Day 3: Favorite comedy

If I was going to be trapped on a desert island for the rest of my life and could only bring one movie with me to watch over and over again I would bring This is Spinal Tap. I'm sure critics would disagree with me when I say that it is Rob Reiner's crowning achievement, but either way, it is still the funniest movie ever made.  And what is so great about it is that every time I watch it, I notice something a little bit different, new or funnier.  Each viewing is its own wonderful experience based on who you arewatching with.

The story follows the band Spinal Tap from the UK on their North American Tour.  The films spoofs everyone from The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones to ACDC and Alice Cooper.  It the most glorious mess that has ever been seen.  Ever line is a quote.  Go see this film and buy their album, pictured below.

   

This film goes to Eleven.  

Day 2: Least favorite film

My friend Andy would probably kill me for saying this, but I really just hate this film.  David Lynch completely over directs in it, and the plot line makes absolutely no sense.  Apparently it is supposed to be that way, but I don't buy it.  Any film that randomly throws in Lesbian Sex Scenes and then tries to pretend they were all part of some amazing master plans that also incorporates a mystical cowboy, a woman with blue hair and "llorando, llorando" is not only trying way to hard, but thinks too highly of itself.

To top it off, this film got a sole Academy Award nomination when it came out, for Best Director.  Seriously Academy? David Lynch can get a freaking nod for one of the worst thought out, overly directed films I have ever seen and Christopher Nolan can't get one for anything he's ever done?Seriously? Did you even watch Inception?

Don't go see this film.  0 out of 4 stars.

For anyone who has seen it, I wish this film would take a hint and be a bit more Club Silencio.

The 30-Day Movie Challenge

Welcome to the inaugural post of my September blog series, the 30-Day Movie Challenge. Each day over the course of the next 30 days I’ll be posting a different movie pick for the series, why I picked it for the category, a review and an overall rating. If you are so inspired, start your own challenge, or respond with your own movie picks in the comments section.

Day 1: Favorite film – Forrest Gump

Picking a favorite film is not an easy task for anyone, let alone we few film studies majors.  It’s much simpler to narrow your field of focus to a few films, or a specific genre or director, but even that can be a challenge. So when picking a favorite film, I honestly believe it’s better to just go with the unquantifiable traits, and really go with what your gut tells you. 

So without a doubt, if I’m gonna choose a favorite film, it has to be Forrest Gump.  It has that thing that Walter Benjamin called aura, that thing that is just special for reasons that can’t be explained.  Anytime Forrest is on TV, I have to stop and watch.  Despite that I’ve seen the film at least 50 times.  I just love it. 

Now just because I can’t explain why I love it so much doesn’t mean I can’t at least name all of the different things that make it great. 

For starters, the story is fantastic.  Not only because everyone loves the story of a man’s life, but Forrest Gump is more than just a single man’s story, it is the story of a generation of baby boomers, which it why it was always be infinitely better than rip offs of Forrest Gump like the dreadful Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I'm just saying, it has almost no redeeming qualities.  And it is very poorly plotted.  

Then in addition to the script, the acting and the music are the heart of this film.  Hanks will probably be remembered for this role above any other, and if you could earn an Academy Award for compiling the soundtrack to a film, this film would have won it.  Plus the score is pretty great too.  

A special nod to my favorite character of the film, Lieutenant Dan.  Superb acting.  Literally robbed of the Oscar. 

Favorite Quote:

Lt. Dan: Do you know what it's like not to be able to use your legs?

Forrest: ... Yes Sir, I do.  

Noted Observations and Unreal Photography

10 Observations Noted:

1) Bermuda is possibly the best place on earth to sit and do as little as possible. Thus far, I'm halfway through reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and I've tanned at least a slight shade darker.

2) Bermuda has the bluest water and the bluest sky I think I've ever seen. And pink beaches unlike anywhere else in the world. It's terribly picturesque.

3) Tiki huts in the United States are cool, but in Bermuda, they are cool. And they serve you booze on the beach.

4)Bermuda has lots to do when doing nothing. For example, watching a speedboat race around the island from the beach.

5) And it you get sick of one beach there is always another one to go to, which is just as beautiful as the one before it.

6) Boating in Bermuda is WAY fun. Probably because the water is so blue, but also because boats here are cool.

7) Bermuda has lots of chickens.

8) Bermuda also has lots of pretty flowers, which are infinitely better looking than the chickens.

9) Bermuda has some cool looking birds, and some weird looking lizards too.

10) Tree frogs are pretty gross, but getting pictures of them is pretty awesome.

As a reference point, the average tree frog is about the size of a human thumbnail, and basically invisible against a brown tree in the middle of the night.

However, with persistence and an excellent camera caddy (myself) Dad managed to get around 20 shots of the little buggers and three practically award winning photographs. Eat your heart out Elle MuleBomb.

Close-up Shot! You can't even see them this well in person. How cool is that?

Snorkeling at Nonsuch Island

And let me tell you, there is no nonsense on Nonsuch Island. The five of us took a motor boat out to Nonsuch and then explored a shipwreck and the beautiful (and terrifying) fish that swam up next to us. Here's some shots from the boat ride over.

What Beautiful Babes.

Dad drove over, but then I was allowed to dazzle him with my boat driving skills. Which were impressive if I do say so myself.

And then came the snorkeling. Which was fun, but I almost got attacked by jellyfish, so also sort of terrifying. My family will tell you that there were no jellyfish and that I was seeing things, but I know what a jellyfish looks like and they almost stung me to death.

Here I am pre-jellyfish sneak attack.

And here's the happy family.

And thanks to my Dad's fancy underwater camera, we get to share some of our fabulous underwater fish shots. This one is a parrot fish I think, about the size of an average football.

And here are some striped fish that had no reservations what so ever about swimming right next to your head and pretending to attack you.

Here is a variety of fish that are swimming in and out of a foot and a half wide opening between the rock of the island and the wall of the ship that had wrecked on it. We had to swim through the opening, which was claustrophobic and filled with really big fish. Clearly I was great at it....

Anyways, that was fun but enough snorkeling for me for a long, long time.

Some Shots from the First Day

Here are some pictures from our first day here. Monica and Alexa insisted we go down to the beach so that Alexa could put her toes in the ocean, and Monica insisted that I take pictures of her looking pretty and in a moment of solitude against the ocean. I of course had no choice but to oblige.

The two happy sisters

The beach and the Atlantic Ocean at night.

And here of course are obligatory pictures of Monica looking solemn or whatever.

I think she's dancing in this one.

In this one she is in solitude.

And in this one she's far away.

And here is what Dad did the entire time

More pictures to follow, so stay tuned.

Swizzle Inn, Swagger Out

If you know anything about Rum and Traditional English Pub food on this side of the Atlantic, then you probably guessed from the title of this blog post that it is traveling season with my good old family and that we are back in Bermuda. We're not anything but creatures of habit.

To the amazement of my entire family, I managed to not screw up our air travel too badly with my Transportation Curse. Alexa did almost have a cow when we waited an extra 10 minutes before going through security so that I could finish gulping down my scalding hot coffee at warp speed, as per her instructions. But don't worry, we made it to the gate with an entire hour to spare before boarding. Thank God Alexa keeps us on time and together. That minor tongue burn I received was totally worth it.

After a speedy layover in Charlotte where Alexa sprinted to the gate across three concourses at warp speed (new record) without breaking a sweat, we were on our way to Bermuda. But the fascinating part of the story comes from our delay at Bermuda customs at the fault of ..... (wait for it) ..... My Dad's Golf Club. Apparently since it was staying on the island they wanted to adequately test it for anthrax and such. And I'd just like to draw attention to the fact that it wasn't me this time!!!!

It was a very pleasant first day. We arrived on the island around 4, went down to the dock for a while, then went to Swizzle Inn for dinner where I had some delicious Fish and Chips and Mom and I split a Dark and Stormy (which was actually pretty gross so I just had Magden's).

Life here is relaxing and very inconsequential. Pictures should follow soon. My dad is gonna try to take a picture of an invisible singing tree frog that is the size of the average thumbnail and only comes out at night. If he actually does it, expect a great expose.