Sundance 2013

Remember when I blogged about Sundance 2011 and how I maybe, almost saw Dustin Hoffman?

Well, unlike that year, this year I actually went to a Sundance movie. Two, actually.

We started it off by going to see a movie called Jiseul at the actual Sundance Resort.

This movie was about  a massacre of people who lived on an island off the coast of South Korea, when the US Government said everyone living more than 5 miles off the coast of Korea was a communist and soliders had orders to shoot and kill them. A group of 60 people hid out in a cave, and the movie was about their story to survive.

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The movie was very artsy, and was all black and white. Some scenes were beautiful while other seens were hard to see what was going on and honestly, the movie left me a little confused. I wish the director had been there to explain things a little better.

If I had stopped here I don't know if I would have ever come back for another Sundance movie.

The real movie I wanted to see is called A River Changes Course. I waited in the waitlist for this movie since it was sold out by the time I bought my locals tickets. I'm so happy I got in!

This screening was in Park City and I got to finally feel the vibe of what Sundance is all about. This movie is a documentary about Cambodia (now do you see why I wanted to see this!) It follows the story of three teenagers in different parts of the country who are all effected in different ways by the changes that Cambodia is undergoing (overfishing, deforestation, and factories).

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This film was beautifully done. The director was there to talk about her experience in making the film which made  it even richer. I've seen a few documentaries about Cambodia, and this is by far the most real one I've seen. She was able to capture Cambodia and the stuggles the Khmer people face to a tee. There were so many times I smiled because I saw or heard small things I experienced on a daily basis while living there. I think it was so beautifully done because it was done from a Cambodian perspective, and it was just following their lives instead of a documentary done from a western perspective. If you have the opportunity to see this film. SEE IT.

I even got to speak Khmer with a group of women who were sitting behind me. One of them said my pronunciation was wonderful and said I spoke better khmer than her since she was born in the US. And then she asked me something I misunderstood and I looked like a total idiot. I'm just impressed I could speak at all after 5 months of being home. Oh, and the main girl in their group was from my province and knew another Peace Corps volunteer. In case any PCVs are reading this, they're going to do screenings of this movie all around Cambodia, so I'll share my info soon.

I am so glad I got to see movies this year and that I got to see both ends of Sundance, since you never really know what you're going to end up seeing.  

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

You'd think this week was finals week for me too with my lack of feeling like blogging. (Can I get a hallelujah for Hal taking his last two finals today?!)

Well now it's friday and I'm needing to keep active to stay awake.

Why do I need to stay awake? Oh, I was a little crazy last night.

I put on my hobbit feet, and my costume that my mommy made me, oh...are you ready for this? 10 years ago for the premire fo the Two Towers.

I really debated wearing my costume. Cuz you know, I'm so much older and wiser, and adult like, right?

Except that I'm glad I did. A lot of people complimented me. A lot of people didn't know they made hobbit feet like mine. They're vintage...as in the original trilogy vintage. (does that sound snobby enough for you? haha) Thanks mom for finding them way back when.

And then I went to bed at 3:30...well, I was in bed a little too wired on sugar and hobbits to sleep.

And then I got up at 7:50 for work. And so I type to keep myself awake.

The movie was good. They added in some things that were in other books and not in the hobbit, and they added a few bits that were just made up, but overall? It was really good. I really liked that the feel of the movie was lighter than the others. The book was lighter, so I was glad that was reflected in the movie. I was surprised, because really, it was funny.

The best part? Martin Freeman. He plays Bilbo. He was fabulous. His facial expressions and his timing is impeccable. He did Bilbo Baggins justice, and that's important to those of us who read The Hobbit as kids and fell in love with this story.

So go see it. I'm seeing it again next weekend with Hal. He had a final this morning at 7, and couldn't do it on like 3 hours of sleep.

Let me know what you think of the movie. Have you seen it yet?

The Young Victoria

This is literally one of my favorite movies that I have seen in a long time. Go see it, please, and then tell me that you loved it too. I actually watched this with two boys and both of them said that it was way better than they thought it would be. This isn't your typical chick flick. Definitely not, it actually goes into some of the politics of her young reign. man, she reigned for so long. Since she was 18 until she died I think it said at 81, like 40 years after her husband had died. Poor girl.

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I actually wanted to see this when it came to town at the local independent theatre, but no one wanted to see it with me. I was glad when my dad rented it and said that he had loved it.

Seriously, this movie isn't super chick flicky, but Prince Albert seriously can rival Darcy. No Joke.

because honestly, she had to choose Albery over Melbourne, he had a way more awesome hairdo.

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Do you want to know what's funny? When I was looking up the people in this movie I realized that the guy who played Prince Albert is actually in the last movie post I did. He played a nazi in the boy in the striped pajamas. Odd. 

I stayed up really late last night to watch this movie again. you should do the same. You'll thank me for it.

P.s. There is a giveaway going on over at the Boob Nazi's blog for a pair of tickets to my dad's play for the provo show. Go Enter!! It's open until tomorrow night.

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

Last night Hal and I watched The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This movie was amazing. I had never even heard of it before. I loved it. I love most WWII anything though. For some weird reason I am obsessed with 40s vintage style things. And I happen to be really interested in WWII also. Hal said that the mother in it reminded him of me. He said she was pretty and she dressed in the 40s which I love. Not because she has a meltdown... Well, I guess I would have a melt down too if I were her.

Isn't she pretty? I wish I could have some of her clothes from this movie. I want to dress my little boys like the boy in this movie. People just dressed better back then. But I guess that would mean I would have to wear a dress or a skirt all of the time. Sigh, I would totally be worth it.

Can someone please teach me how to do 40s style hair?

You should go watch it, go Netflix it, it's worth it. It's one of the best movies I have seen in a while. It made me tear up, and I don't cry at movies.

Maybe one day we can have a 40s style party and everyone can dress up as amazing as they did back then. It's funny, I was totally jealous of this photo shoot and then we watched this movie, and it made me even more jealous. Maybe I'll have to plan a vintage photo shoot for myself one of these days.

In other news. It got up to 60 last week. I was so stoked. It snowed last night. And it's supposed to snow more tonight. This is a cruel game you're playing, mother nature.