Zoe Kazan ignites her career with Ruby Sparks

      I recently watched the film, Ruby Sparks (2012). This romantic comedy/fantasy is a unique story, told through charming characters and beautiful cinematography. Calvin, played by Paul Dano (actor: Little Miss Sunshine, Looper), is a well-known novelist who falls in love with a character he creates. Ruby Sparks. Then one day, Ruby shows up in his house.

      It is written by Zoe Kazan (actress: It's Complicated), who also plays Ruby. Zoe is extremely talented and is becoming more famous. She received a BA in Theatre from Yale University. She's been in a few movies before this, and I find it very inspiring that she not only starred in this movie, but she wrote it. And the writing is great! It feels very real, and the story definitely tugs at the heartstrings. The relationship created between Calvin and Ruby is very relatable to me, and I'm sure other people, which is strange since it could never happen. But their personalities and the dynamic between them hits close to home. 

      The one criticism I have with the movie is the ending. It does not feel right to me. However, I don't even know how I would want it to end. I'm sure it was very difficult to find the right ending. Overall, I fell in love with Ruby Sparks just as much as Calvin did, and I think you would, too.

Post, Blog Post

            In the new James Bond film we see a movie that has surpassed my expectations. I have now seen Skyfall two times and after each viewing felt very excited for what’s in store for the future. Without spoiling anything this movie is very great at everything it wants to accomplish. You can tell from the scale of this film that it took a lot from 2008’s The Dark Knight. If you haven’t seen the last few Bond films then that is okay, cause it does not reference ether one. It makes great nods to the past 50 years of Bond films throughout the entire film. If you do one thing this fall it got to be to see Skyfall. 

The Hunger Games, and Kevin

First off, condolences to Kevin Michael's family. Kevin was a real asset to the Park School, and the fact that he's gone leaves a gaping hole in the Ithaca College community as a whole. He will be missed.

Of course, we've got to move on from tragedy. So let's talk Hunger Games; which, I suppose, isn't really any better. That's not a stab against the movie -- from the trailer, it looks great -- but the story, if you don't know, isn't the happiest-go-luckiest of the bunch.

Quick summary: Post-apocalyptic world. In the nation of Panem -- which was once the US -- a government punishes their people for past protests in a televised annual event called The Hunger Games, where one boy and one girl from each "district" is called to fight to the death. The winner will bring their district prizes and live in luxury. Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen year old girl from the impoverished District 12, is called to play in the games; but she has other ideas for the Games and the government of Panem.

It's not often that I rave about how good a film adaptation of a book looks; but watching the trailer, I was drooling. When I read the books this summer, I had a vivid idea of how the sets would look, how the characters acted, how they fought, the music, etc. Everything in this trailer is exactly how I expected it, except for the actors. They look a little too clean and pretty for poor and oppressed citizens living in the slums and woods. But that's Hollywood; and to be honest, everything else about this movie so far has overshadowed that one little thing.

What's most impressive about this movie is how natural everything looks for a movie that's so unnatural. Maybe it's the rapid fire nature of the trailer, but nothing looked artificial or choppy; the makers of this film really devoted their time and energy into making every detail exactly right, and it shows. Watching the trailer immersed me in this universe. It's something amazing when a trailer can do that.

The movie comes out on my 21st birthday, so I might have to miss opening night for "celebration" and "good decisions." But I predict that The Hunger Games will be the movie event of 2012. What? Twilight? Get that weak mess out of here. Katniss Everdeen will kick Bella's pregnant ass around the block this way and that way. Like, you don't even know.