TSMI: Aliens

(***Spoilers! Obvi!)

Why this movie:
On my Summer Movie Initiative list, the Alien movies were high priority for me. I like the Predator and AVP movies, and Alien is one of the most obvious gaps in my popular movie repertoire. I did not understand all of the talk about Sigourney Weaver when Avatar came out, or some of the mythology/science of the aliens in the other movies they appear in. I picked this movie to watch with my brothers on the drive from Portland to Sunriver because they both had an interest in it as well.

What I knew going in:
It’s a sci-fi thriller (or horror…? maybe…?) about people vs icky aliens that lay eggs in yo mouth and burst from your tummy later. Survival rates not high.
Big guns and strong women. I think Sigourney kicks some ass.

Things that surprised me:
Aliens is the second movie in the series. WHOOPS.
It’s more sci-fi/action than horror. It had a fairly happy ending!
It’s set in the future and there are badass MECHA!
SO MANY JOKES from Starship came from this movie! XD

My take-away:
I really liked this movie! Fantastic action, great characters, and squirmy/icky/tense/scary parts without overdoing it. I can see why it is a classic, and I think it would be more fun on a second viewing (less time wasted shaking behind splayed hands). I wish I had watched Alien first, but I’m no less excited to see it now. I can’t believe the main, surrogate daughter, and love interest characters survived. N’awww. And no twist ending for goddamn once!

Best part:
See illustration. Also, Vasquez’s enormous black gun near the beginning. Insanely cool, that.

So many dimensions and unanswered questions

Announcing Tally’s Summer Movie Initiative!!!

There are a lot of famous and/or beloved movies that for some reason or other I have never seen. In a moment of frustration after yet another 80s action movie reference went over my head here in the studio, I set about making a list of movies I want to watch to fill in some of my pop culture blind spots. Here’s the list! I’ll continue to add to it as I remember movies from “why the hell haven’t you seen that movie” rants. Feel free to make suggestions as well. :)

Goodfellas
The Goonies
Godfather (1 and 2)
Scarface (Youtube it)
Donnie Brasco
Steel Magnolias
Jason and the Argonauts
Bladerunner
Alien, Aliens
Die Hard (though I’m told I have to wait until Christmas to watch it)
Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The Shining (Youtube it)
Spinal Tap
A Mighty Wind
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel
The Man Who Would Be King
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Clockwork Orange
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Rock
Shawshank Redemption
Cool Hand Luke
The Sting
7 Samurai
Idiocracy
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Maltese Falcoln
Big Sleep
True Lies
Starship Troopers
Man on Wire
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Death Becomes Her
Can’t Buy Me Love
The Wizard
Clerks 1 and 2
Dark City
Surf Ninjas
Blues Brothers

I will watch as many of these as possible over the summer. I reserve the right to go in any order I like and to turn things off if they’re just not doing it for me. I will report back on my findings!

Things suggested to me that I actually have seen already:
The Indiana Jones, Jaws, Predator, AVP, Tremors, and Terminator movies
16 Candles
Breakfast Club
The Usual Suspects
A League of Their Own
Back to the Future

I love to kick it up a notch

GUYS. WATCH STARSHIP RIGHT NOW.

**New: Mega-Girl!


I’ve decided that Mega-Girl is my favorite character in Starship. She’s cool and hilarious and part of the best song.

Junior, you evil, awesome SOB. <3 You have the best 60 seconds of the entire play.


(Spoilers, as this is from the end of the play:)

Sweet dreams are made of this

Allow me to share some lady-centric media I am excited about:

(NSFW:)

Garfunkel and Oats – a pair of hysterical, musical ladies. Flippant and vulgar in a similar vein to Sarah Silverman (but funnier IMHO). I guess they’ve been around for a while, but I just heard about them so I figure there’s a chance some of you haven’t yet.


I saw a commercial for this for the first time yesterday, and I want to know HOW and WHY I was not informed about this movie sooner. This looks so fuckin’ badass, I can’t explain how excited I am. Cate Blanchett ftw! Kickass girl assassin, eeee!!


Because ladies deserve dumb Judd Apatow movies, too. Judd’s hit and far-miss with me, but I’m excited for this. Check out the trailers on the movie’s site!


20% on Rotten Tomatoes, warnings from friends…the hate falls on deaf ears! I know what this movie is and I cannot wait to finally see it. My one quibble with the trailer is that even the darkest girl’s fantasy would involve at least one frickin’ pony.

We can’t rewind we’ve gone too far


I got last-minute tickets to the Hood to Coast premiere last night at the Keller Auditorium here in Portland. I took my roommate Hannah and we concur: that movie is fantastic. If you live in the northwest, you’ve got to see it. Portland/Oregon looks soooo beautiful in this film, and the people they interview are just awesome. I had a huge grin plastered on my face for the entire thing (minus the parts where I was crying…the good kind of crying, I promise). The Thunder and Laikaning team was my favorite part – Hannah and I burst into laughter during pretty much every scene they were in.
People at the premier dressed up but wore running shoes–adorable! Wish we had gotten the memo in time to join in.

Everyone who sees us greets us as we fly

I. Love. This movie. We watch it every December!

My favorite part (besides the song, OF COURSE) is when they ride the motorcycle through the trees.

Still I crave that sound

Ask, and you shall receive! 8D

Just a little bit of danger

I’m getting a haircut tomorrow morning, so I’m scrambling to find a style I want to ask for. In the process, I found a picture of Lily Allen that made me pause—who does this remind me of???

Finally got it! She has the same eyes as Anna Tsuchiya from Sakuran!

Guhh, such a good movie. I watched it for extra credit in Japanese literature class this term, and was so glad that I did! The main character is priceless, and the story is so interesting–what goes on behind the stage of courtesan life in the Meiji period. It was very artsy (read: tripping on acid colors, heavy on the metaphors, and high fashion), but I loved it for all of its indulgence. It was also very intimate; it felt like a real person’s diary, which I appreciated.

While I’m getting off topic: Oo hoo hoo, how cute are these??
Shirt 1, Shirt 2, Jacket, Skirt
Love me some high-waisted skirt with a tank top or button-up blouse.

Copyright © Natalie Nourigat
Top