I saw Jarhead last night

So, last night I went to see Jarhead, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard. Mental note: did the casting manager purposely cast the movie with people that had two of the same fucking letter in their last name? Jeezus.

Anyway, I drove all the way out to Westwood to find that there was a stupid ass protest going on down Wilshire Blvd. This just happens to be where the exit is off of the freeway. Couldn’t get off there so I had to go down one more exit. A mile down. Then, I double-backed. It only took me 30 minutes to go a mile back to the Wilshire (at a time when I didn’t know it was closed off due to these fucktards). It takes me another 20 minutes to get to the movie theatre, when it should have taken 5 minutes from the time I got off the freeway. At the movie theatre, I’m asked if I have a cell-phone with a camera. The reason for this is they don’t want people taking photos of the movie before release. Normally, the security will take your phone and keep it until the movie is over and hand it back. Not this place, noooo. They told me I had to take the phone back to my car. So back to the carpark I went. What motherfuckers. So, I put my phone away and come back. Another 20 minutes go by before the movie begins. Now, the only good thing about press screenings is that they don’t play those stupid trailers before the movie and the movie itself is free. The only thing that I would have to pay for is popcorn and a beverage. I’ll wait until I get home to have a diet-Coke, thanks. One positive note: while waiting in line, I did meet this really hot chick whom I had sarcastic, flirtatious banter with. I should have whipped out the business card and asked her to join me for coffee. What an ass I am. Again, I’ll just blame the XGF for that… keeping me in a mental block. Oh, and another thing. Leonard Malten was at this screening... ANOTHER screening he and I have attended at the same time. I'm moving up.

Jarhead is about Anthony Swofford (GYLLENHAAL), a new Marine recruit who is sent to Iraq during the first Gulf war. I guess this is based on reality, as this movie is based upon a book written by one Anthony Swofford. There, he is trained as a Scout/Sniper and meets up with Troy (SARSGAARD) and they become scout/sniper partners and friends. Their troop leader is Master Sergeant Siek (FOXX), a mother-fucker of a ball breaker. Jarhead shows the life of these Marines, through training to the actual deployment. Once in Iraq, they find that war is not what they expected; it’s more of waiting and training than it is actually fighting. Casualties happen not from the enemy but from friendly fire. This movie was intense, when not in a lull during the slow parts. Though I thought the acting by Gyllenhaal, Foxx and Sarsgaard were exceptionally well, (there’s this scene where Swofford just loses it and goes absolutely mental for five minutes. Absolutely brilliant) the movie itself left a lot of questions lingering. It felt like director Sam Mendez had to tie up a lot of loose ends quickly in the last 10 minutes of the film and it kind of damaged the story. Jarhead doesn’t portray the Marines in either a bad or good light... just a realistic, not-so-glamorous one. Go see it, even if the ending leaves you like Chinese food - wondering what happened and needing more.

On other notes… I was wondering this…

For Valentine’s Day and her birthday, I gave her pieces from a Tiffany & Co. collection (the collection escapes my mind at the moment). Anyway, I bought her a ring and then later a matching necklace. Not too long after Valentine’s we went through a break-up episode where I ended up taking the ring back. I later gave it back to her when she came back. Later in the year, I gave her a matching necklace. I still remember buying it. As I was walking out of the mall, some hot chick turned and was impressed that I had a blue bag in my hand (if you are unfamiliar with Tiffany, their bags and gift boxes are a particular shade of blue).

I bought Tiffany jewelry because I knew it was her favorite. She would often email links to me with stuff she really liked. Some were way too expensive but others were within reason and I had plans of someday purchasing some of the better pieces for her.

Now, I wonder if I should email her and tell her to mail back the pieces I gave her. They were given in expectations that we would be together for a long time. Besides, I don’t think her husband would really like to see her wearing pieces I gave her. So, what’s the point of her keeping them?

I should, shouldn’t I?

MOOD: Indifferent
MUSIC: Death Cab For Cutie Album: Transatlanticism

HAIKU:

Time it does heal
Like a slow drip of morphine
Scars last forever