When Michael Left for Colorado

I'm in a hotel, watching the episode of The Office where Michael finally leaves Dunder Mifflin, heading off to Colorado with Holly. The staff all think he has one more day, but he doesn't. So Pam isn't at work and he is sad he cant say goodbye. He is leaving Scranton as soon as he leaves work that day at 4pm

But Jim knows. Michael reveals he's sad, and can't believe hes sad and worries he might be making a mistake. But Jim gives him a pep talk of sorts, and tells him is s the best boss he's ever had. That is maybe a stretch but here is the thing: I've seen this episode at least 4 times. When it fist aired, a couple times during re-watches. And tonight. And I have teared up every time. John Krasinski and Steve Carell are so good, and so believable. and so genuine.

The reason this show is so watchable (and re-watchable) is the dynamic between all of the characters- not just the core cast, but also the background players. This sitcom made me tear up more than maybe any other I can think of. Even my beloved Parks and Rec. It has also made me laugh, a lot. If you've never seen it, you should give it the 5 episode shot.

Overdue Recaps

Between the last 2 movies I wrote about, which were Unsane (in March)  and Hereditary, I have seen a slew of stuff I'd like to say a sentence or two about.

Flower- I think I would have enjoyed this more if I were 20 and or didn't care about a flimsy plot.

Ready Player One- Not sticking to the book worked for this film. I went in with low expectations and found myself enjoying it.

A Quiet Place- This one deserves it's own post. Possibly my favorite film of the year so far, A great, scary, original film that made me afraid to make a sound while I watched a family terrorized by monsters who hunt by sound. My poor popcorn didn't have a chance!

The Party -Pitch black comedy about political and marital discontent. Fantastic cast, I liked it.

Ismael's Ghost- If someone says "you could watch Ismael's Ghost or watch paint dry" Watch the paint dry. This was so boring and disjointed.

Gemini- Two words: "Lesbian Intrigue". Two more words: "L.A. Noir". Very enjoyable.

Revenge- This was a little too I Spit on Your Grave for me. And over-hyped.

Solo- There was plenty to like about this (Han's origin story, young Lando, meeting Chewie,  Finding out how he made the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs). I'd personally like them to slow it down with the Star Wars movies. It's taking the magic out of them.

Adrift- I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Less about the love story, more about survival at sea. And Shailene Woodley was great.

RBG- This documentary on Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a little too middle of the road for me.

The Rider- A beautifully shot film based on a true story featuring not actors, but the real people the story is about. Sad, real, and beautiful to sum it up.

Ocean's 8- I liked this heist movie a lot. Maybe because of the cast (Sandra Bullock, Cate Blachett, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, and Rihanna) or maybe because the cast had hardly any men. Whatever, Cate Blanchett on a motorcycle!!!!! WOO!

The Seagull- Do you like being depressed? Do you like great casts who don't have a lot to do? Do you like Russian literature brought to life by not Russian actors? Well, this might be the movie for you. We cringed our way through it.

Alright! There you have it, mini reviews! You are welcome!

No Matter...

No matter how hot out it is, my dogs will always want to cuddle. After I turn on the A/C of course.

(this is a dramatization, these cute pups are not my cute pups)

Found in the Stacks

I find many a wacky book when I'm shelving at work, but after finding this I figured it was time to start sharing the here:

Sure, you've seen Fabio on the cover of many a romance novel. But how many novels have you seen where he was also the author?

Feelings...

This week my Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram feeds had an explosion of posts about mental health, dealing with depression, people being open to "listening" if you're feeling sad, and a lot of sharing of feelings and personal expression of depression. The catalyst for this being the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. For one week, my feed was less regurgitated babble and ire about terrible Trump, and more about caring for one another.

Last night I was having drinks with a friend and we got talking about feeling sad and dealing with depression. I told him I sometimes get sad for what seems like no reason. Everything in my life could be going great, but I just feel sad. And sometimes angry. I know, for me at least, a lot of this has to do with hormonal imbalance, being hangry, etc. But also, sometimes, I just feel sad. Its not the same as being depressed, and I know how lucky I am I can say that.

When I got home, I watched a little TV and saw a very thoughtful ad with Michael Phelps, advocating for therapy, by talking about how much it has helped him. I thought "wow, this is great, and hopefully will help de-stigmatize therapy".

I know so many people who have been helped by seeing a therapist. I also know an equal amount of friends who think they can work stuff out on their own. Maybe they can. But when you are feeling overwhelmed by everything around you, it doesn't hurt to talk to someone who can hep you deal with your stuff.

My previous job drove me close to what I am pretty sure was a nervous breakdown. I spent most of my time crying and feeling like I was being crushed every day I was able to get out of bed.  I put on a happy face at work- well, as happy as I could, even though I was barely hanging on. When I did talk to people about how I was feeling, I often heard "hang in there". "Hang in there" is for those last couple hours of a work shift. It's for finishing a grueling project. Don't say that to someone having  a meltdown. I contemplated therapy every day, but had no idea how I would be able to get away from work to go. Or pay for it. So I didn't go. Instead I quit that job. A place I loved, a job I didn't. It took a while being away, having a new job I love to get back to what is normal for me.

Why am i even writing this blog post? Well, I guess I have been thinking about it a lot lately. And writing stuff helps.

Hereditary (2018)

Hereditary 2018, A24

I saw Hereditary twice this weekend. I avoided everything I could leading up to its opening, but after my second viewing, I read a few articles and most of what I saw was that it divided audiences, as Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 93%, while CinemaScore gave it a D+. Which lead me to ask

What the fuck is CinemaScore? 

I had never heard of it, so I looked into it. Here's what Wikipedia had to say:

CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data.Wikipedia

I looked at their website and saw the following grades:

Hereditary D+

Hotel Artemis C-

Ocean's 8 B+

Book Club A-

Midnight Sun A-

Overboard A-

Solo A-

Solo an A-?  I haven't seen Midnight Sun, Book Club, or Overboard, but I am scratching my head at those grades. But only a tiny scratch. We see this in box office figures. We see this in longevity at the theaters. Most people like a simple story with a clear plot. Or they are up for a more complex story that doesn't hold all the cards for a final reveal in the last 15 minutes of the film. 

Here's your "It might get a little spoiler-y" warning.

Part of this score, I would guess, is the way Hereditary was marketed. Scariest Movie of 2018! Not by a long shot. A Quiet Place was far scarier. Because when a horror fan hears "Scariest", they want to be scared. Hereditary does dole out some good scares, but its more of a creeping dread type of film. An in-the-back-of-your-mind kind of scare. After my first viewing,  I was struck by the themes of mental illness present throughout the film. That and so much decapitation. I went with a big group and we were definitely divided on how we felt. After seeing it again, I caught things I missed or that just didn't register the first time, as you do on second viewings. But I also went with a different set of people, so there were different insights and opinions. One of which was that Toni Collette's character Annie complained constantly about how awful her own mother was, while her son is thinking the same thing about her. These inherited cycles. DNA. The environment you grow up in. Family history. Family plots. All this, and witchcraft. 

It's ALWAYS witchcraft.

The look and feel of this film got to me. For a first time director, I feel like Ari Aster nailed it, even if the film felt a wee bit long. Toni Collette was outstanding at playing a range of emotions in a way you don't always see, definitely not in horror. If you want to see a well crafted, psychological horror film that will stick with you after seeing it, this is for you.