Okay... this is not going to be a real post today. It's more of a... pre-post warning (which sounds kind of oxymoronic). Basically, I'm going to go see Anton Chekhov's play "Three Sisters" this weekend at the Yale Rep. and I am REALLY EXCITED. You can probably expect a review by Sunday.
I hope that all of your weekends look as promising as mine!
Love,
Caty
P.S. Chekhov is the man. Even if he did call "The Seagull" a "comedy"
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
"A 'Rushin' Play And Tales of Family Angst"
Well... I can't think of anything interesting to say about what's going on in my life right now that hasn't been said before. So I'll just say that Procrastination is a life choice, and I have chosen it. As a result, I can write a pretty decent paper in under an hour. I probably shouldn't push my procrastination skills too much, though. Anyway, I've read two reasonably famous plays lately, and I'm going to tell you about them both.
Instead of reviewing one thing at time, like I normally do, I'm going to switch it up by doing a little compare and contrast of the play "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard and "The Seagull" by Anton Chekhov. Both plays concerned dysfunctional family relations. "Buried Child" took place in rural Illinois and "The Seagull" took place in Russia (I really just don't know where) on an estate by a lake. Shepard explored such things as personal identity vs. family inheritance, incestuous relationships, and the dynamics of a broken family. "The Seagull" also had an element of familial issues because of a rather complex Love Square (even more deadly than the feared Love Triangle!). There is very professional visualization below:
Perhaps my favorite part about both of these plays, though, was the way they mixed tragedy with comedy. For "Buried Child" it was the way the family communicated with each other (through slander and leg-pulling), and for Chekhov it was the complexities of everyday life as well as a light kind of tone.
To be completely honest, I HATED "Buried Child" the first time I read it. I didn't agree with one of the main themes and I thought it was just too dark. Upon re-reading it I liked it, though. I think that this is because by the time I got to the end of the play I forgot all of the comedy in the beginning. As for "The Seagull," I liked it. I just don't think it should be called a "Comedy," no matter how ironic it is. If you read it/have read it, you will know what I mean.
I was going to do a much more in-depth compare and contrast, but I seem to have lost some motivation. I do, after all, have Devo blasting and another play to read ("Golden Boy"). I will leave you with the most frustrating and most enjoyable parts of each play.
"Buried Child": Very ambiguous about a great deal of things, but has some very funny moments and allows for a lot of individual interpretation.
"The Seagull": All of the characters have 3 names (which makes it VERY DIFFICULT to read effectively), but was written beautifully (could be one of my favorite plays, even if it is NOT a comedy).
Other than read plays, all I've done is watch "The Princess & The Frog" (which I love). It's set in the '30s, has Jazz music composed by Randy Newman, and is a classically drawn Disney movie. I think that there is no way this movie couldn't be awesome. But then again, I like Disney movies...
So, anyway, I have some Calculus homework to punch in the face and some Dunkin' Donuts coffee to drink. I bid you adieu and hope that wherever you may be in life and in the world, you have a great day.
Love,
Caty
Instead of reviewing one thing at time, like I normally do, I'm going to switch it up by doing a little compare and contrast of the play "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard and "The Seagull" by Anton Chekhov. Both plays concerned dysfunctional family relations. "Buried Child" took place in rural Illinois and "The Seagull" took place in Russia (I really just don't know where) on an estate by a lake. Shepard explored such things as personal identity vs. family inheritance, incestuous relationships, and the dynamics of a broken family. "The Seagull" also had an element of familial issues because of a rather complex Love Square (even more deadly than the feared Love Triangle!). There is very professional visualization below:
To be completely honest, I HATED "Buried Child" the first time I read it. I didn't agree with one of the main themes and I thought it was just too dark. Upon re-reading it I liked it, though. I think that this is because by the time I got to the end of the play I forgot all of the comedy in the beginning. As for "The Seagull," I liked it. I just don't think it should be called a "Comedy," no matter how ironic it is. If you read it/have read it, you will know what I mean.
I was going to do a much more in-depth compare and contrast, but I seem to have lost some motivation. I do, after all, have Devo blasting and another play to read ("Golden Boy"). I will leave you with the most frustrating and most enjoyable parts of each play.
"Buried Child": Very ambiguous about a great deal of things, but has some very funny moments and allows for a lot of individual interpretation.
"The Seagull": All of the characters have 3 names (which makes it VERY DIFFICULT to read effectively), but was written beautifully (could be one of my favorite plays, even if it is NOT a comedy).
Other than read plays, all I've done is watch "The Princess & The Frog" (which I love). It's set in the '30s, has Jazz music composed by Randy Newman, and is a classically drawn Disney movie. I think that there is no way this movie couldn't be awesome. But then again, I like Disney movies...
So, anyway, I have some Calculus homework to punch in the face and some Dunkin' Donuts coffee to drink. I bid you adieu and hope that wherever you may be in life and in the world, you have a great day.
Love,
Caty
Thursday, September 15, 2011
"The Unusual Suspects"
College is... not too shabby! I've made a few more friends, and am starting to feel like I actually live here. Saw some Alaskans this past weekend, which was awesome, went to NYC (AMAZING), and just generally had a decent week. But enough about me, what of my reviews that I know you're all just DYING to read?! Well, I've got a few, so don't worry.
A truly wonderful film that I watched was "The Usual Suspects." Kevin Spacey is the actor I want to be some day. He's so amazing! The plot twist was one I would normally catch, but he fooled me. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't really say much besides "watch the movie!"
Another goodie that I rewatched lately was "Julie & Julia." Frankly... it's a chick-flick (though I did get my brother to watch it and he enjoyed it!). It's very cute and creative. Amy Adams is one of my very favorite actresses. If you're looking for a lot of depth, look elsewhere. However, this flick has more to offer than some lame kiss-kiss movie. It's good. Watch it... if you like chick flicks, anyway.
I really can't think of any other movies right now. I've been too busy for them lately! Anyway, stay classy, have a great day.
Love,
Caty
A truly wonderful film that I watched was "The Usual Suspects." Kevin Spacey is the actor I want to be some day. He's so amazing! The plot twist was one I would normally catch, but he fooled me. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't really say much besides "watch the movie!"
Another goodie that I rewatched lately was "Julie & Julia." Frankly... it's a chick-flick (though I did get my brother to watch it and he enjoyed it!). It's very cute and creative. Amy Adams is one of my very favorite actresses. If you're looking for a lot of depth, look elsewhere. However, this flick has more to offer than some lame kiss-kiss movie. It's good. Watch it... if you like chick flicks, anyway.
I really can't think of any other movies right now. I've been too busy for them lately! Anyway, stay classy, have a great day.
Love,
Caty
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
"Better Late Than Never..."
Well, I'm all settled in for college, I have some coffee beside me, and I just ate a pop-tart. The time is nigh for me to write some reviews! Honestly, though, I've watched so many movies over the past few weeks that I really can't review them all today. I WILL review "Oleanna" finally, though! And some other interesting theatre productions as well.
"Oleanna" is.... intense. Apparently this is a common characteristic for the works of playwright David Mamet. I'm going to review it objectively, and then personally.
"Oleanna: is a two-person play that takes place in a professor's office. The characters: a female college student, passionate about equal opportunity for women despite her somewhat unpolished study habits, and a professor who thinks rather loftily of himself as a result of his being ready for tenure. The student, Carol, is struggling with professor John's class, and has decided to meet with him privately in his office about a specific assignment, which she failed, and his her lack of understanding for his lectures in general (which, the audience can assume from his rather overdone prose, are in fact quite confusing). John is highly stressed because he is trying to buy a house for his wife and child, and his stress is exacerbated by Carol's lack of understanding.
There are three acts in the play, with three major themes.
Act 1- Men are callous and overbearing, women are weak, stupid. (Carol is in submission to John)
Act 2- Women are scheming and men are manipulative and brutish. (John and Carol are equal)
Act 3- Everyone is wrong. (John is in submission to Carol)
The use of role-reversal is brilliant and scripted perfectly. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's all I'll say. As for the performers, they were good. I couldn't find any major flaws in their acting, nor was I uncomfortable with them (except where intended by the playwright, of course).
Personally, I probably liked this play more than I normally would have because of who I viewed it with. I still wasn't a huge fan. I thought that the actors were a little too comfortable in their roles, and had lost the edge that I'm sure was present opening night. Don't get me wrong, they were good! They just started off a little bland for me (because I'm a super-critic, I'm sorry). Additionally, I'm not a fan of depressing, human-condition type plays.
All-in-all, the play was brilliant, if not "pleasurable" for me. It really is some good stuff.
Now, I was going to review "Truly, Madly, Deeply" next, but "Oleanna" kind of took it out of me. So I'll direct your attention to the fun little series that I watched over the course of two days. Ladies and gentleman, please give a hand to.... "Freaks & Geeks!"
"Freaks & Geeks" was a short-lived TV series set in 1980. The main protagonists were Lindsey (a junior in highschool who had just joined the Freaks after leaving the world of the Mathletes), and her younger brother (who was a borderline midget and definitely a member of the Geeks). It's a cute series that centers around the tough decisions between cool and morally right, in a way that is less.... lame than most "dilemma" shows. I recommend it highly. It's funny, and has some good tidbits about morality and how to survive some awkward years in your life.
Well, that's all for me tonight. I'll try to make it a habit to write more regularly. I know I've said that before, but I have a more definite schedule for my life right now, so it's more likely to become reality this time.
At any rate, I love you all, whoever you may be.
Fondest Wishes,
Caty
"Oleanna" is.... intense. Apparently this is a common characteristic for the works of playwright David Mamet. I'm going to review it objectively, and then personally.
"Oleanna: is a two-person play that takes place in a professor's office. The characters: a female college student, passionate about equal opportunity for women despite her somewhat unpolished study habits, and a professor who thinks rather loftily of himself as a result of his being ready for tenure. The student, Carol, is struggling with professor John's class, and has decided to meet with him privately in his office about a specific assignment, which she failed, and his her lack of understanding for his lectures in general (which, the audience can assume from his rather overdone prose, are in fact quite confusing). John is highly stressed because he is trying to buy a house for his wife and child, and his stress is exacerbated by Carol's lack of understanding.
There are three acts in the play, with three major themes.
Act 1- Men are callous and overbearing, women are weak, stupid. (Carol is in submission to John)
Act 2- Women are scheming and men are manipulative and brutish. (John and Carol are equal)
Act 3- Everyone is wrong. (John is in submission to Carol)
The use of role-reversal is brilliant and scripted perfectly. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's all I'll say. As for the performers, they were good. I couldn't find any major flaws in their acting, nor was I uncomfortable with them (except where intended by the playwright, of course).
Personally, I probably liked this play more than I normally would have because of who I viewed it with. I still wasn't a huge fan. I thought that the actors were a little too comfortable in their roles, and had lost the edge that I'm sure was present opening night. Don't get me wrong, they were good! They just started off a little bland for me (because I'm a super-critic, I'm sorry). Additionally, I'm not a fan of depressing, human-condition type plays.
All-in-all, the play was brilliant, if not "pleasurable" for me. It really is some good stuff.
Now, I was going to review "Truly, Madly, Deeply" next, but "Oleanna" kind of took it out of me. So I'll direct your attention to the fun little series that I watched over the course of two days. Ladies and gentleman, please give a hand to.... "Freaks & Geeks!"
"Freaks & Geeks" was a short-lived TV series set in 1980. The main protagonists were Lindsey (a junior in highschool who had just joined the Freaks after leaving the world of the Mathletes), and her younger brother (who was a borderline midget and definitely a member of the Geeks). It's a cute series that centers around the tough decisions between cool and morally right, in a way that is less.... lame than most "dilemma" shows. I recommend it highly. It's funny, and has some good tidbits about morality and how to survive some awkward years in your life.
Well, that's all for me tonight. I'll try to make it a habit to write more regularly. I know I've said that before, but I have a more definite schedule for my life right now, so it's more likely to become reality this time.
At any rate, I love you all, whoever you may be.
Fondest Wishes,
Caty
Monday, August 1, 2011
"Homer's Where The Heart Is!"
I went to Homer yesterday, and I have not felt this good in a long time. In about a year, in fact. The atmosphere, the attitude, the friends... I loved it. Even went to mini-Woodstock (a.k.a. Concert On The Lawn) and saw a play. Fantastic stuff. :)
I've recently been watching Supernatural, the TV series, and it's pretty awesome, if a little too dramatic at times. Not really much to say about it.
To be honest, I really just don't feel like reviewing anything today. I'm exhausted. I'll be back to tell you all about the play and the movies I've been watching (because I'm sure I gave so many enthralled readers).
Anyway, I hope you are well. I love you.
~Caty
I've recently been watching Supernatural, the TV series, and it's pretty awesome, if a little too dramatic at times. Not really much to say about it.
To be honest, I really just don't feel like reviewing anything today. I'm exhausted. I'll be back to tell you all about the play and the movies I've been watching (because I'm sure I gave so many enthralled readers).
Anyway, I hope you are well. I love you.
~Caty
Thursday, July 14, 2011
"Don't You Point That Drama Llama At Me!"
I hate drama. I know it's ironic since I like acting and all that, but I really just can't stand it. It's just petty. If you disagree with me or are upset with me, just tell me and I'll work on it. Don't sneak around behind my back and create angst. That being said, let us move on to the art of drama!
I watched the movie "Se7en" last night. It is very creepy, disturbing, and definitely rated R. Brad Pitt + Morgan Freeman = YES. The acting was superb and the production was great despite the age of the film and the fact that I was watching it on VHS. It's a gritty '90s look with just the subtlest hints of noir in it. And there's a couple other stars who appear as well: Gwyneth Paltrow & Kevin Spacey. I made the mistake of watching it all alone at late o' clock. It was even dark (which is strange for AK in the summer). It scared the crap out of me. I suggest it only for those who are okay with movies like "Silence of the Lambs" or "Pan's Labyrinth." It's pretty intense, but very good if you can handle it.
Another movie I recently watched was "Get Low." It's a drama about an old man who's going to die soon and is getting everything ready for his death, including a funeral party to be held before his death. It's set somewhere around the 1920s in the West and stars Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, and Sissy Spacek. It's pretty good, if not one of my preferred genres or favorite movies. I liked it.
I also watched "Braveheart" for the first time. It requires no review; it's that epic.
The weather has been lovely, and I've been driving around a lot in it. Nothin' like a drive on a sunny day while blasting "Bat Out of Hell." I wish goodness to you.
Love,
Caty
P.S. Castiel & the Trickster are the best characters ever. I <3 Supernatural
I watched the movie "Se7en" last night. It is very creepy, disturbing, and definitely rated R. Brad Pitt + Morgan Freeman = YES. The acting was superb and the production was great despite the age of the film and the fact that I was watching it on VHS. It's a gritty '90s look with just the subtlest hints of noir in it. And there's a couple other stars who appear as well: Gwyneth Paltrow & Kevin Spacey. I made the mistake of watching it all alone at late o' clock. It was even dark (which is strange for AK in the summer). It scared the crap out of me. I suggest it only for those who are okay with movies like "Silence of the Lambs" or "Pan's Labyrinth." It's pretty intense, but very good if you can handle it.
Another movie I recently watched was "Get Low." It's a drama about an old man who's going to die soon and is getting everything ready for his death, including a funeral party to be held before his death. It's set somewhere around the 1920s in the West and stars Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, and Sissy Spacek. It's pretty good, if not one of my preferred genres or favorite movies. I liked it.
I also watched "Braveheart" for the first time. It requires no review; it's that epic.
The weather has been lovely, and I've been driving around a lot in it. Nothin' like a drive on a sunny day while blasting "Bat Out of Hell." I wish goodness to you.
Love,
Caty
P.S. Castiel & the Trickster are the best characters ever. I <3 Supernatural
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Foghat Disciple
I've been taking kind of a slow ride lately; trying to get ready for college and working as much as possible and giving myself lots of free time to just enjoy what I've got and look forward to what's coming. I've watched some truly terrible movies recently, but it was worth it because I got to watch them with my brosef. They were hilarious. Among them were: "Critters," "Critters 2," "Critters 3," and "Leprechaun."
The first Critters movie was alright, but an obvious rip-off of the hit "Gremlins." I preferred the sequel, because it was all-out ridiculous and there was a red-head with a mullet. "Critters 3" was absolutely awful. Even Austin didn't like it, and he's no critic.
Now, "Leprechaun" was still pretty lame, but Warwick Davis (who also played Willow and pretty much every cool dwarf-person in Hollywood) is worth the lack of acceptable script/acting. Jennifer Aniston is also in it. I'm nit sure if this was her first movie, but it was when she was still a brunette (and before she learned how to act apparently).
To make it even better, all of those movies were made during the height of the Cheesy '80s.
Something I do recommend, though, is the TV series Supernatural. It's pretty awesome. Towards the end of the series, they take a few liberties with Christian Doctrine, but I think they do a good enough job of making it obvious that they're not serious about what they're saying about the Bible. It's a great show.
Anyway, I hope you are doing well, whoever and wherever you are. I love you, and wish the best for you. Live fully.
Caty
The first Critters movie was alright, but an obvious rip-off of the hit "Gremlins." I preferred the sequel, because it was all-out ridiculous and there was a red-head with a mullet. "Critters 3" was absolutely awful. Even Austin didn't like it, and he's no critic.
Now, "Leprechaun" was still pretty lame, but Warwick Davis (who also played Willow and pretty much every cool dwarf-person in Hollywood) is worth the lack of acceptable script/acting. Jennifer Aniston is also in it. I'm nit sure if this was her first movie, but it was when she was still a brunette (and before she learned how to act apparently).
To make it even better, all of those movies were made during the height of the Cheesy '80s.
Something I do recommend, though, is the TV series Supernatural. It's pretty awesome. Towards the end of the series, they take a few liberties with Christian Doctrine, but I think they do a good enough job of making it obvious that they're not serious about what they're saying about the Bible. It's a great show.
Anyway, I hope you are doing well, whoever and wherever you are. I love you, and wish the best for you. Live fully.
Caty
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