A walk-on part of a background shot of a movie I'm not in.

I'm aching to see this movie! I bought tickets to see it at the Bondi Open Air, but for some reason I've long chosen to forget I didn't go - I think I double-booked myself, as I'm prone to doing. It's nothing to do with popularity, but entirely to do with disorganisation (my middle name, as you have it). Have you seen it? It looks really cute and quirky, and let's be honest you can't really lose where Alison Janey is involved.
I'm also kind of excited to see Scott Pilgrim vs The World. It looks so ridiculous and nerdy. I've moved on from my Michael Cera love and am firmly in geek-love with Jason Schwartzman instead (listen to Coconut Records...AHHH-mazing!)

Did you ever think of marrying just for fun?

This photo has me tickled pink. It's of Clarke Gable and his then wife Carole Lombard tucking into a big hunk of watermelon. They look like they're so much fun, don't they?

Lombard was known for her wacky parties - one was hospital themed where everyone dressed up and doctors and nurses and food was served on a make-shift operating table. The guests ate out of bedpans (hmm...) and used operating utensils to eat.

I like that someone with so much spunk and humour was the woman who captured Hollywood's ultimate ladies man. And from all accounts she was the love of his life.

Supposedly the main reason he even considered Gone With The Wind was because he needed a divorce in order to marry Lombard - so took the role of Rhett to earn enough money to pay out his ex-wife and move on with Lombard.

Their seemingly blissful marriage ended abruptly when she died at 33, in a plane crash during WWII. From all accounts Gable was never the same, reportedly searching for her engagement ring for an entire year after.

And that is my story for the day. I'm a bit obsessed with the Golden Age of Hollywood...can you tell?

Something to brighten up hump day

Timelapse movie: The Alps -- part II (night) from Michael Rissi on Vimeo.

About a girl

On the same day that I discovered Brunette, the hazelnut spread that will play a pivotal role in my life, I also toddled off to the movies with Ma and Pa, as well as Oh. Talk about ultimate double date. That's right, I double date with my parents and it's great!
We had scored some free tickets to An Education. I'm terrible at synopses so I will sum it up in the below picture that captures the mood of the movie quite well...

(On another note, why do boy stick figures get to be naked? I guess I should ask myself that seeing as I drew it...)
Basically the movie is the above picture, except set in the 1960s in England, with much better fashion and some fantastic Parisian scenery (as per the poster).

I could go on and on about whether or not I liked the movie (I did, it was a screenplay by Nick Hornby which = win in my books), but I'd rather focus on Carey Mulligan who plays the lead, Jenny.
This girl is cuteness on a stick! She plays this part so convincingly and so sweetly that I couldn't take my eyes of her. I've heard a whisper she is in the running for an Oscar, and while the movie itself probably isn't worthy, I think her role might be.
If you've got a spare two hours and some money to burn, An Education isn't the worst way to spend it.

Can't buy me love... but you can give me free tickets!

I have a mug on my desk that says "I love free stuff" and I really do.

So imagine my delight when mother dearest called and gave me a code to get tickets to a free movie. Thanks Ma!!

If you're interested in movies, and particularly disinterested in paying for it, I suggest you check out See Film First.

Well I'm Sold...

For those of you who remember Joseph Gordon Levitt as the long haired, dorky adolescent from 3rd Rock from the Sun - do yourself a favour and see 500 Days of Summer.

This boy is just cuteness personified.

I'm not going to spoil any of the movie other than to say prepare yourself for a movie drowning in cute and a little bit of heartbreak. The soundtrack alone is enough to make it worthy of your time (Feist! Regina!). Ultimately it's the adorable pairing of Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel that makes this movie, discovering the very real highs and lows of falling in and out of love. Heck, this film earned major points in my book for making IKEA look fun (which is what I've been arguing for years!)

It's quirky, sweet and refreshing, if not a little jarring for the romantic at heart. But absolutely worth $17.50 and a couple of hours of your life.

Oh and Ms Deschanel's (now Mrs Gibbard for any Death Cab fans) wardrobe is to die for.

Grey Gardens

If you have Foxtel (specifically the showcase channel) and you're home on Saturday night, I highly recommend you watch Grey Gardens.

It tells the fascinating tale of mother and daughter, Big "Edie" and Little "Edie", who were the aunt and cousin of famous First Lady Jackie O. The two lived a somewhat reclusive life in their house, Grey Gardens. The two were eccentric to say the least... and sometimes downright weird.

In the 70s they received attention after a documentary, also titled Grey Gardens, was made about their peculiar lives. The women were believed to be living in filth (apparently sometimes literally in their own...ew) and the house was practically dilapidated. The film crew had to wear flea collars around the ankles when filming due to the the poor level of hygiene. Jackie O stepped in and offered to clean up the house... 1,000 bags of rubbish later the job was done.

Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange star in the movie adaptation, inspired by the documentary, of this mother and daughter's curious relationship. From all accounts, it's definitely worth checking out.