v |o,o| v: 2010

THE BIG BANG feat. Miley Cyrus

Oh yea and Kevin Zegers stars in it!!

No big deal. He's just, you know, gorgeous<3 Seriously, ever since Air Bud (holla!) I have loved this boy. So, I am very happy he is now in a beautiful music video that I can watch again and again. Check out the video - music by Rock Mafia!

Okay, so now that you have watched it, let's have a little chat.

Miley Cyrus - innocent Disney star?
There has apparently been some "tsk tsk"ers out there towards Miley for being "too adult" or "too sexy" in this video. Can I just make sure I am not the only person who has seen her videos, "Can't Be Tamed " and "Who Owns My Heart?"?

[Just in case you are thinking, wait - I haven't seen those! I included the links. "Who Owns My Heart" is linked to the "European" version simply because the "official" one looked like it is lower quality on my computer. I am fairly certain it's the exact same video. Just fyi.]

Anyways, no way is this video more scandalous. If anything, The Big Bang is sweeter and much artsier than basically anything Miley has done in her career thus far. Let's not knock Miley for having good taste in boots and wearing a sheer dress at the beach. (Besides, that's fake Miley technically. Can't blame her for what Kevin dresses a figment of his imagination, right?)

Now that the "Sexy Miley?" subject is covered...
Here comes the video talk - So beautiful. I thought it was well directed, and a fun movie-music video for once. Nothing too weird, and they didn't make you watch for 7 minutes. Just a quick, short and romantic story that makes you think. Thank you, Rock Mafia. (And no thank you, Lady Gaga and Beyonce, for Telephone's longgggg dumb video. No, you're not Tarantino).

I love the kind of open-ended mystery aspect. The photo disappearing from the camera at the end: perfect. Did she die before they could share all those memories? Was the two of them in the car "reality" and they got in an accident which only Kevin survived? Has she always been his hallucination? Is she not a hallucination, but a ghost?

I could keep spitting out concepts, but this isn't a round table on possible made-for-tv sci fi channel movies. So... Think about it. And feel free to let me know your thoughts.

Most importantly, watch this video. Then watch it again.

Barack is Back in Seattle

Thursday, October 21
6:30 am: My phone rings. It is someone from my house calling. Ignore.
6:32 am: I receive and groggily listen to voicemail. It is my dad. The line to get in to the Patty Murray rally to see Barack Obama speak is already insane. People have camped out all night. He recommends I get going. I go back to sleep.
7:30 am: I wake up. Text Katina that we should probably go closer to 8 than 8:30 because apparently the line was already long an hour ago. She says she will try, but falls back asleep.
8:30 am: I reach the IMA and see the crazy long Obama line.
8:35 am: Katina says she is close. I am still walking past people in line.
8:40 am: I reach the end of the line, close to the Water Activities Center. Katina has reached the beginning of the line.
8:50 am: Katina arrives. We wait in line and commence with witty banter.
9:30 am: The line is moving, slowly but surely.
10:20 am: (This is officially a rough estimate, because I stopped paying attention to the time) We have reached security, and realize we will be getting into Hec Ed and arent stuck in Husky Stadium overflow!
10:30 am: We arrive inside!

11-12: People I didn't know talk. Oh and Norm Dicks and Christine Gregoire.
12:00 pm: Patty and the Prez come out! She talks for a while and makes fun of Dino Rossi lots. She makes Barack laugh a couple times. He is beautiful.

12:30 pm: Obama speaks!! Basically the message was - America got into some trouble, nice going Republicans. Democrats are trying to fix it but the Republicans messed up a lot so its confusing and takes time. The Republicans keep complaining about how much time it is taking the Democrats to fix their problem. Barack makes a couple jokes and tells a really long car analogy that was good but when I tried to re-tell it the other night I messed it up so I won't try again. Barack was very charming and well worth the wait <3
1:00 pm: The rally is over and we are on our way out and I am off to class!!

What is, the host of Jeopardy!?

I decided to write a topic page on Cracked about the fantastic Mr. Alex Trebek the other day when I was bored. When me and my roomies watch Jeopardy! we love watching Alex and listening to his accurate (see: snobby) pronunciations and his feigned sadness for contestants when they get a question wrong. If you feel like it, you can check it out here: Alex Trebek

Star Wars Fans:

http://www.asciimation.co.nz/

Yep. Someone made that (not me, my friend Jaryd told me about it and I felt the need to share it).

Vegas

In celebration of my 21st birthday and Elyse's graduation from beauty school, we decided to make Vegas our big trip of summer vacation! Chessie came with me and Elyse brought her friends from TSPA, Devan and Karina.

Overall the trip was so much fun! Karina worked it and got us into clubs for free all week (I can't believe some people pay money, like $20-40 depending on the club!!, just to get in). From there we managed to get free drinks and even into VIP sections a couple of times. The best club in my opinion was PURE because it was the least crowded and least fratty. Plus the VIP section on the roof had the most gorgeous view of the strip!

We stayed at the Flamingo. Our room was pretty nice! Poor Karina had to sleep on a little couch in the room, but it was pretty perfectly fitted to her height, haha. The room had a view of the beautiful pool and courtyard, complete with palm trees and live flamingos.

As far as pools go, this has got to be one of the nicest ones in Vegas. Seriously, check it out. I wish I had taken a picture of the whole pool area from our room, Devan got a decent one of the palm trees lining the pool though.

It was really hot out, over 100 every day, but luckily it was a dry and heat and I wore plenty of sunscreen so I wasn't complaining much. Chessie and Devan both left a few days before Elyse, Karina and I but (sorry guys!) we still had fun without them.

Phil happened to move down to Las Vegas the exact week that we were there, so our last night we were able to kick it with him too. We considered dressing him in drag to get him into a club, but Phil doesn't exactly have girly curves so we gave up on that.

I loved Vegas, and immediately missed the heat when I got home. But I must admit, I am a child at heart and I would prefer a trip to Disneyland over Vegas :) Although a Disney trip would have cost about three times and much...

and would have been lacking the plethora of Hangover jokes and references. Yep, that's a Wold Pack slot machine. There was also Coffee Beans around Vegas. As in, "You found a baby once?" "Yeah, at the Coffee Bean."

Woodland Park Zoo :)

Andy and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo and I thought I'd share some pictures from the adventure. I have been wanting to go to the zoo for the last couple summers, so I was very excited to finally go and see the animals!!

I love elephants, but they are just so much cuter in cartoon and stuffed animal form than in real life. For example, this charmer had his weird elephant penis hanging out. Not so adorable. And seeing them in such small quarters is sort of depressing and sad. But other than that... yay, elephants!!!

UNICORN? Haha, this little (antelope? elk?) was missing a horn, poor thing. That, or it's a mythical creature hiding in plain sight in a zoo in the northwest. Who knows?

The tiger was so beautiful and royal, laying on his rock and stared out at everyone, I felt he deserved black and white. Tigers are so pretty, I am trying to hug/high five one someday.

This gorilla was just posted up on this branch like a pimp. It was pretty awesome. Very Joey Tribbiani "How you doin'?" The gorillas are way more chill than any of the other chimps and monkeys I saw, who were pretty obsessed with doing weird dance moves and making a scene.

It was funny seeing this giraffe walking past the nest of eggs, it made it look like giraffe's lay eggs. It was really funny. I also loved watching the giraffe try to eat the grass, they have to stretch out their legs super far like Bambi when he is trying to walk for the first time!

There are some places at the zoo where you can go in a room filled with birds and get up close and personal with them. One room is basically like a little indoor jungle, with birds zooming around. But another one was just low branches that all the birds were perched on so you can see them up close. This one was so beautiful, I am glad I got a good picture of it!

Edward Norton

I went to see 25th Hour at SIFF on June 5, 2010. I have seen it before, but good movies are always worth seeing more than once, and especially on the big screen. It definitely makes the film more powerful. But the real reason I went is that Edward Norton was there (!!!) introducing the film. He told some great stories about his first inspirational experience seeing a Spike Lee movie, Do The Right Thing, and about what it is like to work with such an original man. I loved it, he said what is refreshing about Spike Lee is that he doesn't try to hide what movies he sees that inspire him. Apparently Spike Lee screens movies almost every night, explaining what he wants them to take from the film and apply to the creative process of making 25th Hour. Edward said he was very clear about what movies he was "stealing from" :)

Edward's speaking voice is as powerful and charming as it sounds in movies. It even did that low crack once that it does sometimes in films. He was so amazing, I couldn't have been more ecstatic to see him! I hope our paths someday cross and I will actually get to meet him, like shake his hand. Date, get married, whatever. The point is, he is one of the greatest actors out there today. I fully believe that. Just look at his range in American History X alone, where you see the evolution of a broken son trying to deal with the unjust death of his father, to a terrifyingly powerful White Supremacist gang leader, to a reflective and remorseful man who sees the error of his ways, hoping to rescue his little brother from crossing the line he passed many years before. He is so versatile, offering something subtly unique to every role he fills.

Basically what I am saying is, this was so amazing. Way better than the time I saw Matthew Lillard introduce Bickford Schmeckler's Cool Ideas (sorry Matt!). And even though I didn't get to actually talk to him in person like I did with Rainn Wilson, Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, this troned all of that.

SIFF 2010

SIFF. Also known as the Seattle International Film Festival.

I came to this a few times back in high school with some friends, and I saw some brilliant movies, such as 12 and Holding and Bickford Schmekler's Cool Ideas. I love SIFF, but being the cheapskate that I am when it comes to movies, I haven't gone these last two years.
This year though, things are different. I already forked over 6 bucks to see a movie earlier in the week. But more importantly, I have a press pass from work for memorial weekend. This means I cover two screenings and have unlimited access to whatever other films I can fit into my schedule.
If you know me at all, you know I couldn't be happier :)
So here they are, my SIFF movies of 2010. Good, bad, funny, foreign... I've got it all.

Fais-moi Plaisir! (PLEASE, PLEASE ME!)
This french comedy is staring, written and directed by Emmanuel Mouret. When Jean-Jaques admit to his girlfriend that he was kissed by another woman, she decides the only way to keep him from fantasizing about her is to sleep with her. What starts off as a simple date turns into a night of crazy happenings filled with awkward misunderstandings and hilarious semi-sexual encounters. Overall, this movie is sweet and well directed, with that fun, offbeat feel that most American film watchers are unfamiliar with.

THE TROTSKY
Jay Baruchel is my heart and soul, so when I saw he was staring in this movie, I set off to see it, no questions asked. Typically when I enter a movie with high hopes, I leave at least a little let down. This was not one of those times. Jay was funny and quirky as ever as Leon, a high school senior convinced he is the reincarnate of Leon Trotsky. This film is entertaining and even inspirational. Leon is nothing if not confident in who he is and unabashed at sharing himself with the world. If you enjoy Jay Baruchel, Canadian comedies, revolutions, and insulting people by calling them fascists, you will love this movie. Trust me.

LE REFUGE
After her boyfriend Louis overdoses on heroin, Mousse realizes she is pregnant. Faced with the struggle of being a single mother, Mousse allows Louis' brother to live with her in a small house by the beach. This movies sounds as though it would be charming and possibly heartwarming or sad, but the poor acting and less than entertaining screenplay leave you bored and unemotionally tied to the characters. I do NOT recommend this film, even if you are in the mood for a foreign film. This may be in another language but despite the added charm of subtitles, it is lacking all the typical charm of unique cinematography and story progression that french movies are appealing for.

WINTER'S BONE
Ree Dolly is a on a mission to find out what happened to her missing father when the law threatens to take away her home after he jumped bail. Ree's journey is fascinating and provoking, bringing the audience to a world in America that in most cases, we never get to experience. This film is brilliantly directed by Debra Granik, bringing the feel of life in the Ozark Mountains alive on the screen.

THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS
Jools and Linda Topp - Twin lesbian yodelers and comedians. Do I really need to say more? This movie documents the rise of their success and the struggles of their lives. Overall it is good fun, just like the Topp Twins. An added bonus for me seeing it at SIFF? Jools and Linda presented the movie themselves and even yodeled for the audience!

Splice
Promoted as a horror film, this movie is less horror and more horrible. I expected this little creature to run around tormenting mankind until an ultimate battle results in the death of some expendable side characters and the victory of the two leads. What I got instead was a disgusting film about the morals and consequences of genetic mutation and cloning. I wish I could unsee the things I saw in this movie. I literally wanted to wash my mind and eyes after seeing it. It was shocking, yes, but not in an adrenaline-boosting or mind boggling way. Just in a, as the audience's shouts put it, "what the f#$&! No," way. The directing and acting in this film where decent, but nothing brilliant enough to overcome the screenplay itself.

Vaarat Juuret (Twisted Roots)
A story about a father suffering from Huntington's disease and what this means for his family and children. This movie was particularly sad at times for me, seeing as how my grandmother has Alzheimers, and some of what you see in this movie I see when I visit her. But overall, this movie managed to be touching without just being a sob story as many film about family members with terminal illnesses tend to be. The story itself was slightly haphazard. Some elements didn't quite come together and it seems were thrown in for additional feelings of confusion and hopelessness for the family members. I wouldn't say run out and scan the foreign film shelves for this movie, but if you happen across it and feel like NOT being uplifted by a film, then go for it. Bonus for people who love Meryl Streep - there is an actress in this that looks weirdly similar to her in this.

Note: I did not take, nor do I own the rights to any of the pictures in this post :)

Russell Brand and Jonah Hill

Rusell Brand and Jonah Hill came to UW to promote their new movie, Get Him to the Greek. It was beautiful. Russell is so hilarious and charming. They both seemed pretty tired and wishing they were home asleep instead, but who can blame them? Also, Jonah Hill totally stared at my chest when he told me "you're welcome" for the autograph and it was way funny.

photoshop is for nerdzzz

and I used it to make my new background, which I am pretty proud of since I have only made graphics in Illustrator before. But photoshop just, understands me better :)

(in case I change it, this is the background I'm talking about)-->

If you want to make something like this, btw, you will want to download these Abstract Splash brushes here.
Totally free, totally ballin'.

baddest girl i ever seen

I made this a couple months ago in illustrator, and I feel the need to share it with the world even though there are so many (lame) Kanye haters out there. Because yeah, I love me some Taylor Swift, but lets all be honest here... its Kanye West.