Miss Olive's Top 10 flims of 2008

Yup! It is that time when everyone starts busting out their lists for 2008. I am not usually a critic as I hate to taint the experience for others, but what the hell. I am a joiner so I am jumping in and giving you my 2 cents worth which means this will be a short post.

10. Burn After Reading.It was good, if you actually sat through the whole thing it made sense. It was not the best Cohen brother's movie but it was entertaining. I realize as I type this that Wall-E was a great movie and should really bump Burn After Reading off the list.

9. Rachael Getting Married. When I saw this movie with Gret, four people walked out. I guess they were hoping for "Bride War/The Princess Diaries". What they got was Kim (Anne Hathaway) getting out of rehab and making an ass out of herself while making everyone else uncomfortable in the process. Sometimes it was hard to sit through but it was good to get to the heart of Kim's and her immediate families problems. Debra Winger was excellent as the detached mother. Kim's father played by Bill Irwin did and excellent job. He is a real talent. I couldn't believe that this was a Jonathan Demme film (Married to the Mob, Silence of the Lambs) it seemed so different for him so un-Hollywood yet with some stars. Bill Irwin may not be a household name but you've seen him and he is good in this (ps Gret he is not part of the Best in Show family). Another thing I could not believe was that the film genre was listed as Romance. The wedding scene was amazing and reminded me of my Cousin Bob & Amy's wedding but it was not a romance movie.

8. Loins of Punjab. What can I say I love Bollywoodesque movies and this was terrific. Indian version of American Idol but condensed down into one weekend put on by an Indian Butcher. Has a love story, dance number and is funny.

7. Pineapple Express. Seth Rogen and James Franco were hysterical. Great movie and remind me of my wayward past.

6. The Visitor. An economic professor (played by Richard Jenkins) whose wife has died and kid is grown gets a second chance at life in an unexpected way. All why giving the viewer a look into post 9/11 New York/USA. No happy ending but amazing story.

5. RocknRolla. Guy Ritchie need I say more. Love him and his movie rocked. Took my mom and dad (75 and 80 yrs old respectively) and they loved it. Can not remember if I loved the soundtrack but I think I did. I am really excited to see his version of Sherlock Holmes.

4. Tell No One. A great french movie. Loved it, good plot, such a good thriller. If you are really into French films, Lady Jane is also good.

3. Slumdog Millionaire. Definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination if not an award. It was such a good story and the sound track was excellent.

2. Transsiberian. It's an AWESOME movie! It had so many plot twists and amazing landscape. I haven't been on a train in ages and I really want to take one. Woody Harelson did a great job but Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara and Ben Kingsley really make this movie great. it is just a great Thriller.

Drum Roll Please.....

#1. La Zona. Filmed in 2007. I saw this at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival - terrific pick guys. The movie is set in a gated community in Mexico City but really it could happen any where. The movie is not just totally entertaining but a social commentary. It's totally worth going to your local arthouse and protesting/demanding that they show this movie. Daniel Gimenez Cacho is really cute as well as Carlos Barden and Andres Montiel...lots of Latin hunks but it's not a Y tu Mama Tambien.

I just looking over my list and it is very freaky...I've kind of become a movie snob but it is just my list. I did see a lot of mainstream movies but I guess doing this post on the fly these are the movies that stuck with me. Also no zombie movies this year and yet I know I saw some maybe this list will have to be amended or maybe I just have to write another list. This list writing is really addictive.

Fortune found in GGP

Today as I was walking home from school I found my fortune or thrashed someone's art installation. (These photos are small because they are from my cell phone.)





Just in time, as tonight the Mega Millions is up to $170 million. Everybody keep you fingers crossed for me. It took a while to get my fortune out of the balloon. I just couldn't pop it but luckily I had a safety pin from my Halloween Costume on my bag and that did the trick. I tried all the other options except sitting on the balloon because I did want the tourists to think I had gas. And yes, you are correct to assume that I am a lottery junkie. It is the only thing I do consistently.

What I would do with a HUGE lottery win:
1. Buy the Louis Vuiton bag I always say I am gonna buy but keep talking myself out of. They also have a glittery hair clip that I would probably use every day because it is just so pretty.

2. Donate some big bucks to my favorite charities: Haight Ashbury Food Program (They need to get the kitchen back up and running), RocketDogRescue (I love looking at all the dogs that I can not have. They do such good work and although I have never meet Pali I think she rocks! Her personal journey of recovery is amazing!)

3. Buy a house (I was gonna say these days you need a million to buy a house in SF but I have a feeling prices are gonna come down super fast thanks to grubby, greedy, Wall Street thieves. I hope all you, Fat Cats, lose you homes too. Sorry about that, I just got carried away way -- not good for the karma. I really don't want anyone to lose their home, that would be horrible.)

4. Pay off our debt (not very much thank God) and upgrade my current transportation.
I've always wanted a VW Thing. When I was little I used to think you could go to Sears on Geary and Masonic and buy a kit to make one yourself. (They just looked like really easy cars to assemble.) They are just so cool!

5. Then I would do the usual stuff like travel (Paris, Thailand, Marrakesh, Panama...); start a business (thrift store, bar, tequila company - you can never really have too much alcohol); learn a new sport (windsurfing, sailing) and do more of an old sport (white water rafting). I mean the possibilities are endless when your a lottery winner.

--A

Day at the Beach

Today I went to Aquatic park to work on this year's Christmas Card. For the last six or seven years, I've gone to the beach and made a holiday inspired sand sculpture. I then photograph it and use the prints to make my cards. I had two possible designs in mind and it's a good thing I did because the first design didn't work. Right now the film is at Photoworks being developed and I'll get to see the results on Friday. I am excited and am now in the holiday mood. As I write this I am listening to Swinging Christmas radio on Pandora.

--B