Young Adult

Addendum, January 5, 2012:

I've been getting a lot of hits on this post from people searching for that brilliant song that Mavis listens to obsessively in her Mini Cooper (including the refrain, "I didn't want to hurt you, ohhh, oh yeah").  Just to set your minds at rest, it is The Concept, by Teenage Fanclub.  And yeah, I love it, too.

On Saturday, I went to see the film Young Adult - starring Charlize Theron - with three other authors and a future filmmaker.  We figured it was our obligation -- to see how close to the truth the film came.  Plus it was a good excuse to get out and talk books and nonsense.

Here is what struck us as true:

1.  Sitting in front of the computer, staring a screen completely blank except for the words Chapter 1.


2.  Listening to conversations in public places and holding onto choice snippets for possible use in a present or future novel.

3.  Stealing moments at coffee shops and bus stops to get the novel written.

I was delighted that the author in the movie didn't "see the light" at the end of the film and become a "real writer" - for adults.

But I was very, very uncomfortable with how close her deadline was and how far she was from finishing the book.  It ended up giving me a stomach ache, worrying about her deadline.  It was my worst nightmare - to be on Chapter 1, and have the book due on Friday.

There were a lot of other things about the movie that made me uncomfortable.  Theron's character, Mavis, was not an easy character to like.  But I loved the brave choices the screenwriter and director made.  And I loved that even the stunning Theron wrote in her Hello Kitty jammies and stayed up late eating New York Super Fudge Chunk (and drinking Maker's Mark - but you'll have to see the film to understand the significance of that.)

For me, however, the best part of the evening was hanging out with other writers afterwards.  Talking about books and plotlines, ridiculous Christmas gifts and legendary holiday photos.  That was the whole point, after all.  Because we all need time with writer friends.  So thank you, ladies, for a good night out.

Friday Five

I love movies. I always have. I used to spend endless afternoons lying on the faded red carpet of our living room, watching whatever movie they showed on channel 44 out of San Francisco.

But when anyone asks me what my favorite movie is, my answer depends on what mood I'm in, what I've seen recently, and what I want to see next. Sometimes it's tied up in my writing, and what I think my favorite movie is would be a perfect foil to the character am writing at the moment.

So if you asked me what my favorite movies are today, this would be an answer. But if you ask me next week, answers may be different. So be warned.

1.  A Room with a View. Not Oscar worthy material perhaps, and not deeply emotive performances, but such a rich and tender romance.  Not to mention, it's set in Florence, one of my favorite cities in the world.

2.  Gone with the Wind. From first glimpse to closing scene, Vivien Leigh lives and breathes Scarlett O'Hara. And Clark Gable? Yes, please.

3.  Apollo 13. One of the few movies I actually own. And every single time I watch it, I cheer when Ed Harris says “not on my watch.” And I cry when those 3 astronauts touchdown in the Atlantic Ocean.

4.  Silence of the Lambs. Brilliant, masterful, and oh so deeply frightening. Anthony Hopkins outdoes himself. I saw this film when it came out, and I will probably never watch it again. Because now it would scare me too much.

5.  The King’s Speech. I had to put a new movie in this list. Colin Firth is eminently believable, and I honestly believe that Geoffrey Rush can do no wrong.

I know there are hundreds more that I love – Roman Holiday, To Kill a Mockingbird, Doubt, the list goes on and on.  What about you?