All Rileyed Up

I am currently reading The View From Mount Joy for book club and I’m still in the early pages of attending high school with Joe. Joe works for the school paper and during a staff meeting, one of the guys suggests an interview with the school’s exchange student, whose name is Gisele, and the editor replies, “Go ahead, Myers. But don’t try to wangle a date out of it.”

What is it about exchange students? They are often portrayed to be hotties that everyone wants to get with, or completely out of touch with all the ways of American high school and therefore subject to ridicule.

My mother, as a side job, used to help with finding exchange students placement in American homes, and I’ve interacted with countless exchange students. I’ve lived with several of them. Admittedly, there are a couple notable (and one smelly – seriously, it was a problem) exceptions, but for the most part, exchange students fit right in with the space-time-high school continuum. Nothing like these guys:

American Pie. Everyone’s favorite exchange student, Shannon Elizabeth catapulted to stardom after she got naked and pleasured herself in Jason Biggs’ bedroom. I’m SO SURE that happens all the time.

Can’t Hardly Wait. No idea what that exchange student’s name is but he says “Would you like to touch my penis?” to a lovelorn Ethan Embry at a very opportune moment.

Sixteen Candles. Long Duc Dong, baby. Long. Duc. Dong. Sure, it’s funny when he says “That you?” (Yeah, that me.) but what really cracks me up about Long Duc Dong is the way Grandma and Grandpa clap at him to get his attention. “Dong! Dong! Grandpa is talking to you!”

Better Off Dead. Exchange student meets girl next door. Cute, sweet, skis well. AND can fix cars. Is Monique a keeper? All signs point to YES!

Not Another Teen Movie. That forgettable spoof with Areola, the naked exchange student from an ambiguous country. Her whole purpose was… um… did I already say she was naked?

With exception to last one, I still recommend those movies. They’re funny. But when it comes to exchange student portrayals, I’m going to have to give props to non-American films. Try these two:

Linda Linda Linda. This is a Japanese flick wherein three Japanese high schoolers draft the school’s Korean exchange student to be the lead singer in their punk rock band after getting into a fight with the original lead singer, and they have to two days to rehearse for their performance in the school variety show. Honestly, this is what I imagine it feels like to be an exchange student. Doo-na Bae is the exchange student, and she wins my heart in the scene where she meets the guitarist’s ex-boyfriend. Here’s the preview (the preview isn’t in English, but it’s pretty self-explanatory):

l’Auberge Espagnole. In this one, they’re ALL exchange students! Seven college students from different European countries participate in a study abroad program in Barcelona, where they live together in an apartment. The universal language of hilarity ensues. And just wait until you see how they portray the American. (Although, really, I think the British got it worse with the visit from the brother.) Here’s the preview:

So, what about you? Any movie exchange students you thought were superb or superbly ridiculous?

Who among you have read a book and wished it was real?

I want to see Inkheart for the premise alone. Inkheart offers the type of storyline that is so simple and appealing, I am jealous I didn’t think of it myself. I’ve spent a lifetime reading books wishing certain characters were real (Mara Jade) and thankful others weren’t (Hannibal Lector).

Inkheart is a family friendly fantasy adventure about a man and his daughter reading books and bringing the characters to life, you know, that old chestnut. It stars none other than everyone’s favorite family friendly fantasy adventure star, Brendan Fraser (been crushing on him since School Ties).

Over the holidays, I had the opportunity to watch two Brendan Fraser movies: The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Journey to the Center of the Earth. They were about what you’d expect: quick action sequences, seemingly indomitable obstacles overcome with surprising ease, and witty words from Mr. Fraser. And I have to admit, I loved every minute of them. Let me just say, any movie that brings in a team of fighting yetis without any explanation whatsoever is top notch entertainment in my book. That is what all movies need: more yetis.

Inkheart may not have yetis, but it does have unicorns and ferrets. In other words, Inkheart is giving me the two animals my third grade self wished to have as pets rolled up into one big happy film, with a shirtless Paul Bettany playing with fire to boot. Along with Brendan Fraser and Paul Bettany (and the unicorn and ferret), Inkheart co-stars Helen “The Queen” Mirren and Jim “Bridget Jones’ dad” Broadbent, as well as Andy “Gollum” Serkis as the bad guy.

Inkheart comes out January 23, and I can already tell you, Inkheart is awesome. Lack of yetis notwithstanding.

Official Inkheart website here.

Enjoy the preview:

When I’m not reading or writing or dealing with anxious dogs and screaming children at the vet or contemplating liniment cake, THEN I sit down and watch TV. I hesitate to say I “watch TV” since I don’t get any channels, not even the most basic of basic channels – my TV doesn’t have an antenna. Thanks to the wonders of Netflix, though, I can still couch potato it like the rest of the world. I only lack knowledge of current commercials and really, what am I missing out on? Those dumb high fructose corn syrup commercials? No thanks.

So the last 13 things I watched on Netflix—

1. Tropic Thunder. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this movie, I’d heard both good and bad things. This is what you call an Equal Opportunity Offender. Jack Black was a bit disappointing in this movie, but Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise were something else. Wow. So funny. And so wrong.

2. Get Smart. I used to love the TV show and thought Steve Carell made a good Max. I laughed aloud at a number of lines, especially the scene where The Rock staples a guy’s face for not following office policy on refilling paper at the printer. I fully believe The Rock would do that in real life.

3. Smallville Season 7. I’ve only watched the first half of this season so far. I have a Smallville addiction. Actually, I have a Superman addiction. I love watching his heroics. It’s something I picked up from my mom, who only likes watching action and fantasy (which is how I grew up watching the A-Team, Hawaii Five-O, and Clash of the Titans). Plus, Tom Welling is ridiculously good looking. He makes the show worth sitting through every agonizing scene with Lana “I look like a twelve year old and have had so many different personalities in one series I don’t know who I am anymore” Lang. Enough with the Lana. More Lois, I say, MORE LOIS!

4. Pride and Prejudice, the BBC series. I decided once and for all to watch this and compare it to my beloved movie. The TV did a better job with the book adaptation, but it’s much longer, so they had the room to do it. I preferred Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as the main characters vs Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. They looked more the way I imagined them to look from the book. I also think the younger sisters, Mr. Wickham, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh were better in the TV series. The TV Lydia was fantastically obnoxious. I preferred the movie Jane over the TV Jane as well as the movie Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bingley, and Caroline Bingley, even thought the TV series gave the Bingley’s more of a role. Above all, nothing tops Tom Hollander’s performance of Mr. Collins in the movie. Oh, I cringe just thinking of him. And in other news, I spent way too much time analyzing this.

5. Be Kind Rewind. I have no choice but to say this movie was not as funny as I expected it to be. Whose fault is that, do you think? They should never have advertised the movie with the Ghostbusters reenactment because that was by far the funniest part of the movie and you can only go downhill when you give us your best scenes in the preview. Props to the word “Sweded” though. And I heart Mos Def.

6. Entourage Season 4. I watch this show for three people: Johnny Drama, Ari Gold, and Lloyd. Why is E so annoying? Why!!!! And Billy, what’s with the attitude? You were funny for a while, but enough’s enough.

7. Garfield. Who believes that there is a veterinarian out there who dresses like Jennifer Love Hewitt?

8. SpongeBob Square Pants: The Movie. Obviously, I rented this for the kids. I have to admit, though, had I known that David Hasselhoff would be appearing as himself, I totally would have gone to the theatre.

9. The Savages. Look at me! I’m an independent movie! See the dysfunction? See the presence of Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman? See how I have the scenes set to music that is seemingly disconnected but muy, muy creative? Yes, I am an independent movie! Um… sorry. I actually rather enjoyed this movie. Compelling subject, good acting, good dialogue. And excellent Jimmy, the Nigerian nursing home employee. The movie just seemed to be trying a little too hard.

10. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. I rented this and then Husband watched it while I wasn’t home and said he didn’t want to watch it again because it wasn’t that good. So I wound up returning this without watching it. How could it have possibly lived up to “Let’s burn it Pookie! Let’s burn this motherf*cker down!” anyway…

11. Sweeney Todd. I only watched the first half of this, and thought it was mesmerizing, especially “My Friends” and “Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir” but then I fell asleep and never got around to watching the second half and was antsy to get the next movie and really, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stomach any more throat slitting and blood spilling, so I’ll just buy the CD because the music was what I was really interested in.

12. We Are Marshall. Much like my feelings towards Superman, I am addicted to sports flicks, especially football (note my love for The Waterboy, The Replacements, The Longest Yard, Jerry Maguire, Invincible, even Necessary Roughness). We Are Marshall was heartfelt without being melodramatic, which is sometimes a problem with this kind of movie, but not exactly compelling either. I was glad to have seen it, but no need to see it again. And what was with Matthew McConaughey’s accent?

13. Flight of the Conchords Season 1. Abso-friggin-lutely Hilarious. HILARIOUS! Everyone should rent Flight of the Conchords. I watched so many of their songs on YouTube and worried the show wouldn’t live up, but it soooooo did. Jermaine’s David Bowie impersonation is out of control. I leave you with this, my favorite song:

More lists of thirteen here.

Saturday Morning Cartoons turned spectacular movies–what’s your opinion on these? I know the storylines are never thrilling or original, but I love to watch these movies anyway.

This is what I remember about Speed Racer from my childhood: the fact that I loved it. I would get very excited when it came on. I would watch it with my brothers and sister. I remember Speed’s blue shirt and red hankie. I remember Trixie. I remember the way their mouths formed a circle when they gasped or shouted “Oh no!” and that whenever someone was punched or kicked, the next shot would be of their open mouth shouting “Ow!”

When news of the Speed Racer movie first came out, I was excited. The Wachowski brothers were making it. Awesome. They were going to be using new film technology. Double awesome.

Last night, Husband and I saw it. Despite what others might say, Speed Racer fulfilled all my needs for an entertaining night at the movies, and I’m glad I saw it over Iron Man. Glad I tell you, GLAD! The storyline was—wait for it—Speed Racer vs. The Man. What a surprise. Go, Speed, go. But, oh, what a feast for the eyes. Bright, swirling lights? Check. Sweet rides? Check. Borders on psychedelic? Check. I don’t mind paying ten bucks a pop for movies like this, because they’re worth seeing on a big screen. I hope the technical crew wins big at the Oscars.

Speed Racer still donned his blue shirt and Christina Ricci looked perfect as Trixie, and the score made good use of the Speed Racer theme (though I’m not entirely sure about the ending credits remix). I reminisced over those years of watching that campy cartoon and how it had morphed into this big screen rendition of elaborate race tracks and big to-do special effects. Sigh. My little Speedy is all grown up.

Oh, and kudos to the casting and costuming minds that brought us Matthew Fox clad in black leather AND a mask. Oh, the things I can think…

Yowza.

And now, the countdown to Voltron.

Set in Montana, A Plumm Summer is about the Plumm family, a married couple with two boys, teenage Elliot and his younger brother, Rocky. Dad is on the verge of being a full-blown alcoholic, and Elliot feels it’s up to him look out for his family. One fateful day in the summer of 1968, Froggy Doo of the popular Happy Herb and Froggy Doo Show is kidnapped. Happy Herb is devastated by the loss of his beloved marionette, but what about the kids? Rocky just can’t live without his Froggy Doo. With the help of his friend Haley, Elliot and Rocky embark on the adventure of their lives trying to locate the lost marionette. Cast includes Henry Winkler as Happy Herb and William Baldwin as the alcoholic father.

A Plumm Summer is a feel-good, family friendly film. There’s a quirky humor to the hoopla being made over this missing marionette (don’t you dare call Froggy Doo a puppet!), complete with baffled FBI agents (Peter Scolari and Rick Overton). The movie addresses family issues without getting overly sentimental and the two young actors who portray the Plumm brothers, Chris J. Kelly and Owen Pearce, did a wonderful job.

Little cuties.

Henry Winkler as Happy Herb should immediately put a smile on the face of anyone who ever enjoyed watching Happy Days. He’s a consummate performer, hilarious as he goes about the stage as a wizard with his smart-talking frog, and then touching when he completely loses it after Froggy Doo turns up missing.

The real star of this movie, though, is the Montana setting. What a beautiful place. Director Caroline Zelder didn’t waste a single opportunity to use the sun-bathed hills and golden-leaved trees to evoke this bygone time when a little town got caught up in a missing marionette. Between the children riding bikes in the sunlight and the gorgeous shot of a full moon, the movie made me want to book that trip to Bozeman that’s been waiting patiently on my to-do list.

A Plumm Summer opens this weekend in select theatres. For a complete listing, check out the film’s website, www.APlummSummer.com.

It will make me really happy if you come see my movie.