Halloween -- I haz it. Or, hadz it. Last night was the blessed event and for the first time in years I dressed up in a real costume. Not, Wear-Everything-Black-And-Call-It-Teen-Goth costume, but a costume. My neighbor/housemate/landlady let me borrow her jewelry, fake flowers and a dress that she used last year to dress up as Frida Kahlo. So on Friday night I fought years of instinct that have kept me battling my natural tendency towards uni brow and drew one in on purpose. It was the best Halloween I've had in years--I even enjoyed going to two parties full of people I'd either never met or barely knew and, if you know me, I'm not much of a party person even when I know everyone. But I think I made a damn fine Frida.
MY FACE ISN'T USED TO LOOKING THAT SERIOUS. I'M TOO NATURALLY SMILEY.
Changeling -- Liz and I saw this movie tonight and I cannot get it out of my head. It's eating me from the inside. In a good way. I wanted to see it because I think Angelina Jolie is a good actress and I love the few movies I've seen Clint Eastwood direct--though I have to say that he doesn't have a good track record for "happy ending" films, so I knew I was in for a hardcore drama. It was a wonderful movie, I was thoroughly impressed by the acting of all involved. Even minor characters--one man who played a lawyer couldn't have been in the movie for more than 15 minutes altogether but he made an impression on me. At one point all he did was make a small, protective lunge forward with a defensive look on his face and I was mesmerized, I really couldn't look away from him. But it was one of the most intense movies I have ever seen. Let's be honest, I cried a couple times. It was a true story (not "based on a true story" which generally means something like 85-90% of it is made up) but I wish it wasn't because it is not a pleasant story. Alas, this film was not about happy endings. This film was about justice and hope in very horrible circumstances. You feel vindicated in a way, which makes this it's own kind of "feel good" movie, but it's definitely not in a daisies and unicorns style. All that to say, if you can handle the gut-wrenching aspects for the sake of a well told, well done story, PLEASE go see it.
