new horizons.

Ben made me watch this NYTimes Science documentary, Fast and Light to Pluto, last night. It is 14 minutes of incredible. You should watch it. The short of it is that ten years ago we sent the New Horizons spacecraft up into space to check out Pluto and next week it is finally going to reach Pluto. Simply incredible and a very well made short documentary....

denali.

Ben sent me this trailer last night, Denali, about Ben Moon and his dog. I watched it this morning on the metro -- this one is going to be a tear-jerker. Reminded me a lot of The Art of Racing in the Rain - which if you haven't read, you definitely should. Anyway, basically I just want a dog....

forget it.

On the plane over to Italy, I watched Still Alice. Stephanie had mentioned it a couple months ago and talked about how sad it was. I apparently was not listening carefully enough cause umm...yeah...Still Alice is incredibly sad. I was crying and snotting myself on the plane. If you need a good, hearty, deep cry - I would recommend watching it asap. The short of it is, Alice Howland (played by Julianne Moore) is diagnosed with early-onset alzheimers and the film tells her struggle to stay connected and keep remembering. It is heartbreaking.

This NYTimes piece, A Marriage to Remember, from last August - which includes a short documentary - was touching and powerful as well. Maybe its the pain and sadness about alzheimers that has always hooked me, but it  is one of those things I can't help watching and reading about. And, this was before I ever met Ben. But with Ben there is an additional dimension because his grandfather had alzheimers and his memories of it - visiting his grandfather with his Dad are heartbreaking to hear. But so important.

runners world.

This piece, Every Runner Has a Reason, is my brother's latest and I promise it will hook you. It is beautifully shot and beautifully told...you should watch it....I am telling you!

virunga.

Virunga. Go see it!

No really, go see it.

Ben, Justin and I went to a screening of Virunga last night at the Capitol. I can't encourage you enough to go see it. The documentary covers the amazing story of the struggle to protect one of the world's most biodiverse parks that is in eastern Congo. The Park also is home to the last non-captive mountain gorillas and follows the group of park rangers who are literally putting their lives on the line to protect the Park from poachers, M23 rebels, the Congolese army, and illegal resource exploitation. It is a heroic story. Beautifully shot. Timely. And just all around brilliant.

Jordan had mentioned the film to me a couple weeks ago and is friends with one of the producers, so when it turned out they were doing a screening in DC, it was an obvious must-see. I left awe-struck, inspired and horrified. It really will move you to the core...

neighborhood news: meet angelika.

There is a lot happening in NoMa right now, not least of which is that the Angelika pop-up opens next week! Cheers to great independent films just blocks away. The full Angelika film center is scheduled to open in 2015 but this will tide me over in the meantime. Also of note, construction has started in the Uline Arena as well!

preview.

Have you all heard about Fed Up, the film about the food industry? You probably have because it is suddenly getting a lot of attention and publicity. I really want to see it and I think others should too.  I don't know if this is just me, but something that I have noticed more and more is just how judgemental and mean people are about weight issues now. Increasingly I find friends and people our age are very sensitive to and are thinking and talking about food issues and nutrition. Especially when it comes to buying and eating organic, cooking fresh foods, sourcing locally, working out regularly, and being generally healthy - this is certainly a trend and lifestyle among people I know. But interestingly enough this doesn't translate to an understanding and empathy for folks struggling with weight not to mention recognition that this is also a socio-economic issue. In short, fatism is alive and well and crueler than ever. Anyway, I am hoping this film will soften people up a little, remind folks that there is a whole industry breeding unhealthy habits and that this isn't about people not taking responsibility for themselves. Really we should all just be kinder in the ways we talk about people and judge their lifestyles...right?

heartwarming.

This video is heartwarming and funny, amazing and captivating, lovely and inspiring. I loved every second of it. An and Ria, these two grandmothers, have never flown in an airplane. You must watch it - I promise you it will warm you up and just make you smile!

giving time.

In huge news, they are making a movie out of The Giver. Remember The Giver by Lois Lowry? My god, that was one of my first page turners! What grade was I in? Maybe 4th or 5th. And Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges are leads in it!

12 Years A Slave.

Sunday afternoon, Ben and I went on a movie date. I think the last time I went to a movie was over a year ago so it was about time. We went to see 12 Years a Slave. Have you all seen it yet? It is intense. Seriously. I was so tense watching it that Ben had to massage my back this morning. Not kidding. But, it is well worth the watch.

It is powerful and hard to watch. The scenes can be uncomfortably long and the director uses sounds and silence to make an impression. You should definitely go see it.

Also interesting is that in 2009, Ben and I went on a date in NYC, one of our very early dates and we went to see Hunger at the IFC Center. I still remember it because the movie was so intense. After, the director/producer was there and spoke. Hunger was based on the hunger strikes in Ireland. Anyway, the director/producer was Steve McQueen - the same for 12 Years a Slave, and you can recognize his style and hand throughout it. I remember the way he used sounds and silence in Hunger and his reluctance to cut away from a scene when it is uncomfortable. Not to mention, Michael Fassbender starred in Hunger and absolutely deserves an Oscar for his role in 12 Years a Slave - he is brilliant. In short, I am taken by McQueen's work and you should go see this movie. Trailer below to peak your interest even more...

plastic life.

Over the weekend and while laying on the beach, Mary Alice told me about this great documentary she had recently watched, Bag It - is your life too plastic? We all think we know everything that can be said about plastic and of course use our recyclable bags at the grocery, but Mary Alice said this film is intense and powerful, and has changed the way she buys and thinks. Ben and I haven't seen it yet, but we plan to soon....

invisible war.

I was so exhausted yesterday I didn't leave my apartment. However, I did finally get around to watching The Invisible War. It has been on my list to watch for a while and it was a powerful 93 minutes. The documentary focuses on the epidemic rape of soldiers in the military and the military's abhorrent treatment of the victims after they have been sexually assaulted. It is certainly worth watching.

movie time.

I want to get back to seeing movies more regularly. Scott and I used to see a movie (or two) a week in highschool. A week! I don't need that much film in my life at the moment but I really am going to start going more regularly. Movie date anyone?

In that spirit, last night Nasim mentioned two great upcoming film events. National Geographic is showing the five Oscar nominated films for Best Foreign Language Film all in a weekend in February!

Also of note, the Smithsonian is hosting an Iranian Film Festival all next week. So there you have it, if you are looking to be cultured and you are in DC, say no more!

critics review.

I forgot to mention that I saw Lincoln this weekend! For the past posts on this, click here and here. Back to the point, it was great. Daniel Day Lewis is absolutely brilliant. Who was I to doubt?! If you haven't seen it, go now!

abe.

I know, I know, it is Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis, but I am just going to say it, I am worried about the new Lincoln movie.

Here's the thing. I know my Abraham Lincoln. Seriously though, I really really know my Lincoln. You see, we share the same birthday and my Mom latched on to this coincidence early in my life. Yes, there was a family vacation that happened in Illinois so that I could visit every possible Lincoln site. This included meeting the Director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency at the Lincoln Tomb. I also memorized the Gettysburg Address, had a printed out Lincoln quiz that I would give dinner guests at our house, and read every possible book I could on him. My border-line obsession with Lincoln was encouraged with Lincoln themed gifts around the holidays and my birthday and there may have also been a shrine to him in my room growing up.

So, here's my point. I just think that this movie has to take a lot of liberties. Starting with his voice, facial expressions, the dialogue and conversations, and even basic mannerisms. It does look good, but there is so much unknown and I don't know that I want it in my head. Tough call! I love Daniel Day Lewis and he looks incredible. What do you all think? Are you going to see it?!

**Update on this since posting - the San Francisco Chronicle loves it - click here for their review!

argo.

Argo! Have you all seen it? It is so good. So good that I need a massage because it was so intense and living every minute of it. You should definitely go see it if you haven't already...

sugar man.

So, Ben went to see Searching for Sugar Man and couldn't stop raving about it. Scott and I decided to follow suit for an afternoon break on Sunday, so we stopped into the West End Cinema to see what all the talk is about. Oh man. It is so good! I can't really do justice to it and I am not going to try. You should watch the trailer here and find some time to go see it. It is a quick hour and ten minutes and is just an amazing story about this singer, Rodriguez. He never got any traction in the United States but inspired much of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, sold hundreds of thousands of albums and never knew it. Not to mention, his music and lyrics are quite something, he was bigger than the Beatles in South Africa! Go. See. It!

beasted.

'Beasts of the Southern Wild'. Erin had actually sent me the trailer at some point last week and it got lost in the mix of things. And then yesterday, I saw the NYTimes review on it and made a note to come back to it and watch it. Wow. I don't get to the movies much anymore but this one I would make the effort for. Looks phenomenal!