Mental Purgatory

So this post is inspired by something Orson Scott Card does. Each week he posts a review of random things from restaurants to movies to books to who knows what. Of course, he does it in lengthy discords that include tangents about life, the universe, and everything in between.

Me? I’m not going that far. Instead, this is just going to be a bullet list of random things and a “review” of them. I apologize for completely throwing my blogging schedule to the wolves, I’ve just been absurdly busy (go figure, Spring Break = less time). However, next week should put everything back on track.

• Slumdog Millionaire – Saw this movie on Friday and got a lot of great blog post ideas from it. The movie reminded me A LOT of Kite Runner, from its flash backs to its complex brotherly relationship. The movie has a great narrative which will be the focus of at least one writing post. It does this great trick of using questions in Who Wants to Be A Millionaire to reveal the main character’s back story.

  Final score: A, Success at convincing me to visit India: F

• Mount Beacon – Found in Beacon, New York, this is a hidden gem for hikers. The trails here are great with the options for gravel roadway and rugged dirt/rocks/streams depending on your mood (and if you’re feeling adventurous on your way up, or exhausted on your way down). It’s a beautiful area and the views are tremendous when you get to the top. There’s also a monument from the American Revolution as the top of the mountain had been used as a “Beacon” (hence the town’s name!) to alert the American forces when the British were coming. The monument’s kind of lame and totally phallic in its shape, but everything else is cool.

  Final score: A, Coolness of shrines to manhood: F

  

• Upright Citizens Brigade – So not many people seem to know about this hole in the wall but it’s pretty much the most awesome place in NYC. On 26th Street and 8th Avenue, the UCB is a five dollar improv comedy show that is basically the most awesome thing in the world. Herald’s Night, the form I’ve been to every time I’ve gone, is a set of five improv troops, who each does a 30 minute long set. The set is long form, with a series of sketches all tying together to a basic theme pitched by the audience at the start. The groups are hysterical and you’ll find yourself having a great night at almost no cost.

  Final score: A, Awesomeness of being cheap AND having a good time: A

• The Watchmen – The movie experience of the year from the way it’s hyped up, The Watchmen is… epic. Three hours long, the movie is packed with craziness. The characters are awesome, the setting is delicious, the ending is twisted. The story as a whole is kind of bland but the rest of the set makes up for it. Still, consider this your warning that you’re going to see more penis during this movie than you’ve seen throughout the rest of your life. Yes, that even includes the guys reading this who see their own equipment every time they pee. Note: Were that not enough, the movie also has some brutally gorey violence and some pretty explicit sex scenes. Not a great combination to bring your sixteen year old sister to… yes… I did.The movie reminds me of V For Vendetta and Dark Knight. Lots of anarchy and political messages. It also comes with a trailer for Inglorious Bastards (the new Quentin Tarantino movie which looks ridonculous) and Angels and Demons (which looks 100X more interesting than the snoozefest that is Da Vinci Code).

  Final score: B, Final score for people who have penis fetishes: A

• X-Men Wolverine Origins Trailer – Saw a new trailer online today, over at Rotten Tomatoes Wolverine Trailer. Needless to say, it looks bad ass. Lots of violence, lots of Wolverine. Best of all, they’re finally bringing Gambit into the X-Men movies, which they should have done long ago. This movie looks rocking and will probably be this year’s big opener a la Iron Man last Summer.

  Final score: A, My feelings about the X-Men movies after X-Men 3 ruined the series: F

• Apartment Hunting – What’s long and tedious and annoying all over? If you guessed apartment hunting, you’re right! Has anyone here ever used Craig’s list to find an apartment? It looks awesome, but I feel like they’re al postings for roommates right now… and I need an apartment starting in June. I have no idea how to use this thing. Instead, I’ll be driving out to Norwalk tomorrow to visit complexes that charge too much and offer too little. Still, I’ll get to see the area I suppose.

  Final score: D, Having a job when I get out of school: A

Sorry for the random post! Hope that helps you out some! Have a good next few days, and as always, check back! You never know WHEN I’ll post next!

P.S. My interview with R&B singer Case went live today! Check out the Case Interview and listen to me talk to him! If you have no idea who he is, here’s a music video by him: