Review and Recommend: It's Kind of a Funny Story

Craig is 16 years old and incredibly stressed out with pressures from his dad, who works too much, and his mom, who is too clingy. His school, his application to summer school, his friends, and of course, girls. He goes to the emergency room one Sunday morning at 5 AM begging for help, not realizing that he was committing himself for the next five days. Which would stay with him for much longer than that. It's Kind of a Funny story stars Zach Galifianakis, Lauren Graham, and Emma Roberts and is absolutely hilarious with all the eccentric characters ranging from Solemon, the acid head with sonic hearing. Bobby, the middle aged man who attempted suicide six times. And Muktoka, the Indian man who has never left his room. You become attached to all the characters the longer you watch it. You cry with them, laugh with them, and celebrate with them. Although it is quite funny they manage to mix a few serious moments. When Bobby blows his interview to the group home and has a breakdown in the living room we all felt his pain and anger. The acting is wonderful, new comer Keir Gilchrist, who plays Craig, is the highlight of a great film. When he comes on the screen you can't help but think of Craig and not Keir Gilchrist. I feel like we relate too much to actors and not enough to the characters they play. We go to the movies to see Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, and Brad Pitt. I sincerely hope that Keir is in another film soon. The graphics are incredibly well done, as a graphic design major that is the first thing I notice in a movie. They choose to use the main characters art as a way to create an interesting back drop for the film. With hand drawn cities supposed to represent New York. If you want a well made, well acted, funny, and interesting film you need to check out It's Kind of a Funny Story. You can get this film at Movie Magic it has not hit Red Box yet.

Missives and Musings: Living in the Midwest

I have lived in the mid west for my entire life. I lived in Maryville, Missouri until I was seven years old then, when I was about to start the 1st grade, my family moved to Ames, Iowa and that's where I stayed until I was almost nineteen and starting college at Northwest Missouri State University. I never realized how much I disliked the mid west until I came to college. I don't know if that's because Maryville is an incredibly small and quiet town or if it's because I'm bored here. Either way I am itching to get out and experience the "real" world. This past weekend I ventured to Kansas City and it made me feel as if I was no longer in the mid west. I went with a good friend of mine for a free concert promoted by the alternative 96.5 The Buzz. The concert included three signed but still unknown bands, "The Limousines", "Awolnation", and "Fitz and the Tantrums". The concert was spectacular. It was at the Midland Theater in downtown KC which is a beautiful venue with high ceilings. The rest of the weekend was spent enjoying Kansas City. We spent hours at the Plaza spending far too much money, went out to Westport, a neighboring shopping area, and went to Cargo Largo in Independence which is a store with wonderful deals on anything you'd want. As we were on the highway back to school I became really sad because I missed the city already. Although I am itching to get out I am grateful for being so close to such a cool city.

Read and Respond: Opinion Pieces

Reviews of Reviews: Books

When I first read the title; The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear. I thought, Oh God. I have to read a paper about this? But Seth Mnookin made this boring title into a wonderful review. Based around the fear that parents have about vaccines. Claiming that they can cause autism and other developmental disorders, based completely on falsified research. When Mnookin says; "The like- minded find each other and form communities online, reinforcing their biases and their certitude." it reminds me so much of bloggers. Even if you said "slavery should still be legal in the United States" you would be able to find someone in the blog world you agrees with you and who will go on crusades with you. The review was well researched and cited without being annoying. Mnookin has an elegance when it comes to siting his research. It was also written very 'to the point' Mnookin did not beat around the bush when he stated his opinions. 

Smokers: Now banned everywhere

The fact that I live in a country that is about to take the right away to smoke a cigarette, after the age of 18, makes me sick to my stomach. Yes. It's gross and it smells bad. I know all of this but to ban it is unnecessary.  It is a choice to smoke, I fully support the need to ban it in certain areas like bars, restaurants, and the office, But definitely not banning it. And the firing of employees who wont quit smoking is ridiculous. And I'm not even a smoker. I have never smoked a day in my life. The review of this book feels generally the same way about these incidences. The review is primarily an opinion piece with few sources. Although I loved the review with the many sources I enjoyed this one just the same. I enjoyed getting a sense of how this author felt. And didn't hurt that he agreed with me!

Review and Recommend: The Lovely Bones

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. This is the opener to Alice Sebold's top selling novel, The Lovely Bones. The novel begins when fourteen year old Susie Salmon is murdered by her next door neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Trust me I'm not spoiling anything by telling you that. You are taken on an adventure with the Salmon family, Susie's murderer, and the police men trying to solve her case. As you read this you feel as if you know Susie and you experienced her death with her family. Sebold has a way with words to say the least. You feel more and more connected to these characters the more you read. I read this in four days flat. You may already know that this book was adapted into a film last year starring Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon. Some people who have read the book and then seen the movie have said that the movie was awful. I have to disagree with that. I always go into the theater with an open mind especially when its an adapted novel. The Lovely Bones is 465 pages and set over a ten year time span obviously a movie could never dream of including all of the events of a four hundred page book unless you want to watch a seven hour movie. I feel like Peter Jackson and his crew did a great job in adapting this novel. After reading The Lovely Bones I immediately read Sebold's other books; Lucky and The Almost Moon which are also wonderful.

Missives and Musings: Disney World - Epcot

I will freely admit that as a child I was spoiled rotten and had the pleasure of traveling all over the country. I have been to Florida three times, New York five times, California twice, Colorado, Chicago, Ohio, Washington DC and Baltimore. My sister and I decided that this year for Spring Break we would go to Orlando. This is the first time that we have traveled alone together so everyone cross their fingers that we don't kill each other in the process. Since I have been so blessed to have been to Florida so many times we decided that when we go to the Disney Parks that we spend a full day at Epcot. Now for those of you who haven't been to Disney since you were young please keep an open mind about Epcot. Like you, as a kid, I hated Epcot, no fast rides, "weird" food, and far too many shops that my mother dragged us to. But then when I was fourteen we went back and I discovered how amazing Epcot really is. They have this thing called The World Showcase which features ten different countries.

United Kingdom, Morocco, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, China, Mexico, Norway, and Italy.

In Morocco we love to get beautiful henna tattoos and shop. In Norway we ride the viking ride which is slow and relaxing. In Japan and China we love to stock up on Hello Kitty merchandise. We often eat lunch in Italy and dinner in Mexico. The great thing about the World Showcase is you feel as if your not even in a theme park anymore. They have sit down restaurants in all the countries. In the UK my parents insist on hitting up the local brew pub to have a pint of beer, if you visit in March be sure to be there on St. Patty's day so you can enjoy a green beer. We also swing by the square in the UK where a Beatles cover band goes on every fifteen minutes and performs the bands top hits. In Germany and Canada there is, of course, great food and shops. And in France you must go to one of the bakeries and have a delicious pastry and espresso.

Epcot's world showcase is great for young adults and parents desperate for a break from the theme parks. Epcot also includes one of the best rides in all of the parks, Soarin' over California, which is a soothing ride that electronically takes you through sights of California including wonderful smells. If you get there early I suggest that you go straight for Soarin' because it get busy fast. And don't be afraid to ride it twice!

Review and Recommend: Can't Hardley Wait

So I don't know about you but I love 90's movies! Anything from Drive Me Crazy to Whatever It Takes. Or Can't Hardly Wait starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Seth Green, Lauren Ambrose, and Jamie Pressley. This movie takes place at a graduation party where the whole class gathers for one last night of fun. Jennifer Love Hewitt plays Amanda Beckitt, the most popular girl in school who is officially on the market because she was just dumped by her football player boyfriend, Mike Dexter and is trying to see herself as anything but "Mike's Girlfriend". Than there's Preston and Denise who are the loaners of high school. Preston has been obsessed with Amanda every since the first day of Freshman year. He is determined to find her and tell her how he feels. Denise, on the other hand wants nothing to do with high school, this party, or anyone there.

She somehow ends up locked in the bathroom with her best friend from 4th grade turned wigger, Kenny. Kenny, played by Seth Green, is determined to loose his virginity at the party and thinks wearing pants six sizes too big and yellow eye goggles is just the way to accomplish this goal. There are many other hilarious characters including a foreign exchange student, a nerd turned rebel, a lost stripper dressed as an angle and a garage band fighting on stage. The movie is chalk full of hilarious moments that would only ever happen in the movies but are quite entertaining. The movie ends when the night ends and everyone, well almost everyone, has changed for the better. If you want a funny blast from the past trust me you can't go wrong with Can't Hardly Wait.

Read and Respond: Fight Club

1. What is Ebert's opinion of Fight Club? Where do you first know this opinion?


Ebert's opinion of Fight Club is that it is far too violent and had the potential of being smart and interesting but failed. This is made clear on page 449, "It's at about this point that the movie stops being smart and savage and witty, and turns to some of the most brutal, unremitting, nonstop violence ever filmed." Ebert focuses mainly on the violence constantly stating how the characters "beat each other to a pulp"

2. Identify the positive and negetive qualities Ebert writes about in his review.

Some of the positive points of Ebert's review of Fight Club include; this film was a very well made and has a great first act. His negatives definitely out number the positives. Some include his distaste for the amount of violence constantly rehashing what he stated many times before. Ebert also poked fun at the "macho-ness" of the main characters.

6. What are the points on which Ebert disagrees with Maslin? Who do you think makes a more convincing case?

Maslin seemed to really enjoy this film, at least that's what I got from her review and Ebert didn't seem to enjoy it. They both agree that it is well made and has too much violence.