Happy 2nd Anniversary, BISTF!

Mozart is attending my anniversary party. That automatically makes me pretty cool.

I forgot to celebrate BISTF's first anniversary. I made an effort not to forget about it this year. I like being part of the precious film blog universe. It's fun and there are tons of awesome opinions floating around from the most dedicated, insightful people I will ever know.

March 22. Nice date to remember.

I had a particularly good day today, despite a two-hour blackout in the evening. Then again, I was accepted to UCSB earlier today, so that definitely lightened up my mood.

I will share my byline with you

Someone on my journalism class discussion board posted this page of "Journo Valentines" from CJR that I found rather adorable.

How about, "You are the Tracy to my Hepburn" or "You are the Leigh to my Olivier" or any other famous screen couple? Or even, "You are the De Niro to my Scorsese" or "You are the Siskel to my Ebert." You know, all in good fun.

Whatever it may be...Valentine's Day, Single Awareness Day, or Lunar New Year, have a great day, everyone.

It's Christmastime once again...

In celebration of the most wonderful time of year, I'd like to share a Christmas song that is often overlooked during the holiday season. It is John Williams' "Somewhere in My Memory," the theme to the 1990 Christmas classic, Home Alone. It's absolutely the sweetest thing. In fact, it purely reminds me of church choirs, candy canes, homemade cookies, and warm, friendly fireplaces. Please enjoy...



I hope you all are able to spend Christmas with your loved ones! And wear plenty of layers to fight the winter frost! I do know it's surprisingly chilly here in the west coast.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!

...and I present you with this fabulous scene from the modern holiday classic, Elf.



I love Zooey Deschanel, but Will Ferrell is slowly growing on me. Ferrell's bursts of versatility in films like Stranger Than Fiction and The Producers continue to shock me. And he is completely charming in Elf.

Two Movie Moms

My Favorite Movie Mom
Oh, Shirley MacLaine...she delivers such a remarkable performance as Aurora Greenway--full of strength and spirit. She is the most exceptional kind of mother, who is always loving, caring, and concerned for her daughter. Terms of Endearment is an excellent movie too. It is the kind of movie that brings cold-hearted beings like myself to the brink of tears.

Most Fascinating Movie Mom
Call her a bitch, but Mary Tyler Moore's Beth Jarrett intrigues me to no end. I am an only child and I've never been a mother before (obviously), but watching Beth being so devastated by her favorite son's death, so much that she neglects her only living son, is heart-wrenching to watch. I have seen mothers who appear to love one child more than the other, but I have always thought that by the end of the day, she loves them both equally. That is not completely the case in Ordinary People. Beth appears to be the perfect wife and mother, but she cannot deny the fact that she loves the dead son more and to some extent, blames her surviving son, Conrad, for the death. The relationship between Beth and Conrad unfolds on screen, slowly engaging the audience to simply hope for the possibility of a reconciliation. Ordinary People is one of my favorite movies of all-time. It is a rare family drama that explores the complexities and intricacies of a broken family with anguish and honesty.

So this Mother's Day, remember to do something nice for your mom! Buy her a bouquet of flowers, take her out to dinner, and if you're broke, do some chores for her--she'll appreciate it :)