"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

"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

"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

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

"Best Laid Plans, etc."

Well, I wrote a hefty blog post today to make up for my lack thereof the last month or so, but a glitch in the Spell Check erased it and I don't have time to write it again before Church today, which is more important. Maybe I'll write again this evening since I have this nifty new laptop now.

At any rate, I love you all and hope your Sundays are fantastic.
Love,
Caty

The Show Must Go On!

I confess; I failed to meet my deadline this week. Granted my car broke down, I have a show next weekend, and I have to send off all of my college and scholarship information... no biggie. The fact of the matter is, I could've made a post even with all of that going on. It would've been lame and said something like "Can't talk; I'm working like a madwoman!" But it would've been better than nothing.

I've only watched one new movie recently, and that was "Knight & Day." I gotta say, I liked it. Tom Cruise played a different character (for once), and Cameron Diaz is just charming... well at least I think so. The whole movie was pretty much cute, with awesome action sequences thrown in. It seems as though it was pretty much designed as a date movie, to keep both the boy and girl happy. There wasn't really much acting called for, because it's kind of a fluff movie, but I would recommend you watch it if you're in a happy-go-lucky mood. Oh, and if you like classic cars, there's quite a bit of stunt driving with one of the more famous models toward the end of the movie. :)

In Ecclesiastes, not much has happened. My favorite thing thus far has been Solomon advising people to be content with what they have. That's also more or less the only new thing he's said between chapter 3 and chapter 6. However, these chapters do seem much more personal, somehow. It's almost as though Solomon's pain comes through the pages, begging me to sit and enjoy life. It's not really anything that the words say, it's just this feeling that I get. I feel kind of bad for him.

Well, thanks for reading. I hope you have a great day!

Love,
Caty

What's That "Whooshing" Noise?... Oh Crap, That's Spring!!!

Well, it's seems that time is out of whack lately. It seems like spring is still far away, but it also seems like so long before the bell finally rings at school, or a new day finally starts. I've come to hate going to sleep, and to love to start my day (though not the waking up part). I feel stronger now that I know I'm weak, and wiser now that I know I've been dumb. I want to light up people's days, and not have to feel like holding my head up is in any way comparable Atlas holding the World upon his shoulders. I feel giddily melancholy and pensively exuberant. This, strangely enough, is normal. I am a paradox in a box, and I like it that way.

Moving on to more broad topics, I have not watched any movies of late. I know, it's a shocker! I've watched some TV series, though, so you can stop reaching for the phone to dial for help. I watched Red Vs. Blue (a charming little series), and Dr. Who. There are few shows that resonate with my soul like Dr. Who does. It's happy and poignant, lovable and teriffying. It is life. Sure, the situations are unrealistic and amazingly science-fictionesque, but the way people respond to different crises is amazing. The acting, production, and script of this show are all brilliant. And it's been going since the '60s!!! It's also clean, with no cursing or sex of any kind. The basis of the show is that the good guys win. This is not to say that people don't die. In fact, my favorite characters seem to always die... I hate that. What it means is that no matter how hopeless a situation may be, there is always hope and that no one life is worth less than another. I love it so :)

Now, Ecclesiastes is a weird book. It's like Solomon's own personal diary, where he writes down his emo rants. Not really, but closer to reality than you'd think. Solomon pines away because he sees life as meaningless. He says that being wise doesn't matter, because both the sage and the fool will die; he also says that living is pointless, because you're going to die, but you might as well enjoy it while you've got it. The best parts so far (and I've only read through chapter 3 as of yet) are when he realizes that true joy comes from God. He says that all God does is final, and all he does has been done, and will be done. It's like a cycle-thing... Honestly, it really matches up with what I've been reading in Donald Miller's book, "Blue Like Jazz." The stuff you want most isn't really worth it, and it'll probably kill you anyway. I usually love Solomon, but I guess I'm just not in the mood for him lately, so I've been cutting my Bible reading with Mr. Miller. I recommend it, it's great work.

I hope you're doing well, whoever and wherever you are.

Sincerely,
Caty

P.S. Sexy Carrot