Movie List 2013: 1 - 5

* = rewatched

1.*

Hot Fuzz

Nicholas Angel is a hotshot cop from the city, but when his tenacity starts to make the department look bad they send him to a small town in order to get him out of their hair. However, things in this quiet hamlet might not be as peaceful as he was led to believe.

Shaun of the Dead : Zombie Movies
Hot Fuzz : Action Movies

Nuff said.

Nicholas Angel.

Don't forget your friends and guns.

...For the greater good.

2.*

Home Alone

During the Christmas holiday season a young boy is accidentally left home alone when his family goes on vacation to Paris. When robbers decide to rob the boy's house, it's up to the boy to defend it.

Remember when Macaulay Culkin was not only a cute little kid, but the cute little kid? Honestly, if you haven't seen Home Alone then you should probably sit down and rethink your life choices. It's not only one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made, it's also one of the greatest slapstick comedies ever made.

My family's gone?

Its my house, I must defend it.

I'm not scared anymore.

3.

Jingle All the Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad play terrible fathers who are desperate to get their kids a hot new toy for Christmas.

My roommate is convinced that this is a secretly brilliant movie. It's certainly not a good movie, but I've gotta admit there's something bizarrely terrible about it that is kind of enjoyable. Plus the fact that it takes place in Minnesota adds a whole nother layer [there is honestly a scene where Arnold supposedly pushes his car from downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul, but I don't think they wanted us to notice that.] I don't even know what to tell you. It's a certainly a train wreck, but who doesn't want to gawk at train wrecks from time to time?

Jamie, listen up,

It's not that I don't love you,

I'm just a bad dad. 

4.

Django Unchained

A freed slave teams up with a German bounty hunter in order to rescue his wife from a cruel plantation owner.

Quentin Tarantino directed this movie. That's an important thing to know. I can't remember who, but someone described this movie as being a master's class in violence. Violence as revenge, violence as fun, violence as horror, violence as catharsis, etc. I really wish I could remember who pointed this out, because it's a rather brilliant point. The movie is a perfect balancing act between action and comedy, fantasy and reality, horror and romance. Did I mention the acting is all around superb? Anyways, I loved this movie. I'd say it's my favorite Quentin Tarantino movie. I'd also say it's one of my favorite 2012 movies.

Sure I saw it in 2013, but still. The point stands.

Kill some white people,

Be a badass, save the day.

Now this job I like.

5.

Grosse Point Blank

A depressed hit man attends his high school reunion and tries to win the heart of his high school love while surviving attempts on his life.

I'm not sure how I made it so long without having ever seen this movie. I mean, it's got John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Alan Arkin, Minnie Driver, Hank Azaria, and Dan Aykroyd? That's a cast right there. I don't really know what to say. It had me at "A comedy about John Cusack as a hit man" and it did not disappoint. The whole thing is just a whole lot of fun.

I love your daughter.

And have new respect for life.

Martin Blank: Hit man.

More Poetry

Tailwind

I wish I could control the wind,

for I would calm the seas

And we could go forth boldly,

together: you and me.

I wish that I could help you.

I wish that I could fill your sails.

I wish you didn't have to struggle.

I wish that I could ease your ails.

But though I wish

I know I can't.

I can't control the waves

and I cannot bend the winds.

I cannot change your fate

or save you from chagrin.

But I can sit beside you

and I can hold your hand.

And we can be lost together

as we drift towards unknown lands.

Poetical Shorts

I've been posting a fair number of poems on Facebook recently, so I figured I'd collect some of the shorter ones and post them here for posterity's sake.

Afraid of Everything

I'm afraid of failure

and I also fear of success.

I'm afraid to be too happy,

but I'm afraid to be depressed.

I'm afraid that I'm no good

and I'm afraid that I'm an ass.

I'm afraid of beauty

because I'm afraid that I'm too crass.

I'm afraid of all these things,

and I'm afraid it's true,

that I'm afraid of me

and I'm even more afraid of you.

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Staff Selection*

Cider! Cider! amber bright,

Set aglow by fridge's light;

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy scrumptious symmetry?

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looping

I'm never going to learn my lesson,

I'm never going to see the end.

I'm just gonna make the same mistakes

again and again

and again

and again.

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So

So you're lovely.

So you're smart.

So you smell nice

and make art.

So you're messy.

So you snore.

So you can't cook

and slam the door.

So you're caring

and well-read.

So you're soft

and great in bed.

So you get sad

and never say.

So you're awkward

and lose your way.

So your laugh

and so your voice.

So your eyes

make me rejoice.

So you're perfect.

So you're not.

And so I love you

quite a lot.

*Very clearly parodying William Blake's brilliant poem The Tyger here.