Immoral, Illegal or Fattening

After leaving a showing of The Great Gatsby yesterday, I was...

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:08:45 -0400

After leaving a showing of The Great Gatsby yesterday, I was surprised at the reviews I had read previously. A lot of people called out Baz Luhrmann’s in your face style (which I happen to love) but many critics seemed to say something along the lines of “go in with no expectations of how you remember the book. Think of them as two entirely separate entities so that you can enjoy both”. Now, this is normally excellent advice for seeing a movie adaptation of any book. But I’m confused - had those who gave this advice for this film never read the original Fitzgerald novel? Because they were almost exactly the same.

I wouldn’t go so far to say that Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby was the best film adaptation of any book ever (because there have been some very good movies that have been very loosely adapted) but it was certainly the most true to its original content. I haven’t read the book for about six years, but when I was watching the movie, all of it came flooding back. And my Dad, who had just finished reading the book again a few days ago, was stunned at how exact the book was translated to the screen.

Large chunks of dialogue and narration were ripped directly from the text and the imagery was exact. Luhrmann even went so far as to use the original book cover image for the billboard of the optometrist. All the casting and acting was on point and the costumes. My god, the costumes. Let’s just say, it was leaps and bounds better than the weird 1920s/1970s suits from the Robert Redford “adaptation”.

A lot of people have complained about the music, the overdone party scenes, the weird disjointed scenes, and the overdone imagery. And again, I ask these people: have you read the book? Luhrmann captured the bizarre tableau nature of the book so well, while managing to keep the audience engaged without much of a plot. The delight of reading Fitzgerald’s book is the imagery and the beautiful writing. Luhrmann didn’t try to mess with this.

As for the music and ridiculous party scenes, well, that’s kind of what the twenties were, wasn’t it? Certainly Fitzgerald’s 1920s. Nick Carraway is disgusted by the excess of it all by the end - seeing that excess first is half the fun.

Now, of course, things were changed, left out, or smushed together. But this is the risk of any book adaptation. Sure, we didn’t get as much Jordan and Nick as the book gives, but I wouldn’t say it was terribly missed in an already two and a half hour film. Nick doesn’t end up in a Sanatorium, but this device helped frame the narration a little bit.

So everyone should get off their literary high horses and just enjoy this visually and emotionally rich movie. Also, damn, Leo - you still look good.

(also, this screen cap is everything)

tastefullyoffensive: [via] LAWLS.

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:09:07 -0400

tastefullyoffensive:

[via]

LAWLS.

coffeeafterdark: I accidentally started playing It’s Time in...

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:54:50 -0400

coffeeafterdark:

I accidentally started playing It’s Time in two different tabs and it basically sounded like this

EDIT: for those who wanted it: Download Here

So this is great.

Otters are the best.

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:32:52 -0400

Otters are the best.

whedonesque: Logo, as posted by EW

Sat, 11 May 2013 17:10:46 -0400

whedonesque:

Logo, as posted by EW

"Stop this train - I want to get off and go home again."

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:11:40 -0400

“Stop this train - I want to get off and go home again.”

- John Mayer

The first two lines of 30 Rock. I just…I just...

Mon, 06 May 2013 21:14:41 -0400

The first two lines of 30 Rock.

I just…I just can’t deal with this. 30 Rock why are you perfect?

Lauren and KEB Take America!: I'm Movin' Out

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:48:01 -0400

Lauren and KEB Take America!: I'm Movin' Out:

persnickitea:

shapeofaplaceoutwest:

In about three weeks, I am going to be moving into my very first apartment 3,000 miles away from my family and friends.

After graduation (in one week, ohmygodiamfreakingout), I’m moving from New York to Los Angeles to enter the crazy world of entertainment, starting in the mailroom at WME. I am…

Follow our road trip blog! My roommate and I will be taking a week and driving to LA via Charlottesville, VA—Nashville, TN—Memphis, TN—Dallas, TX—Albuquerque, NM—Grand Canyon, AZ—Las Vegas, NV

If you any any road trip tips or things to see along the way, let us know- we are down for all sorts of adventures!

Do it!

Photo

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:09:00 -0400

Sangria celebration

Wed, 01 May 2013 17:36:06 -0400

Sangria celebration

nprmusic: buzzfeed: Tomorrow! Always reblog. —Lars

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:58:14 -0400

nprmusic:

buzzfeed:

Tomorrow!

Always reblog. —Lars

May Forecast

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:11:50 -0400

persnickitea:

May 07: Final assignment at William and Mary is due.

May 11: Picnic with my five best friends and our families.

May 12: Graduate from college.

May 13-19: Go to the beach with my boyfriend and have a damn dozen cocktails. And read a book for fun.

May 21-28: ‘Murica! Brought to you by Lauren and Katie. Road tripping to L.A. with my roommate, which can basically be summed up thus:

June 03: Start my new job and suddenly be an adult.

Just finished my last college exam and the last question I answered was about Flavor Flav...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:37:22 -0400

…I’m gonna miss college.

Ice cream and nostalgia on the Sunken Gardens.

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:23:15 -0400

Ice cream and nostalgia on the Sunken Gardens.

WCWM 90.9 FM

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:15:22 -0400

WCWM 90.9 FM:

Last radio show ever! Listen now!

Photo

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:08:11 -0400

Photo

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:27:34 -0400

An hour of great male bands from WCWM.

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:23:35 -0400

An hour of great male bands from WCWM.

Photo

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:26:10 -0400

Tune in to WCWM today at 11am for some good Ben Folds tunes!

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:33:58 -0400

Tune in to WCWM today at 11am for some good Ben Folds tunes!