Films that make you go "Hmmm"

Once in a while, you watch a movie, time passes, and slowly but surely - and with increasing frequency & intensity - you start to think back to the movie, which at first you didn't think much of. 

I watched Primer back in March, during my I-just-got-laid-off-now-I'm-going-to-watch-as-movies-as-humanly-possible phase, via Netflix Instant Watch, with my husband one evening.  I can't remember if someone had recommended the movie to me, or if I'd read about it - or maybe Netflix itself suggested it to me based on my past cinematic likes/dislikes.  I've deliberately not linked to its IMDB page, or even put an image of the movie poster up on this post, because if you are going to watch it after reading this - I want you to go into it knowing as little as I did.

I don't want to say the movie "haunts" me, but I have found myself thinking about it more and more lately (4 months later).  I'm not sure if something in my daily life or on the news triggered it, but as I do brainless mundane things - oh, like blogging - my mind starts to wander and I start thinking about the movie, its implications, and all the plot twists.  Bottom line: I like how this movie made me feel and think - and it pretty much tops my current Top 10 Recommendable Movies list.

What I will tell you is that the film is of science fiction genre.  It's about time travel.  It's very low budget and has, like, a 7-person cast.

That's all I'm going to say.  If you've watched it already - or if you watch it in the near future - please send me your thoughts and comments...

Dire qu'il n'est pas si!

So I love when smaller human-interest stories on the news become these huge blown-out-of-proportion big deals (especially, ahem, if maybe that was the original intent?). 

Case in point:
Baskin Robbins is retiring five flavors, including French Vanilla.

OK. I admit I almost never get French Vanilla when I go to BR, but I do consider it a classic flavor - like chocolate & strawberry.  In fact, I'd probably order French Vanilla over plain vanilla any day of the week.  And I agree with Mr. Muskett (in the article I linked to above) that you CAN tell the difference when you put FV in a root beer (or coke) float vs. regular vanilla!

I don't know what BR is thinking, but they've definitely been getting some great "free" publicity.  I hope this isn't just a hoax like when Disney claims they're "locking movies in the vault" and then just bring them back 5 years later, digitally enhanced with added extras that nobody could ever want or care about. 

But just in case, I guess I'll go get my "last" French Vanilla cone - just so I can tell my grandkids about it some day.  You know, how BR used to have a flavor that was like a discolored strangely yellow version vanilla...

Oo la la!
*Kisses fingertips on right hand and then quickly spreads fingers out as though exploding*

Monday night din-din quickie

Yum! I have to say one of my favorite recipes in The Joy of Cooking is Ms. Rombauer et al's Tandoori Marinade (p. 85, 1997 ed.).  It made for a great focus to my 40-minute meal tonight.

I got off work late today and had errands to run, so I didn't get home until 7:20.  Once I'd unloaded the car, checked the mail, and fed kitty, it was 7:40pm - "Wheel of Fortune" was well under way, my husband had just messaged he was on his way home, and I had at least 2 loads of laundry I HAD to do tonight. (Last dryer load is juuust finishing up now.)

Forty minutes later, I had dinner for two and then some -
   - 2 Tandoori chicken breasts (BBQ-grilled)
   - 1/3 La Brea Bakery French batard, warmed in the oven then sliced
   - Romaine salad with grilled corn (made it yesterday), gruyere cheese, green grapes, Ranch dressing
   - Garlic confit (thanks to YH) for the bread instead of butter
   - Skinny Dip beer (by New Belgium Brewing Company, the makers of Fat Tire) for me, watered-down apple juice for the spouse

Sorry I don't have a photo - but take my word for it, it was goooood!