Thursday, May 16, 2013

Goodbye to The Office 2005-2013

I know that if I had to work in a cubicle or at a desk in a office I would be miserable, but the cast of characters on the British turned American sitcom called The Office may have made the job bearable, if nothing else more fun and laughable.

So here is a final farewell to Jim and Pam as we watched them fall in love while they tormented the terrible Dwight who had an on again off again relationship with uptight Angela.
Speaking a couples who never knew if they were a couple here's to temp Ryan and Kelly Kapoor.
To Toby in HR who nobody liked and Darryl in charge of the warehouse.
To unknowing Kevin and sweet Phyllis, strange Meredith and odd Creed.
To Stanley and Oscar, Andy and Erin.
And newbies Clark and Nate
with Holly and Nellie
 and to Gabe, David Wallace and all the rest.
But there would have been no story to tell, no documentary to be made if it weren't for the the craziest boss to have had
Michael Scott you will always be missed but still in our hearts.

Goodbye to a series that gave us lots of love and laughs.
And Good Luck to a great crew and awesome cast!


Addition 5/24/13

 There a times when I need to prepare myself to watch a season or series finale and this was one of those times and a week later I finally got up the courage to watch the final episode of The Office.

I have to say it was one of the best series finales I have seen in a long time. It had everything it needed for this particular show to conclude on. Like with most sitcoms there was a wedding but unlike the others this wedding wasn't sappy or beautiful. The couple was unusual but throughout the series you knew they were perfect for each other and their wedding day was done in complete crazy Dwight Schrute style.

The episode as a whole was funny, sweet and fun. Old cast members (Steve Carell was wonderful even if he was only on for a moment) returned and mixed right in with the new.

Most importantly the story had and ending and questions were answered. Why was this "documentary" being made and how did it really affect its participants? The answers may surprise you:)

At the end of every series I cry but this one was different, I cried but for the first time I felt as if these characters were going to be okay, even though I would no longer be allowed into their lives.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Great Gatsby 2013 flim

Anyone who has been a high school student has read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and there have been many film versions of this classic novel since it was first published. The 1974 adaptation starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow was the one I watched after reading the book as a freshman. While it has been many years since then I admit that I don't remember everything about the plot but do recall the main themes and metaphors in relationship to the green light and "gods eyes" always watching.

Fitzgerald wrote a tale about a man named Jay Gatsby, this time played by a personal favorite of mine Leonardo DiCaprio, who is obsess over a woman named Daisy Buchanan, played by the talented Carey Mulligan and narrated by a novice who is new to the big city man named Nick Carraway played by the wonderful Tobey Maguire. Unfortunately Daisy is married to the rich and powerful Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton)  who himself is having a affair with Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fisher) who is also married to George the mechanic (Jason Clarke).

As I've said the story is taught and has been told over and over but I think that the idea of becoming someone else, as Gatsby did for Daisy, in order to escape who you were and become a new and hopefully improved version of oneself is timeless. I know there are times I imagine another, better life for myself.

In this new film director Baz Luhrmann sucks the viewer in and takes he or she into the excitement and glamour of the 1920s. Although he made this film 3D if you have every seen his past work like the amazing Moulin Rouge you already know that his movies do not need the extra special effect. The Great Gatsby is a roller coaster of a ride. The look of the film only adds to the story. From the colors on every detail of the time to the makeup, when I first saw Tom I thought he could have been a villain in a silent film from the era that the movie takes place, to the beautiful costumes, every dress worn by Daisy was just as glamorous as the next. The party scenes were large, shiny and fantastic, I would have loved to attend every one Gatsby threw. But not everything was sparkly and Luhrmann was able to show the difference between the lifestyle of the rich with their big houses and fast cars and the poor living in the dirty and run down industial part of the city. Nick's house was my favorite place and the scene when Gatsby and Daisy are reunited is a awkward moment between the two characters and it is well acted and very sweet. The unique soundtrack by rapper Jay-Z surprisingly works perfectly with the story. When it is used in the background it adds to the jazzy feeling of the times. Who knew rap and jazz were so similar?

All in all a fun and good film.

 I enjoyed and would watch The Great Gatsby again.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Ode To Pine Valley

I originally wrote this July 26 2001 and now that we are 2 weeks into All My Children 2.0 (watch on Hulu, Hulu Plus or iTunes) it was time to share.


Monica and Chandler got married, Richard Bay was shot, Darma and Greg's car flipped over and to top it all off the President announced he had MS, when another season was over I thought I would be lost then I remembered the one show I watch everyday at one o'clock. No matter what mood I am in glad, mad or sad the gang from Pine Valley always cheer me up. There are murders and scandals, love lost and love found and every once in a while something unexpected comes along. Although at times the plots makes me angry and I threaten to stop I still tune in the next day to see what transpires. Compared to prime time TV and all the rest All My Children is still the best. it is sexier then Sex and the City, deeper the Six Feet Under, smarter then Jeopardy and more real then reality TV. I watch (or tape) everyday just to see the characters stories unwrap. So whether someone is getting married or in jail it makes me feel better to know that my life could always be worse then theirs. That is why I watch each episode from beginning to end and even though it is just a TV show I consider it a friend.