notes on a shamble

I think I just lied. Something suddenly came over me and inspired me to write another post when I didn't think I had the energy. (See this for more information.)

Anyway, I have some randomity to discuss:

1.) I am really hungry, but I cannot go into my kitchen and put food into the oven and then walk out while everyone else is celebrating Cinco de Mayo (on the seventh) with pinatas and burritos. According to the invitational flyer sent via Facebook, "It's a Mexican holiday that we celebrate in the States." That is very true, but who is this "we" they speak of? None of these kids organizing the event are Mexican. They, like me, have only celebrated it in Spanish language classes. It's an excuse--a very good one, I might add--to just throw another impermissible party and eat Mexican food. But I'm not in the mood for socializing my way into eating a taco.

2.) It seems to me that I have a thing for pedophilia. Wait. That came out wrong. What I mean to say is that recently, I have watched films and TV shows that deal with the seriousness of pedophilia and sexual misconduct with children.

Last night, I watched Notes on a Scandal (2006). I didn't like it.

I was excited that it was only about 90 minutes long, but I think character development (with the exception of The Dench) suffered because of this apparently short amount of time to tell a story. Oh, and speaking of telling a story, I couldn't help thinking, upon leaving the theatre, "What is the point? Who cares?" While it might not have been boring because it moved so quickly (too quickly, maybe), I'm conflicted. Sounds like I would have preferred them to use more time to develop the characters, but I didn't want it to be any longer because I didn't think the story was all that interesting once I started watching it unfold on screen. Good thing it was over and done with in 90 minutes, eh?

Other problems: The thought processes of Judi Dench's Barbara Covett may have been psychotic and obsessive, but that shouldn't leave room for the thought processes of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) to be sometimes just downright stupid. And how could she honestly fall into a sexual affair with a fifteen-year-old who's practically unintelligible and reminds me of a younger Jonathan Rhys Meyers? What else? No one is sympathetic but Bill Nighy as Sheba's husband Richard. He didn't get enough screen time. If he had been fleshed out more, then they'd have made me care. (Uh, yeah, I may as well admit that I have a crush on him. I have a crush on Bill Nighy.)

Just realized it looks like I've contradicted myself. When I say I wish Richard had been fleshed out more, yes, I admit that the film would have to be longer, but if it suddenly became about Richard, it wouldn't work either. He just should have been in there more from the beginning, thereby making me more interested in the story because he was not a bad or unloving husband. That should settle that paradox I set up.

Disappointing, to say the least, but at least it's a film with two female co-leads. Can you name another film? Oh! I got one: Death Becomes Her (1992).

Then I watched the first two episodes of Six Feet Under's fifth and final season (2001-2005). Yeah, I know I am behind. In the second episode, Nate Fisher (Peter Krause) ends up in a bar, chatting with an old high school buddy he met at the funeral of another high school buddy. Nate's former friend (I don't think he'll be seeing him again) confesses to looking at the friends of his thirteen-year-old daughter. Not sexually, apparently, after Nate reprimands him. The girl supposedly reminds Tom of how invincible he thought he was when he was younger, exploring sex. He's turning 40 soon.

Yeah, so, middle-aged men and women lust after teenagers and children. Any new insights?

3.) I didn't notice Judi Dench's stubby legs, but I did notice how badly coiffed (read: ugly overall) they made her. And how queer! No, no. Couldn't miss that.