Character driven stories I've seen recently

1. After the Wedding (2007) --A surprisingly down-to-earth melodrama. Starting in India, Jacob is a boarding school teacher for poor boys. To get funding for the school, he flies to Denmark (his home country) to meet with Jorgen, a successful businessman. Jorgen invites Jacob to his daughter's wedding while he mulls over whether to donate money to the school. At the wedding, Jacob realizes Jorgen is married to his old flame Helene and that the daughter is actually his daughter with Helene (of course). This has all the potential to turn ridiculous, but the interactions between the characters is so simple and honest, that it's hard to dismiss the emotionality of many of the scenes. The rest of the film deals with Jacob reacquainting himself with his old love, developing a relationship with his daughter, finding out why Jorgen had him come in the first place, and deciding where he is needed most.

Helene and Jacob reconnecting.

While the film has everything that could possibly happen happen, it manages to let its characters interact naturally and sometimes awkwardly to the point of discomfort. You learn to care about these characters because they're just good people trying to make the best of the situation.


2. Bella (2007)--One of those Epic Day movies. Nina is a waitress at a Mexican restaurant who gets fired for being late for the last week. Jose is a the chef at the restaurant and follows Nina after she gets fired to return a teddy bear she dropped on the way out. When Jose catches up to Nina, he finds out she's pregnant and has been having morning sickness, which is why she was late. The course of the rest of the movie has to be the most cathartic day ever filmed. Both of them air out issues they've been carrying for years, especially Jose's mysterious past. Through wandering the streets and visiting Jose's home, they learn a lot about each other and form a solid relationship that will impact Nina's decision about her pregnancy.
Nina and Jose at the beach. Note the beard.

The dialogue is sometimes too expository and the level of trust in each other is, for me, shockingly high, but the interaction is somewhat believable. There is no hook up; in fact, they barely touch on this most epic of days, which made their relationship so much more touching than most shown onscreen. This day was all about getting to know each other, and it's a pleasure to get to know them, too.

Love love Fleet Foxes

Shout out to my brother Sam for introducing me to Fleet Foxes. I'm addicted to their song "He Doesn't Know Why". It has a gorgeous melody and sweet harmonies. There's so many things to love about the video, too: beards, vests, goats, a goat on a piano, did I mention beards?


Fleet Foxes He Doesn't Know Why from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

Also, bearded claymation with their song "White Winter Hymnal":


White Winter Hymnal from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

Random links and stuff

1. Is this election over yet? SNL last night wasn't even that funny or enjoyable, unless you count how adorable Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler are in Weekend Update. And then only when they weren't talking about the election. I'm getting a little electioned-out, especially since I already cast my absentee ballot. Anyway, I kind of hate all the coverage, and yet can't stop watching/reading it. The hilarious Larry David agrees: Waiting for Nov. 4th.

2. Even though this guy stopped blogging at the end of August, I just recently found it. For some reason I find race relations from the perspective of black people hilarious, so here's Stuff Black People Hate.

3. Last night I went to one of the only quirky and cool places in Provo: Sammy's Cafe. It's located on 27 North 100 West and has delicious burgers and milkshakes--with whole pieces of pie in them!

What happens when I procrastinate studying

I feel like this picture is for the CoverGirl shoot at the end of all America's Next Top Model cycles. Too bad I'm wearing Max Factor Volume Couture Mascara in black brown. I'm trying out non-waterproof mascara and so far I feel like it's basically the same, but it comes off easier. Imagine that! Anyway, here are my eyelashes.

Now back to intraspeaker pitch changing mechanisms.

Medley of the Day: Fulfilling my civic duty edition

Today I filled out my absentee ballot for Washington state*. This is the first presidential election I've been able to vote in, so I think that calls for a medley about America.

First up, Simon and Garfunkel's "America". Please bask in Art's hair and vest in this live version:



The American dream vs. Reality in West Side Story's "America", complete with fabulous choreography:



I think the most important thing we can learn from the following song is not that "You Can Still Rock in America", but that Night Ranger had more than one hit:



Did you think I could do an America medley without a country song? Here's Waylon "Good Ol' Boys Writer"Jennings with his song "America":




*Would you want to vote in Utah?

Like the corners of mind

Today as I was walking on campus I encountered a smell that took me back to high school.

In high school, I never ate the actual meals they offered in the cafeteria, but went to the student store which was run by students (in a certain class, I think). It was always overcrowded and busy, but it offered cheap a la carte food that I could afford on my $10 a week lunch allowance from my dad. By my senior year, the store actually had a roped line, but those years before, I honed my shoving-through-crowds skills so I could, not so much cut, but strategically get to the front faster. It was lunch-Darwinism, if you will.

The specific smell: pizza sticks and fresh baked cookies. It's an odd combination that's almost gross, but also comforting in a junk food sort of way. Pizza sticks are essentially a thinner and stretched out version of hot pockets. Also cheaper, and I bought them a least every other day with a bottle of chocolate milk. And those cookies, I cannot for the life of me remember the name of them, but they were never baked all the way through, making them that much more delicious. Although, for some reason, I had some sort of dietary conscience that prevented me from buying those cookies on a regular basis. Also, I was sort of broke and couldn't afford the sleeves of 3 for a dollar.

Anyway, the smell just made me want to get a pizza stick and a bottle of chocolate milk even though that was also kind of gross.