Stress relief

So Mike is in NYC again for work and will return in a week only to leave again for Sundance. I should have pushed to go with him, but I do have to finish up the current book I am working on and then make some headway with the next. Plus, I wasn't sure how much it would cost us in the long run. Anyway. I'm stuck here with the (me screaming) roomie. I've always said cats make the best roommates, that should give you some idea of the type of person I am.

I had some work stress last evening and this morning. Actually, looking back it really wasn't stress at all, I think it's more just frustration at being alone right now and at not being able to do the things I would like to do. I had to scramble to get some things together this morning so I could run into the office and get some stuff done so I didn't have a chance to get anything posted (by fault regarding the scrambling, btw). 

So, a movie post. How do I relieve my stress when I seem to have an alcohol allergy? I take loooong baths and I drink tea and I read my books and I watch movies. Lots of movies. 

On Saturday night, I stayed up to watch IFC play one of my favorite indie horror films, Cube. This is the kind of movie that you take one look at in the video store and wonder if you really have nothing else that can occupy an hour and a half. Believe me, I know. I actually rented it ages ago and returned it without watching before I rented it again. It was fantastic! It's gory in all the right places and leaves you scratching your head wondering what the hell is really going on in the end. 

In Cube, for those of you who have yet to experience this masterpiece of Canadian cinema, a group of people wakes up inside cube-shaped rooms with no idea how they got there (you get one person and then she finds other people). There are doors in the middle of each of the room's walls and on the ceiling and the floor. Each door leads to another cube, but the trick is that some of them are booby trapped. They're really gross, too. Anyway, the people inside the cube have to survive long enough to figure out the key to the trapped rooms vs the safe rooms and try to find a way out. It's a simple enough plot, but I find it to be a super fun film. And super cringe-worthy in some instances. 

On Sunday, after working that morning I decided to take a break and watch Cube Zero. I won't really tell you anything about it because it does reveal a bit more about the cube's purpose, but only slightly. It had actually been a while since I had seen it so it was kind of new for me, in a way. Always fun with a movie you like. 

I'm totally beat tonight, but am seriously considering watching Cube 2 now to try and wind down. It is essentially Cube with different actors and a smidgen more info. And sure, even after watching all three you're still left scratching your head and sadly there will not be another that I know of, but all in all, for some really low budget flicks, I find them highly entertaining. They aren't packed with well-known actors (and in some cases the acting is kind of, erm, bad). In fact, the most recognizable, are Nicole de Boer from Dead Zone in the first movie, Kari Matchett (of various shows) and Geraint Wyn Davies (of Forever Knight) of Cube 2. One great thing about them, though, is that they really don't require a lot of special effects (something that can totally ruin a low budget flick). I love them. It's that simple. They really are just cool and engrossing movies. Well worth it if you've had a rough day and just want to collapse on the couch for a few hours. 

As an aside, I was surprised to find that there's much more hidden in Cube than I realized. I'll direct you to the Wikipedia site if you are interested, but suggest looking only after you've seen the movies because they do tell you the WHOLE plot of the movies. 

Happy watching and hopefully your day has been easier than mine (which wasn't that hard, man I am whiny).