Ouch. I've lost days, but not whole weeks. How much more work do you have left on it? (says the man whose never had to do one)

And now, perversely, I feel the need to stand up and defend Renee Zellweger. Visually that squint of hers always bugs me, and I couldn't abide her performance in that movie where she played Meryl Streep's overentitled, whiny daughter, but I have hugely enjoyed her performances in The Whole Wide World, Nurse Betty, Bridget Jones' Diary and Chicago. I got no quarrel with her at all, and at this point, despite the ongoing irritation of the squint, her track record for me is pretty damn good. One undelightful facial tic, one crappy performance, four seriously good (and very different) films I could happily watch over and over and over.

I sincerely hope that this doesn't make me dead to Erin and ChiKat, but I must confess it.

Also, Mel Gibson's politics and reactionary theology give me hives but it has to be noted, yet again, that he was fantabulous in Chicken Run.

A top knot.

I don't think so. I believe a top knot is generally a bun or some sort of similar pinned hairstyle, with a ponytail coming off it. Not just a ponytail.

There's a reasonable facsimile here if you don't want to spend $500. [link]

If I'd never seen the movie, I'd love the facsimile. If I'd never seen the Baron Boutique, I wouldn't be dreaming of the different weights of the fabric.

But, truth is, the coat's about all I like from that dumb flick, and I like it a lot. In fact, I get mail to ita NeosCoat. Because I married it.

How much more work do you have left on it? (says the man whose never had to do one)

My goal is to have it written by mid-May. I also have a seminar to give at the end of March, and a month-long class to take that begins near the middle of March. I also need to find a job. And I should really get around to paying my electric bill.

I am with JZ here--love those performances. Also because a producer on Cold Mountain is a good friend of a friend, and he told me RZ was the least temperamental movie star he had ever worked with--worked hard, great to the crew, no entourage ever, always does stuff like carries her own bags, thinks about what's good for the scene instead of what's good for her. I muist admit, finding that out made me like her even more--squint and all.

JX and Robin are dead to me, for not justifying my unreasonable RZ hate-on.

I liked Chicago, but I think that's because my RZ dislike didn't get in the way. Her character wasn't SUPPOSED to be sympathetic.

And now I'm going to pretend I didn't hear nice things about her. *sniff*

(And anyhoo, it's a visceral reaction. I just go all "Grr. Argh" when I see her. Always have, prolly always will.)

I have no problem with Renee Zellwegger either. I even liked her "You had me at hello" moment from Jerry Maguire. Although I have to say that looking at her all bony in Chicago next to the voluptuous CZJ made me a little uncomfortable. It was especially so during the last number because they were wearing the same dress but RZ just looked emaciated.

If I ever post in here about hand addressing envelopes again, yell at me. 50 is too many to do at once. related, hand cramps are no fun.

I like Renee. I think she's a talented actress, and she just seems like a sweetheart. And she did this interview once, where she was talking about how not a movie star she is. She was like, "no, I almost never go out. I do get insomnia sometimes, though. So I'll rearrange the furniture in my house, until I get tired. Or sometimes I'll make my dogs a really elaborate chicken dinner, or something, at two in the morning. Just stuff to keep busy." She was so adorable.

ETA:

(And anyhoo, it's a visceral reaction. I just go all "Grr. Argh" when I see her. Always have, prolly always will.)

This, though? Happens. It's not like you choose the reaction, it's just there. And why I hope to never encounter Nicholas Cage because he might very well be the only person on earth whom I'll be unable to control myself from kicking in the shins upon meeting.