Best Chemistry Between Two Actors in a Movie

James Stewart and Grace Kelly in Rear Window

It isn't yet the twenty-first century, so we can't show any nasty business nor naughty bits, but that makes it steamier. Grace Kelly--what can I say. Flitting in and out of the claustrophobic apartment in her streaming see-through nightgown... it's a wonder Jimmy Stewart even glances at Ms. Torso across the yard. Don't even get me started on the tender cuddling... it is just too much. And the incredible chemistry is only the cherry on top of this classic.

James McAvoy and Keira Knightley in Atonement

Library scene. A personal inspiration even, one could say.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson in Match Point

It's forbidden, so it's going to be hot. And Rhys-Meyers has always irritated me, but Johansson's raspy, overflowing bosom--er--sexuality makes up for his uncomfortable, squinty moments. Also--throwing yourself at your lover (under the pouring rain) in a field of wheat...best thing ever. Wait, what?

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

You wouldn't expect such a heartfelt, well, normal portrayal from Carrey, but he delivers in Eternal Sunshine. This romance is anything but formulaic. The whole point of this movie is that there exists a certain chemistry that binds one human being to another, and that nothing--time, memory loss, obstacles--can change that. I like to believe that.

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook

My argument: the amount of longing in Gosling's gaze at any given point in this movie. And also the whole "we-haven't-been-able-to-have-each-other-for-so-long-and-now-we-can-like-whoa" factor.

Tommy Wiseau and Juliette Danielle in The Room

Have you seen The Room?

Wise Words of the Day

Jett, 4, screwed up his face into a thoughtful grimace, even though he seemed to be having the time of his life on the teeter-totter with his good friend, Cody.

Jett: I don't like girls.

me: Oh yeah? Why not?

Jett: They fight.

Blood Simple

To be succinct, this movie rocked. It was hilarious, disgusting, hilariously disgusting, and well-acted. Marty is a suspecting (with good reason) husband who hires a private eye to investigate his unfaithful wife, played by an unbelievably young Frances McDormand. This was actually McDormand's first feature-length film, and I was astounded by her performance. Anyway, things turn bloody and downright silly (if you watch it in the right mood, that is) and I was overall incredibly pleased with the result. As the final scene cut to the credit roll, accompanied by a becoming upbeat melody, I looked at my friend and exclaimed: "Yes! That was awesome." Now if only every director's first effort was so rewarding to watch...

Pizza yo

Nick and I made pizzas-from-scratch for dinner. It was perfect. Nick prepped the dough while I was at work and then we topped em to our personal liking (just basil, cheese and sauce for him, artichoke hearts, fresh sliced tomatoes, basil, cheese, and sauce for me) and tossed the babies in the oven for fifteen minutes.

A couple of Harvest Moons sealed the deal.

This is Corny

Tonight I am feeling grateful. From many perspectives, I have an enviable life. I certainly do not feel enough gratitude for my life, and so I decided to capture the fleeting hour of intense satisfaction and well, gratitude, and express myself in words.

Tonight I find myself feeling grateful for a number of things. Things in my power and things outside of it. Yes, this is one of those posts I could comfortably have written in a personal journal instead of posting on the internets for all y'all but maybe this will inspire you (I told you this was corny) to contemplate reasons to be grateful in your life. Because you should.

True gratitude feels damn good. Not like being in love good, which is also obviously quite good, but more like a steady, warm radiating good. A comforting good that permeates through your being and lends you confidence and some iota of understanding as to what your little insignificant (yet infinitely confounding) life means. So I got this warm fuzzy feeling while walking back from the Whitman sauna tonight. I don't doubt the possibility that this warmth inside my head and body was partially due to the extreme temperatures of the cedary vault. But the rest, I know, was the real thing.

First off, I felt cleansed. Sweating from parts of my body I thought impossible, I walked the four or so blocks from the athletic center to my apartment. It was a relatively warm night considering the coolness of the past days. It was the kind of weather where you feel that you aren't sure where your body ends and the atmosphere begins, the same way when you are immersed in a body of water whose temperature matches that of your body. I looked up and what?!--I could see the stars! Just as disappointment and frustration grows on itself, so did my feelings of gratitude. I started thinking about how fucking lucky I was in almost every single respect of my life and that got me smiling like a goon. If you know me, you know I love lists, and so you will understand my compelling need to fit them in wherever I may.

Between exiting the sauna and climbing the stairs to my third-floor apartment, I thought about

1. The people who I love and who love me in return

2. The people who I love but they don't know it, but love is love and good vibes are good vibes

3. The adorable wonders at the Kids' Place with whom I am blessed (I really dislike that expression but failed to think of another) to spend 5 hours every Wednesday morning

4. "Shake Some Action" as made popular to me by the very handsome Flash Gilmore and the Funbeatles (http://www.myspace.com/funbeatles)

5. how easy it is for me to make tea whenever I want it

6. Cats, duh

Make your own lists dear (imaginary?) readers and share them with others. Cause why the hell not capture and extend a good mood?