4.04.2008

I am a sucker for a true story.

Its true. Whoever said "the truth is stranger than fiction" was one of my kind of people. I totally love to hear people's stories- what normal people do is so fascinating to me.
It has ended up that we have seen some excellent movies of late, 2 of which were based on true stories. I rarely read for pleasure, b/c once I start a book I cannot put it down. I really love to read, so I have to limit myself to waiting until vacations or else it is all I will do. But both of these stories were so fascinating I could not help but buy them and I cannot wait to start!!

The first is Into the Wild.
Here is the first few lines of the book...
In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. He had given $25,000 in savings to a charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet and invented a life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter.

Crazy, huh? The movie was fascinating-- so different from me, and so interesting. I love the convenience of modern life-- a life of medicine, heat, showers and email. But I also love minimizing the value of "stuff", of keeping materialism at bay and not consuming everything this world has to offer. So I am intrigued by this college kid's choices and story.

The next was "21" --the story of a MIT college student is engages in a card-counting club and takes Vegas for millions. This is SO far from what I was doing in college- going to class and taking naps, concerts on weekends and drinking coffee that tasted like dessert, that I am so interested in his story. The movie was so interesting! He was bascially a geek that turned into a big time gambler. Kinda like "Can't buy me love" on steroids!

The great other movies I have seen this month are:
AWAKE- (such a entertaining movie!! There is a surgery scene that I could not bear to watch, but other than that, it is very entertaining)
The Other Boleyn Girl- (Greatness. Elements are true, but I have no idea how much of it is true. But I totally loved it!! And it wasn't as much of a chick-flick as I thought)

So, there is your entertainment report. I will not be surprised if I am up at 3 am, with all this reading to be catching up on!!

Does anyone have any opinions to add? Movies to discuss?

3 comments:

a boy a girl and a pug said...

I'll have to check 21 out. Sounds good. we just rented "Into the Wild" too...really good. We also just saw "Things We Lost in the Fire". Anyone seen that? Truly one of the best movies we've seen all year.

{CuTe CaRd QuEeN} said...

Oh, good to know!! I saw the trailer but I wasn't sure about it. I am glad to hear you liked it!

Honeycutt Family said...

Liked The Other Boleyn Girl (book was even better).
We just rented Dan In Real Life and Matt and I both liked it, even if it was a bit sad.
I really want to see 21.
Thanks for the movie review, Court!