reviews from someone who usually doesn't give a fuck

sideways- five out of five wineglasses.

this movie has all the classic ingredients for a homoerotic reawakening. two guys set out for a week long trip involving a shared hotel room, lots of fancy wine, and dinners for two. however, it soon becomes apparent that this movie is actually about two straight guys setting out for, well, different things entirely. jack wants to spend the week getting laid. miles seems to want to spend the week avoiding getting laid. they're both fuck-ups when it comes to women and while their fuck-ups may seem totally opposite, they do have one thing in common: the lies they share. why must men lie so much? oh, i'm publishing a book. oh, i'll move up here and help you take care of your kid! oh, hey, jackie, i know i owe you, like six hundred dollars, but don't worry, you'll get it all back. anyways, this movie has it all- comedic effect, poignant moments, tips on how to taste wine. plus, the whole "frass canyon" scene is a nice little rub at all those commercial wineries out there. they even have the soulful poet type strumming his guitar next to the fountain in the entryway.

finding neverland- three and a half out of five lost boys

it was entertaining, and depp is a magnificent, magnificent man. however, i feel like certain elements of the story were rushed, and while it's not really advertised as being grounded in fact, i still end up disappointed when stories are only loosely based on actual events. it confuses my brain. as a sidenote, it is interesting to note that peter and michael ended up killing themselves later in life. maybe barrie wasn't that great with kids after all. anyhow, the movie was "neat" but not neat enough to warrant multiple viewings.

paper mario: the thousand year door- five out of five goombas

i tend not to like video games- unless they feature a mario brother (or a wario). maybe it's the italian in me, or the fact that it harkens back to the more innocent days of the super mario brothers bopping along on my old nintendo system, back when i was just a wee lass with sore thumbs and endless hours of spare time. anyhow, i knew i would like this game- but i didn't know i would become obsessed with it. dare i say that this is the best mario game yet? dare i say i enjoy the element of civilized combat on a stage in front of an audience of toadstools adds a touch of theatrical elegance to the whole game? dare i say that even the exposition (and there's a fair amount of exposition) is worth sitting through just to be able to fold myself into a plane and soar off in the air? i dare.