I rented some movies last weekend, and boy, were some of them bad! I know it will come as no shock to you that Beowulf & Grendle was terrible. I thought seeing a movie adaptation would change my mind about how boring Beowulf was to read. I thought wrong. This was really boring, just like the book.
The Fountain was also pretty bad. It was a bizarre sci-fi thing (usually right up my alley) but it was really boring because there was hardly a plot. Don't be fooled by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weiss. While they are good actors, they can't help a weird movie with no plot.
The other stinker was The Contract. I was lured in by Morgan Freeman and John Cusack, both fabulous actors. However, the movie had a really bad 80s plot to it. At one point one of the bad guys shot at John Cusack with a machine gun from about 10 feet away and missed him. I think he should have taken some lessons from Dick Cheney.
But two of the movies I rented were really good. Fracture with Anthony Hopkins was really good. He shoots his wife (we see him do this at the beginning of the movie) for cheating on him. The movie is both a legal thriller and a mystery as we try to figure out how he hid all the evidence. Very good, but don't waste your time watching the two alternate endings on the DVD.
The other good one was Apocalypto. It took me a long time to watch this because, at the time, I was really sick of hearing about what a kook Mel Gibson was, the not-typical subject matter of the movie made me leery, and the subtitles turned me off. However, it was a really, really good movie that shows you many different aspects to the ancient Mayan culture. And don't worry, there's lots of plot so it doesn't get boring at all.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
HBO Rocks!
For those of you who haven't subscribed to HBO, you're missing out on some of the greatest TV shows ever made. Obviously, The Sopranos was the hugest show ever. It's seven seasons long and as of right now all but the last season are out on DVD. Warning: Once you start watching you WON'T be able to stop, so make sure you have some DVD watching time allotted for yourself. The first three seasons are the best. They focus on Tony's relationship with his mother, who is the most evil woman ever! (For those of you familiar with the history of ancient Rome, it's no coincidence that David Chase named her Livia.) But the actress who played her died and the focus of the show shifted in the fourth season. Some people complained that "nothing happens" in many of the episodes in the last four seasons, but, aside from being stupid and whiny, they're wrong. I site as my example the first episode of the last season when Tony, Carmela, Janice, and Bobby were hanging out at the beach house chatting and playing Monopoly almost the whole episode. There was so much going on in the dialogue between these characters in what they said and how they said it, and also in what they didn't say. It was a one hour verbal boxing match. Great stuff. You owe it to yourself to rent this series if you haven't already seen it. (And those of you who have seen it I'm sure wouldn't mind watching it all again.)
If seven seasons is too much for you to commit to right now, maybe the three seasons of Deadwood is for you. Again, a phenomenal show. It's about the gold rush in Deadwood, South Dakota. Almost all of the characters in the show were real, including Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and everyone's favorite character Al Swerengen, played brilliantly by Ian McShane. Don't think that this is some dumb 60s western crap. It's a very gritty and real portrayal of how Deadwood started as barely a wide spot in the road until word spread that there was gold in them thar hills. It became the fastest growing city (probably ever), growing from a few dozen to over 10,000 in two or three months. The dialogue was so intelligent and high-level that I often had to consult with my friends the next day to figure out if we caught everything that was going on. Definitely a must-see.
You also need to check out the two seasons of Rome. If you ever thought the ancient history of Rome was boring, this will change your mind - guaranteed. It covers the history of Julius Caeser, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Brutus, Cassius, and Cicero, but primarily through the perspective of two soldiers of the mighty 13th, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. Vorenus and Pullo are fictional, but through them you get to see how the lower classes lived. I found it particularly interesting to see how the mafia originated - who knew its roots went that far back? You will get sucked into this one really fast. Phenomenal actors and dazzling sets really bring to life the history of these people. They plow through a lot of history in two seasons. I wish they hadn't cancelled this one. It seems like it could have gone on for several more seasons without getting the least bit boring.
I try to resist watching too many TV shows, so I skip a lot of the popular things most people watch. One of the shows I skipped was Big Love. However, in the glimpses of the show I catch here and there I'm getting addicted to it. I'll be renting the first season and scouring HBO for reruns of the second season to get caught up.
The moral of the story is that if it's on HBO, it's probably really good, so watch it.
If seven seasons is too much for you to commit to right now, maybe the three seasons of Deadwood is for you. Again, a phenomenal show. It's about the gold rush in Deadwood, South Dakota. Almost all of the characters in the show were real, including Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and everyone's favorite character Al Swerengen, played brilliantly by Ian McShane. Don't think that this is some dumb 60s western crap. It's a very gritty and real portrayal of how Deadwood started as barely a wide spot in the road until word spread that there was gold in them thar hills. It became the fastest growing city (probably ever), growing from a few dozen to over 10,000 in two or three months. The dialogue was so intelligent and high-level that I often had to consult with my friends the next day to figure out if we caught everything that was going on. Definitely a must-see.
You also need to check out the two seasons of Rome. If you ever thought the ancient history of Rome was boring, this will change your mind - guaranteed. It covers the history of Julius Caeser, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Brutus, Cassius, and Cicero, but primarily through the perspective of two soldiers of the mighty 13th, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. Vorenus and Pullo are fictional, but through them you get to see how the lower classes lived. I found it particularly interesting to see how the mafia originated - who knew its roots went that far back? You will get sucked into this one really fast. Phenomenal actors and dazzling sets really bring to life the history of these people. They plow through a lot of history in two seasons. I wish they hadn't cancelled this one. It seems like it could have gone on for several more seasons without getting the least bit boring.
I try to resist watching too many TV shows, so I skip a lot of the popular things most people watch. One of the shows I skipped was Big Love. However, in the glimpses of the show I catch here and there I'm getting addicted to it. I'll be renting the first season and scouring HBO for reruns of the second season to get caught up.
The moral of the story is that if it's on HBO, it's probably really good, so watch it.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Poll Results
Voting is now over and an overwhelming number of you have cast your votes. That's a lie. Only three of you voted! Please vote in my polls. That's the funnest part about having a blog!
Anyway, it was a three-way tie between Spring, Summer, and Fall. No one voted for Winter. I personally love Fall the best. The weather cools off to a brisk temperature so you can start wearing cosy sweaters and comfy sweatshirts. The leaves turn so many beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. It reminds me of being back on campus at MSU at the beginning of a school year before I got all burnt out. I love being outside in the fall. The only down side is that the bees are out in full force at the cider mill.
I like Spring too, of course. It just seems that in Michigan Spring only lasts about a week before the temperatures heat up too much and I start sweating when I'm outside. Then it's Summer right away - my least favorite season. Bugs are out in full force, it's too hot (I hate sweating), and you have to worry about having sunblock all the time. One of my most hated things about summer is eating outside. I don't know why people love to eat outside. It makes me really irritated to have to have to swat bugs away from your food and try to get a seat where the Sun isn't blaring directly in your eyes.
I think Winter is the most unappreciated season. I love how pretty all the trees are with snow all over the branches. As with the fall, you get to wear cozy sweaters while you curl up with a hot cup of tea in front of the fireplace. Best of all: No Bugs! Some of you may complain about having to shovel snow. But I would rather shovel snow in the winter than mow the lawn in the summer when you sweat profusely and get attacked by bees. And, I'm sure you would admit that you shovel snow less than you have to mow the lawn.
As Summer is drawing to a close, your assignment, dear reader-of-my-blog, is to find the beauty of Winter this year. Start to appreciate that we get four fabulous seasons here in Michigan. And one of those great seasons is Winter. As the holidays approach, start to take notice of all the wonderful things Winter has to offer - things that you never took the time to appreciate before. Maybe one of them is that without Winter, you wouldn't appreciate Spring, Summer, and Fall as much.
Anyway, it was a three-way tie between Spring, Summer, and Fall. No one voted for Winter. I personally love Fall the best. The weather cools off to a brisk temperature so you can start wearing cosy sweaters and comfy sweatshirts. The leaves turn so many beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. It reminds me of being back on campus at MSU at the beginning of a school year before I got all burnt out. I love being outside in the fall. The only down side is that the bees are out in full force at the cider mill.
I like Spring too, of course. It just seems that in Michigan Spring only lasts about a week before the temperatures heat up too much and I start sweating when I'm outside. Then it's Summer right away - my least favorite season. Bugs are out in full force, it's too hot (I hate sweating), and you have to worry about having sunblock all the time. One of my most hated things about summer is eating outside. I don't know why people love to eat outside. It makes me really irritated to have to have to swat bugs away from your food and try to get a seat where the Sun isn't blaring directly in your eyes.
I think Winter is the most unappreciated season. I love how pretty all the trees are with snow all over the branches. As with the fall, you get to wear cozy sweaters while you curl up with a hot cup of tea in front of the fireplace. Best of all: No Bugs! Some of you may complain about having to shovel snow. But I would rather shovel snow in the winter than mow the lawn in the summer when you sweat profusely and get attacked by bees. And, I'm sure you would admit that you shovel snow less than you have to mow the lawn.
As Summer is drawing to a close, your assignment, dear reader-of-my-blog, is to find the beauty of Winter this year. Start to appreciate that we get four fabulous seasons here in Michigan. And one of those great seasons is Winter. As the holidays approach, start to take notice of all the wonderful things Winter has to offer - things that you never took the time to appreciate before. Maybe one of them is that without Winter, you wouldn't appreciate Spring, Summer, and Fall as much.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Giving Your Stuff Away
My parents and I are going through all our clothes and "stuff" to give it to Purple Heart. It's amazing how much we have to give to them! It's about five times more than I thought we'd have, which is fabulous. All of it is in good condition (if it wasn't we would have thrown it out) and now it can be used by people who need it.
I encourage anyone who reads this think about all the "stuff" you have and whether you really need it (or even use it) and consider whether you can part with it so some other needy person can enjoy it, possibly more than you do right now.
Christmas isn't that far away. You'll get new "stuff" to replace the old "stuff" you gave away. :)
I encourage anyone who reads this think about all the "stuff" you have and whether you really need it (or even use it) and consider whether you can part with it so some other needy person can enjoy it, possibly more than you do right now.
Christmas isn't that far away. You'll get new "stuff" to replace the old "stuff" you gave away. :)
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Latest Movies Seen
I just rented a bunch of movies for the weekend; here are my reviews.
300 - Totally awesome! This is a great action movie based on a true story about 300 Spartans who held off the entire Persian army.
Pan's Labyrinth - Very good movie, but depressing. Don't let the subtitles throw you. It's worth watching. Just remember that it's not the feel good movie of the year.
Perfume - I never heard of this one before. I saw it on the shelf at the video store and saw that it starred Alan Rickman (the coolest actor ever) and Dustin Hoffman, so I grabbed it. It's weird but interesting. Kind of a bizarre ending. You should be in the mood to watch a not-mainstream movie when you rent this one.
Number 23 - I knew this one was supposed to be weird, but it was a boring journey getting to the denouement.
Night At The Museum - This was a fun movie! It was better than I thought it would be. Put it on your list of movies to watch.
Breach - This is based on the real-life spy who did the most damage to our country's intelligence ever. It's an interesting movie, but don't look for plot twists or action; it's a character study film.
The Hitcher - Sean Bean is a good actor, but I think my vote is for the original 80s movie with Rutger Hauer. If you've seen the original, don't waste your time on this one.
Hannibal Rising - This chronicle of Lecter's youth is a must see for all his fans. Or read the book. It's not necessary to do both.
Little Children - A well acted character study that lasts 2 1/2 hours. I was bored after a while.
300 - Totally awesome! This is a great action movie based on a true story about 300 Spartans who held off the entire Persian army.
Pan's Labyrinth - Very good movie, but depressing. Don't let the subtitles throw you. It's worth watching. Just remember that it's not the feel good movie of the year.
Perfume - I never heard of this one before. I saw it on the shelf at the video store and saw that it starred Alan Rickman (the coolest actor ever) and Dustin Hoffman, so I grabbed it. It's weird but interesting. Kind of a bizarre ending. You should be in the mood to watch a not-mainstream movie when you rent this one.
Number 23 - I knew this one was supposed to be weird, but it was a boring journey getting to the denouement.
Night At The Museum - This was a fun movie! It was better than I thought it would be. Put it on your list of movies to watch.
Breach - This is based on the real-life spy who did the most damage to our country's intelligence ever. It's an interesting movie, but don't look for plot twists or action; it's a character study film.
The Hitcher - Sean Bean is a good actor, but I think my vote is for the original 80s movie with Rutger Hauer. If you've seen the original, don't waste your time on this one.
Hannibal Rising - This chronicle of Lecter's youth is a must see for all his fans. Or read the book. It's not necessary to do both.
Little Children - A well acted character study that lasts 2 1/2 hours. I was bored after a while.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Poll Results
Ha! This poll was a trick question and you fell for it! They are all immensely talented so you couldn't possibly pick one over the others.
Yet, you did. Obviously, Sting won due to his popular solo career after The Police. Andy and Stewart have had successful solo careers as well, however their popularity has not been as wide-spread as Sting's.
If you are interested, please check out their individual websites for details.
http://www.andysummers.com/
http://www.stewartcopeland.net/
http://www.sting.com/
Yet, you did. Obviously, Sting won due to his popular solo career after The Police. Andy and Stewart have had successful solo careers as well, however their popularity has not been as wide-spread as Sting's.
If you are interested, please check out their individual websites for details.
http://www.andysummers.com/
http://www.stewartcopeland.net/
http://www.sting.com/
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Book Review: The Kite Runner
Last night I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It's well written and the story is good. This is his first novel but it reads like a book by veteran writer. However, it is a very grim story. Horrible things happen to the characters. I almost quit reading after the first 100 pages. I usually don't read books like this, but a friend loaned it to me and highly suggested I read it.
Again, it's good, but read this at your own risk. If you can stomach the first 100 pages stay with the whole book. But be warned that the atrocities aren't over until the book is over.
Overall, I would recommend this for the writing, but I hesitate to tell you to put it on your must-read list based on its content.
I think my next book is going to be The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. It should be a little more fun than this last one. I'll let you know!
Again, it's good, but read this at your own risk. If you can stomach the first 100 pages stay with the whole book. But be warned that the atrocities aren't over until the book is over.
Overall, I would recommend this for the writing, but I hesitate to tell you to put it on your must-read list based on its content.
I think my next book is going to be The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. It should be a little more fun than this last one. I'll let you know!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Poll Results
The results are in and, while he will redeem himself in the last book (2 votes) and is lucky to be portrayed by Alan Rickman (2 votes), it looks like Snape is in bad need of a shampoo (3 votes). I quite agree!
And, by the way, so does Fred Weasley. On page 444 of Deathly Hallows he says that one of the characters "...can move faster than Severus Snape when confronted with shampoo...." [snicker, snicker]
A new poll will be on its way shortly. I know you can't wait!
And, by the way, so does Fred Weasley. On page 444 of Deathly Hallows he says that one of the characters "...can move faster than Severus Snape when confronted with shampoo...." [snicker, snicker]
A new poll will be on its way shortly. I know you can't wait!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It's been a wonderful 10 years following Harry through his adventures, and now it's over. Be prepared to laugh and cry, and especially brace yourself for some shocking deaths.
I was the first one out of the store at midnight. I raced home as quickly as I dared and began reading immediately. 3 extra large Starbuck's coffees helped me stay awake most of the night. I took a 2 1/2 hour nap from 4:30 to 7, and finished at 1:45 this afternoon. Then I took a shower and a long nap!
My dad is reading it now. I won't comment on anything except what has happened in the first 100 or so pages that he's read. I'm anxious to discuss this, so when you've finished give me a call.
Until then, cheers to Harry, the boy who lived.
I was the first one out of the store at midnight. I raced home as quickly as I dared and began reading immediately. 3 extra large Starbuck's coffees helped me stay awake most of the night. I took a 2 1/2 hour nap from 4:30 to 7, and finished at 1:45 this afternoon. Then I took a shower and a long nap!
My dad is reading it now. I won't comment on anything except what has happened in the first 100 or so pages that he's read. I'm anxious to discuss this, so when you've finished give me a call.
Until then, cheers to Harry, the boy who lived.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Harry Potter Spoilers - Boo! Hiss!
As I'm sure you've heard, read and seen by now, there are spoilers all over the place for the last Harry Potter book. In my attempt to avoid them all, I'm dropping out for a couple days. I'm leaving work early today, and when I get home I won't be turning on a TV, radio or computer until I finish the book.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Good luck getting your books and enjoy the reading. Please contact me as soon as you've finished so we can discuss (you know I'll have finished it before you).
Oddment! Nitwit! Blubber! Tweak!
I hope you all have a great weekend. Good luck getting your books and enjoy the reading. Please contact me as soon as you've finished so we can discuss (you know I'll have finished it before you).
Oddment! Nitwit! Blubber! Tweak!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Police Concert
O My God! Incredible. Imagine all the songs you know and love, only BETTER! They've all been musically active this whole time and you can tell that they all brought so much more to their music than they were able to back in the early 80s. The best part was that they all seemed to be having fun! Andy Summers got many well deserved guitar solos - well deserved because he was only allowed 1 out of all songs they made ("Driven to Tears" on Zenyatta Mondatta in case you want to check it out).
Stewart Copeland is amazing! I found myself watching him about half the time. He has so much energy and a kick-ass drum and percussion set! I never listen to "The Bed's Too Big Without You" but if the album version sounded like the live version it would be in high rotation, and this is due to Stewart's drumming kicking the song up a notch. He got to show off his percussion prowess during "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and " Walking In Your Footsteps" which were really cool. You can tell he's very intense about his music.
And, of course, Sting is awesome. What else is there to say about him. :)
Here is the set list:
Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On The Moon
Voices Inside My Head
When The World Is Running Down
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Driven To Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
Bed's Too Big Without You
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
Invisible Sun
Walking In Your Footsteps
Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne King Of Pain
So Lonely Every Breath You Take
Next To You
Also, somewhere in there we got a little Regatta de Blanc. E-yo, e-yo, e-yo-yo. I hope they release a live recording of this tour. I'd be shocked if they didn't. I know Sting never misses an opportunity to cash in on whatever he can, and this seems to be a prime cashing in opportunity. And I'm buying!
Stewart Copeland is amazing! I found myself watching him about half the time. He has so much energy and a kick-ass drum and percussion set! I never listen to "The Bed's Too Big Without You" but if the album version sounded like the live version it would be in high rotation, and this is due to Stewart's drumming kicking the song up a notch. He got to show off his percussion prowess during "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and " Walking In Your Footsteps" which were really cool. You can tell he's very intense about his music.
And, of course, Sting is awesome. What else is there to say about him. :)
Here is the set list:
Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On The Moon
Voices Inside My Head
When The World Is Running Down
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Driven To Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
Bed's Too Big Without You
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
Invisible Sun
Walking In Your Footsteps
Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne King Of Pain
So Lonely Every Breath You Take
Next To You
Also, somewhere in there we got a little Regatta de Blanc. E-yo, e-yo, e-yo-yo. I hope they release a live recording of this tour. I'd be shocked if they didn't. I know Sting never misses an opportunity to cash in on whatever he can, and this seems to be a prime cashing in opportunity. And I'm buying!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Book Reviews: Hannibal Rising & Blaze
I just finished reading Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris. This book got beat up pretty bad by the critics, but I enjoyed reading it. It's the beginning of Hannibal Lecter's life and takes us through his tortured childhood and how he turned into the monster we know him as today. It's no Silence of the Lambs, but it's not as far out as Hannibal (in case you didn't enjoy the last book). It's in paperback, so if you're looking for something to read and you can't get enough of your favorite bad guy, you might want to check it out with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
The book I read before that was Blaze by "Richard Bachman" who is actually Stephen King. Two big thumbs up on this one. I'm always amazed at how easy his books are to read and how hard they are to put down. He originally wrote it back in the 70s and dusted it off a bit for publishing. You need to put this on your list of books to read.
My next book post will obviously be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You probably already know I'm going to love it, but I'll give it the special review it deserves.
That's all for now. Keep reading!
The book I read before that was Blaze by "Richard Bachman" who is actually Stephen King. Two big thumbs up on this one. I'm always amazed at how easy his books are to read and how hard they are to put down. He originally wrote it back in the 70s and dusted it off a bit for publishing. You need to put this on your list of books to read.
My next book post will obviously be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You probably already know I'm going to love it, but I'll give it the special review it deserves.
That's all for now. Keep reading!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
So how much did you love the movie?! It's incredible how good the movies are considering how much book content they leave out. Luna Lovegood is possibly my most favorite character in the series, and Ivana Lynch got her spot on! Of course, all the other actors were marvelous as well. If you haven't seen it yet, rush to the theater and see it today! Better yet, go see it in IMAX and you get the last 20 minutes in 3D (which is really cool).
I went to see the IMAX version this weekend at The Henry Ford and they had 3 live owls to see while we were waiting in line. What incredible animals! They are beyond beautiful. It was so cool to see them up close. Did you know that owls can close one eye and sleep half their brain while the other half remains alert? Did you know they only eat meat? Did you know I want a pet owl now?
I'm probably not going to get one, but these owls were from the Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor. I will definitely check it out in the near future. I think it's mostly for kids, but hey, I'm someone's kid! I think they said it's free.
Anyway, go see the movie. And rictusempra!
I went to see the IMAX version this weekend at The Henry Ford and they had 3 live owls to see while we were waiting in line. What incredible animals! They are beyond beautiful. It was so cool to see them up close. Did you know that owls can close one eye and sleep half their brain while the other half remains alert? Did you know they only eat meat? Did you know I want a pet owl now?
I'm probably not going to get one, but these owls were from the Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor. I will definitely check it out in the near future. I think it's mostly for kids, but hey, I'm someone's kid! I think they said it's free.
Anyway, go see the movie. And rictusempra!
Best Month Ever!
July 2007 is the best month ever! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie, followed by The Police concert, followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book, mixed in with good friends to share it all with!
All of that preceeded by a fun trip to Vegas to visit my brother and celebrate Boris's birthday. I don't know what I'm going to do in August to top all of this. It might be kind of a let down.
I hope you all have as great a summer as I'm having. Enjoy!
All of that preceeded by a fun trip to Vegas to visit my brother and celebrate Boris's birthday. I don't know what I'm going to do in August to top all of this. It might be kind of a let down.
I hope you all have as great a summer as I'm having. Enjoy!
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