My 99 minutes with Marilyn*

Avidly eating popcorn, I was ready to hear the story of one of the many over-mediatized and over-hyped Hollywood stars:

Marilyn Monroe (in a breathy voice).

The story recaps the shooting of “The Prince and the Showgirl” and the romance with a young crew member (Colin Clark) it enticed. The film shows a 30 year Monroe plagued with insecurities about her looks and age, a need to be loved, and the fatigue of “playing” herself all the time.

There’s quite a difference between the sad, depressed, codependent Marilyn and the sexy pinup fantasy:  Michelle Williams captures that and masters the on and off button, suddenly lighting up or turning off her characters’ persona. Probably Williams’ best role to date; she managed to express the vulnerability of a fragile Norma Jean in an incredible performance for an otherwise bland movie.Monroe could easily have been perceived as a vapid, frustrating pill-popping blonde bombshell, if it weren’t for Williams’ subtle distinctions of Monroe’s mood swings and capricious behavior.

Based on the memoirs, the film retraces the facts quite accurately, catching the highlights of the story which glamorizes Monroe even in her lowest moments but doesn’t reveal anything we didn’t know. It all comes out as thin on content but high on charm, entertaining and rather enjoyable, albeit a bit depressing – to me personally.

Did you notice that Emma Watson’s scenes could have been taken from any Harry Potter movie? Her role couldn’t be more bland; She’s put on hold during most of the film, and her deceptive fling with Clark is drowned in the main plot without any serious consideration. Here’s to Hermione Granger being her one and only role

It’s worth mentioning that Williams won a Golden Globe for playing the part. Adorable acceptance speech.

*Based on guest blogger Lil’ Kim’s text.

NY Retrospective pt.2

Meeting all those trendy young women in New York, you can’t but think of the popular series Sex & The City.

You see, the series is pretty accurate. I MET those girls: they are pretty, made-up, wore designer clothes and all that “fabulous” jazz. They live alone and a lot of them are single. Because men are hard to find in NYC. Those girls are touchingly desperate, I thought.

There was this particular one; she lived in a skyscraper. You can’t be soft when you live in such an immense structure, but she was still vulnerable, so I called her Baby, and I wrote her this. I hope she sees it one day:

Baby is part of the cityscape

Up From her Manhattan sky-loft

she draws the lights

for the man sleeping on the park bench

somewhere in Brooklyn heights

Baby lives on the 38th floor

where the ground is only a blur

she never meant to ignore you

but the view bedazzled her

she was bedazzled

by the life that pumped beneath her

 

and as you looked from affar

saw her lights come off

she made your life less bright

redrew the light in your eye

to an ever-changing pattern

to which  you will never adapt

You will never belong

so let her go to bed

for tomorrow is another big day

in New York City.

New York: The retrospective.

Last summer (august September 2011), I finally went to New York after a 15 year absence.

I won’t say I fell in love, because that’s far too cliché.

But I will tell you: If you go, do not miss:

-Gramercy Park Hotel rooftop*

-A long walk in Brooklyn

-The Manhattan cityscape at dawn*

-The Dutch eatery* (recommended by http://ohjoy.blogs.com/)

-The museum of sex

-Standing STILL in the midst of the hustle and bustle*

-Le Bain  at the Standard Hotel.

-Visiting the Scientology head quarters

-making new friends on the streets.

*photos taken by myself.

Losing my Insomnia virginity.

Insomnia, or the inability to FALL asleep has never come anywhere near my bed – or any bed/couch/theater seat i was sleeping in.

I’ve been an insomnia virgin, for 24 years, until last night. It felt lonely, and it wasn’t exactly a starry sky. I needed someone to talk to but everyone was sleeping. So I wrote this, and put it out there. I told you I had an open heart

Wake up

For I need you the most

When you are sound asleep

Wake up,

For sleep is eerie

And it scares me to see you lay there

Without a sound

Like hush.

Like a coma.

Like a muted, steady bird.

Wake up

Get out of bed.

This flat mat that you burden with your weight

I need you, heavy dead bird

Oblivion is my poison, don’t intoxicate me.

I know I’ll be less lonely if I follow you

Doze off to a small dose of your affection

Wake up and take me with you

Wherever it is you go when you close your eyes

Hey, I told you I needed a friend

And I will never be as close to you as under those sheets.

  

 

Off to the races

So as my whole theme suggests, I am pretty straight to the point.

No intro here, I come to you with an open heart, so show me yours.

I am currently listening to Lana Del Rey’s leaked album, in the midst of all the controversy surrounding her.

I know y’all are so concerned with her genuineness and I’ve read all the stories that are only feeding the hype. But hey!

Lizzy or not, collagen or not, marketing stunt or not – mind your own business and listen with your own ears. My own ears tell me they like Million dollar man:

The album is available for Pre-Order on Itunes… I recommend!