31 Days of Film - Day 21: The film that not only changed the way you saw cinema, but the way you saw the world

Erin took me to see Big Fish (playing at the Orca Theater) for my 19th birthday. I'd been having a rough go of late, and so she wanted to treat me. I was a huge Ewan McGregor fangirl at the time (still am) and it was his latest and greatest film. It was also a Tim Burton film, and his work normally creeps me out... so we weren't sure how this movie would be... but it was a way to get me out of the house - so off we went.

The film was brilliant. Everything a film should be. I still feel this is Burton's greatest film (and will probably always feel this way). It has heart and a way of weaving a story that isn't just the narrator (and main character's) flowery way of spinning the truth. I still don't know if I understand all of it... but it was thought provoking - and for a barely 19 year old girl it was life changing.

The casting was sublime - not just McGregor, everyone was spot on for the characters they played. The story was interesting (I've not read the book as I'm worried the movie took too many liberties as most often do). I'm not keen on the whole affair/double life aspect of the story - but the love story between Edward and Sandra is so compelling. It's the part I don't totally understand about the film, but who doesn't get all giddy with the field of daffodils scene?!

 

SANDRA TEMPLETON, I LOVE YOU AND I WILL MARRY YOU!

It's honestly just such a beautiful film. I used to watch it over and over, and haven't seen it in a long while. I may have to remedy that sometime this weekend. I hear it's now a musical on broadway (or about to be). I hope it's good... and I hope that it's successful enough to some day make it's way out on tour to Alaska. I'd love to see how it stands up to the movie.

Kenai Animal Shelter Portraits - August 20

Here are the portraits of the newest kitties and doggies at the Kenai Animal Shelter. Be sure to stop in and find your new furever friend! They're open for adoptions Tuesday - Saturday. All of the animals they have there right now are great!

31 Days of Film - Day 20: best political film

I was going to choose Lincoln - but the ending was a bust. As much as I love Spielberg and act as if I can't find fault with him - he missed the mark in the ending of Lincoln (I'd have ended with him walking down the hall, and then fade to his speech. The assassination was unnecessary). So I chose my next favorite "political" film.

Helen Mirren was perfectly cast as "The Queen" - the film takes place in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death and shows what the Royal Family dealt with, with the ugliness of the media and "fans" of the slain former royal. I was barely in jr. high when Diana died, so I grew up/was more aware of the aftermath and I never got the hero worship she gets. I also don't get the obsession Americans have with the royal family (I mean, didn't we win a war so we didn't HAVE to be enamored with them?!)

But this film brought a humanity to the Royal Family that folks had forgotten they might possess. It was actually refreshing that it took a decent look into not only the political structure, but the emotional ones surrounding The Queen's decisions during that troubled time. Sure it wasn't a war or political take over - but it was a kind of celebrity Armageddon that was completely out of control. Honestly, the reasons given in the film for why they "hid away" for so long made complete sense to me. That the hyperbole of the media and Diana's family created the hate spewed at the family was completely uncalled for... but there again I'm not a fan of Diana or the family. And it's "just a movie" interpretation to what happened.

James Cromwell was fabulous as Prince Phillip as well. But when is he not fabulous?!

31 Days of Film - Day 19: First film you saw in theaters

It was a double feature, and I honestly don't remember which one is first, so I'll just do both. Which shouldn't be too hard as I adore both movies. The movies were Disney's Oliver and Company and Lucas/Spielberg's The Land Before Time, and I was in love with them. I was obsessed - especially with Land Before Time.  I loved dinosaurs (still do), I dressed up as a dinosaur for several years for Halloween. My aunt made the costume, it was epic!

I loved Little Foot, Cera, Duckie, Peetry and Spike. I loved being scared by SharpTooth, and I cried for Little Foot's mommy. I was 3 or 4 years old when it came out. I had all of the toys, clothes, books. It was a huge fan. I don't know if it was the story or the fact that I saw it larger than life on the big screen, but it impacted my childhood greatly.

I was destined to be a super nerdy kid, I know. I was also very much a tomboy, so while princesses were a big deal to a lot of my friends growing up, I was more into the dinosaur movies, or the princesses male counterparts and sidekicks. They were having more fun than the girls in the frilly dresses. I think I appreciate the princesses more now as an adult than I ever did as a kid (though I did love Belle and Jasmine as a kid).

Oliver and Company was every kid's dream in a way. It was about dogs and cats (getting along). It starred a super cute kitten who just wanted a home and found one with his girl Penny a lonely girl from a rich family. You had a merry band of misfit mutts who team up with the cat to save the girl. It's still adorable, though these days I can't watch it often without tearing up with how Oliver is abandoned as an unwanted kitten.

The music is timeless - I mean it's Billy-freaking-Joel! I don't like him as a person (I think he's smarmy) but I love his music and the songs in this movie don't disappoint (as I type this I'm listening to Why Should I Worry?). Dodger is one cool cat of a dog, and Georgette is the perfect poodle stereotype. Cheech Marin as Tito offers the perfect amount of comic relief...

I had a lot of Oliver & Company swag (including this super cool sweat shirt that had Oliver on it and his eyes where holographic so they moved!) and I was on a mission later that year when I went to Disneyland to find an Oliver doll (I didn't get one, settled for Lady from Lady and the Tramp, and an Eeyore -and a dinosaur!- instead).

There's a lot of humor I didn't get as a child ( isn't that how most Disney movies go? ) but now I can sit and laugh at parts that made no sense in my first viewing.

31 Days of Film - Day 18: Worst script in a film

I loved Batman growing up. I watched the reruns of the horribly cheesy tv show. So I'm not asking for a though provoking, Schindler's List type script from a Batman movie.. but after the great films from the 80s and early 90s, you expect at least some sort of decent and fun script.

This movie was not fun, clever, or even well acted. The casting was just as bad as the writing (seriously Clooney as Batman SUCKS). It was thrown together and just a mess. It was so disappointing.

I mean, I was so creeped out by Batman (Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson) that I couldn't watch it for years after my first viewing. And, so this day, I cannot watch Jack Nicholson in anything (including the Oscars) without wanting to cry. He creeped me out that much.

Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfiffer, and Danny DeVito had the same affect in Batman, Returns. They were incredibly creepy (in DeVito's case he was super disgusting). Even Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey delivered awesome Batman Villain performances (with Val Kilmer as the caped crusader). Uma Thurman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and George Clooney (and Alicia Silverstone) were just a huge disappointment.

My fangirl crush of Chris O'Donnell was not enough for me to make it all the way through this film. It's that lame. I'd rather watch the 1960s Batman movie!

31 Days of Film - Day 17: Best scene ever in a movie

The original prompt was "most beautiful" scene, but I can't think of one that stands out among all of them (now, TV that'd be easy ha ha). However, my all time favorite scene in any film is easy to choose. I've thought this scene was BRILLIANT since PotC came to theaters in the summer of 2003.

I went into the film thinking it wasn't going to be much of anything and was blown away. I hadn't had a high regard for Disney films in quite some time. Sure, PIXAR movies were good (great!) but they were just partnered with Disney - no run by them. Stories had been lacking for most off my teen years, I expected PotC to be another one of their lame attempts and revitalizing their franchise (I mean, they based a movie off of a theme park attraction).

It started off good enough with the whole crossing of the ocean, and then jumping to Lizzie and Will angst... but it wasn't until the scene that introduced Jack Sparrow that this film went from being another pirate movie to the most amazingly humorous adventure EVER. Curse of the Black Pearl is near movie perfection. Johnny Depp created a fantastic character, and Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom, Geoffry Rush and Jack Davenport all committed so well to the story and their characters. It was casting made perfect.

I saw it four times in theaters, and this scene NEVER failed to crack me up!


4 weeks until we go searching for Captain Jack in Disneyland!

31 Days of Film - Day 16: Movie you totally didn't "get"

Everyone in my friends group (online and here at home) LOVE this trilogy. I am the odd man out. I read the books in Jr. High and didn't care for them, so when the movies came out I was less than interested. I never saw them in theaters, and didn't go to the viewing parties my friends held at their houses when they came to video. I knew I didn't like the story, so seeing it in film format wasn't going to be much better (movies are rarely if ever better than the book!)

I've since suffered through the trilogy (as well as the first Hobbit movie). I just don't get it. Granted, I know my likes aren't always mainstream, so I'm not judging! But the way people react when I say I don't like the movies (or books) you'd think I'd kicked their dog. For me they're long and tedious. They have a few moments here and there that are charming or funny, but for the most part it's just a significant waste of time. Which I don't normally mind wasting time (I'm blogging about movies here, obviously time wasting is something I know how to do) I just want to have a good time while wasting time. And this isn't a good time for me.

I lost friends - or nearly so - over this. (Seriously two guys I grew up with stopped talking to me for WEEKS after I said I didn't like the books/movies. High School, gotta love it.)

I just don't get it! LOL

Cats of the Kenai Animal Shelter

Like the dogs, I have enjoyed getting to know some of the kitties that have come through the Kenai Animal Shelter. They are incredibly cute - and I'm not normally a cat person, but I have a few that if I were I'd totally snatch them up.

So, enjoy these cute bundles of fluff.

Dogs of the Kenai Animal Shelter

I am not sure if I mentioned it on the blog that I am now one of the volunteer photographers at the Kenai Animal Shelter - I know I said something on Twitter and Instagram. I go in on Wednesdays with the help of my best friend Kassy and we photograph all the animals up for adoption. Mostly just kitties and the dogs, but first week I also got to take pics of a very timid Guinea Pig! Ha ha!

Anyway, here are a few of my favorites - some of the animals have already been adopted, but I wanted to share anyway because they're adorable.