Archive for Deborah Lipp

Monday Movie Review: The Fountain

July 13, 2009 / / Comments Off on Monday Movie Review: The Fountain

The Fountain (2006) 6/10
Tommy (Hugh Jackman) is a research scientist working on brain tumors, and hoping to find a breakthrough in time to save his beloved wife Izzi (Rachel Wiesz). Tomas (Jackman) is a Spanish conquistador seeking the Fountain of Youth on behalf of Queen Isabella (Weisz). Tom (Jackman) is a bald guy in a bubble with a tree. Directed by Darren Aronofsky.

I am so confused.

I am okay with non-linear plots. I adored Memento. I like mysticism. I love romance. But I found this movie very difficult. Visually stunning, kind of engrossing, but ultimately frustrating. I had a sort of a sense of what was going on, but I felt like I was spending too much time trying to figure out what was going on, and it was distracting me from enjoying the movie. My teenagers (my son and my goddaughter) enjoyed the movie a lot more than I did. Arthur in particular didn’t care whether he understood, because he found the palette of light and color, and the repeated motifs of stars and specific shapes, so fascinating. And certainly the movie is like a painting; unfortunately, too much Dali, not enough Monet.

Because The Fountain deals with a man facing the death of his beloved wife, and because it is abstract and laden with symbolism, it lends itself to comparison with What Dreams May Come. The latter movie is weird, otherworldly, and metaphorical, and yet I never had trouble following it.

After watching The Fountain, I started looking at some of the DVD extras, and they started talking about Tom on his spaceship in the future. And I was all like “SPACESHIP? It was a SPACESHIP?” No clue. I had no clue. Because shaved head, lotus position, talking to a tree in a bubble in the stars doesn’t read “spaceship” to me, it reads astral travel or nirvana or something like that. The kids, apparently, knew it was a spaceship, so maybe it was me, but seriously, the teensiest bit of exposition is all I ask.

So what I get is that these two very pretty people with very prominent eyebrows are deeply in love, and this love transcends time, except it doesn’t really, because the whole Spanish conquistador thing may be a novel that Izzi is writing, except maybe it isn’t. But she is dying and he is upset by that so there are intense facial expressions and some hot sex.

The ideal eyebrow

July 9, 2009 / / 2 comments

As I was tweezing this morning, I thought of the several occasions on which I was told I had “good eyebrows.” No, seriously. My arch is exactly where the arch is supposed to be.

And it suddenly hit me how stupid it all is. I mean, there’s a place where your arch is “supposed” to be? And if it’s not there, you’re irrevocably flawed? Now, I agree your arch should not be in your nose. If your arch is in your nose, tweeze that sucker.

The Ideal Eyebrow

The Ideal Eyebrow

I like grooming. Grooming is fun. Grooming is pleasurable primate behavior. That’s not the point. The point is, how many body parts have “ideal” states, and how come we have to work so hard to achieve that ideal and hate on how we have failed to achieve that ideal?

It is objectively insane to care about whether your eyebrows conform to an ideal. Or to think that there is something wrong with the eyebrows you have that makes you somehow Less Than.

I saw Julia Roberts on a talk show and they asked her about Mystic Pizza, and she said that was before she started doing her eyebrows, so it’s unbearable for her to look at it now. Julia Roberts. Hates on how flawed she was because of those giant hairy monsters devouring her face.

And this is the point at which I think we must all agree that we are OKAY with the body parts we have. Stop hating on the eyebrows. Or the breasts or the ass or the skin or the toes. Stop. The energy of self-hatred is exhausting. The time spent trying to fix imaginary flaws is extensive. Groom, enjoy the pretty, but calm the hell down.

New Jersey trivia: All solved!

July 7, 2009 / / 2 comments

I love New Jersey.
» Read more..

Tuesday Trivia: New Jersey Natives

July 7, 2009 / / 14 comments

Dunno, I’m just into it today.

1. Montclair, Morristown: Has a sister named Pia and is all of 5’1″.
Solved by George.

2. Penns Grove: Actually born in Germany on a military base, is well known for his warm divorce; he attended his ex-wife’s wedding.
Solved by Evn.

3. South Orange, Maplewood: His first TV role was in an after school special in which he poses as a girl to get a summer job. Went from TV comedy to directing and starring in an independent film.
Solved by Melville.

4. New Brunswick: Son of a famous actor, husband of a Welsh actress.
Solved by Evn.

5. Newark, Irvington: Dad and brother were cops, real name Dana Owens.
Solved by Melville.

6. Edison: Born Susan Tomalin, eldest of nine children.
Solved by Hazel, Herb, and George in a freakish three-way tie.

7. Tenafly, Englewood: Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, daughter of a well-known actor, Oscar winner.
Solved by Evn.

Two books in Russian!

July 7, 2009 / / One comment

Llewellyn just sent me a box of The Way of Four and The Way of Four Spellbook in Russian. (Of course, I don’t ever remember being paid for Russian rights, so now I have to straighten out the paperwork, but whatever.)

Naturally, this is very exciting. This is the fourth language in which I am in print. In addition to English, I’m printed in Polish, Indonesian, and now Russian. So cool.

If you are interested in purchasing either book in Russian, I have a few I can sell. I have no idea what the cover price is, but I’m sure we can figure a fair price. Please contact me if you’d like to buy either or both books.

Monday Movie Review Rerun: To Have and Have Not

July 6, 2009 / / Comments Off on Monday Movie Review Rerun: To Have and Have Not

I just got back from Kentucky and I haven’t got time to write a new review, so here’s a review I wrote over three years ago, for one of my favorite films:

To Have and Have Not (1944 ) 9/10
Fishing boat captain Harry Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) and pickpocket Marie (Lauren Bacall) are reluctantly involved in helping the French Resistance. Directed by Howard Hawks.

When people say “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore” they mean To Have and Have Not. » Read more..

Late solutions to Tuesday trivia

July 6, 2009 / / Comments Off on Late solutions to Tuesday trivia

Sorry, I was out of town.
» Read more..

Experience the 18th Century

July 3, 2009 / / Comments Off on Experience the 18th Century

Advertisement on the radio for Colonial Williamsburg Resort:

Experience the 18th century, without ever leaving the 21st.

Wait. That was optional?

Why, even though I am utterly single, my bedroom is complicated

July 2, 2009 / / 2 comments

The short answer: Cats.

The long answer:

The first time Fanty peed on my bed, she was angry because I’d tried to give her a pill. But then there was a second incident, that seemed to be no more than her thinking it was a good idea. And you know what? Getting into bed late at night, after a bad day, and discovering the bed is wet makes me cry like a baby. So Fanty was banned from the bedroom.

This is complicated, because I didn’t particularly want to ban Mingo from the bedroom. He is a cuddly cat, I love sleeping with him, and he goes through phases where he Must! be in the Lap! But he also can’t stand a closed door. So he cries to come in, I let him in, close the door behind him, he cries to get out. Hours of my life were spent opening and closing that motherfucking door.

Now remember, he just does this crying at the door thing, all the damn time. So sometimes I don’t get up. Especially if I’m asleep. If I’m asleep, I yell at him. Which isn’t restful but hey.

So early one morning, he was in the bedroom, and he was trying to get me up, as usual, and crying, as usual, and I ignore him, as usual, and he has a little accident in the corner.

Mingo is not Fanty. He has the decency to be ashamed about his misbehavior. Nonetheless, tinkle in the corner and Deborah ain’t happy. Also, these creatures from hell, they habituate to a spot, so now I’m worried that he’ll pee in that corner even when it’s not an emergency. So now both cats are banned from the bedroom and the door is always shut.

Which was fine for a few weeks. Despite the interruptions, I really missed sleeping with Mingo; he snuggles right underneath my arm, headbutting/nuzzling until he finds a cozy spot. It’s lovely. Hey, I’m a single girl, I need someone to hug.

Anyway, a couple of nights ago, Mingo suddenly started begging to be let in again, so, soft of heart, I let him in. And it is, truly, lovely to sleep with a furry cat purring next to you. But this morning OH. MY. GODS. Headbutting me at 6:30 am, I cannot, truly, risk another piddle incident, so I get out of bed and throw him out the door. Back in bed, I suddenly hear, not crying to get in, not scratching to get in, but apparently a construction crew. Seriously. It sounded like there was a bear about to eat him on the other side of the door. “Help me Obi Wan Deborah, you’re my only hope!”

I did not succumb.

Hey look!

July 1, 2009 / / Comments Off on Hey look!

Hints!

« Older Entries   Recent Entries »
zeeReputation Theme