Adventures

On Saturday, my mother, brother, and I went to Salt Lake City to meet up with our old friend from High School. We saw the new Spiderwick movie at the IMAX theater. It was great. I read the first Spiderwick book in the car and the first half of the second one, so I knew enough to be a little annoyed with the way they treated the characters in the film. They turned a bunch of characters who were charming into whining Hollywood charicatures. Well, c'est le vie. That's the influence Hollywood has. That's why I'm not sure I'd want to let anyone make a movie out of my book, if I ever publish any. It would be heartbreaking if they didn't "get it right," and I don't know how much creative control I, as the writer, would have.
Also, the movie was a little disappinting on the IMAX. The screen was big, granted, but it didn't seem all that big. That might be because of modern movies' tendency to zoom in REALLY CLOSE, like up-the-nostril, I-think-I-got-your-snot-on-the-lens close, so I never feel like I really see the whole picture. It's as though I'm watching a scene through binoculars. And whatever happened to holding a shot for more than five seconds? Then they wonder why all the kids have ADD. If I was constantly bombarded with shifting perspectives on TV and in movies, I might.... hey, what's that?

After the movie, my mother and my brother returned to Logan, and I stayed in Salt Lake with my friend. We were going to go to a metal show, but when we showed up, they wouldn't let me in because my ID is expired. I felt terrible after that, my mood completely ruined, and we just went back to the hotel. The hotel we stayed in was fascinating. The clerk was a tiny, elderly woman, the kind who doesn't seem to notice she's old, with way too much make-up, a permanent frown around her jowls, and hideously long, glossy nails. The room itself was manageable, but the sheets had holes in them and I could hear everything going on outside. After we got back from the non-show, we chatted, then went to bed. In the morning, I sat up and waited for the day to begin. I read a little Wuthering Heights and enjoyed that quiet time of day where I didn't have to be anywhere or be doing anything. It was just mildly ruined by the symphony of small children in the next room coming through the paper-like walls. My friend and I then had breakfast at Denny's. It was fascinating. Our server was rushed and not terribly polite, and yet I left him a tip. Why am I so well trained? We sat near a Hispanic man and his brood of at least four small children, and across from a couple, half of which was a hideous formless woman with a ponytail and a backwards cap. Why does that same sort of woman seem to be everywhere?

We went to a cool little coffee shop called Addicted Coffee, where my friend bought a chai and we played free Guitar Hero 3 on PS2. It took me a while to figure out how to turn on the wireless guitar controller. How embarassing! But, after bombing "Hier Kommt Alex" on medium, I nailed "Welcome to the Jungle" on medium. Rock star godhood, here I come!

We then went to see Jumper. It raised a few interesting questions, but was generally forgettable. It was interesting to see Anakin Skywalker in a new role. Hollywood is probably going to have to go with him until they find a new leading man who actually has talent. Someone who has natural charisma and can create a character outside of the spoken lines: the mannerisms and expressions that truly flesh out a well-played role.

We rounded out the night by coming back to Logan and, after a dinner of lovely soup prepared by my mother, jumping on the webcam to hang out with my other brother. He and I took turns reading from a story we jointly wrote a while back, much to my friend's amusement.

Stay frosty, my little chipmunks.