"Gatsby? What Gatsby?"

It wasn't the first time I've been traumatized by Leonardo DiCaprio dying.

 

But at least this time ... Rose wasn't being cold-hearted lying trickster and keeping the floatation device all to herself.

 

No, no -- this time Leo was shot.

 

If I ruined the ending of "The Great Gatsby" for you ... then you clearly didn't pay attention in high school English class ... and that old sport, is NOT my fault.

 

 17 years later -- he's still got it.

 

 

Four books from my school reading list remain on my bookshelf to this day.

To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Outsiders

Catcher in the Rye

and

The Great Gatsby



 

It was sophomore year of high school that I was first introduced to Jay Gatsby.

As John Bower and I went down high school English class memory lane the other night ... we recalled sitting in Mrs. Lindquist's "U" shaped desk formation -- and writing some ridiculous nonsense on the "online discussion boards" -- which at that point ... was brand new technology.

 

That was 11 years ago.

I know, right?!

 

Wednesday night we kicked off the birthday weekend (yea, you can kick off the weekend on a Wednesday) ...so I met up with the girls headed to the

CineBarre for some wine and a quick trip up to West Egg, NY

The modern day movie, filled with a Jay-Z and Lana del Ray soundtrack embodied fantastic sets, wardrobe and actors. It captured a chaotic 1920's scene of New York City -- the lights, the colors, the sounds! It's an enriched culture, from Nick's point of view -- that really takes us into the movie.

 

From the tribute to the original cover on the billboard overlooking Wilson's garage, to the scenes where in the background ... off to the side... you could still see Daisy's green light at the end of the dock; even though it wasn't the focus of the shot at all. I thought it was overall well done.

 

Of course there were some changes -- like Nick re-telling the story from a psychiatric ward and some of my favorite quotes were left out. That made me sad but they are still highlighted in my book from 2002 ... pages wrinkles, book spine cracked, notes written in the margin and doodles in the back cover and all.

 

Overall: I recommend you go see it ...

 

"They're a rotten crowd ... you're worth the whole damn bunch put together"