tuckergurl

Batman Begins

Oh, I saw that too but I don't have much to say about it. It took itself a bit too seriously but I liked it.

I loved Christian Bale. He is yummy!

I'm not even going to comment on the future Mrs. Tom Cruise. There's just nothin to say.

Hustle and Flow

This past Saturday, I saw a screening of Hustle and Flow at The Urbanworld Film Festival. The film is about a pimp who is having a mid-life crisis and decided to pursue a career in hip-hop.

Let me begin by saying that I LOVE Terrance Howard. Ever since I discovered him in The Best Man (though my friend Sharon reminded me that he was first on the UPN show, Sparks), I have been smitten. That is one sexy brother.

Anyway, I have been waiting for the day that the world will know what I (and a large majority of the population who sees bad films like The Best Man) know, that he is a huge, huge talent. Well, this day has finally arrived.

Many think that Crash accomplished this but I argue that Crash established him as a strong, black supporting actor, which is very different than a leading man. Hustle and Flow is going to make him huge. The film is going to be so so huge. It costs about 2 million dollars to make and was bought for nine million dollars. (This money included a deal for John Singleton, who produced the film, to have development money for his next producing project.) It will more than make this money back and once it hits the streets, people are going to be quoting it all over the place. I predict it will be what Scarface is to hip-hop. And this is not a good thing.

This movie is particularly difficult to talk about because I really did enjoy it and the writer/director seemed like a really cool guy. But as is the case with movies about pimps, the women get dogged out ... bad ... real bad.

It made me angry but my friend was even angrier saying that this movie made her feel like she was “bitch slapped”. The women are all his hoes and are just really, really grateful for any bone he throws their way. This movie found new and innovative offensive names for women that I am scared will somehow catch on, such as “good bottom bitch” for example.

Elise Neal, who plays the wife of Howard’s producer in the film, is the only female character in the film that is not a prostitute and she is only redeemed when she becomes a more supportive wife to her husband. You see the sign of a good woman is being supportive to your man, no matter how he has treated you in the past.

They did try to make the women not seem so pathetic but because the attempts are so lame, you almost laugh. In fact, I did laugh. Yeah, the women start to gain a sense of self worth by having something positive like music to focus their attention on but it really does not make up for the way they are treated in the movie.

So, I have many mixed feeling about this film because although it features great performances, a great soundtrack (minus the theme song with the chorus, “It hard out here for a pimp.” No, I did not make that up.) and mainly, a great script, the women factor is one I cannot ignore, especially as a filmmaker and well, a woman myself.

And as my friend said, “If this movie created a bidding war at Sundance, we should really go into medicine or law.” Yeah, it’s pretty discouraging.

Me & U & Everyone We Know ... A Love Story

For the longest, I have been wanting to write this long entry about how fantastic Me and You and Everyone We Know is and how everyone must see it and how Miranda July is my new hero and how learning more about her has totally inspired me to explore doing all different kinds of artforms since I've been thinking about it anyway.

But I've been busy and grumpy and kind of sleepy and can only write what you just read. Nothing more. So, learn more about Miranda July and become obsessed like me and my friend, Tara.

Oh, and she has the coolest clothes.

There ... I'm done.

Painting On A Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday, I painted my bedroom/living room. (They are one and the same though I have this huge eat-in kitchen. Who understands the design of my apartment?) I was inspired by my upstairs neighbor who painted his living room/bedroom green and his kitchen an unfortunate shade of yellow. I was afraid of the commitment that painting brought but after a few months, I felt ready to give in. I have painted a wall or two but not an entire room before so it felt like a large undertaking.

I knew that this weekend would bring about all kinds of weird emotions since my father's birthday and Father's Day are the same day. I guess in a way I wanted to do something that was for me. I just wasn't up to making the trip to Calverton, the Veteran's Cemetery where my father is buried. I just don't feel ready yet which is lame since it's been over a year since he died. My licensed professional says that I have to cut myself slack, that I have been through a trauma, but I am constantly consumed with guilt. I feel like I am supposed to experience every holiday for my entire family and it is a lot of pressure. It's hard.

Painting brings about a lot of solitary time and I had a few ephiphanies, a few thoughts that I want to share. Take what you want and leave the rest:

1. John Legend must've dogged some woman out pretty badly! Half of his CD is justifying some affair he had. Clearly the woman did not take the bait because the other half is "dumping" her since he doesn't love her anymore anyway. I would say I want to know the whole story but since I listened to his CD twice, I think I do.

2. You can only have so many Wheat Thins before you should just take a break and have an actual meal.

3. John Legend also gets high a lot.

4. When your neighbor is trying to be friendly and asks you what you're getting your father for Father's Day, you shouldn't reply, "Well, nothing cuz he's not alive anymore." It makes him feel uncomfortable. Continuing with, "I mean, it's ok. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I feel bad but I don't want you to," does not make things better. Now he's never going to talk to you again.

5. It's sad to say but Mary J, much like Common, was a better artist when she was unhappy.

6. I wonder if the same is true for me.

7. I am not a religious person but I have to admit that listening to gospel just makes me feel better.

8. You can be lazy and not load all of your music to your computer, figuring that you'll still listen to the CDs but you're not going to. You're going to listen to the music on your computer (or your ipod) more and then you're going to get really, really sick of it and need to load your CDs anyway.

9. When making Beef Stir Fry, you should check to see if you have any soy sauce ahead of time. You shouldn't just start cooking.

10. Amos Lee looks like the kind of guy I would've been madly in love with in college. Many of my friends will click on this link, look at him and agree.

Save Big Bird

When my friend sent out her version of the "Save NPR & PBS" email that is traveling the nation, she began the email by saying, "Save Big Bird" and I have to say that is a clever idea.

The reason she did it was because a friend of hers is a staunch Republican and supports everything that comes from the house that Bush built.  She also is a teacher and as wel all know, the loss of Sesame Street is a loss that hits teachers right where they live.

It is scary that we are living in an era where our country would stop giving money to PBS AND NPR but unfortunately, that is the era we live in now.  I have always been a bit skeptical of the power of the email petition but I'll sign as many as folks ask me about this topic.  As Beeber said, if it can save Arrested Development, maybe it can save PBS.

Mi Cucina

I realized I never showed y'all the finished kitchen. Here it is!

Here is the little nook opposite my bathroom. I am using it as a meditation spot but it also doubles as the only spot in my house where I get any cellphone reception.

I should have something to say about ...

Michael Jackson, And yet, I don't.

It's Official!!!

I just got off the phone with my friend Lauren who broke the news: Katie Holmes is now a Scientologist. Just as I was waiting for my "Free Katie" t-shirt to come in the mail!

Let's have a moment of silence.

[Funny little note: As I was writing this post, David, sent me an email with the subject: anything .... ANYTHING to get Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise out of the headlines. The text of the message read: plague, nuclear disaster? PLEASE MAKE IT STOP. OK David. I hear your cry and I will stop but as Jessi Klein said at The Best Week Ever Live Show at Carolines, "Tom Cruise is having the best week ever because he is just going bat shit crazy on television for everyone to see." I gotta say. It doesn't stop amusing me.]

Obama at Knox College

Why oh why couldn't Barack Obama speak at my commencement?! I think I would have died. Well, as usual, he had inspiring words.

My Hemoglobin Is Up! Slightly

It was 6.0 and is now 7.5. And that blood test was taken three weeks ago. That's exciting!

They are testing me for other things (blood clotting type things because that is what runs in my family) but need for my hemoglobin to be higher before they can really know anything for sure. So, we are just going to wait two months before we do another round of tests.

They told me I had to lose some weight which deep down (ok, not so deep down) I knew but is always hard to hear. They gave me a number which just sounded really huge to me but I guess it makes some kind of sense. My acupuncturist wants me to focus on getting my iron up first and then transition to trying to lose weight.

Anyway, that's the health report for all who care. Thanks again for the iron tips.