Wonka and Hedwig

As usual I have descended into going to the club, watching movies, and hanging out with my parents during my time at home. This may seem boring to some, but it is entertaining to me! I was surprised to come home and find out that I was under 180!!! Maybe it was only 179, and maybe I am once again over 180, but it gives me hope for the future. I will definitely be going to the Y at school, and trying to do some sort of walking type thing also...anyone else want to join me? Yesterday and the day before I was visited by Ari Streisfeld. He just spent the summer at Kent-Blossom and will be going to Northwestern this year, so he needed to move some stuff into his apartment, which is in a very nice location in downtown Evanston. Very nice apartment...with everything right next to it (including post office across the street, java's-esque coffee place downstairs, liquor store 1 minute away (on foot) and many other things including a gap about 2 blocks away)...so I am a bit jealous. It makes me want to go to school in Chicago! Except, I don't really want to go to any of the schools in Chicago, but whatever. I would probably be happy at a school as long as it is in a city, I can't be too picky now. On Monday night we went to see the strange Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp. As usually, Johnny Depp was great, portraying Willy Wonka as seen through Michael Jackson (they both seem to like little boys, I guess). Definitely my favorite performance of the year so far. There were many things about that movie that worked, including Feddy Highmore (little boy from Finding Neverland), the story book feel (typical in Tim Burton films) and the spectacular sets and costumes. Things that didn't work were mainly the Oompa-Loompas...all portrayed by the same actor. They seemed more creepy/annoying than anything else, and their songs (song periodically throughout the movie) were just plain dumb/embarassing. The movie as a whole is just super-bizarre, glossing over things that really shouldn't be (such as the brief journey into the puppet burn center) which adds to making things a bit more creepy than they ever have been in a telling of Willy Wonka. You should see it...88%. I guess I have a craving for eccentric characters since last night I watched Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Telling the story of a young boy named Hansel who, to get out of East Germany, has a botched sex-change to marry and American, moves to the middle of Kansas, starts a rock-band, meets a boy, falls in love with him..etc etc etc...It is very strange, but very fun. I will have to consider getting the soundtrack, because some of the songs are really good, and the acting is really good (especially Hedwig, portrayed by John Cameron Mitchell). It is a strong challenger to the Rocky Horror picture show for cult movie status, since the end doesn't really make much sense at all. You should also see this one...90%.