Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants - movie review

It is said that if you find a pair of pants that fit, then you should buy mutiple pairs. If you happen across a pair of magical pants, then you should take them travelling. And so the premise of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants is established as four diverse friends face their first summer apart and use the sharing of a pair of jeans as the link to each other.

I was not originally interested in seeing the Pants as I had not read the book and was unsure about the level of teenness that might pollute the picture. However, with a free pass to spare and a series of good reviews, I took the chance. Like that article of clothing that you bought on a whim and now it is your favourite, this sisterhood flick is surprisingly satisfying.

The majority of its charm comes from a core ensemble that is well constructed. The most notable members are TV regulars Alexis Bledel (from "Gilmore Girls") and Amber Tamblyn (from "Joan of Arcadia") who play esssentially movie-ized versions of their small screen personas. In other words, they have elevated their respective prime time characters into strong film heroines. And as the shy beauty (Bledel - whose eyes are incredible!) and detached alterantive (Tamblyn - with fabulous blue hair streaks!), both girls provide solid anchors to the quartet both in the script and in performance.

Blake Lively tackles the challenge of a lost young woman wrestling with fear and inner spirit with inspiring naturalness. And I reckon it will not be long before the tall and toned gal with the golden mane will be gracing Maxim and FHM covers. The final element is a true gift in the talented hands of America Ferrera (who came to notice first in Real Women Have Curves - which I have not seen but am now inspired to watch) who is required to deliver some of the more emotionally-charged scenes. She is a perfect fit that never rings false.

I will not go into details of the various story arcs that are woven together to build a tale of growth, love, faith, awareness and friendship - part of the joy of the film is seeing them develop. But there are boys and romances, families and heartaches, introductions and losses. The movie is an adaptation of the best-selling teen novel of the same title and is capably translated to the screen by the less famous Ephron (Delia), thereby safeguarding it from schmaltzification (common with her sister Nora - i.e. Sleepless in Seattle!)

In the end, the tailoring of these Pants is guaranteed to fit a wide audience.

Class of 2005

Today was my university graduation. I have officially been granted "all the rights, privileges and honours" pertaining to an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree. I also happened to achieve cum laude status - of which I am quite proud. (Reminds me of an evening at Jodi's when she asked which distinction I was planning to get before I commenced my studies!)

Today was the end of undergraduate odessey. I have finally joined the ranks of the post-secondary educated and that is satisfying in a very personal way. My parents gave me an absolutely fabulous (and, for me, expensive!) watch that I love. It was such an unexpected and generous gift that I cried when I opened it.
So now I will have a cold beer and revel in my accomplishment. Can you hear the sighs of relief?

Summer Beauty

To balance the creepy caterpiller post, I offer one of my favourite summer creations: lilacs. Each evening I take a walk and pass a large hedge of purple lilacs on the way. I love them. It has to be the purple ones though cause the white ones just aren't right somehow. I love the scent they put in the air and it hangs there for you to walk through unawares. Fake and perfumey lilac is horrid but the true stuff is wonderful. I would choose lilacs as a wedding flower - big, voluminous bunches of them! - but that would mean I would have to get married in the spring and I don't want that. So lilacs will remain for evening strolls and happy smells only (of course if some nice man wants to hand me a bunch someday, who am I to refuse?)

Sunshine Crawlers

If there is one summer creature that makes my skin crawl - it is the tent caterpillar!! Since my youth, the sight of writhing, swirming nests of these things has given me the willies. I truly can't abide them and must flick/stomp/squish them as quickly as possible. Today, the menace appeared in full force. Emerging from their winter nests in the eaves dozens of inch-long fuzzies began their trek down the side of the house - a prime activity for dropping nochalantly onto one's head and shoulders! I really do hate them! Everyone say a prayer that this year is NOT an infestation one!

One?

"I just always thought that when I met the one then all my bullshit would just fade away." - Miranda Hobbes, Sex in the City

This quote has stayed with me for some time and I think it most accurately echoes my thoughts on finding that one person for ever. Recently, thoughts about the one have been on my mind as I have been visiting many friends who have found, have lost, and are still looking for this elusive partner.

A visual motif has also tracked me this month in the form of Canadian geese ("they mate for life you know," says Mitch) who appear to also believe in the soul mate thing. On the way to the Collective Soul concert there was a pair enjoying a late dinner on a grassy patch next to Lakeshore Drive. A week later, a couple were flying overhead and prompted Mitch to tell the Romeo & Juliet tale of a goose that circled its dead partner's body on the side of a highway until it was likewise killed. And today, two parents herded three goslings through the grass to the lake on campus in a sun-drenched familial portrait. It appears that the geese can get it together.

For the rest of us? For me? Not so easy. Everyone seems to have a different take on what identifies the one, but the common thread is that, in the final analysis, it was something you felt and knew to be true even if you didn't acknowledge it right away. One can talk about compatibility (necessary), fit (like puzzle pieces that match in shape AND colour!), connection (emotional, intellectual, physical), and timing (the downfall for most!) but I think those are simply the linear articulations of something that is inherently lateral. Yes, I am a romantic.

My mother said that there are individuals that you look at and you see your future. You see children and family and old age with them. These people can be those you are in love with or not but that moment of clarity is a peek at what you feel makes someone the one. Boston Rob (yes, that guy from Survivor!) says that you just know. And Anakin Skywalker turned to the darkside for his one. It still sounds very mysterious and uncontrollable. I like the enigma aspect and am frustrated by the lack of control.

See, the challenge is that if you don't control the quest or recognition of the one then maybe you'll never have it. All the time, people are telling me that I need to be secure and somewhat stable in my life if I ever hope to have a chance at getting some one. So that makes me ask:
Can you manoever youself out of finding the one without realizing it?
Can you become so afraid of what admitting it exists means that you never take the chance?
Can you know someone is the one and not have it reciprocated?
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes", that's hardly optimistic or encouraging. So what does one do?

In the end, I will cling to my romantic notions - even if they hurt my insides from time to time. My one is out there - he just hasn't realized it yet!

Soul Food

Caught Collective Soul on a Saturday night in Toronto. Thanks to my good buddy, Mitch, I actually got to see a concert with a fellow fan rather than "that friend that was kind enough to go with me!" Just had to shout out my excitement over the whole affair. Fantastic event. The group still has it. Ed Roland is sex-on-a-stick as a front man and even in his occassionally cheesy moments, oozes hotness.

And although my high-heeled boots killed my feet, they were absolutely necessary for visual purposes. Especially when that 7 foot loser decided to position himself in my sight-line. I mean, what's up with tall people pushing themselves to the front in standing room concerts? There should be a height limit for such events that prevents these giants from being so selfish. You can see from ANYWHERE! Why must your ruin it for the little people?

So I got sore feet and a sore neck from straining around the lampost in the crowd. Of course, that could also be a by-product of my mild song thrashing. I may actually be getting too old for this stuff. NAH!

Your $20 Million Cheque is Waiting, Ms. Zellweger (sorry, Mrs. Chesney)

First off, I admit that the Renee and Kenny MARRIAGE threw me for a bit of a loop. I acknowledge that I didn't even know the two were an item. Then again, its has only been 4 months. And, in the midst of the Brad & Angelina vs. Tom & Katie media circus, these two are definately the side act over by the concession stand rather than centre ring material. But still, surprising. Until I gave it some thought and realized that Renee is just adding one more item to her "To Do List" in becoming the next Julia Roberts (aka ... America's Sweetheart numero 1, aka ... a $20 million a movie star).

To recap her previous achievements in this area (in no particular order, cause Renee has not followed Julia's blueprint verbatim) I offer the following:

... a history of established/assumed engagements with co-stars
Julia = Keifer Sutherland, Dylan McDermott
Renee = Jim Carrey, Jack White

... a break out role that dealt with helping a man overcome his commitment issues therby transforming him into a romantic idol
Julia = Pretty Woman
Renee = Jerry McGuire

... winning an oscar for playing (against type) an abrasive, ballsy, independent gal
Julia = Erin Brockavich
Renee = Ruby in Cold Mountain

... acknowledged by "friends" and "colleagues" as truly being a "down-to-earth" and sincere person that has pride in her small town southern roots
Julia = Smyrna, Georgia
Renee - Katy, Texas

... chronicled as a natural beauty in spite of obvious animal characteristics
Julia = horse
Renee = chipmunk

And now we can add another tick to Renee's list:
...randomly marry a country singer following a brief courtship that takes EVERYONE by surprise and where (at least) on individual goes barefoot in the ceremony
Julia = Lyle Lovett (the bride went barefoot)
Renee = Kenny Chesney (the groom lost the shoes)

Based on the evidence, I can assume that Renee's super-star asking price is about to go up. Call it a wedding gift.

Sprung

Spring finally feels like it has arrived. To illustrate...

- there are silly smog advisories added to the weather in southern ontario, once again proving that major urban centres can even ruin a season if they feel so inclined

- my nose is running like a garden hose nestled in the daffodils of a suburban flowerbed over-shadowed by pink apple blossoms

- my consumption of ice creamy things has increased exponentially (of course that could be the access to the decadent gelato at the grocery store around the corner)

- the clik-clik of heeled boots has been replaced by the flip-flop of, well, heeled flip-flops

Welcome spring in all your glory. I hope you stay awhile.