interjection #2 - i don't like bridge mix. it's chocolate covered candy and nuts and raisins people! one of the candies bears a startling and regretable similarity to "big turk" (the most unfortunate convenience store chocolate bar in the history of candy.) it's gross! i'm way too much of a control freak who revels in the anticipatory delights of what's about to cross my table to deal with the random mystery grab-bag of life that bridge mix represents. it was determined that we all LOVE chex mix, but chex mix (we suspect) is something you make, not buy. so we improvised our own with my bag of bits'n'bites mixed in an unholy but oh-so-right union with dr. rei's bag of party mix.
okay. onto the big show..."nick and norah's infinite playlist" is a thoroughly enjoyable little independent that pulls you into the heady thrill of being young, flush, in love, and out and about and is a thrilling love letter to new york city and the untold allure and promise it holds for the young the world over...whether you're part of the bridge-and-tunnel set like the titular couple, or if you're me, in toronto and can remember the first time visiting new york on my own (my family went all the time and the macy's and bloomingdales experience is totally valid, but a little less thrilling and romantic)...the 9+ hour middle of the night greyhound bus ride that had us tumbling out in the wee hours of the morning, exploring the city on foot with my then boyfriend, discovering that there's actually stuff beyond my mum's "safe area" of 5th avenue. the city unfolds as its own character on one of those only-in-the-movies long and fateful nights that has nick and norah (is there a dashiell hammett resurgence or something lately?) on a grand adventure, finding and losing people, on the search for a band, figuring stuff out and tentatively reaching out to each other over the course of an epic evening. kat dennings and michael cera's characters couldn't have been more aptly named...has there ever been a couple as worthy of emulation or reference than nick and norah charles? i think not. dennings is all giant wary eyes and lush lips and michael cera's textbook awkward teen is proving again to be surprisingly versatile to a wide range of emotions...he doesn't ever really play the same character...giving each one its on individualistic quirks and nuances while maintaining the signature cera-ness that girls go crazy for.
so many notable cameos and familiar faces from the new set...from harold (from harold and kumar), andy samberg, jay baruchel, the other asian guy who's in everything who isn't john cho, seth myers, devendra banheart in a very devendra cameo. loved the fact that there was no tokenism...gay characters are gay so what, jewish characters are jewish so what, asian characters are asian so what, not really worthy of mention...neither of the above becomes the platform for cheap jokes. i'm kind of hot for the lead singer of the jerkoffs and the stage actress who plays the drunk girl gives a convincing drunk girl performance that resonates to anyone who has ever set foot in a university bar.
at first i was worried it was going to be a little too indie for me (a dinosaur jr. poster on a teen bedroom in movies always gets my antennae up) but it settled into a very sweet little groove, balancing between funny and tender and overall extremely winning and endearing. it reminds me of when i actually used to go to shows and how important it was (remember going to your first concerts in your teens? in my case late teens [thanks overprotective, strict parents]) and how the nights all but sparkled with the limitless potential promised by the night. the soundtrack is tastefully indie thought still overall not to my taste - my favorite music was the one played by nick's band in the movie, which according to hanbo was composed by mark mothersbaugh of devo fame. we also all know how i feel about teen love when it's depicted right (ie. less "high school musical" and more...well, "nick and norah" is a great example.) it's just generally sweet and has you leaving the theatre with a smile on your face.
tonight i'm being ultra-ambitious and very very brave and going to see my dodgeball teammate's folk outfit play at c'est what. they're called rival gang theatre . some of my teammates are going too. i'm doing a LOT of after-work stuff this week and i'm seriously hoping that this means that on friday and saturday i can hunker down and eat chocolate pudding/tarte tatin with ice cream and wear flannel pjs. i figured i've earned it if i did a tonne of socializing in my precious after-work unwinding time during the week.
i made irie pumpkin stew for dinner with brown rice cooked with some coconut milk and kidney beans and sauteed/braised swiss chard on the side.
fin.
