Home Sweet Home

Things I realized while being home that I have missed the past few months:

-Of course, my family (and everything that includes)
-The (bless-their-hearts) Utah style
-Driving (borrowing my mom's car last night was much more fun than I had thought...)
-Things are MUCH cheaper here including food and movies*
-It is possible to go to the grocery store 24/7 (with a car that is)
-People using movies as analogies in their testimonies
-Playing Rockband and not feeling guilty (I have made it to expert on the Bass)
-Running into apostles while at restaurants


Things I have realized while being home that I missed about New York:

-Places are open past 9 pm
-The New York style (especially the accessories with coats, scarves, boots, etc. They are MUCH more necessary in NYC and yet, New Yorkers can pull it off so well!)
-The beat of the city. You always feel alive there.
-Similar to Romans in the yelling at others while driving or crossing the street. This usually involves gesturing and specific usage of words and phrases.
-Running into celebs at random felafel joints (Zac Braff) or other places (James Franco on the stairs at NYU).

I will say that I didn't miss the cold and slush. I’m not excited to be back with it in New York…

*As an extra treat, I thought I'd give a rundown of some of the movies I have seen while in SLC. Don't worry, it is free.

Of the five that I saw, four were the top grossing movies of the week that I was in SLC (all but Invictus). Again, it is much cheaper in SLC so I put off seeing certain movies to pay a more reasonable price of $6-$8 instead of the $12.50 in New York. I have realized that while in New York, I have to be much more selective in what I will see in the theatres. I don't see nearly as many movies and the ones I do see I am much more careful at selecting.

1) It's Complicated
I love Meryl Streep and, although she doesn't shine in this film, she definitely makes the story believable and entertaining. She plays the part of a woman who has rekindled a romance with her ex-husband of 10 years, played by Alec Baldwin (a favorite of mine since watching 30 Rock). Like any new romance, the story includes awkward moments as they hide their relationship from their families and friends. John Krasinski, although only a supporting character, should also be mentioned as his performance makes the film.

2) Sherlock Holmes
If you like the Bourne series, you'll like Sherlock Holmes. With similar twists and turns, the film engages you both because of the who-dunnit story as well as the visualization of the story. The production design (specifically the sets and costumes) are meticulous in their detail and are stunning. Credit should also be given to Guy Richie's direction and his signature shots.

3) Avatar 3D
Although the story isn't anything new (does Pilgrims arriving in America to civilize the savages ring a bell?), the visualization of the story is spectacular. Cameron definitely should get credit for his 10+ year hiatus in the film world in perfecting his 3D and digital animation technology. My experience to the 3Dness of the film reminded me of early audiences when they viewed the Lumiere brother's short film "Train Arriving at a Station" when they started running as the train got closer to them on screen because they feared they would be hit. Several times I had to brush away the dust and dirt that were brought to life thanks to the 3D. I'm confident in saying that 3D is the future of film.

4) Invictus
Both Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon portray the real life story of South African President Nelson Mandela and the South African Rugby team who won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, uniting not only the team but the nation. You gotta love the true, underdog story.

5) The Blind Side
Much like Invictus in the underdog genre, the acting was spectacular. Sandra Bullock definitely gets a cheer for playing a feisty, Christian (and republican) woman who provides for a boy from the projects. (And, let’s give her credit for making The Blind Side the first film to exceed $200 million dollars earned with a strong female role). Definitely a feel-good film. And Tim McGraw isn't too bad at acting either.