next book selected is The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery, and having finished it last night I have no doubts that this text will spark some interesting banter!  Have any of you read this or heard anything about it?  I'd love to hear what you think!  If you haven't read it yet, get reading!  Book club will be in a couple weeks, so you have time!

Book Club!

It seems it's taken a year of talking, but a book club has finally been created and I get to be a part of it!  While I'd like to think my organizational skills are admirable, I just couldn't seem to get book club off the ground.  Lucky for me a friend, Vie, was much better at rallying our friends for a night of conversation, wine, and book talk.

The group decided on The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  It should be a fast read, since it's youth fiction AND every adult I know has been losing their minds over this book.  I'm hoping it's not another Twilight, but I'm already through the first hundred pages and the protagonist, Katniss, is a strong, young woman who can take care of her self and her family...a far cry from the shell of a girl Bella is portrayed as, who seems to be in a constant state of distress and a need to be rescued.

So I was thinking, those of you who can't make it in person to book club, would you like to read along and post your thoughts on the book?  We'll be having book club on December 17ish and I'll do a post about our opinions and the next read!  So get reading!  I can't wait to hear what you think!