Whip It Good? TBD

Sometimes when I get going about TV shows I forget I also enjoy movies. In fact, there was a time when I enjoyed movies more than television, but recently movies I’ve loved have been few and far between. And this is a girl who tends to be easily amused by just about anything (in fact, I'm starting to think some people keep me around only because I laugh at their bad jokes. Oh well).

I am trying to recall the last film that really just knocked my socks off (and please keep in mind my problems with short term memory), but I think it probably was Up!, a film that provoked one hell of an emotional roller-coaster. Oh, I also LOVED The Hangover, and just earlier today was talking with one of my roommates about how I cannot wait for that flick to come out on DVD so I can watch it on repeat, a la my college days of excessive viewings of Old School. OOOH and 500 Days of Summer kicked ass (and speaking of kicking, look at that elusive memory kicking in!), but also because the soundtrack was so effectively incorporated into the film, and if there’s one thing I love more than a good flick, it’s a great film soundtrack (see: my iTunes playlist titled: "Movie Soundtracks").

All of this leads me to my general curiosity about the film Whip It. I have mixed feelings of anticipation regarding this film. First up, I love Kristen Wiig, and she’s in it, so that makes me want to see it. But then it has Drew Barrymore, and I am very much on the fence about her, although traditionally I’ve enjoyed her acting performances, from E.T. to Ever After to yes, even Music & Lyrics (oh and not too long ago I ran next to her on a treadmill, when she was only walking, so that made me feel good about myself). Okay, so actually, yeah I like Drew Barrymore, and as this is her directorial debut, I am only further intrigued.



So the main obstacle to my seeing Whip It might be Ellen Page. Yes, I enjoyed Juno enough, but I find the girl somewhat annoying. And I am not totally sold on the roller derby storyline. (I am so annoyed that rollerskating is IN, by the way. I was killing it on rollerskates/ice skates/rollerblades back in the '90s. Biiiiiiiiitch pleeeeze.) However, so far several reviewers have been saying great things, and what brought me to consider all of this anyway, was for some reason this strikes me as the kind of film that has a good soundtrack. This is probably because I love the Devo jam "Whip It," which ironically, is not on the sountrack.

However, after taking a look at the line-up, I have to concur that this is likely a great soundtrack (Dolly Parton's "Jolene?" Win!). And it’s worth mentioning that Landon Pigg (whose music you may know from Grey’s Anatomy or that AT&T commercial) is not only contributing a song to the film, but stars as the male lead. A little more indie cred for y’all right there. And I dig Landon Pigg’s music. He’s got a new album that just came out, and while it makes me long for rainy days and a coffee shop with big windows where I can stare at the water streaming down the cold glass while I contemplate my deep, deep existential crisis, I am definitely digging his vibe. LA might not have many rainy days, but there’s something about his music that is very seasonally appropriate for the fall.

So, back to my point (did I have a point? No idea), will I see this film opening weekend? Doubtful. I’ll probably end up going to the beach and then getting drunk and then catching up on television while hungover on Sunday and then next thing you know it’s Monday morning and I am back at work… but, I am curious to hear what other people think about the film. At the very least I’ll probably download the soundtrack. And then stare out a window while I contemplate my existential crisis and stuff.

Is there something in the water?

Okay this week I've been having some serious celebrity sightings. Well, not all of them have been serious, but they've been decent.

Monday morning driving to work (after my Jamba Juice run), I saw Lori Loughlin which has now become pretty ordinary (beat that Jon Stamos). After work I was driving to the gym and notice a Smart Car next to me. I don't think I've seen a Smart Car since I was in Europe so I was certainly intrigued, especially as this one had the darkest tinted windows I have ever seen, maybe in any vehicle. Well, sure enough this car is on its way to Equinox as well, and who does it end up being but none other than Malcom himself, the miniature Frankie Muniz.

I get into the gym, and after throwing my stuff in a locker and changing I head out to the main cardio floor and step onto a treadmill. Walking on the treadmill to my immediately left is Drew Barrymore. Drew Barrymore! She was miniature and cute as a button, wearing some big headphones while she exercised. About four minutes into my run and Drew-discovery, her much-gossiped about boyfriend Justin Long walks over and the two start chatting away about working out and shooting some movie and something else I don't remember. (Yes, I pressed pause on my ipod so I could eavesdrop--sue me). Drew finished her workout and moments later I saw her and Justin walk out of the gym, arm in arm--so cute it made me want to vomit.

Anyways, when I was on my way out I spotted a great t-shirt that said "Wax Bush" and realized the owner of said shirt was Sanjay from Weeds, or Jonathan from 30 Rock, or Maulik Pancholy, as he is known in real life. I guess all established actors go to the gym at 7 pm on a Monday night.

Last night (Tuesday) I went with Roomie #1 to a reading of a fantastic play called Three Days of Rain, which starred three experienced thespians, one of them being Justin Kirk (also of Weeds), who is in my opinion one of the most talented actors working today. This man is seriously brilliant. His performance was perfectly nuanced, and every word was spoken with a sincere physicality to it that seemed to express a distinct purpose behind each movement. Kirk has an uncanny capacity to perfectly embody the characters he plays. I love him best as Andy on Weeds, but seeing him in the flesh, in a black box theater, and maybe just 10 feet away, showed his pure genius as an actor. Also--the play itself was fantastic. It was a really cool experience, to say the least.

This morning on my drive to work I saw Chris O'Donnell on his way to the gym (same one as Lori Loughlin, same place I saw him as before), and I've become really interested in what exactly this gym is. It's called Burn 60 and apparently it is some sort of total body workout in 60 minutes. So not really a gym, per se, but rather fitness classes.

Anyways, this has to be some kind of record for me. I used to see people in New York a lot, but never this frequently. While I never actually go up to an actor, and usually try to not acknowledge them anymore than I would anyone else, I will say that I don't know if I will every quite get over seeing a movie or tv star in the flesh.