AFI 39 - Dr. Strangelove

Welcome to my journey through the American Film Institute's top 100 movies of all time (as of 2007). I've been counting down from number 100 and will eventually get to what they consider the best movie ever made. I've agreed with some. Others I've really not liked. Keep reading to see how I felt about this one...

Dr. Strangelove

1964

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Netflix sleeve: When a fanatical U.S. general (Sterling Hayden) launches an air strike against the Soviets, they raise the stakes by threatening to unleash a "doomsday device," setting the stage for Armageddon in this classic black comedy that brilliantly skewers the nuclear age. The film's star-studded cast includes George C. Scott, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones and Peter Sellers (who steals the show and copped an Oscar nod playing three roles).

This is one of those I kind of feel like I should have seen before now, yet I never had. Now that I've seen it, I'm glad I watched it, simply for the sake of watching it. But I wasn't really all that impressed. I mean, it's a film that is firmly settled into our pop culture. So it's constantly referenced by movies and TV shows all over the place. Particularly the scene where Slim Pickens rides the nuke like a bull at a rodeo. But I just don't think I'd put it in my personal top 100.

Going Downton

It's hard to believe, but I've fallen into the same trap that so many before me have fallen into. I'm a little late to the tea party, but I've become fully invested in Downton Abbey.

It didn't happen all at once. I watched the first episode via Netflix, but wasn't hooked. I was intrigued, but not addicted. A couple weeks later, I picked up with episode two. Still not too impressed. I'm not sure what happened with the third episode, but after that I just had to find out what happened next.

Somehow I felt the need to get involved in the fictional lives of these early 20th century Brits. I found myself rooting for Anna and Mr. Bates to fall in love. I found myself yelling at the screen, asking why they bother to keep Thomas around. Or even O'Brien, for that matter. By the end of the first series, I started to wonder if any of these characters had any redeeming qualities. Then series 2 brought about the Great War, which changed my opinion about a lot of people. But not Thomas. He's always a jerk*.

I know that a third series has come and gone, but it's not available on Netflix or Hulu yet. So after a Downton marathon this weekend, I'm kind of having withdrawals. I may need some of the people in my life to speak with a British accent for a while.

As far as I'm concerned, this is the best thing to happen to PBS since Sesame Street introduced us all to the letter T.

*I'd like to say something stronger than jerk, but I'm keeping this thing as family friendly as possible.

Question of the Week: Said and Done

When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?

I'm sure anyone who knows me would agree that I don't talk much. So it may be safe to say I'll have done more than I said by the time it's all said and done. The words that come out of our mouths don't mean much if we can't back them up with our actions.

Sharp

The prompt from Sunday Scribblings this week is "Sharp." This is what I did with it. Go see what others did this week too!

Conner could feel how sharp the razor was as it scraped across his face. Shaving was such a hassle, but it was necessary. Especially today.

He finished removing the stubble from his cheeks and chin and splashed water in his face. He took a look at himself in the mirror, just to make sure he hadn't missed a spot. As Logan looked himself in the eye, he realized just how nervous he was.

It had been a long time coming, this audition. A part of him felt like he was singing for his life. He had already been accepted to the school, now he was trying to get a little extra-curricular. He wasn't majoring in music. He wasn't planning a career as a performer. He just loved to sing, so he wanted to be a part of the school's choir.

Before he even started attending the university, he'd heard stories of how great their music program was. Toward the end of the previous school year, he'd gotten the chance to see the choir perform live. He was blown away by the shear volume of talent represented on the stage that night. He knew he wanted to be a part of it.

At the student activities fair he picked up a flyer. Logan heard the rumor that they didn't often accept freshmen into the choir, but that wouldn't stop him from trying out. So he signed up for an audition time and picked an audition song. Now the day was here.

He chose to dress up a little more than he probably needed to, opting for a necktie. Then he jumped on his bike and road across campus to the auditorium. The director of the music department welcomed Logan with a handshake and introduced him to the senior members of the choir. These would be the judges deciding whether or not he was good enough to sing with them. Fair enough, he thought.

Logan spoke briefly with an accompanist who could pretty much play anything. Soon, the piano on the stage began playing "How Great Thou Art." Logan decided that an old hymn would be safe enough, but would also show off his range. He sang and seemed to be done with the song fairly quickly. It wasn't that the tempo was faster than he was used to. It just flew by in a blur.

"That was really good, Logan," said Dr. Mendez, "A little sharp toward the end, but still, very good. We'll need to discuss some things on our end, but you should expect to hear from me by the end of the day tomorrow."

"Thank you," said Logan. He walked off the stage and sighed heavily. The worst of it was over. He could make the choir, he could not make the choir, it didn't really matter at this point. He tried his best and that's really all he wanted to do.

Via

AFI 40 - The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music

1965

Directed by Robert Wise

Netflix sleeve: In Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest collaboration, a feisty postulant named Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent to care for the unruly, motherless Von Trapp children. She soon tames them -- and finds herself falling for their stern father (Christopher Plummer). Oscar-winning director Robert Wise used stunning Austrian locations to transform the popular stage musical into a cinema classic in which the hills truly seemed to come alive.

Really glad this was next on the list. Because it seriously reminded me just how much I freakin' love this movie. I love the music. I love the characters. I love the humor. Such a great film. It's one that definitely belongs in the top 100. Okay, I'll give it to you, the opening scene with Julie Andrews twirling on a hilltop is a little cheesy. But that's okay because it's iconic at the same time. Best interaction in the whole movie? Gotta be the scene after the Captain introduces the kids to Maria. He's tried to teach her all the different signals with the whistle. But she doesn't want to use the whistle and argues that it's degrading. So as the Captain walks away, she whistles loudly and lets him know that he didn't teach her his signal. "You may call me Captain." Classic. Maybe you had to be there. By far the greatest of the Rodgers and Hammerstein flicks. I might go watch it again.

Remembering Bluefield: Kelly Somers

Welcome to another epic episode of Remembering Bluefield! This week, the spotlight falls on Kelly Somers, who was voted Outstanding Senior by the faculty and staff of Bluefield College during her senior year. Without further ado, in her own words...

Name:
Kelly Somers

What year did you graduate?
2003

What degree did you earn?
BS in CRJ (Criminal Justice) and a minor in psych.

What drew you to Bluefield College?
It was a small Christian school!

What kept you there?
Friends and involvement in extracurricular activities.

Is there a class that changed your life? If so, what?
Not really, I was more into the social aspect of college!

What teacher had the biggest impact on you? Why?
I had a lot of good professors: Crawford, Stepp, Walls and Farmer. But I think people like Ranae Bailey, Dean Dan, Rodd Welker and Angela Stewart took time to invest in me and coach me through my college years!

Did you live on campus or commute?
Resident all 4 years.

Who were your roommates?
Freshman year I lived with Katrina Hall (Flowers) and Amy Jo (lived with this other girl whose name I can't remember for a few weeks but we didn't get along!). Last 3 years I was an RA. I suited with Shannon my junior year! That was awesome!

Share an epic roommate story (if you have one).
Well this is when Shannon and I suited together. She sometimes slept on my futon (don't worry, I won't tell you the story of what she did on my futon). Anyway... she had fallen asleep and I was still awake and she started talking in her sleep. She asked if we could pray together. I was just thankful that Shannon prayed!!! Then she wanted to know why this girl had subway stamps all over her! It was hilarious! Another thing that's funny is that time Shannon was yelling at Aaron Peck across campus and he yelled back I don't speak skank! Good times! :)

What's your most cherished Bluefield College memory?
I think being a part of Res Life for 3 years because it prepared me for what I'm doing now! As well as the trips to Brazil and the friendships I made and still maintain today!

Where are you now?
Bluefield, VA

What are you doing?
Working at BC as the director of residence life.

Does that mean you're using your degree?
Yeah, I think so!

Are you where you pictured yourself being when you were in college?
Yeah, I think so! Ha! Ha!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Married to Caleb Bittler with a couple of kids!!!!!!

What's your greatest post-BC accomplishment?
Getting my Masters degree!

What's your fondest post-BC memory?
Caleb proposing to me at Bluefield city park the day before Easter and having my family there! It was awesome! I felt like Monica from FRIENDS! :)

If you had it to do all over again, would you change anything?
Nope! Everything good or bad helped shape me to become the person I am today!

Thanks to Kelly for playing along this week! Be sure to come back next Friday to find out who will be the next featured Bluefield College alumnus!

AFI 41 - King Kong

King Kong

1933

Directed by Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack

Netflix sleeve: Delivering action, adventure, chills and thrills, this precedent-setting monster movie tells a timeless tale of man vs. beast. While shooting in the jungle, filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) discovers an awe-inspiring marvel of nature: a 50-foot gorilla dubbed Kong. Subduing the mighty beast, the crew returns to New York with the primate, who promptly escapes, spreading mayhem and going ape for the production's leading lady (Fay Wray).

It's been a very long time since I watched this original, classic monster movie. Of course, I've seen Peter Jackson's more recent remake a handful of times. It's hard to go from having that version fresh on my mind to going back in time to see the really bad special effects. But I tried to view it through the eyes of someone who would be seeing it for the first time in 1933. Not really possible, but those effects must have been really impressive at that time. There's no denying the fact that this movie is a classic that probably broke ground in its day.

Nap Time

Welcome to In the Words of a Non-Parent! The part of the blog where I, a non-parent, give parenting advice to parents. Today we explore what happens when your kid just won't go to sleep. It's frustrating, right?

So you've put your toddler down for his or her afternoon nap and the kid just won't sleep. What are mommy and daddy to do in that situation?

The first thing you should do is determine what sort of attitude your not sleeping child has. Is he or she in a good mood or bad mood? Is the kid displaying symptoms of illness or pain? These signs are important to look for when trying to figure out why your child refuses to nap.

If your toddler is upset, this is a whole new can of worms. An upset child without an adequate vocabulary is an enigma in and of him or herself. Older kids and adults can (usually) verbalize properly when they aren't feeling well. They can (usually) explain what's wrong. Toddlers really can't do that. Their words are pretty limited. If you're lucky, you may get an "OW!" with an index finger pointing to what hurts. This might be a sign of a child prodigy, depending on the age. Enroll that kid in the expensive preschool across town.

One problem that young children often have is mouth pain. According to statistics, children grow teeth between birth and roughly 24 years of age. Have you discovered that your child is teething? Good. Now you just need to treat the problem. My recommendation: Whiskey. Did you just picture yourself pouring booze into a sippy cup to give your child? I'm sure that's a hilarious image, but don't do that. I've heard of parents who will dip a finger in whiskey and rub it on their toddler's gums to help numb the pain. This is one of those home remedies that you may want to consult your pediatrician about.

That takes care of the mouth pain. But what if they're sick? There's a cough or a sneeze that keeps them from resting. Two words: Ny. Quil. Does the trick every time.

"But Single Guy," you ask, "what if my baby isn't upset?" That is a different story. You've got a toddler that's lying down but is laughing or singing or talking to the ceiling fan in that gibberish language that only your child and the ceiling fan can comprehend.

First of all, congratulations! You have a happy child. Enjoy it while you can. Help them to stay that way. Because sooner or later, that child will go into the world and the world will do everything it can to crush that happy spirit. In the meantime, even a happy child needs to sleep. Two words: Ny. Quil. Does the trick every time.

AFI 42 - Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde

1967

Directed by Arthur Penn

Netflix sleeve: Serial bank robbers, sometime lovers and folkloric heroes Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) barrel across Depression-ravaged America on a shooting spree that ends in a deadly rain of bullets and tragedy. Directed by Arthur Penn, this stylish and sexy film shattered the mold when it came to crime pictures, layering comedy onto mayhem and youthful criminality. Gene Wilder makes his big-screen debut.

Well, that was violent. I mean, I guess it wasn't that violent by today's standards. But, wow, it was kind of violent. You almost want to feel sorry for Bonnie and Clyde at the end, but really, you shouldn't. They killed a lot of people in their crime spree. Kind of a "live by the sword, die by the sword" thing. Except with guns instead of swords. I didn't think it was a bad movie. It's just not one that I'll be watching repeatedly.

Question of the Week: Smile

Via

What makes you smile?

I've been accused of not being very emotive with my facial expressions. Except for maybe the more negative facial expressions. People have a tendency to know when I'm angry or upset about something. I don't think that part is as bad as it used to be. I think, at one time, I may have been somewhat well known for my involuntary expressions of annoyance. Despite the reputation or being kind of a sourpuss, there are plenty of things that make me smile. I just don't do it as often as I should. Or, I don't allow myself to smile as often as I should. There are superficial things that can cause my smile to break out: an exciting trailer for an upcoming movie, a song on my iPod, a joke I suddenly remembered from five years ago. Then there are genuinely awesome things that make me smile. Though I suppose these "genuine" things aren't things at all. They're people. Friends, family and even strangers can cause me to smile given the right context. People probably think I don't like to smile, but that's just not true. I love to smile as much as the next guy. I just wish that, just because my face isn't always automatically in happy mode, people wouldn't assume I'm in a bad mood. I'm usually not. My neutral expression just looks like I'm depressed. It's work to look slightly happy sometimes.