Things I love this week:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

So I saw this with John and Hillary on Christmas Day.  Twas a very good movie and totally my pick for best film at the Golden Globes (until Sunday - more on that later).  I usually shy away from big movie types around Oscar season but this movie was a gem.  I even liked Brad Pitt in it.  If you're not familiar it's about a guy who ages backwards and the girl he's in love with ages normally.  What I learned from this movie is that Brad Pitt will look amazing in his 50's.  It was a very touching film with great direction and photography - I found out later that David Fincher (Fight Club) directed it and that he's up for a Golden Globe for it.  It was super long and it was the kind of long where you check your phone to see what time it is.  I almost fell asleep too.  Reminded me of Forrest Gump a bit.  Brad Pitt's performance was flawless which impressed me because I always see him as a fluff actor.  

Milk

This is BY FAR the movie I was looking most forward to seeing.  I LOVE Gus Van Sant - and pretty much all of the actors in it - Sean Penn, Emilie Hirsch, James Franco etc etc.  I loved the political background and the relevance it still holds 30 years later.  The film is about Harvey Milk a gay rights activist in the 1970's and also the first openly gay man to ever hold a spot in congress.  He is fighting in San Francisco for equal rights for gays (in the 70's the government tried to take jobs away from anyone who was gay or supported a gay lifestyle).  The culmination plays out around Prop 6 - a proposition that church leaders were trying to pass to take said rights away from gay citizens - which pretty much mirrors Prop 8 -  a vote that was held in California this year to take marriage rights away from gay citizens and was shot down by a strong backing from the Mormon and Christian churches. 

Luckily in the 1978 election Prop 6 was NOT passed - giving gay men and women equal rights in California and from then on other states followed suit.  The opposition for Prop 6 was lead by Harvey Milk - and because of him and his unwavering hope and fight for equal rights our country made huge strides.  SPOILER ALERT.  Though most know the story - Harvey Milk was assassinated by a fellow supervisor in California who was crazy and pretty much jealous (and closeted gay as Robyn and I suspected).  Sean Penn has been nominated for his role as Harvey Milk at the Golden Globes.  He can really play any part he wants.  Genious.  I hope it gets a Best Movie nom at the Oscars.

Slumdog Millionaire

Jesus.  This movie was freaking amazing.  Not lying.  I know I usually like all movies I see but this takes the cake and I will put all my eggs in the Slumdog Millionaire basket for the awards season.  I didn't know much about this movie until someone sent me the clip below and I was sold.  Hillary then told me more:  It's about his young boy from Mumbai India who you see at the beginning is going on India's version of "Who wants to be a millionaire."  The host gets the police who sends him to to a torture cell because he is sure a kid of 18 from the slums can not know all those answers and demand to know how he's cheated his way to 20 million rupees.  They go through each question and why he knows the answer to every single one and you get to see him as a little boy through his early teen years and then in present time.  A beautiful, genius film directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, A Life less ordinary) Slumdog Millionaire better take all the accolades it deserves in awards season.  

Other awesome things I have been able to enjoy since I have been on mini vaca are:

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

I LOVE this show.  I've always watched it off and on but I finally bought Season 1 and 2 at Target the other day.  This show is hilarious and is a way more modern and uncensored version of Seinfeld.  I absolutely laugh out loud while watching this show (and if you don't then you have serious problems).  I may have to go and buy season three.  Like yesterday,

How I Met Your Mother

This show is also quite the gem.  I've always meant to watch it but since I don't have DVR other things take precedence.  I LOVE THIS SHOW.  Jason Segal.  Hello!  Love him.  He fill my Freaks and Geeks void.  Ted, the main guy is also quite amazing.  Oh and Neil Patrick Harris is totally the best character.  He plays someone 100% opposite from who he is in real life which makes it all the more funny.  Watching this show always makes me want a dirty martini though - they're always drinking them in their fun little hangout bar called McClarens.  I'm watching the season one finale as I speak and it's awesome.  Not Jim and Pam awesome but definitely worthy.  I hope season two of this is still on sale because I need to go and buy it.