My Top 15 of 2008

Ok, so Jess over at Insight into Entertainment posted a list of the movies she's seen this year, using a list from Variety as a tool. I thought I'd take a gander at the complete list to see just how many I've seen. As it turns out, I've seen just 15. I know. It's pathetic. Especially since the majority of them were summer blockbusters which means that I had a serious art film deprivation this year, theatrically speaking. Anyway, in alphabetical order, here are the 15 films I actually saw this year:

Australia
Be Kind Rewind
Charlie Bartlett
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Cloverfield
The Dark Knight
Hancock
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Mamma Mia!
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Quantum of Solace
WALL-E
Yes Man

You Already Take Me There: It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

For many, it's a holiday tradition, a limitless source of inspiration, and a swell movie. Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life has touched so many hearts since its release in the 1940's. It wasn't universally loved by critics at the time of the release, receiving criticisms for its sentimentality and misguided notions of what a life can mean. However, the movie received five Academy Award nominations which include Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor (Jimmy Stewart). I'm fortunate enough to include myself amongst the masses that pull this solid classic from their shelves or check the television listings for a showing every year around the holidays. It's almost ironic that It's a Wonderful Life is thought of as a Christmas classic because the movie has little to do with Christmas, save for the crucial moment in George Bailey's life occurring on Christmas Eve. The television studios that made a decision to air the film around this time every year probably played a part in the Christmasization of the film, but I like to think that it's because It's a Wonderful Life is the sort of movie people need at the end of a tough year. It's the kind of film that reminds us that our hard work may not be in vain, even when we're so sure that it is.

It's a Wonderful Life is the story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart). At the start of the picture, we learn through the prayers of many of the folk in Bedford Falls that George is in dire need of help. We further learn through some angels that George Bailey is to kill himself within the hour. The angel made responsible for saving Mr. Bailey spends the hour learning more about his life. We, the audience, are given the same experience as Clarence the angel (Henry Travers) in navigating through the life of our protagonist. The life of George Bailey, at least as we're told, starts with him as a young boy. We learn quickly that George looses hearing in one of his ears after saving his brother from drowning to death in the ice. We're also treated to a scene where George prevents his employer, the druggist Mr. Gower, from accidentally poisoning one of his customers. We also learn that George Bailey dreams of traveling the world. He's ambitious and plans to work as an architect or an engineer.

Time moves quickly, and now George is a high school graduate on his way to college to fulfill all his dreams. Only, he's got a few months to spend in Europe before he has to start school. On the night before he leaves, he steals a dance with Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) from Alfalfa himself. The two share a wonderful evening before George learns that he'll have to cancel is trip to Europe to take care of the family business: The Bailey Building & Loan Association. The Bailey Building & Loan Association has one real enemy, Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), who wants to take over the Building & Loan in order to have complete control over Bedford Falls. Without spoiling too much more of the plot, let me just summarize the life of George Bailey with this: every time George is on the verge of beginning the life he had envisioned for himself, a problem develops forcing him to make a choice between self and other. In the final act of the film, Clarence grants George Bailey the ability to see the way the world would be without him in it.

It's a Wonderful Life is based on a short story titled "The Greatest Gift" which was sent out to various people as part of a Christmas card after the author failed to get it published. As luck would have it, an RKO producer discovered the story and bought the rights to make it into a movie. The producer let Frank Capra in on the story, and with the help of additional writing talent, we've got, with Capra's new title, It's a Wonderful Life.

The story of It's a Wonderful Life is remarkable in its creation of one of the most loved heroes and most hated villains in film history with George Bailey and Henry Potter, respectively. George Bailey is a bit of a contradiction. We want him to succeed in fulfilling all of his dreams, but it's precisely because George chooses not to fulfill his dreams that we want to see that happen. What's even more remarkable is the way George spends so little time deliberating over his choices because, to George Bailey, there is no choice when it comes to helping your fellow man. Henry Potter has the opposite philosophy, and as much as we might hate Mr. Potter, we have to appreciate his existence in this picture. As a seemingly irredeemable villain, Mr. Potter forces Bailey to become the hero that he is. Had Mr. Potter shown even occasional acts of mercy or compassion, Mr. Bailey wouldn't have felt the need to protect the population of Bedford Falls. Without evil, we would have no real conception of good.

The scene after the school dance between George and Mary is a fine example of how well written this film is. It exudes charm and romance, and is difficult to forget even after just one viewing. Recall the moment where George tells Mary, "You know, if it wasn't me talking, I'd say you were the prettiest girl in town," only to have her respond with, "Well, why don't you say it?" Or the way George talks about giving the moon to her if she wanted it. There's also the moment when Mary counters George's wish by throwing a rock at the old Granville house. You have to wonder if that wish truly keeps George from leaving Bedford Falls or if it were just coincidence. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed show real chemistry here, and it stands out as one of the best parts of the film.

Another notable scene in It's a Wonderful Life comes after George has begun his tour of 'Bedford Falls' if he had never been born. George discovers what had once been a set of homes is now a graveyard, illustrating the replacement of life with death in this alternate reality. It's such a strong contrast with the Bedford Falls we've come to know over the course of George Bailey's life. We learn that George's brother died without him there to save him, and by extension Harry was unable to save the lives he had during the war. Perhaps this scene more than any other in the alternate reality reminds us just how much of an impact one can have on the world. It's an instance where George's not having been born actually seems to do some serious damage outside of his little town. The music that supports the scene is haunting, and powerful. I've never watched this scene. I've only ever experienced it.

It's a Wonderful Life is an inspiration to all of us because it emphasizes the importance of love over 'success.' "When success is equated with excess, our ambition for excess wrecks us." The rewards for living a selfless life are not apparent to us because it can require the ability to remove ourselves completely to see them. It forces us to examine our own lives, wondering if we're a Potter or a Bailey, but to also assure us that if we are a Bailey, we can have peace of mind in knowing that we do have a wonderful life. Should old acquaintance be forgot and old times since? We'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne. Let us not forget our old acquaintances, for as Clarence reminds us, "No man is a failure who has friends."

It's a Wonderful Life, you already take me there.

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

The King of Rhythm and the Queen of Taps were born to dance together from the tops of their heads to the taps of their feet. Broadway Melody of 1940 pairs the dashing Fred Astaire with the extraordinary Eleanor Powell, one of the few women believed capable of out-doing Astaire. I discovered this movie years ago when it was given to me as a gift. Apparently, somebody overheard that I enjoyed Astaire musicals. Of course, at that time, I had only seen the Astaire/Rogers musicals, so I was quite curious to see him with a new dancing partner. I hadn't seen Eleanor Powell in anything else. Broadway Melody of 1940 is the fourth movie in the Broadway Melody series, of which Powell starred in all but the first. It's not my favorite musical, but I do enjoy pulling it off my DVD shelf and watching it from time to time. I just recently finished watching it, so I feel well equipped to write a few words to help you decide if it might be worth your time.

Fred Astaire is Johnny Brett. He works alongside his partner King Shaw, played by George Murphy, doing small-time performing gigs. Both of them hope for a shot at something bigger, and not just in show business. Johnny has a crush on the famous Broadway star and Powell's character, Clare Bennett (If that name seems at all familiar, you've seen an episode or two of NBC's Heroes). Johnny sneaks away to catch Clare perform on the big stage. One night a talent scout (Frank Morgan) spots Johnny and King Shaw performing. He approaches Johnny and offers him a part in a new show, but Johnny is under the impression that he's a bill collector come for King Shaw. So to save King Shaw from being legally summoned in any way, Johnny tells the talent scout that he is King Shaw.

Unfortunately for Mr. Brett, that talent scout was not only the real thing, but he was Casey in the Broadway production team of Matthews and Casey wanting to put Johnny in the next show with Miss Clare Bennett. The case of mistaken identity continues as King Shaw lands the part in the show. Even when Johnny learns of the mistake, he continues to support his partner by helping him with his dance steps and making sure his frequent drinking binges don't get him fired from the production. In time, Shaw's undeserved success gets to his head and threatens to tear the friendship apart. As Johnny puts it, "when success goes to a dancer's head, he's alright, but when it goes to his head, he's top heavy." Meanwhile, Clare finds herself more interested in Johnny than King Shaw, wondering how Bob Casey could have failed to pick him. The rest, you'll just have to see to learn.

Note that this is first and foremost a musical. There's plenty of singing and dancing, and here, there's a LOT of dancing. Astaire and Powell light up the screen with each of their numbers together. Their two numbers together during "Begin the Beguine" are spectacular. It's as though dancing is a language which they both speak fluently. There's also a terrific solo number with Astaire for "I've Got My Eyes On You" where he essentially dances with a photograph of Clare. While it's not exactly solo, Powell also manages a terrific leading performance during "All Ashore." These numbers, it should be noted, feature the magical music of Mr. Cole Porter.

There are a few other things about the film that I think are worth mentioning. The first of which is rather negative. There's a couple scenes in the film where we're treated to talent of a different nature. The first is a girl who juggles fairly well. I didn't have too much of a problem with it because it's obvious that she's talented, and with Fred Astaire present in the scene, I didn't feel too taken out of the film. The second scene is a different girl who I suppose is trying to put on a comedy act. I guess the point is that Bob Casey can pick some rather oddball talent, and we're supposed to laugh as his partner Matthews deals with them, but this 'comedy' act annoys me every time. Perhaps you are a more tolerant movie goer, but I'm telling you now to prepare you in any case.

I also feel Frank Morgan's part is worth mentioning. I really enjoy the whole subplot with him and the fur cape. You see, he uses the fur cape to get women to go out with him by offering it to them to wear during the course of the date. When the date's over, however, he needs to get the cape back so that he can offer it to the next blond he deems worthy. I enjoy Frank Morgan in general, but it was fun to see him try to deal with those that caught onto his scheme of snatching the cape back at the end of the evening.

There isn't much story to go on here. It's not the most original plotline you'll ever see, and I'm sure you can predict how everything's going to go down without much information. If you want to spend your movie night with something that leaves you guessing, I'd certainly not look to this one. If, however, you're looking to be entertained through dance and song by a couple of the most talented people in that arena, you'll be quite satisfied with Broadway Melody of 1940.

The Holiday (2006)

If you were to try to get me to watch The Holiday by listing its stars or writer/director Nancy Meyers, you would have found quite a challenge on your hand. While I do enjoy Jude Law and Kate Winslet, they couldn't make up for my dislike of Cameron Diaz and to a lesser extent Jack Black. Jack Black is a trickier situation because I find myself liking a lot of the movies that he's in, so I could just be in denial. Cameron Diaz, though, has earned her share of animosity from me. The Holiday's director Nancy Meyers also hasn't done too much too impress me. I wasn't too big a fan of What Women Want, and I didn't care for Something's Gotta Give. I say all this to emphasize how much prejudice this film had to surpass to get me to enjoy it, which, in case you're wondering, I did. In fact, if you wanted to rope me in to watch this movie, all you would have to do was describe some of the characters.

The Holiday is almost two different movies, both romantic comedies. Note that even the DVD cover art seems to imply a sort of separation in the romance storylines. The romances themselves are fairly different in the way they develop as well. Rather than give you the plot summary with a sort of intercutting, as the film presents it, I'll separate them into the Kate Winslet plot and the Jude Law plot (it's probably better referred to as the Cameron Diaz plot, but I'd rather say Jude Law). Let me just say briefly that while I thought the Jude Law plot had some great moments, particularly with the little girls, I didn't find it as entertaining. Every time the plotline was on screen, I was just waiting for it to get back to what Kate Winslet was doing in L.A. That's really all I'm going to say about it.

The Winslet plot starts up right away. Iris Simpkins (Winslet) writes for a newspaper in England. She let's us know right from the start through her opening narration that she's a victim of unrequited love. After finding out that her 'love' is to be engaged, Iris plunges into depression. Fortunately, she finds that somebody online is interested in renting her home for a couple weeks. Iris agrees under the condition that they do a home exchange. That is, they switch 'houses, cars, everything.' After finding out that the house she would be switching for is in Los Angeles, California, Iris jumps at the opportunity to get away from England and the man that's caused her so much pain.

Iris is delighted upon arrival to find that the house has all the luxuries of a dream home. She's also pleased to learn that her new next door neighbor is an old Hollywood screenwriter played by Eli Wallach. She also befriends a film music composer played by Jack Black. It turns out time away from the source of her unrequited love does Iris much good as she begins to have fresh experiences with these new friends. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend (the source) as played by Rufus Sewell can't quite let her go despite never having treated her properly. Sewell's character seems to play along with Iris' role as the best friend, but he makes little comments that he has to know give her hope for a rekindling of their love. Iris' ex-boyfriend intrudes on her getaway forcing her to make a final decision regarding his existence in her life: either continue the role of supportive 'best friend' with the possibility of more in the future, or cut him off completely and move on.

I really enjoyed the writing in this movie regarding the subject of love. Iris talks about how unrequited love is the cruelest kind of love,

"The one that almost kills its victims. Its called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space!"

There's another great moment later in the film where Iris attempts to explain why we love those that are probably wrong for us. The process of Iris becoming a more independent woman is endearing to watch. At the beginning of the film, we find that Iris has already been with the man of her dreams and continues to love him despite his affair with another woman. She's pathetic really, so it's quite pleasing to see her drag herself out of that mode and finally get some gumption.

I also really enjoy the relationships Iris forms with her next door neighbor and the film composer. It could be that they're both film industry folks, and it's fun to see them talk about movies so passionately. There's a scene where Jack Black's character is with Iris in a video store and proceeds to sing/hum the themes to various films that he picks up. The moment was very near and dear to my heart since it seemed like the kind of thing I would do (although maybe on a more reserved level). I also liked the Dustin Hoffman cameo which apparently wasn't planned. I loved the way Iris tries to get Wallach's character to attend a lifetime achievement award for the writer's guild. It's so refreshing to see a movie where we aren't really meant to laugh at the elderly's expense. Instead, it seems to ask us to remember that they have a past that could be just as exciting, if not more so, than that of the younger folk.

The Winslet plot is, to me, the superior plotline in the film. The movie references are enough to keep me entertained alone, but there's also these really fascinating characters dealing with the pain of failed relationships. They help each other heal, and that's exactly the sort of movie that makes me feel all warm and Christmas-y inside.

The Major and the Minor (1942)

My first real relaxing movie experience since school finished this semester ended up being the 1942 Billy Wilder comedy The Major and the Minor. I first learned of the film when I read about it over at Movie Viewing Girl. I'm a very big fan of the Astaire/Rogers musicals, and while I'm aware that Ginger Rogers has a pretty noble career outside of the musical comedy genre, I didn't have much of an idea of where to start. Fortunately, that was taken care of after reading Wendymoon's review. While I don't think I loved it quite as much as she did, seeing as how she puts it in her top 50, I did find the film pretty worthwhile.

The Major and the Minor is a story not unlike Wilder's Some Like it Hot in that a huge source of the comedy comes from our main character masquerading as something they clearly are not. Our protagonist Susan Applegate (Ginger Rogers) is fed up with city life in New York and decides to take the train back to her hometown in Iowa. She's reserved the exact amount the trip cost her on the way to New York from Stevenson, Iowa years ago, $27.50. Unfortunately, since that trip, the rates have shot up to $32.50. Applegate then decides to fool the railway into thinking she's a 12 year old girl, and thusly, would only have to pay half-fare. While she does manage to make it onto the train, eventually the conductor gets wise, forcing Applegate to hide in the train compartment of Major Philip Kirby (Ray Milland). Major Kirby takes it upon himself to be Susan's guardian. After an indefinite train delay, Major Kirby offers Susan a place to stay with his fiance on the military institute where Kirby teaches. What was meant to be a quick charade to save on a train trip becomes a full week of entertaining young cadets hoping nobody gets wise.

I've seen a few of these masquerading stories in my lifetime. Most of them have to do with men pretending to women or vice versa. This is the first that I can think of where an adult tries to pull off being a child. To her credit, Rogers does a pretty amusing, maybe even slightly convincing, job of pulling off a much younger girl in regards to her performance.

I like that they make it an issue that some people just don't buy her age because realistically, she just doesn't look 12. We as an audience aren't necessarily expected to buy Susan as a 12 year old. It seems to me that those that want her to be 12 see her that way while those that want her to be older, see her that way. For instance, the train conductor doesn't want to be conned, so he's more apt to recognize the lie. Major Kirby, on the other hand, is a little more trusting of people, so he's less likely to see her as a fake (plus he has a bum eye.) The one actual 12 year old girl that Susan meets in the picture recognizes her immediately. One of the reasons she cites for this recognition is that Susan often acts much younger than a 12 year old. That is, she'll say things that a 6 year old might say. It's an interesting commentary on the way adults view children versus how children see children. While adults may group kids from 6 to 12 as being very similar, a child in that same age group sees themselves as very different. Sometimes it gets so specific that they demand you know that they're not just 8, but 8 1/2.

While I did find Rogers' portrayal of a 12 year old very entertaining, I was a little uncomfortable with the love story. It's not that I find Susan's feelings for Major Kirby disturbing. It's that Major Kirby seems to be suppressing feelings for Susan. During the course of the picture I had a hard time imagining the two of them actually ending up together in any way because that misconception would a rather large hurtle for their relationship. How could Major Kirby ever be with an adult Susan if in the back of his head he's thinking of her as a 12 year old?

Really, The Major and the Minor is a very amusing comedy and a great opportunity to see Ginger Rogers have fun with a role.

Adding to the Noise: Dawson's Creek

Get your digs in now because I won't tolerate them later on. I am a huge fan of Dawson's Creek. There are two reasons, above all, that I can point to.

1. The 'main' character, Dawson, is a film fanatic.
2. The actual main character, Joey Potter, is one of the most attractive people I've ever seen in the movies/television. (Partly because she's physically attractive, but mostly because she's bright and has a perfect balance of humility and confidence).

Anyway, the 'quote' for this new edition of Adding to the Noise comes from a conversation with Dawson and some girl that isn't Joey. I found the conversation really intriguing and actually will slip it into conversations whenever The Wizard of Oz comes up. As a bonus, I'll embed the actual scene.

Gretchen Witter
You know Dawson, it might interest you to know that I did take one film class in college.
Dawson Leery
Was it a monumental waste of time?
Gretchen Witter
No, it was great actually. But you know what my teacher said was the most bogus line in Hollywood cinema?
Dawson Leery
What?
Gretchen Witter
"There's no place like home."
Dawson Leery
Wizard of Oz.
Gretchen Witter
Exactly. It's what everybody remembers about the movie, but it doesn't resonate with the rest of the story. Think about it. You know home is this desolate, gray, dust bowl of a place where some nasty old lady is trying to kill your dog. And Oz is--
Dawson Leery
Technicolor.
Gretchen Witter
And sure it has it's problems. You know, poppy fields, flying monkeys--
Dawson Leery
Talking trees.
Gretchen Witter
But along the way you make friends. Good friends. With people that you never even knew existed when you were growing up. Straw people, tin people--
Dawson Leery
And lions.
Gretchen Witter
Exactly. And you help each other realize that all the things that you want to be, you already are.

The Office: Moroccan Christmas

SPOILERS

Season 5 Episode 10: "Moroccan Christmas"

Writer: Justin Spitzer

Director: Paul Feig

Plot:

It's time for the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch Christmas party. This year, our new head of the party planning committee, Phylis, decided to go with a Moroccan theme. (By the way, despite what Michael might tell you, Morocco is in Africa. It's actually where you would find Casablanca.) That's not the only thing that Phylis has decided. Through blackmail, Phylis makes Angela do all the grunt work, no matter how tedious or unneeded for the Moroccan themed party. Angela reaches a boiling point when she calls Phylis' bluff over telling the office about her indiscretions with Dwight K. Schrute. Unfortunately for Angela, Phylis throws reservation to the wind and makes an announcement to the entire office (aside from Michael, Meredith, and Andy) about the affair.

Also during the Christmas party, an intoxicated Meredith manages to get her hair caught on fire. Fearing for her safety, her coworkers plan and execute an intervention for her alcoholism. Good ol' Michael appoints himself to be Meredith's personal savior with or without the help of his staff. Eventually, Michael attempts to con Meredith into checking into a rehabilitation clinic, but Michael was unaware that rehabilitation clinics are not going to take somebody who doesn't want to rehabilitate themselves.

Meanwhile, Dwight, after doing some market research, has determined that Princess Unicorn, whose horn can pierce the sky, is this year's hot toy. In preparation of the hot toy craze Dwight has purchased several of the dolls to sell back to desperate parents at a high price. Toby, knowing that his daughter really wants one of the dolls, attempts to buy one from Dwight only to find that Darryl just purchased the last one for $200. After some convincing, Darryl sells the doll to Toby for $400. Shortly after, Toby discovers that Darryl had the African-American version of Princess Unicorn.

Thoughts:

I can't believe how much I felt for Angela in this episode. Look, I know Angela was every bit as bad to Phylis when she was in charge, but that doesn't justify the way that Phylis treats Angela. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is not the same as "do unto others the way they have done unto you." I can understand Phylis wanting to have the power to make the big decisions about party planning, but it bothers me the way she tortures Angela. When she shoves half of Angela's rather small nativity scene (on her own desk mind you) into Angela's desk drawer because it was not on theme, I thought that was a little excessive. When she asked Angela to remove the fully decorated Christmas tree and then later move it back, I was actually angry. With the big secret out, maybe Angela will be back as the head of the party planning committee and she'll be back to her old torturing Phylis ways. Perhaps then, I'll look back at these feelings and regret them, but for now, I just can't stand Phylis' behavior.

Lately, I've been feeling really sorry for Andy. The guy is trying so hard to be a good man for Angela. He does have his moments of annoyance, but he seems to be a genuinely good hearted guy. I don't know what's going to happen to the Andy & Angela romance with this news (which we haven't seen Andy learn yet), but we'll have to wait until early January to find out. I really liked Andy on the sitar this episode. I was actually a little bit upset by the way Jim 'requested' that he stop playing, and I'm a team Jim person!

Also, can I just say that I really loved the moment with Toby buying the Princess Unicorn doll? It was just so sad to see him so desperate. To see him feel some relief getting the doll from Darryl was so satisfying, and then to follow that up with his surprised reaction to the doll was just precious. I think this is one of my favorite Toby moments, but it won't make this week's best moment unfortunately.

I actually had a hard time finding the alcohol plotline funny. It's one thing to make jokes about how much Meredith likes to drink, but to tease at getting her help and take that away was a huge letdown for me. I do find it odd that Meredith would be reluctant to call herself an alcoholic since in the season 2 episode "Boys and Girls" Meredith introduces herself in that A.A. format, and I'm pretty sure the first step of that program is admitting you have a problem. Considering that Meredith is a single mother, I really hope they revisit this issue of helping her sober up.

Final Score (out of four Dundies):








Deleted Scenes:

I watched them awhile ago, and I don't remember them too well. There is more of Phylis torturing Angela with moving the Christmas tree, which, as I explained, actually angers me more than amuses.

And the Dundie goes to...
Best Moment: The best Jim prank I've seen in a long time. I was caught completely off guard by the Christmas wrap gag. Just, awesome.

Best Quote: "Really, Andy? It's Christmas, and you're singing about nudity and France." -Angela

The Office: The Surplus

SPOILERS

Season 5 Episode 9: "The Surplus"

Writers: Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg

Director: Paul Feig

Plot:

Our loyal hardworking employees over at Dunder Mifflin Scranton have been doing a pretty good job this year. In fact, they've managed to do their job with $4,300 left in the budget, a surplus if you will. Oscar explains to Michael that he needs to spend that money before the end of the day, or corporate will think it costs $4,300 dollars less than they're currently estimating for the budget. Oscar knows exactly what he thinks the money should be spent on and explains to Michael that the office is in dire need of a new copier. As Michael makes the announcement that he will spend the surplus on a new copier, he finds that there's a significant portion of the office population that would prefer new chairs. The line is drawn between the copier people, and the chair people, with Pam and Jim caught on opposing sides of the war (Toby, alone in his opinion, votes for getting the air tested...poor Flenderson). The two factions resort to low down dirty tactics to win the war...they each treat Michael like he's always wanted to be treated. In the end, after Michael finds out that reporting the surplus earns him 15% of the amount and despite the group coming to a decision and choosing chairs, Michael takes his 'bonus' and heads to Burlington Coat Factory.

Meanwhile, Angela, Dwight, and Andy are busy getting ready for the upcoming wedding between Andy and Angela. Angela and Dwight don't quite see eye to eye on how everything in the wedding should be. Andy tries his best to make peace with any disagreements. During a rehearsal, Dwight cons Angela and Andy, managing to have a German speaking minister legally marry himself and Angela. Before learning this detail, Angela expresses to Dwight that she might be having second thoughts, but once Dwight reveals that they are actually married, Angela is furious and storms off, her decision to marry Andy a little stronger.

Thoughts:

Let me just start out by saying that I found myself in the copier camp. I know uncomfortable chairs can make it harder to work, but having a copier that eats your original and gives subpar duplicates makes getting a new copier a priority. We can learn to get along with uncomfortable chairs. We can't do the same if our documents are being shredded when we don't want them to. There weren't enough arguments given for why Michael should chose chairs. They only ever tested Pam's chair. Am I to assume that every other chair is exactly the same? Sorry, but I need the evidence if you want me to join team chairs.

There were some very different things goin' on in this episode. If you've ever wondered what it would be like if people treated Michael exactly the way he seems to believe they already do, this is a key episode for you. Oscar and Jim ask Michael if he wants to go to lunch with them. Pam flirts with Michael in his office. There's a moment in the episode where Michael is given a free hot chocolate from Kevin, has Kelly open a door for him, has Stanley open a door for him, Jim offers Michael a high five, and Pam is enraptured by Michael's bum in his new $9 pants all within the span of about 20 seconds. And yet, Michael betrays all of them in the end. I was a little disappointed in that decision. Michael has always been a loyal person, and seeing him take the bonus for himself instead of spending it on something that could benefit everybody was more like David Brent to me.

Also, seeing Pam and Jim act so fake in the episode really bothered me. To be fair, Pam only engages in the fakeness after seeing Jim return from lunch with Michael clearly pretending to laugh at one of Mr. Scott's jokes. Even still, my disturbed meter when Pam, commenting on Michael's butt, says "aww, don't take it away" was off the charts. I was also taken aback by the way Pam threatened Jim, but Jim's shiver in the talking head let me know I wasn't alone.

Just a quick thing that I noticed in this episode. When Michael sits in Pam's chair to 'show' that Pam doesn't need a new one, the chair clearly sinks while he's talking. However, in the "Chair Model" episode from last season, Pam explained that one of the reasons that she wanted Michael's chair was because it had that adjustable height feature. Clearly, Pam's chair has that feature. Granted, it's broken, but it does have it. So, how could Pam's current chair be as old as she says it is. It was just one of those little details that bothered me.

I didn't find the Dwight, Angela, and Andy plot too engaging. I was extremely upset with the way Dwight forced Angela into marriage with him without her real consent. I hope to see some act to make up for this complete violation of trust, but I can't think of what that would be.

Final Score (out of four Dundies):









Deleted Scenes:
There's at least one deleted scene posted at nbc.com so far. It's mildly entertaining, but the ending was laugh out loud funny for yours truly. It's just more of the Dwight, Angela, and Andy storyline.

And the Dundie goes to...
Best Moment: Jim gets 'back' at Pam by asking her once more to make copies for him. It seems fair since she did 'insist' there was nothing wrong with it, and she did 'threaten' Jim when he was voting for a new copier.

Best Quote: "I like this chair. Offers good support. It is urkelnomically correct. It's a good chair. I think we're spoiled because we don't appreciate the things that we have. Do you think kids in Africa have chairs? No. They sit in big piles of garbage. Do you think they have copiers? They don't have copiers. They don't even have paper." - Michael Scott, on Pam's chair

Favorite Scene in a Holiday Film

So, the L.A.M.Blog_A_Thon is back. If you recall, last time they asked us who we were thankful for in the film industry aside from actors and directors, and I responded by briefly writing a few words on the field of editing. This time they simply want us to write about our favorite scene from a holiday film. After muddling through a few of my favorite classic (classic to me anyway) holiday films, I was able to arrive at one scene that stood out amongst them all.

My favorite holiday scene of choice comes from The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). Like It's a Wonderful Life, The Bell's of St. Mary's doesn't actually have that much to do with Christmas (except for a scene or two), but it seems to be shown every year around this time. However, the scene that I have in mind is undoubtedly about Christmas. You see, a class at St. Mary's school is preparing for their Christmas play. I love it because it serves as a way to see how children might see the original Christmas story. The children in this scene stumble over lines, have blocking issues, and hence, don't have a very commanding stage presence, but that's not the play we'd want to see anyway. Right? We want to see children being children. That's what you get with this scene, which requires no background information to enjoy. To quote Father O'Malley, "their simplicity is beautiful."

Hahahahahaha

One

Saw this over at Movie Viewing Girl and thought I'd give it a shot:

1. One movie that made you laugh: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

2. One movie that made you cry: Artificial Intelligence: A.I.

3. One movie you loved when you were a child: Back to the Future

4. One movie that you have seen more than 10 times: Dan in Real Life

5. One movie you've seen multiple times in the theater: Titanic (6 times)

6. One movie you walked out on: None exists so far. I'm a pretty tolerant movie goer.

7. One movie that you can and do quote from: Serenity

8. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it: She's the Man

9. One movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't gotten around to watching yet: Harold and Maude

10. One movie you hated: Batman & Robin

11. One movie that scared you: The Shining

12. One movie that made you happy: Stranger Than Fiction (This was Wendymoon's as well, but I can't bring myself to change it.)

13. One movie that made you miserable: Sweeney Todd

14. One movie musical for which you know all the lyrics to all the songs: The Nightmare Before Christmas

15. One movie that you have been known to sing along with: Moulin Rouge!

16. One movie you would recommend that everyone see: Casablanca

17. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with: Claire Danes as Yvaine in Stardust

18. One actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie: John Cusack

19. One actor that would make you less likely to see a movie: Ben Affleck

20. One of the last movies you saw: Australia

21. One of the next movies you hope to see: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Also, Wendymoon's answer, unless Australia again is an option)

If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!