(500) Days of Summer...and don't mind the HIMYM comparisons.

I finally got to see (500) Days of Summer today. This has been a long time coming. Of course, loving Joseph Gordon-Levitt and being thrilled by the trailer, I've been keen on seeing it for a while. This past Friday, I was texted by a friend who requested we go see it together. Being epically psyched by this prospect, I was unfortunately busy that evening, but said that either Saturday or Sunday would be fab. Unfortunately, she never got back to me. Monday came around, and I was going to pressure my two besties into going with me (or at least the one that I was under the impression wasn't leaving for college in two days), but the one I assumed was more likely to be able happened to be heading off to NYC the next day and the one who was available, was clearly swamped by packing.

So I ran off by myself, which I do. I prefer seeing movies with other people in theatres, but I don't mind going by myself. However, by the end of the movie, I felt incredibly weird being there all by myself.

Although not a couple film by definition in the least, I have to say, (500) Days of Summer is the exactly the kind of date movie I'd want. But maybe that's just me watching it and feeling incredibly depressed by Summer's accusations that love is a fantasy. I don't like to get too personal here, but I've been rather companionship deprived for some time, and so watching Tom made my heart kind of shrivel up. I was extremely happy with the ending, however. And obvious spoiler alert here... I was simply happy that they had happy endings of some variety. And it all makes more sense that they didn't end up together. But even a failed "relationship" (as it was never really a romantic relationship) makes me jealous, especially for the couples around me in the theatre, whom I found, after the film, to be completely unworthy of being around each other unless it was something deep between them.

But perhaps I'm just a snob in that regard. And, like Tom, I've been buttered up by the movies into thinking love is either one thing or another or another. It's rather ridiculous, actually, especially when I think to myself, "so what movie will my love life look like one day?" because it certainly doesn't resemble any movie I've seen thus far.

On a note with less personal dissatisfaction, maybe it's my How I Met Your Mother craze combined with just seeing this movie, but is it just me, or are Ted and Tom more similar than the letters of their first name? I mean, come on, they're both hopeless romantics and aspiring architects in a big city falling in love with "the one" that's not really "the one." And to top it all off, they both have a single best friend and a best friend that is in a majorly long term relationship (of course, Barney and whatshisface are hardly anything alike). But really, the similarities are rather striking.

But anyway, all in all, (500) Days of Summer was a really excellent film, a really great movie that is both romantic and not, which is perfect in my opinion. It's deeply entertaining and enlightening to see a journey that doesn't pan out, but it's also nice to still see some satisfaction for our lovelorn hero.

Last tidbit: Mad Men marathon that was on today was totally awesome. I got a chance to watch a good chunk of it. It was nice to revisit season 2, considering that it has been quite some time and a trip down memory lane was useful. Also, it was fun to call Pete Campbell a tool several times while describing him to my Mad Men-less friend as I watched it and she packed her things. I am so psyched for season 3! Shame I'm missing the premiere to be in Venezuela with my aunt. x)

Moar Movies To See

Okay, so that's a lie. There are other movies I want to see, I just don't have any bets on them being excellent, breathtaking, or maybe I just don't know that much about them. Either way, here are more movies I desire to see as they come out:


Taking Woodstock - I've heard it's not very great, but considering it was filmed in this area, I guess you can say I have an attachment to it. Plus, it just seems like it'd be a generally fun movie. Plus, I want to see if I can recognize any of the extras (they recruited at my school). It'll make me feel way hip and connected.

Bruno - It comes out tomorrow! It's going to be hilariously inappropriate and I will laugh. I like laughing. I still remember my documentary professor last semester, telling us that he was massively psyched for Bruno. After the stunt at the MTV movie awards (which were actually pretty entertaining save the fact that the actual awards were shit)... oh man. Being a lover of bizarre fashion (to an extent, I would never wear Bruno's clothes), I am excited. And inappropriate laughter. I love it all.

(500) Days of Summer - Joseph Gordon-Levitt is awesome and will do many a great thing. I rewatched 10 Things I Hate About You last night and considering that Brick is perhaps my favourite movie, I am feeling the JGL love right now. And Zooey Deschanel is also very cool. This movie sounds really sweet without intentionally being that way. And the dance number reminds me of Enchanted... in a good way.

The Hurt Locker - Not going to lie, I knew little about this until critics started raving about it. I don't watch much television, but I was watching recently and one commercial essentially commanded me to go see it. So, I suppose I will.

Julie & Julia - I missed all the Meryl Streep Is Amazing film history (I'll have to explore her filmography more extensively in the future), but I am in love with Amy Adams, and that the pair are together is awesome. I finally saw a preview at Public Enemies and it looked really adorable. And yummy. This is why I love Chocolat but can rarely rewatch it. It makes me crave chocolate so much.

Harry Potter 6 - Okay, I loved the Harry Potter books, not going to say they're the best things ever but they're good stories, but I've never been a big fan of the movies. They all feel lost between trying to be a Faithful Adaptation and Finding A New Voice. But I'll give 'em this - the previews always look AMAZING even if I've never been deeply in love with any of the movies.

The Ugly Truth - Another rom com sucks me in! But I can't help it, Gerard Butler's just too amazing for me to avoid. Also, Katherine Heigl is genuinely funny. I actually enjoyed 27 Dresses... to an extent. (Most) rom coms are only so good. I don't know that this movie will actually live up to be hilarious, but it could be, so I will probably give it a shot.

Funny People - This could either suck or be awesome. I am really hoping for the latter. I'd like to see Adam Sandler in a good movie again (You Don't Mess With the Zohan!? Bedtime Stories!?). Plus, I'd like to think that I trust Judd Apatow. We'll see.

Inglorious Basterds - Hilariously enough, as I was skimming old Entertainment Weekly magazines, I came across a note in a 2004 issue that made reference to Quentin Tarantino's long rumored "Inglorious Bastards project." Funny seeing it come to fruition five years later. I have no delusions this will be anything but what it's expected to be. But that doesn't mean it won't be enjoyable.


And there will be more as we get into the I Want An Oscar! season (aka: fall). But, for now, I'll settle for some not-top-notch quality movies. Who knows? They might even surprise me.