multitasking inside my head

I don’t need to remind anyone, that women multi-task on a second to second basis. While sitting at their desks at work, shuffling paper, their multitasking inside their heads. From what to make for dinner, to coordinating how the week would unfold. Children, homework, housework, husbands, get togethers, doctor’s appointments, grocery list, project deadlines, laundry, meetings, telephone calls and even vacation planning.

So, for this week, these are the thoughts going through my head:

Adding the finishing touches on my book to publish

Putting together the menu for Easter Sunday breakfast for family

Delivering Tulips to my mother for Easter

Coordinating a destination wedding family reunion

Organizing new bedding, mattress and furniture delivery

Finding the perfect dress for two Summer destination weddings

    

 

midnight in paris – thank you woody allen

Couple of nights ago, I finally got a chance to see the film, Midnight in Paris. I don’t know what took me so long, but no excuse is a good enough excuse in my opinion.

I have this amazing love, love relationship with Paris and if the name is referenced in any title, such as movies, books, travel articles, museum special events, musicals or concerts or blogs, I will make every effort to see what it is all about.

To see a film by Woody Allen, I think it is very important to be a fan. If not, the message and film contents may not go very well for the newbees. To see a film made by Woody Allen about Paris, you must have a certain understanding of the city of lights to completely appreciate the film for what it’s worth.

I took a friend, who  has a youthful appreciation for Paris, to see her reaction.  The funny thing is that,  after 30 minutes into the film she turned to me and said, “what am I doing here?” as she listened to the laughter coming from every one in the audience at various intervals throughout the film. She just didn’t understand Allen’s work or the film.

The film is, as usual about people, not so complex, who move about society questioning various aspects of their life or relationship. In this case,  the story revolved around a young engaged couple, named Inez and Gil  from Los Angeles, who took a trip to Paris with her parents. While Inez (Rachel McAdams)  shopped for antiques with her mother, her fiance, Gil (played by Owen Wilson) contemplated writing a book and possibly moving to Paris.

As the story took it’s course, the young couple began to realize  their views on life were worlds apart and basically they had nothing in common to sustain  a lasting relationship.

What was  most fascinating however, is the way Woody Allen decided to tell the story. Through, either his imagination or Gil’s, he transponded Gil into the early 1920s to seek advise and opinion from the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald,  Gertrude Stein, Matisse, Monet, Salvatore Dali and numerous  other artists who frequented the various cafes throughout Paris.

While visiting with the artists at the stroke of midnight, he met and fell in love with a woman named Adriana (played by Marion Cotillard), who was also interested in escaping her present life. Together, they made interesting discoveries about themselves, each other and the choice they have opted on thus far in their lives and the rest, I will keep to myself.

Here is the best part:  If you happen to be someone who has never been to Paris, nor understand the magic of the city of light, please consider seeing Midnight in Paris, because although the story is a typical one (about relationships) and easy to relate to, Woody Allen did an amazing job  depicting a nostalgic take on the typical and the usual. I highly recommend the film.

certified copy – a film for the woman over 40

One film, which has touched me in more ways than one this year, is the film Certified Copy. *Note: please stay on this page if you want to read the girly version and click here if you want to read my review about the filmmaking aspect of the movie.

Also, this special piece I wrote on this site, on  a Sunday no less, is also a reference point  for my fans, from the other blog, to use if they don’t mind me giving away the plot.  So here I go:

After seeing the film, Certified Copy, I walked out of the theatre feeling sad and depressed I just couldn’t believe the subject matter in the film and the impact it could have on most women across the globe, who want to see the film.

The story is  about a 40 something year old woman named Elle (Juliette Binoche), who from the looks of things was a single parent living in a small village near Tuscany, Italy.  A British writer, named James Miller (William Shimell) makes his way to the same village to promote his book about art and artifacts. Since Elle seems to be a fan of the writer,  she attends his book promo event to get his autograph on her copy of the book.

While at the event, her 15 year old bored son insists they leave because he was hungry. After a lengthy argument with her son, she leaves, but only after giving the promo coordinator a note to invite the writer over to her shop.

James  (the writer) accepts her invitation and with luggage in tow, comes to her shop the following morning for a brief visit, before catching a train out-of-town that same evening. (Are you following me so far?)  While she nervously suggests they have coffee in her studio or shop, he asks if they could go for a drive instead. Unphased by her struggle to get her coat, he takes his luggage outside and waits by the car.

The next twenty minutes or so, while driving on a windy road out of the village,  they  argue about his point of view in regards to art, people in general and his and her perception about life. As the story unfolds, the arguments become more intense between the two and although the director tries to show the validity of the topics they argued about, in my opinion the audience became more confused with their erratic discussions.

I turned towards my friends and asked, “What the hell is going on here?” probably a dozen times or so and they occasionally did the same to me. We just couldn’t understand why the two argued so intensely. I mean if they knew each other from before, it would make sense, but if they just met (or so we think) for the first time, why argue so passionately during a first encounter? In my opinion, she was turning the guy off (but the joke was on me).

I finally came to the conclusion that the two had known one another before, but I had no idea until the very end that they were a married couple, living separate lives. While she raises their son on her own, he gallivants the planet in search of art.

I was furious to say the least. My emotions ran rampant, I couldn’t believe that in this day and age, that any woman in her 40s would allow her life to be this way. I began thinking the director made all this up. I blamed him for his  lack of research and one-dimensional view on such matters. But then I put the blog entry in draft mode while I spoke to several other women over 40 and through discussion, I realized that this really does happen. That some couples opt to stay married even if they live separate lives!!! For the life of me, I couldn’t understand (I blamed the writer and filmmaker once again) and then it came to me over night.

What was I thinking, there are plenty of couples  (fishermen, soldiers, doctors, scientists, astronauts, journalists, actors, clergymen, archeologists and film makers) who live separate lives, away from one another for one reason or another, for weeks, months, years on end, even decades and then they get together here and there and consider themselves a couple. But in this film, the way the story was told, the couple should have separated a long time ago. His behavior and lack of concern expressed in the film is not worthy of any woman’s undying devotion. I wonder if that’s the case in all cases?

Now, I don’t know if I can handle discussing this further, because it breaks my heart, so I am going to stop right here unless anyone writes back. But,  although the movie, in my opinion lacked (believe it or not ) substance, I still recommend seeing it. Be prepared however, the film is in three languages and as a result, very difficult to follow.

Thanks for listening.