What I Did on Sunday

Special thanks to my brother for these free tickets to the MTV Movie Awards.

Dinner Theater

I didn't plan to see Bride Wars until Trish suggested that our crew watch it together. It was fitting. We all met each other during wedding planning.

During the previews, someone guffawed loudly and uncontrollably. I asked, "Who the hell is laughing so hard at this?!"

It was Wan, several seats down from me. Classic.

I sat between tater and Lilcee, who graciously tolerated my groaning and snide remarks during the film. The best part was not even actually in the movie. Some idiot in the audience very audibly gasped in total surprise at a completely obvious plot [not-so-]twist. The theater erupted in laughter at this idiot.

After 90 minutes of predictable fodder, we walked around the corner for dinner at Yazmin (27 E. Main Street, Alhambra), a Malaysian restaurant, not a birth control dispenser.


This was only the second time I'd ever had Malaysian cuisine. I've concluded that, while it's tasty, I still prefer the "origins" of Malaysian food more -- Chinese, Indian, and Thai food are all tastier to me in their respective purer forms.

Thai iced tea. Fine.

Roti canai ($4.25). Loved this. It's somewhat naan-like and perfect with curry.



Char kuei teow ($7.55). These Penang-style stir-fried flat rice noodles with bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, egg, and leeks are reminiscent of pad see ew.

Beef rendang ($8.95). Chunks of beef simmered with coconut and lemongrass in a rich curry sauce were perfect to ladle on top of coconut rice. I wish the beef had been a bit more tender.

Pineapple fried rice ($6.95). The fried rice with pineapple, shrimp, chicken, carrots, and peas wasn't bad, but I've certainly had better.

Ayam masak mango ($7.95). This chicken with garlic, ginger, onions, and chunks of fresh mango in a tamarind coconut curry sauce was an interesting mix of flavors. Spicy. Sweet. Tangy.

Curry laksa ($6.75). These egg noodles with shrimp, chicken, and tofu in a light curry soup were perfect for a cool evening.

Garlic kangkong ($8.95). If you are an avid reader, you already know I love ong choy (water spinach), so this was an instant winner for me.

Malaysian food is colorful!

I enjoyed our meal at Yazmin, and I would definitely go back for a meal if I went to a movie at the Edwards Renaissance. I'm not sure, however, if I'd make the trip for the restaurant alone. The portions are generous and the flavors strong, but the place won't knock your socks off.

But, hey, it all came out to just $12 per person, including tax and tip.

R came with her hair straightened tonight, and this was the first time I saw Amber with her new haircut. Don't they look particularly cute?

And...the goof pic.

Fun night.

I Think I'm a Man

I don't give a rat's ass about Sex and the City.
Actually, that's not true.
I do give a rat's ass.
I actively dislike Sex and the City.

[breathing out]

I feel better now.

Big Bad Movies and Cheap Armenian Chicken

We spent 7.5 hours in a movie theater today. That period of time included three bad blockbusters and an emergency evacuation.

Yes, evacuation.

You see, when somebody burns popcorn at work, you simply endure a nasty smell. When somebody burns popcorn at a movie theater, you're forced to leave the building.

Thankfully that was it.

A bit of humor for you -- while people sauntered out nonchalantly in response to the whooping siren and flashing lights, they ran and trampled each other to get back to their original seats.

Yeah, we ran, too.

There's not that much to say about the movies. I'll be brief.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Very much like the first three Indy films. Seeing as how it has been a whopping 19 years since the last flick, this is not a good thing. Like all Indy films, the plot was ridiculous, the bad guys horribly stereotyped, and the dialogue absurd. I felt bad for Cate Blanchett and her Mia-Wallace-from-Pulp-Fiction wig. But Shia LaBeouf was surprisingly good, notwithstanding his stupid hair and even stupider lines.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: Ugh! So bad! And so very very sad in light of the fact that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was actually quite wonderful. Not enough whimsy. Not enough magic. Just...not enough.

Speed Racer: Nevermind that the logo looks like Burger King, this movie wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I'm not saying that it was good, but at least it was visually engaging and interesting. It was like watching real people inside of a video game. On acid. Or so I would imagine, not ever having actually dropped acid.

Around 9:30 p.m., we emerged from the darkness and drove to Zankou Chicken to grab some take-out. If you've never been to Zankou, I feel sorry for you and the rock under which you've been living.

Zankou boasts that it is "the best chicken in town at any price: moist, juicy and fragrant." I don't disagree. However, while most people go for full or half chickens accompanied by pita, this lazy Monkey prefers getting her wraps made for her.

Chicken Tarna Wrap (grilled chicken with garlic sauce and tomatoes).

Tri-Tip Shawerma Wrap (grilled steak with sesame sauce and tomatoes).

Falafel Wrap (falafel with lettuce, tomatoes, and sesame sauce).

Each wrap was $4.99 and delicious. The Monkeys find that sharing three is perfect.

On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink

Bax and I are on a mission to educate our very intellectual Giggles. How do you educate a girl like Giggles? You watch Mean Girls together while eating yumtastic take-out from Azeen's Afghani Restaurant (soooooo good -- I haven't stopped thinking about it since the last time we had it).

What can I say about Mean Girls that you don't already know? It never fails to make me laugh, and Bax totally rules for owning it. Giggles seemed to enjoy it, and, even if she didn't, too bad! Bax and I have decided we are going to make this a series. We will indoctrinate our little friend with pop culture! Feel free to comment with suggestions for future sessions.

While at Giggles' place, I met Condi. Who is Condi? Condi is the evil peahen that nests near Giggle's patio. Condi is almost as tall as Giggles! It's times like these that I rejoice at the fact I always have a point-and-shoot in my purse.

Condi is brazen. And crazy. And scary. Giggles hates that peahen so much. That's why she named her Condi.

It's not hard to guess Giggles' political leanings. Word.

I leave you with a quote from Mean Girls:

"I know she's kind of socially retarded and weird, but she's my friend, so just promise me you wont make fun of her."

Now how perfect is that? For me, that is. Not for Giggles! Heh.

Movies Movies Movies Movies Movies

There Will Be Blood

The first 14 minutes of this film has no dialogue. Then...welcome to Overacting City! I'd been putting off watching this movie because the screener was two discs long. Too long, too long, too long. I understand it's an epic sort of film, but I thought it was a tad heavy-handed. It was a powerful film, yes, but it was a bit much still. Both Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano were absolutely over-the-top, but I can't fault them for that really. I blame the script and the direction.

I was also extraordinarily annoyed by the soundtrack, courtesy of Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood. I found it discordant and incongruous to the film. I hate even more that critics have raved about the music. Ridiculous. I like Radiohead, but this just didn't work, and it was in no way as "revolutionary" as critics have touted. Honestly, it sounds like the soundtrack to Lost. Not impressed. Angered, in fact.

This is not to say that There Will Be Blood isn't interesting. It is. And, notwithstanding its length, it's a good film. It's just not *as* good as everyone claims it is. It could've and should've been better, and I hope that No Country for Old Men kicks its ass at the Oscars. Go, creepy Javier Bardem, go!

The Kite Runner

This is another film that could've and should've been better. Great story -- absolutely heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. But such a mediocre film. What a disappointment. Maybe I need to watch it again. Maybe I was too wiped out from watching There Will Be Blood to give this a fair shot.

Atonement

I hate Keira Knightley. Hate. I can't really explain exactly why, but I do. Even so, I appreciated Atonement. It was a beautiful film even though the story itself made me very angry. Knightley was actually quite good, and James McAvoy just melted my heart. McAvoy is not that handsome (in fact, I dare say he's somewhat not attractive; he did play Mr. Tumnus the faun in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, after all), but, boy, is he charming. I love him so.

As I mentioned before, the plot quite incensed me. I found it so unfair, but that's what made the movie so good -- it made me feel. Atonement isn't nearly as amazing as critics have implied, but it is a fine movie, especially for those who enjoy period pieces.

The Golden Compass

Funny enough, here's a movie I didn't think was as bad as everybody else warned me it was. There are tons of flaws, but I really loved the talking animals. They were so cute. In some ways, I'm easy to please. You just have to watch it, knowing it's not a very good movie, and then you won't be that let down.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Now what the hell is this movie doing in this list? Hey, I watch dumb blockbusters as much as the next person does. And that's all this was. Whee.

Even More Mini Movie Snippets

The Savages

Laura Linney's new typecast is apparently the sister in brother-sister films (recall You Can Count on Me with Mark Ruffalo). Here, she plays the younger sister to Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, and together they brave the daunting task of caring for their ailing father stricken with dementia. It truly puzzles me that this has been categorized as a "comedy" by the Golden Globes. If it's a comedy, it's a really really really really really dark one.

This indie flick is driven solely by dialogue and will bore the less patient who are not enamored with so much talking and so little action (e.g., Mr. Monkey, who went to watch sports and play Wii at his friend's house last night). I enjoyed it, but you must be willing to watch quietly. I hope you understand what that means. I really liked the final scene, which was somewhat uplifting after so many minutes of wah-wah material.

Also, it seems that all indie films this year must include The Velvet Underground's "I'm Sticking With You." This film couldn't have been more different from Juno, yet they both used this song. Am I crazy to have noticed this? Perhaps.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon)

What an incredible work of art. I will warn you, though, that it is a foreign film in every sense of the term -- total French sensibility and subtitles galore. Mr. Monkey, of course, wanted nothing to do with this. I watched this right after eating at Angelique Cafe and visiting Mode, so I was in the right Frenchy mood. He left to play basketball.

This movie is the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, former editor of Elle magazine. Bauby suffers a stroke and is left unable to speak due to complete paralysis. His brain, however, remains totally intact, and he can fully understand everything that is said to him and all that transpires around him. The film is methodical and thoughtful, told entirely through the eyes -- or, rather, eye -- of Bauby, who communicates solely through blinking with his one functioning eyelid.

I won't give away just how amazing the tale is, but this is a must-watch. You are literally in this man's head from start to finish. You may have to be in the right mood for something so heavy and plodding, but the film is astounding, heartbreaking, and beautifully poetic, even in translation.

Away From Her

Here's another movie I watched while Mr. Monkey was playing basketball. It was written and directed by Sarah Polley, who starred in the thrillingly fast-paced and comedic Go (which has an awesome soundtrack, by the way). I find it somewhat surprising that a 28-year-old would make a totally depressing film about old people, but Julie Christie should be kissing Polley's feet for giving her perhaps her last opportunity at an Oscar.

Christie plays Fiona, an elderly woman who begins to suffer from Alzheimer's and who is adored by her husband of 44 years, played by the wonderful Gordon Pinsent. To say the least, this isn't exactly a movie I would recommend to uplift one's spirits, but it is elegant and the acting exquisite. This is another total heartbreaker, and now J.S. Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846, is forever ruined for me. (This is what happens when you study classical piano for over 13 years; you develop the useless skill of identifying baroque pieces you played when you were six years old.)

Good film, but you may consider skipping it, if only because of its extremely slow pace and complete downer content.