Oh.S.T.

Movie original soundtracks sure are magical. People tend to underestimate the power of the musical score or soundtrack of a film. Not to say that the 500 DAYS OF SUMMER OST is the most brilliantly scored thing ever!, but it just goes to show how a great selection can help move or enhance the storyline and bring out traits from the characters. Plus, it's always feel-good to hear a song that takes you back or has you tapping/humming along.

Webb's "The Playlist" article explaining his song selection for 500 DAYS is an interesting read. It also makes me wonder if there is or that is something to consider in the entertainment industry as an occupation--Executive Song Chooser. Mmm, yeah. Here I go again, maybe this, maybe that...la dee da.

As for the film itself, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER is captivating. It's just cheesy enough, but doesn't go completely overboard. The ending is not exactly what I'd imagined (and I was NOT expecting a cheesy close), but that might've had something to do with the casting choice. I'm more than satisfied with films that are smart not to take the indulgent and corny route for chick flicks. IN GOOD COMPANY is one such example of a great ending. 500 DAYS is a chick flick, but it's also an everyone-flick, a little more realistic than all the Meg Ryan-P.S. I Love You-Serendipity-doo-da films that leave me wanting the quart sized Haagen Daaz instead of pint size. Zooey and Joseph Gordon Levitt are quite the charming duo. JGL, I've been a fan of you since ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD. I listen to The Smiths, too. Pick me. kthnx.

Oh, and a film I shockingly left out in my last blog vomit is none other than THE WICKER MAN. Now, mother and I are loyal, longstanding fans of Nick Cage. He's made a solid amount of good moves--FAST TIMES, RAISING ARIZONA, A&A, THE ROCK, ADAPTATION, etc.--but hooo boy is this film awful. It's one of those awesomely and laughably bad flicks that is priceless to watch with good company. And that is how I recommend you watch it.

Life update #10923192390. There is a rodent (haven't seen long enough to figure out whether rata o ratón) in the apartment. I've been living in paranoia for two days now, preceding my steps out of my room with loud noises, deliberately shaking, hitting, opening and closing things loudly before entering or leaving. If it were Remy from Ratatouille, I'd be perfectly fine...but it's the real-life, mucky, grey kind, so no thank you. University Apartment hotline sent over man with glue traps. Great. Not that I'd prefer actual snap traps, but glue is unpleasant too and Rach further helped that out by sharing horror stories of glue traps. Not to worry, I've located the source and done my best to block up those openings. Fashioned myself up a barrier out of plastic bag+thick shopping bag+soy milk carton+duct tape. I'm puzzled why the critter chose our apartment. There really hasn't been much pungently aromatic eats here for the past couple weeks.

Awkward transition to: Last night, the outgoing/incoming directors and graduating seniors on CEC dined at FOGO DE CHAO. I haven't had Brazilian BBQ for several years, so this was a real treat. Unfortunately, having been recently sick plus with poor stomach health (due to the horrible way I eat and live my life), I wasn't 100% normal in eating habits. Regardless, I managed to stuff myself silly with meat off of swords, and it was glorious. The evening was also bittersweet, as I've grown closer to and will truly miss everyone leaving this year. Cue Vitamin C "Graduation" and tears.

Apologies for the recent, lengthy posts. I suppose it's because of all the bottled up blog energy in my fingers and head after the hiatus, but I won't promise that they'll necessarily be shorter, especially with LAFF and London coming up! Must conquer the finals first---aghh I think I hear real Remy trying to break through my barriers...

What better place than here. What better time than now.

Word. Where better to procrastinate on the Life To-Do List and what better time than during tenth week?
Yes, I'm back after a blog hiatus. Meganomz Bubbletoes, here, reporting from chair at desk in 555 Glenrock.

The condensed happenings thus far:

• I caught the CEC plague. Directly disobeying my parent's phone call/text/gchat orders to avoid crowded places with lots of people, I attended our non-stop series of CEC events where, rest assured, sickly people roam.
  
• This school year is a fail. Silver lining: at least I've been consistent? and I have my senior year to turn it around.
• As of last home visit, I think I may be going to grad school for some field of art?
• Begin life pondering, regretful ranting, etc.:

I wish I'd pursued something in art more seriously in HS. I did studio for a summer after JH, then stopped. I was an ASB kid. Worked my way up from class secretary, to class pres, to ASB pres. I also did yearbook editing and was a student ambassador. Yeah, I was thaaaat kid. My stereotype = enthused dork (and aZn), but that is what I know (and am). I'd like to think I fine-tuned myself into "sophisticated, grown-uppy, but still enthused dork".
So, I'm good at ASB things, eating, always had something...some knack, some ear, an inclination for art/music/lang./ling. things, cleaning, sanitizing, working with children, office stuff, NOT schmoozing/networking, not gonna be a gymnast-ballerina, nor singer-dancer, le sigh. I love grammar and proofreading, but I never did or do anything with it besides edit people's papers--definitely not up to par to make it my profession at a legit publication. I've always been aware and accepting of my flaws and weaknesses, so when it does come to the arts, I'm not a sketcher or cartoonist--these are my dad's forte. But I pick up the slack in color and color composition and using paints (yes, this includes pre-school finger painting!) My mom and I agreed that the physical arts, aka, "making sh*t", above anything in fine arts, has always been more my thang. I also fold a mean origami crane--made one using a foil Dove chocolate wrapper. I can haz sustainable salary? Bah!

At home visit, parents and I backtracked through all of the above. The discussion escalated into the always heated cries over "wth have I been/am I doing in college and with my life?", then simmered back down to the same conclusion as always. All they want is for me to figure out what I'm passionate about and go for it.

• Dilemma: I like everything. Sciences and mathematics, not a hater! I just know that I'm not so inclined. I like (or I think I like) too many things. I'm glad that I'm open-minded, but this can be horribly impractical and is demonstrative of my indecisiveness and my fickleness.
  
• Frustration. I don't know how to focus. I have life ADD.
• What happened to teaching? Still my ultimate plan. It's the "passion" that I'm gonna pursue later on to the scenario point where: my health deteriorates and I become the cranky, old teacher who should retire at age A, but the principle will feel guilty about letting me go because of my __ steadfast years, growing old at the school and thus, lets me stay on against better judgment to ridiculous age B, when I really need to retire due to the fact that I not only cannot hear the children, but also yell at them anyway.

End flashbacks and life ponderations.
Cut to movie news:

• UP! Far too overrated from all the Rotten Tomatoes pre-hype. It is not the best Pixar ever. That being said, it's still perfectly amazing and magical. Dug the dog, Kevin the bird, and Russell are hilarious and to some extent remind me of something about myself...perhaps Dug and Kevin's flighty/do-do ness and Rusell's so very obvious Asianness--for those who thought otherwise, c'monn, his eyes! Plus if that didn't convince you, he is voiced by a little Asian boy.
  
• Terminator 4: pure special Fx entertainment. Christian Bale continues to use that scruffy voice (that made him unintelligible as the Dark Knight). Sam Worthington and Moon Bloodgood = token eye candy. Way better than T3, not even close to matching T1-T2.
• Star Trek. <3
• Night at the Museum 2...my gawd I really want to see this. I loved the first one.
• 500 Days of Summer. Our last CEC event this year! I am expecting a wonderful film about love that is not a love story.
• Public Enemies, Ponyo, Transformers II and many more will be premiering/screened during LA Film Fest.

Summer and beyond...

• I'm interning for LAFF guest services again. I'll try to watch and post about as many of the festival films as I can, including the aforementioned.
• Jury duty. Eff word. I'd postponed it months back to after LAFF, but forgot to transfer it too, so.......Megan Lee reports to Compton on June 29.
  
• Round-trip ticket to London and back, purchased! Finally found someone I know who is going. Coincidentally, we became friends during LAFF last summer!
• We'll be regular video bloggers throughout the trip. That's right, it's like we'll be having a mini-occasional web-tv show in England! So you get to see me fumbling about, live, in London. I also think we get to use a mini HD for it, so that will be super cool.
• Also volunteered to be a super-blogger for the travel study program, meaning 4-5 posts/week.
• Contemplating flying from London to SD for Street Scene. Maybe, just maybe!
• CEC! Nothin' but love, sometimes stressful, but love all the way. It has been and will probably continue to be my priority. The addition of a meager stipend next year for my efforts as incoming Films Director is a lovely plus! Exploring new waters is frightening, especially having to follow in K-Cut's and Kid Freezy's footsteps, but I'm up and excited for the challenge.
  
• Oh, yes. Being a grown-up sucks. I have a "real" apartment now and have to find a subletter and pay monthly rent + utilities. UCLA university apartments spoiled me rotten. Might as well try here, too. If you/anyone you know needs a place in LA for the summer, do tell me!

No more apartment plugs, I promise. Three papers away from freedom. Here I come...

all's well that ends well

although my life is not remotely comprised of Bertram, Helena or an Italian war.

But a very busy week has been coming to a lovely close and this weekend promises to be 3 more days of wonderful and sunshine. That was almost too disgustingly cheesy, but ohhh well.

I've finally managed to narrow down a pile of 64 applicants to a select 7 (merci beaucoup Jeffries!), adding the enthused noobs to our CEC Films staff family.

ttfn!

worth fighting for

I haven't been too immensely emotionally involved in much ever since I came to college--which is strange and a shame, I realize, because I thought this is where I'd be fighting for causes much more often. However, I've gotta say that it feels damn good to be on the winning team of UCLA's USAC elections. Feels good because these candidates are deserving, honest, hard-working and Qualified! Yes, politics can weave an impossible web, but I'm glad that I did get involved, regardless. We fought the good fight, fought it CLEAN, with INTEGRITY, won, and for the next year, we can chillax.

That said, I am so very le tired. I've officially got a thing against birds unless David Attenborough is narrating about them on the tube or PIXAR makes a short about them. Mockingbirds + Drunk people = Mockingdrunkpeople or Drunkbirds, which both equally suck.

The sun has risen. Time for me to climb into bed and hope to the higher powers that I wake up for discussion.

I Want to Believe...

that the next time I see David Duchovny chillin' by the Kerckhoff bathroom, I'll grow a pair and give him a holler because I HEART HIM.

The rundown: I was in the CEC office, met up with Susan, decided to go down to get some Carl's, reached the bottom few steps, noticed an uncharacteristically taller, older, famous-looking man in a black button down and jeans (reading the directory of Kerckhoff office numbers?).

Click. ZOMFG It's DAVID DUCHOVNY. Susan = who? Me = (

My train of thought/dialogue/actions for the next 10 minutes: OmgIcanhazpicture?Omg. Text everyone I know including long time D.D. fan, mom. Omg. I'll have a number 15 medium fries, medium coke. Omgmaybei'lljustgohughimomg.

We returned back to the scene but he'd gone outside to film. Got Hannah from the office, ran into friend, Nick. Outside, were the set and crew of CALIFORNICATION, comprised of: DAVID; extra guys; extra galss--who could definitely use the additional 10 lbs. of camera weight; various people sitting at the tables. We spent a good 15 minutes trying to figure out which were extras, if there were any, making decisions based on well-dressed-ness, age and various other factors. I contemplated taking a seat and whipping out shiny macbook to blend in, because that seemed the trend for the seated folk. Also considered acting out as most stereotypical, token asian girl if it meant I could be in the scene. Scene began with co-star's leg in between David's kicking him there. David falls to ground. [I run over to help him.] [He says thanks and we become instant besties.]

I had to run back and forth for meetings and such, but i "visited" set about 3 times. Fairly certain the crew could recognize creeper Asian girl by then, especially when I was wearing my lime green sneakers.

Le sigh.

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I found this news to be most blog-worthy and dedicate it to a true Fox Mulder/D.D. fan, Miss Cutruzzula.
What's cookin' good lookin'?