The Sox are off today, but I am not. Aren't you lucky.

I finally saw Garden State last weekend. I can't think of a better time to have seen a movie about a mid-twentysomething going through a quarter-life crisis. And I can't imagine I will ever again see a movie in which the Shins are so prominently featured. Very cool. Oh, and Zach Braff. He's Jewish. I'm Jewish. He's from Jersey. I'm from Philly. He likes the Shins and Postal Service. I like the Shins and Postal Service. Why we are not dating right now is beyond me.

(But seriously. Have you seen those lips? Goddamn.)


Last night I saw a screening of Finding Neverland, which is the story of how JM Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan. I knew I would love this before it even began because Peter Pan is one of my all time favorite stories, and it certainly did not disappoint. Johnny Depp was fucking brilliant (which is slightly more impressive than just plain old brilliant) as always, and did I mention he was rocking the eyeliner the entire film? Also impressive were the three kids who star in the movie. There's generally no bigger crime, in my mind, than giving kids gimmicky, smartass lines in movies. (See: Jerry Maguire) It's an automatic tuneout for me. But these kids pulled it off, which means I have to reword the aforementioned rule. There's generally no bigger crime, in my mind, than giving kids gimmicky, smartass lines in movies - unless they are British. In that case, anything goes.

I did a good deal of thinking after the movie about my Peter Pan complex and why I am so afraid to grow up. I realized that the reason I don't want to have kids is because when you have kids, that makes you the adult. And there is nothing I fear being more....

"It's all about the ticking clock inside the crocodile, isn't it, Mr Barrie? The clock is ticking for all of us..."

The director of the movie was in attendance for a special Q&A afterwards. He's the guy who directed Monster's Ball, which means there were lots of film students on hand, competing to ask questions that would show the world just how talented they are. There were a million genius moments, but here's my favorite part.

Q: What was the symbolism behind the white hat you had Johnny Depp wearing in the scene on the park bench?

A: Uh, there was no symbolism. JM Barrie used to wear hats like those, and we thought it was a funny hat, so we used it.


(Dead silence.)


Brilliant. It reminded me of college, where 75% of the kids I went to school with were film students who were convinced they were one bong hit away from writing a masterpiece. Good times.