Goodness me, the David Morse fans were crawling out of the woodwork yesterday!

This one was particularly threatening in an "I saw him first!" kind of way. But, as I expressed, he's certainly big enough to share. She expressed interest in exclusive rights to the bottom half, so I think that there is a bit more negotiating to be done...

God, I'm getting silly...

So on Monday, after seeing The Green Mile, I went home and decompressed, then ventured out again to see the film I've been wanting to see for two months, Being John Malkovich.

It's funny, everyone talked about it being so weird and so strange, and I don't know if I am a big freak or what, but I didn't find it weird at all! I guess it's just my mindset, but when I'm watching a movie, and things make sense in the world that the movie sets up, I accept it all.

Of course, I couldn't accept the loathsome Mrs. Doubtfire because of the cartoon dubbing at the beginning was all wrong--it's always voices first, then drawings.

So portals into John Malkovich's brain--makes perfect sense. Backwards animation--too confusing to accept.

Anyway, I dug it the most. It was so smart and so funny and so complex and wonderful. And John Malkovich is fucking fantastic, goofing on himself with a straight face, and doing a flat-out brilliant John Cusack impression!

People have mentioned the fact that the greatest special effect was making Cameron Diaz look unattractive, and she really does, but they do a pretty good job with Cusack, too! When Maxine says "Craig, I just don't find you attractive!" I thought "Listen, just give him a haircut and a shave, you'll change your mind!

Speaking of unattractive, I was intrigued by the casting of a not incredibly attractive actress as the woman driving everyone wild, and I wondered if Spike Jonze was trying to say something, but then I remembered that he married Sofia Coppola, so I guess that he's got unusual idea of beauty.

Yesterday, Mom and I saw Titus at the Academy.

They have these special, smaller screenings during the week, usually of independent films, usually in the Little Theatre, but they moved it to the big one because they could only screen it once, due to the length.

They didn't have to. Nobody was there, and I knew that there wouldn't be, because, as I told Mom, "Academy members don't like Shakespeare, and they especially don't like Shakespeare that they've never heard of, and they especially especially don't like Shakespeare that they've never heard of done by an experimental filmmaker!

So the place was pretty empty, but for the half-wit who sat next to me and rattled candy wrappers until I moved. The film was great, Anthony Hopkins made a ginchy Titus, and the glorious Alan Cumming made a swell Saturninus, Jessica Lange tore up the joint as Tamora, and Angus MacFadyen was so simply good as Lucius that he won't be noticed at all, winning the David Morse Memorial Award For Quiet Brilliance.

I also loved Osheen Jones as the boy. What a face he has, and when he opened his mouth he could act and speak verse as well!

Anyway, the thing was as gory as a Hellraiser flick, but I expected it, being familiar with the play. Mom, on the other hand, was not, and was heard to say:
"I can't believe that William Shakespeare wrote that!"
"Why?"
"Not the man who was in Shakespeare in Love!"
(after a silence) "Mom, that was fiction."
"But I thought that some of it was true!"
"No, Mom, it was a made-up story."
"O. Well, I still can't believe he wrote that awful story!"

When it was over and we were driving home, I suddenly got the urge to use another pass. There was a 10.30p showing of The Green Mile and I wanted to see it, but I didn't want to waste another parking pass (they don't grow on trees, you know!) so I suggested that Mom drop me off at Citywalk and I'd walk home.

She was nonplussed, but I insisted. It's not that far, and though I'd have to walk by the side of the freeway, I was pretty sure there was a sidewalk. Mom made me take a flashlight and her cellphone, and I went.

Cried just as much the second time. Wanted to eat Morse up with a spoon just as much the second time. Walked home by the side of the freeway at 2a, happy that I was walking towards the traffic, happy that there was little traffic, particularly when the curb disappeared and I had to walk in the gutter.

When I got to the boulevard, there was a little path into the woods (yes, woods in Hollywood, I'm not imagining it!) and it would be a shortcut to my house, so I started cutting, and it was very very dark and I heard rustlings and things running and I thought that there are alot of field rats around here, and they probably wouldn't be like Mr. Jingles, so I ran back to the sidewalk and walked home on good solid cement, like the good Lord meant us to.

Got home at 2.30a. Mom was still up, worried, as though I were a sixteen-year-old who had gone to prom with a bad boy.

Got the greatest New Years design from Krystyn yesterday!

I love the way I send out these little requests and not only get designs immediately, but really beautiful, clever ones! And you'll all see it too, you know, if the world doesn't end and all...

Today's horoscope:
Familiar paths vie with new possibilities in terms of finances. Do not go to either extreme, but allow some of both.

One year ago today:
So, even the slums are picturesque!

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Christmas Cheer by:
Brittly!

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Last Updated Wed 29 December 14:17:09 1999