Where do I start?

After that last post I don't really know where to start. So much to say about the weekend but everything else seems pretty insignificant.

I guess I'll start with the movies I mentioned earlier. They were great. I truly loved all of them but a couple stood out as my absolute favorites - Forbidden Lies and American Teen.

• Forbidden Lies. About a woman who writes a best-seller about her best friend's honor killing in Jordan. Turns out she's quite a scam artist and the documentary leads you on this tale trying to prove if any of it is true. Quite an amazing journey and very well done.
• My Mother's Garden. A woman whose hoarding disorder is so bad she sleeps in the backyard and has to crawl in through a window to get into her own house which is litered with trash and dead rats. The daughter is also the film-maker and had to leave home at 13 because she had no place to sleep. This is about the intervention she and her siblings have with their mother.
• Very Young Girls. Focuses on prostituion in NYC where the average age for girls to start the life is 13. The filmaker runs an organization to try to help these girls get out and better themselves. I was sobbing during the movie. Joe was sleeping.
• Audience of One. A pentecostal minister in San Francisco sees a vision from God that he wants him to make a $200 million sci-fi movie. The story is about this man and his journey to do so. Interesting man. Interesting congregation. Interesting story.
• American Teen. If you like Laguna Beach or The Hills this is your movie. Even if you don't like those shows, this could still easily be your movie. The film follows a group of high school seniors in Indiana as they navigate through their last year and endure heartbreak, scandal, depression, college anxieties and everything else. I will have to say the security guy from Paramount came out before the show and accosted the audience with threats of arrest if caught recording the movie. It was awkward and totally ruined the mood. Everyone else just seemed so gracious to be involved in the festival.
• Cat Dancers. Probably Joe's favorite film. We got to see inside the life of the first cat entertainers. It's a very tragic tale and much more emotional than I had anticipated.
• I Think We're Alone Now. When I first heard about this film I thought it would be the fun tale of Tiffany fans...maybe something sweet about her fan club president. Instead it's the story of restraining orders and unrequitted love. Quite heavy and emotional but so well done. The filmaker spent the most time answering questions and really interacting with the audience.

I think I enjoy documentaries so much because I love the true story angle or at least someone else's version or perception. To me, the best stories really aren't made up scripts but about real life. Real people. Joe's aunt recently blogged about this site. After checking it out, I've become quite addicted and intrigued. It's pretty popular and the theme of several books but for all those who don't already know about it, check it out. The premise is to mail in your deep dark secret on a post card.

Also, I'm trying to come to terms with finding a new quote and a new header for my blog. Here's to hoping Carrie gets married in the sequel!