Re-watching movies.

My writing is torturing me this week, both my past words and present. (The quantity of the former and the quality of the latter.) But I am trying to stay positive, or at least focus on other things. Such as... films I love!

Because I read anywhere from 6-10 books a week, I don't watch many movies. I prefer reading! Getting me to watch a full-length movie can be a struggle, just ask my family. It's not that I don't like to watch movies, but sometimes I find the thought of being tied to the screen for that long daunting. I couldn't explain the reason why; it's beyond quixotic of me since I often sit that long at my computer screen. And some times I am more than willing to watch. It's very weird.
Come to think of it, I believe it has something to do with the fact that I can't walk away any time I want to if I'm watching with other people; I like my time to be flexible for doing whatever strikes my fancy. (Bad characteristic!)
What I should do is re-watch movies by myself, on my laptop because there are many movies I utterly love, but haven't watched in a while. I need to start making time to sit and watch them, if only in increments. In lieu of that, I started thinking about movies I want to re-watch and this is the list I came up with...

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg - A favourite I'm always in the mood for! For those of you unfamiliar with this beautiful film, all the dialogue is sung... in French (of course)! Some people find this strange - ah, but they have never actually watched it!

Alice in the Cities (AKA Alice in den Städten) - This is like the non-perverted version of Lolita. It's an obscure German film, and I only ran across it because Sibylle Baier appears briefly in a scene. (Thank goodness for YouTube!)

The Monkees: Head - I am a big fan of the Monkees, both their show and their music. Their movie Head, which was made in 1968, was basically meant to shatter the image that had been created for them. That being said, it's a rather disturbing and random film, but I love it... in a strange sort of way.

Little Dorrit - My favourite Dickens next to Our Mutual Friend! I read the book the other month which only increased my desire to watch this lovely mini-series. I remember watching it when it first aired on PBS and having to wait a week in between installments. Quite aggravating!




The Thin Man - This movie is slated for a remake and I am so miffed about it! All I can say is, why remake perfection? No one else could capture the hilarious couple of Nick and Nora like Myrna Loy and William Powell did. *shakes head* What is the world coming to?

My Man Godfrey - Oh, look at that... another movie starring William Powell. Ha! Ha! You'd think I had a thing for him or something.....
This movie is crazy in the way only 1940's comedies can be. In my opinion, many of the best movies come from this era.

Meet Me in St. Louis - A sweet, nostalgic musical starring Judy Garland! Need I say more? (I just love her - what a voice! *dreamy sigh*)




The Shop Around the Corner - I just adore this film! Of course, it's James Stewart; you can't go wrong with him! This movie has been remade a couple times. Most importantly into...

You've Got Mail - Essentially The Shop Around the Corner with emails instead of letters! ...But not really. They have enough differences that it doesn't feel like you're watching the same film. I don't prefer either one; they're both so wonderful and funny.




Muppets Take Manhattan - Probably my favourite Muppet movie! I can quote it forwards and back, but it never gets old. (I have to admit, I am not excited about the new Muppet movie that has been made... It just doesn't look like it has the feel of the classic Muppet movies. Or the show, for that matter. I'm an incorrigible purist, sorry.)




Before Sunset -The second half of the greatest pairing of films! (The first being Before Sunrise.)If you like a lot of intelligent conversation and ponderings, these movies are a must. However, if ambiguous endings drive you crazy, don't watch these!

Well, that's all I can think of, though there are undoubtedly more. What about you all? Any movies you want to re-watch right now?

(...Now, which should I start watching first?)

{All pictures found on tumblr, except the first one which is one of my own screenshots.}

the colour green

Have I mentioned how much I love the colour green?
When asked what my favourite colour is I never reply "green" since my favourite colour is actually blue. But still, I love green.
I think I forget that, though. Because saying "I like green" is so flat. It doesn't convey the vitality of green that I love, the spectrum of shades that emblazon nature.
I love the profusion of green from trees in our backyard;
they almost blot out everything else.
I love the bucolic green of fields or freshly-mown lawns
stretching out like neatly-made beds.
I love the darker green of forests when we're driving down the road whose density seems to drench the air in green so it almost feels like being submerged in an ocean.
And I love the light, almost aquatic green of his eyes whose hue I cannot find in nature...
The list goes on.

{This picture is crummy but it kind of shows the effect of the green density I was talking about above. I am reading Tender Is the Night and Fitzgerald mentions the trees making a "green twilight". I could only sit there and mentally curse F. Scott for being able to casually put into words what I had found ineffable. I suppose that's why he's legendary and I'm not. ;)}


Speaking of green, one of my absolute most favourite albums is Colour Green by Sibylle Baier and this time last year I was listening to it a lot.
Colour Green is an album of understated beauty and it's one of those albums I know like the back of my hand. (Aren't those the best?) Also, it has an interesting story behind it which, in a nutshell, is this: armed with her guitar and a renewal of a sense of life's beauty after a period of depression, Sibylle Baier wrote and recorded the songs on Colour Green secretly in the early 70's. Years later, thanks to her son and Orange Twin records, people all around the world can enjoy the quiet beauty of her album. {You can read a longer post I wrote last year about it on my music blog, if you want.}

Not only do I love Sibylle's music, but a picture of her had a very important impact on me...

{I love this picture. I love how her face is out-of-focus but you can still see how beautiful she is. I love how you can see in the mirror what would normally be hidden. I just love it.}

In this instance, a picture is worth much more than a thousand words. For once, when looking at this photo, I found myself wondering who the person you could see taking the picture was. All the sudden, I found myself giving birth to a story. I decided the person holding the camera was, indeed, a man and the story I was writing became his memoir, of sorts. A memoir full of memories of the girl he loved (who I based on Sibylle).
I also drew a little bit of inspiration from her lyrics. Especially from the first song on the album, 'Tonight'. I knew he was the man she mentions in the lyrics, who she dedicates her song to.

{You can listen to the song, 'Tonight', if you'd like! Though, the first time I heard her music I thought I didn't like it, heh.}




I've been writing this story/book/novel/whatever it is on and off for about a year and a half now. There have been times I've set it aside, sadly frustrated at my incompetence. Even now I think it is no good, really and rather boring. Not to mention way past my youthful knowledge. I'm writing about subjects that are so difficult to pinpoint: depression, the sanctity of marriage, what it means to love someone... And, to top it off, it's narrated by a man! I'm not sure I'm sufficiently able to get into a man's brain! (Which sounds... really strange. :P)
Since most of the story is handwritten or typed on my typewriter, the narrative will break off every now and then to the anguished author (moi) typing or writing things like "OH, THIS STORY WILL NEVER BE ANY GOOD." With notes under that saying things such as, "Ignore the author, please. She is crazed." (As you can see, writing with me is a rather schizophrenic affair!)
But even as I am wracked with insecurities, I have, for the most part, greatly enjoyed writing this story. It is nowhere near being done but originally it was just supposed to be a short story!
I know nothing will probably ever come of it. But I've loved telling their story and I guess that's all that matters. :)



Alright, I don't even know why I am rambling on about all this. Terribly sorry if it's not very interesting. I almost considered not posting this but I spent too much time on it for that. *deep sigh* (Pardon, I'm feeling kind of frustrated today and unable to cope with/accomplish anything. On a happier note though, I vanquished Mt. Chaos yesterday!)