I'm so happy!
I haven't been in such a splendid mood for ... well, quite a while. Actually, I've been kinda down ever since we all went our separate ways when school ended over a month ago...  No, no, no! I won't let myself think about that today! I'm half-way through the summer vacation, and it won't be long until I meet most of them again. There! No more blues, let's get on with some serious rockin'!
Okay, the reason I'm in such a wonderfully cheery mode today is simply because I have the day off. That's it? I hear you cry. But wait - there's more! (I've always wanted to say that!) I not only have today off, I have all of tomorrow off and Sunday too! The whole weekend! Wee! And that is a big deal, since I've been working the five last weekends. Wohoo! 
Ah, bliss.
My mood started improving yesterday. Not that I've been in a foul mood, mind you, I'm after all in the service business. ("Do you want soda with that? Yes, it's part of the menu, you get a 50% discount on the soda if you buy it with - what? No, you don't have to buy a soda, sir. No sir, I don't think you're made of money. Stupid stingy bugger... No soda then? Okay, oh, and have you filled petrol or diesel? Which pump? Number one? Are you sure, sir? 'Cause my computer don't register - no, sir, I'm not claiming that you are stupid. Stupid, stupid blind bugger... Don't you own the red car over there? That's number four, sir. Here you go, do you want the receipt? The direction to the horse centre? Yes, if you take right in the roundabout over there, and goes straight ahead in the next one, then turn right at the huge tree by the little cozy red house, and just follow the gravel road - you can't miss it. You're very welcome, sir, have a nice day! Oh, sir! Your car keys!") Yes, I work at a petrol station, and I try to be nice.
Anyways, I worked the middle shift, and that's usually one of the more busy shifts, since it overlaps with the first and the last shifts for a few hours, and you have to get done all those things you can't do when you're alone ('cause then you have to mind the register and stuff. People get very testy if they have to wait for you, or call out for you to come.... and the boss gets even more testy if he finds out you've let the customers wait - or escape.) But yesterday, I don't know, perhaps I had more energy than usual, or there was less to do, but I got everything done in time, and I still had the energy to hunt flies. Wonderful. Oh, have I told you about how I hunt flies? I don't squish them (I don't like how they look all ... squished afterwards), but I trap them in a cup or something, and then reintroduce them into the wild! (I let them out through the backdoor, in the hopes that they're not intelligent enough to circle the building and come in again through the main entrance.) I even got a few people
laughing (unintentionally) when I thought I was alone. I was sneaking around with a plastic cup in one hand, a piece of thin cardboard in the other, all the while humming the "Mission: Impossible" theme. Loudly. And we're talking dramatic sneaking here. It was not all that different from a particular scene in Ace Ventura: Pet detective. (You fellow movie buffs know which scene I speak of.) You would think I learned from such an embarrassing episode! (They said I looked really cute blushing like that.) But no, not me - I can't count the times I've been singing away at the top of my voice, minding my own business - reorganising the music, dusting, tidying up the chocolate - then turned around and found that I wasn't so alone as I thought I was. 
... What was I saying again? I think I had something to say, but I seem to have lost track of it somewhere... No, it seems I just rattled off, talking about my mood. Perhaps I should go over to something a little more substantial? Or better yet, let's talk about movies!
I've seen a lot of movies this last year - it was pretty much all we did actually - and I have gotten quite a few new favourites. Oh, and I've been introduced to a few new TV-shows too! We'll see how much I manage to cram in.
THE FOLLOWING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS AND WILL CONTAIN HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE VIEWS OF THE MOVIES
V FOR VENDETTA AND the FRIGHTENERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
First off: V for Vendetta! Remember, remember the 5th of November... I love this movie! I've seen it three times in the cinema, which is just the right number of times to watch a movie like this on the big screen.
 The first time I was awed, and more than a bit overwhelmed - I alternated between goosebumps and fevered anticipation: an entirely emotional ride.
The last scene, where the crowd is walking towards Parliament... *shudder* Amazing! Even when watching it for the third time I was fighting tears. It's a very, very powerful scene, both visually and emotionally.
 The second time I sat back and enjoyed it - the initial emotional shock had worn off, so it was easier for me to follow the story. Still the final scene, and and the scene in the rain gave me the good kind of chills.
The third time I could focus on the details: by now it was getting a bit... predictable, if you will, and I could put my focus on the little things without losing the thread of the story. For instance: when we see Chief Inspector Finch on the morrow of November 5th, and his clock-radio clicks to life, it plays Richard Hawley's "Long black train" - a very nice piece of foreshadowing. (Doesn't matter that I first thought the lyrics went "Take me home by train", instead of "Take me home, black train"... still, it fits pretty nicely anyway.) It sets a rather melancholy tone, and gives the scene a beautiful mood - enhanced even more by Stephen Rea's soulful portrayal of the Chief Inspector.
"Tonight's your big night. Are you ready for it?... Are we ready for it?"
And speaking of soulful; I am very, very impressed by Hugo Weaving in this movie. I can assure you that it is not easy acting with a mask that cover your entire face, and not only that, but one that is also completely static! I've been a big fan of Mr. Weaving since the Matrix, and my admiration did not fade after seeing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Lord of the Rings, but this - this is truly remarkable! Even with a mask, and most of the time a cape, gloves and a big hat, he managed to convey not only a wide range of emotions, but also the sense of facial expression! I have no idea how he did this, but several times through the movie I could see - or perhaps 'feel' is a better word - the pain in his eyes, even though we never once see his eyes!
Could it be that the Wachowski brothers (who wrote a draft of the screenplay for V for Vendetta even before they made the Matrix) had something to do with the hiring of Hugo Weaving? 'Cause according to Imdb.com he wasn't the first one hired for the role - but I can't imagine anyone doing it better than Weaving, so I for one is very happy the other guy couldn't breathe in the Guy Fawkes mask.  Oookay, that sounded a bit ... oh, forget it, you know what I mean. [Additional note (that shows that things you read on Imdb.com should be taken with a grain of salt.): When I researched this rumour more in depth I found that Hugo Weaving was the first choice for the role, but was unavailable when they began shooting. The other guy stepped down (or was fired, I dunno) when Hugo Weaving became available. There are still scenes in the movie that the other guy did, and Hugo Weaving just dubbed over. That's the beauty of having a character with a mask: you can use scenes with two different actors without any problems whatsoever!]
This movie is a real eye-candy, but I suppose that is a given when you adapt a comic of such quality to the big screen. I think it is one of the most visually beautiful movies I've seen come from Hollywood in a long time. And it has its funny moments too!
V: Voilą! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. *giggles* Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
Evey Hammond: Are you like a crazy person?
V: I'm quite sure they will say so.
V: Would you... dance with me?
Evey Hammond: Now? On the eve of your revolution?
V: A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having!
Evey Hammond: Who are you?
V: Who? Who is but the form following the function of what, and what I am is a man in a mask.
Evey Hammond: Well, I can see that.
V: Of course you can. I'm not questioning your powers of observation, I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
But it is also very well written, with lines that you can ponder on:
V: There's no certainty - only opportunity.
Creedy: Die! Die! Why won't you die?... Why won't you die?
V: Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.
I can't wait for it to come out on DVD!  Oooh, I hope there's a lot of extra material!
 And speaking of extra material on DVDs: I've found a movie that may very well be one of my all time favourites. (Hold on, the extra material-comment will be explained shortly.) May I have a drum roll, please? *dramatic pause* the FRIGHTENERS! ... Yeah, that was a bit anti-climatic, I gotta give you that.
But anyway, I absolutely love this movie! ... too. (Some day I'll write an entry about the movies I don't like.) But bear with me, I really like this movie - it balances funny, creepy, sweet and sad, and the special effects are really good, considering how old the movie is. By the way, did you know that it was the special effects in the Frighteners that lay the groundwork for the outstanding effects in Lord of the Rings? Actually, it paved the way for the movies themselves: when Peter Jackson saw what they were able to do with the Frighteners he realised that the technology had advanced enough to take on a movie of such destined splendor as the Lord of the Rings. Yup, long live WETA, we owe you guys a lot.
I first saw the the Frighteners at Åsane, a day I was more than a little depressed. I can't really remember why I was so blue, but I was in a really bad mood, and needed something to cheer me up.  My all time cheer-up movie is the first of the Back to the Future movies, but for some reason I didn't feel like watching it that day. This puzzled me, frankly, but even though I couldn't find a reason for it the fact remained that I didn't feel like watching Back to the Future. What to do? I couldn't very well just sit there and wallop in my own self pity? I looked through my DVDs, but couldn't find anything that I knew would improve such a bad mood. Then I remembered that I had a movie on the laptop I hadn't seen yet. (Oh, don't start, I don't feel guilty at all: I spend most of my money on movies anyway so they don't lose money because of me!) I rigged up a little mountain of pillows and blankets, put a bottle of Coca-Cola, a bag of potato chips and a mountain of chocolate only slightly smaller than the pillow-mountain within easy reach, and pressed 'play'.
Let's just say that I now have more than one cheer-up movie that's guaranteed to make me crack a smile, no matter what.
And I don't think it's a co-incidence that both star Michael J. Fox. I don't know what it is about him... perhaps the real Michael J. Fox shines through a bit, and that is a person I admire very much, most notably his handling of his Parkinson's. His positive attitude and his optimism is truly inspirational. Whenever I find myself complaining about any physical ailments (I have a knee and a shoulder that every now and then gives me some trouble), and think of Michael J. Fox I feel deeply ashamed: I have nothing to complain about, there are so many others far worse off than me.
But I'm digressing again; I was supposed to talk about the Frighteners. I watched the movie several times after that dreadfully depressing day, and decided, since I liked it so much, to buy the DVD.
 (As I said before: I don't feel guilty at all, since I buy the movie if I like it.) Next time we went into town I found it at Platekompaniet at Torgalmenningen, and with almost 50% discount! I felt very lucky indeed. The only problem was that it was the Director's cut - which in my humble opinion lacks the delicate flow that appealed to me in the theatrical version. The only special features on the DVD were a special introduction to the film (dull...) and an extensive in-depth commentary by Peter Jackson, apparently his first ever, which was quite good and insightful, but since it had originally made for the laser disc Peter Jackson several times referred to a behind the scenes-documentary that supposedly were close to three hours. I can't get enough of behind the scenes-documentaries! I love them with all my heart, and I got very excited about the prospect of such a documentary about my new favourite movie. However ... there is always 'however'... there were no signs of this documentary on my newly purchased DVD. What to do? Forget about it? No way! I've only once let go of the prospect of a behind the scenes-documentary, and that was only after several months of searching the web and asking virtually everyone I came across about it... If you happen to come across a copy of "Behind the shells" (a behind the scenes documentary about the first live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie) let me know, will you? Anyway, I searched the web, and came across a three disc special edition which promised to contain the documentary (which in turn promised to include bloopers, lost footage, cast rehearsals, insight into the development of the script, a look into WETA and much more.) Giddy with anticipation I ordered it, and a few weeks later (yeah, the giddiness had faded a bit by then) I could feast my eyes on the documentary. As it turned out it was well worth the trouble and the wait. Peter Jackson really knows how to make behind the scenes-documentaries, I gotta give him that.
So now I'm the owner of no less than two Director's cut editions of the Frighteners, plus one theatrical version. I also happen to have two of A fish called Wanda... but that is another story altogether.
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