Nap Much Needed
I had such a tiring, stressful, exciting, fun week that I had to take a nap this afternoon to recover. I never ever nap but I was falling asleep watching the Little League World Series so I just had to lie down. And I slept for FOUR hours!
Now I'm watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in HD on TNTHD. It's amazing! Oh, dear. Haldir just died at Helm's Deep. So sad.
CAUTION: Spoiler Alert
I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last week and it was great. I had purposefully kept my expectations low—since I had not been so happy with HP and the Goblet of Fire—but I didn't need to.
Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and the DA and Harry's detentions with Umbridge and the Hall of Prophecies were all like we had dropped into them out of the book. I especially liked the purring, meowing kitty plates mounted on the walls in Umbridge's office. The sound design made me want to look around the theater for all the kittens who had escaped from the pet store. (and to take one home, of course)
New additions Kreacher, the thestrals and Mrs. Figg were well done but the best has to be Luna Lovegood. I'm so glad she was given several scenes in the movie in which to shine. Lucius Malfoy was again a superb bad guy and this time he had sexy fighting robes and a new evil sidekick, Bellatrix Lestrange.
The only complaint I have is that I wished it could've been twice as long. So much that I loved in the book was sacrificed to tell the story within a reasonable time. Here are some of the things they had to omit:
So by now you must've noticed the addition to the top of my sidebar: the Countdowns from MuggleNet.
With just 27 days until the movie comes out, it's time to be planning our reading schedule to prepare. Or are you just going to watch the movies? I think I'll try re-reading everything. If I time it right, I can have books 1–5 read before the movie and then read HBP.
The Order of the Phoenix is one of my favorite books of the series but after my disappointment with the last movie, my hopes are not too high for this one. I'm looking forward to Luna appearing and Hermione being a mover and shaker behind the DA. Well, we'll just have to wait and see. (can't wait!!)
Can you believe it's only a little over a month until The Deathly Hallows is out? Have you ordered yours yet? Sorry, Sal, but I ordered mine from Amazon. (I'm a bit worried that they'll try to deliver it on that Saturday to the office. I may be sitting here at home for two days while the rest of the world is reading TDH! Perhaps I should consider staking out the office until the UPS guy arrives.)
Are you sad yet that the story is ending? Who do you think is going to die? I'm thinking it'll be Ron. I hope it's not Harry. I hope I can resist reading the end before I get to it. It'll be so hard. (can't wait!!)
TagFest: Movies
My sister Anne is in town for the weekend. She'll be working at the Hearth, Patio, Barbeque Association Expo trade show in Reno next week and was able to set up some meetings here in the Bay Area before heading up there so got a free weekend in sunny Cali.
The last time she was here we visited most of the tourist destinations she was interested in so we're just chillin' this time. Yesterday we went shopping and caught a movie: Music & Lyrics starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore.
I hadn't heard any buzz about it but I'm always up for a nice romantic comedy. Both Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore are among my favorites so I was hoping it would be okay. It was way more than that; I loved it.
Hugh plays an 80s pop star who's been relegated to performing at class reunions and state fairs. He's offered the opportunity to write a song for the hottest young star on the planet but, though he's a decent composer, his lyrics are horrendous. When Drew comes over one day to water his plants, she's discovered muttering lyrics to his tune under her breath and is, eventually, persuaded to collaborate.
That description doesn't necesarily sound very funny but, believe me, her kookiness, his self-deprecation, and their interactions are spot-on delightful. Please go see it if you like either actor or romantic comedies in general, and especially if you grew up in the 80s and recognize the names Wham!, Flock of Seagulls and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The opening video itself will make it worth your while.
Sal doesn't like pretty boys (like me) but she said she liked Orlando Bloom in Kingdom of Heaven so I put it on my queue and watched it last weekend. I was afraid it would be one of those "brown" movies that I can't watch because everything is sepia-colored as if the audience has to be reminded it's a historical picture. Luckily it wasn't. I thought it was beautifully filmed and acted. I enjoyed it a lot.
Kingdom is the story of Balian, the bastard son of a medieval knight of the crusades. After his wife and son die in England, he follows his father's path to the Holy Lands to serve the Christian king of Jerusalem. Part of me wished I knew more of the history of the setting, but I later read some reviews that said the movie didn't stick very close to actual people and events. So it was probably better for my enjoyment of the story not to know much. Next time I get it I might run the pilgrim audio commentary track to see what the movie producers have to say about the history the movie was set in.
As far as Orlando went, even with big muscles and facial hair, it was impossible for him to not be pretty. Mmmhmm.
I've been neglecting my NetFlix recently so when I woke up early on Saturday I decided to watch the two movies that have been sitting around here for awhile: Elizabethtown and Billy Elliot. I really enjoyed Billy Elliot though the disc was damaged and I missed a couple really important scenes including the "Dance of Defiance" when Billy kinda comes out to his dad showing him how good he can really dance. Maybe someday I'll get to see it. I saw part of the Dance by watching the special features. That's how I know about it at all.
I thought Elizabethtown was going to be a romantic comedy but it wasn't really funny and it really wasn't that romantic. I liked it but I think my expectations going in ruined it a little for me. Maybe I just liked it cuz it was Ooo, Ooo, Orlando the entire movie. I kinda like him juuust a little bit. Which may explain moving Troy and Kingdom of Heaven to the top of my queue. They were both in my mailbox tonight so I decided to watch Troy. That's where the melodrama comes in, not necessarily in this order.
First there was the heaving, desperate romance of the beautiful Paris and Helen. Then there was the angsty, brotherly confrontation between the beautiful Paris and Hector on the boat leaving Sparta. Then there was the supernatural Achilles taking down a muuch bigger man with a single stroke. Then there was the yummy Odysseus trying to persuade a petulant Achilles to go to war with Troy. Then there was the saccharine reunion of Hector and his wife and son. Oh the longing glances. Oh the manly shoulders. Oh the flowing locks of gold.
Oh, then there was the petulant disregard of kingly orders. Then there was the bloody sacking of Apollo's temple. Then there was them thar fighting words. Then there was the heaving, desperate romance of Achilles and that dark-haired girl. Then there was the brave self-sacrifice then the cowardly self-preservation of the beautiful Paris. Then there was lots and lots and lots of fighting which I fast-forwarded through. (Did you know that even when fast-forwarding, if you have the subtitles on, they still show up? Ducky for me!)
Then there was the great big burning balls of fire!! Oooo! Then there was lots and lots and lots of fighting which I fast-forwarded through. Then there was the stupid bravery of Achilles' cousin and the aching self-doubt of Hector. Oh, the teary, kohl-lined eyes. Oh, the cute rosy baby. Then there was the heaving, desperate call of "Hector!" "Hector!" "Hector!" (not what you're thinking!) and then the fiercest, coolest, fight between men in skirts you ever did see. Then there was the dragging through the sand. Then there was the old man crying. Then there was the satisfying redemption of a soul.
Then there was the wily yummy Odysseus and the big black horse. Then there was the smart, beautiful Paris saying "Burn it" and the foolish old men saying "It's a present. Let's take it into our impenetrably walled city and dance around it!' Then there was lots and lots and lots of fighting which I fast-forwarded through. Then there was heaving, desperate running and running and running and oh just a little more running. Oh, the sad parting words! Oh, the beautiful Paris and his bow! Oh, an arrow through Achilles' Achilles' heel!
Whoo. I'm tired from all that heaving and running and fighting. I think I need some popcorn.
Yesterday I woke up pretty early so decided to watch my NetFlix offerings before running my usual Saturday errands.
First up was Legally Blond 2: Red, White & Blond. I wasn't expecting much but it was suprisingly okay. The wackiest characters didn't appear until near the end and they had small roles. The plot wasn't entirely predictable. And Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe from 24) was in it!
Second was In Her Shoes with Toni Collette (Muriel's Wedding/About a Boy) and Cameron Diaz. This is a super movie; I don't think I've cried so much in a long time. It's the story of two sisters who are polar opposites: Rose, a hard-working, plain-looking laywer, and Maggie, an unemployable, beautiful party girl. After yet another night of drunkeness, Rose finds herself saddled with Maggie yet again. When Rose comes home one night after work to find Maggie in bed with Rose's current hot boyfriend, she throws her out and subsequently can't find her. Maggie discovers a long-lost secret and we gradually learn the reason behind why she is so unsuccessful in school and getting a job. I found the most touching part (most tissues used) when she finds someone to help her through her problem.
I skipped the library (I didn't have any books due and nothing on the hold shelf) and went straight to Trader Joe's and then the farmers market. My usual organic farm stand was out of my usual yellow tomatoes so I had to settle for red ones (oh no!). And it must be approaching the end of nectarine season, because the ones I was looking at were really big and not very pretty. I bought a couple anyway. We'll see if they're any good.
When I got back I watched some Michigan football and then the A's game. After beating the second-place Angels Friday night in 12 innings (with another walk-off hit by Marco Scutaro), their magic number was 2 and they could clinch the West with a win. They didn't win. Maybe today. I hope they do it today and can celebrate at home.
I started watching the Giants game afterwards but I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer so went to lay down. I'm not normally a successful napper but when I woke up it was dark. I had slept for three hours! So my evening was spent zoned out trying to recover from the nap. I really hate that post-nap feeling of lethargy and mental muddiness. By the time my mind felt clear, it was bedtime. Luckily my long nap didn't prevent me from falling right to sleep, though I couldn't sleep in this morning. That why I'm posting at 8 in the morning!
Go to quizfarm.com to see which action hero you would be. Here are my results:
You scored as El Zorro. Zorro is the bane of the corrupt officials of Old California, a Spanish Robin Hood, a cavalier caballero who robs from the rich, gives to the poor, and always leaves his trademark "Z" behind as a reminder that when the people need him, he will always appear on his black stallion.
I was joking with Joanna last night that she was going to have nightmares after a particularly rich meal out. Well, it was me with the vivid dream this morning. (and I had a rather innocuous black bean burrito for supper!)
(do do loodle do, do do loodle do)
I was attending the showing of a friend's film in an old timey kind of theatre. I was late so was sitting way over to one side where I had a bit of trouble seeing the screen. But it was exciting to be at a film premiere anyway.
I wasn't the last arrival though. No. A couple came in even later than me and sat in my row. In fact, who came and sat right beside me but Steven Spielberg and his wife. The famous film director sat to my left and showed me this big bag of amateurishly wrapped presents, saying that they had received them at an event they had just come from. By this time the film had started and the sound was quite loud where we were sitting so I didn't quite catch what he was saying. I thought he was telling me to open them up.
So I started unwrapping the presents. The first one was some camping gear, like a camp chair in a nice bag and a ground cloth. I don't remember what else I unwrapped but it was all pretty nice stuff. The Spielbergs weren't too happy with me though because, it turns out, they were supposed to pick just one present to open and give the rest back. It seemed quite odd and a bit crazy to me but after all...
It was just a dream.
Last night after I put my computer to sleep, I stuck The Day After Tomorrow in my DVD player. I was pleasantly surprised.
I expected it to be way over the top. It wasn't.
I expected it to be highly manipulative. It wasn't.
I didn't really expect to love it. I did.
Certainly there were some scenes that were pure gratuitous special effects (LA tornadoes) but I thought it was very well told. The love story between the teens didn't overshadow the love story between the father and son. The science was there and respected, not ill-used as just a convenient plot device. I highly recommend it.
It reminded me of the excellent in-the-near future novels by one of my favorite authors, Kim Stanley Robinson, about global warming and abrupt climate change: Forty Signs of Rain and Fifty Degrees Below. If you're looking for a realistic view of what our scientists, politicians and we will face sooner rather than later, read this trilogy (third book yet to come).
Today I watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It was highly entertaining. I have to say I loved it. I think it would've made an awesome book. Do you think they'll make a sequel? Mr. & Mrs. Smith Go to Washington?
I didn't love the earthquake effect of a hand-held camera at the beginning when they were in Colombia. But after awhile I got used to it (or they stopped using it). And I'm not a big fan of extended fight scenes, especially hand to hand, but their fight scene was kinda what the whole movie was leading up to, so I didn't fast forward through it (though I was tempted.)
I'm not the biggest Brad Pitt fan but if he's going to be in a movie, don't you think it behooves him to take off his shirt more often? I'm just saying...
E & K and I went to see American Dreamz last night after work. I found myself laughing at the previews—a good sign for me as I'm not a huge fan of comedies. I did want to see this one because I'd heard that not only does it parody American Idol but also our current president. I'm also a fan of Hugh Grant in general.
I'm glad I saw this in the theater, or more accurately, with other people. I laughed a lot more than I would've had I been alone. At times I thought I was watching a bad skit from SNL that was just going on too long, but there were a few moments and characters that were just damned funny. And I really liked how the competition ended.
My recommendation would be to wait for the DVD unless, like me, you need help psyching yourself up to find something funny.
Last weekend, after my guests left, I finally felt like sitting down to a movie. So I watched two.
Birth, starring Nicole Kidman. I thought this movie sounded way cooler than it turned out to be. A woman whose husband died 10 years ago is about to finally remarry. She then meets a boy who claims to be her dead husband. It's about grief, loss, deception, manipulation, and odd behavior. It's kinda slow with lots of pauses with no dialog, just close-ups on people. It was almost like a foreign film. Sometimes I just didn't get it. If you liked Closer, you may like Birth.
I also watched the first disc of The History of Britain. It was great. I think I'm going to try to read my Intelligent Traveller's Guide to Historic Britain in conjunction with watching the other discs. I have a bit of reading to do before the next disc comes next week.
I have Brokeback Mountain in my bag. I'm going to try to watch that this weekend.
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
I enjoyed this adventure of high camp and implausible action. I recommend it for a fun time.
Favorite Role: Crispin Glover as the Thin Man. What a great freaky portrayal of a seriously twisted character. Is he a good guy? Is he a bad guy? Who is this hair-obsessed orphan?
Biggest Disappointment: The early demise of the Scarred Surfer. He was hot! They sure didn't need a very good actor for this role. He had no lines. He only needed to look good.
Favorite Angel Look: The make-up on Natalie (Cameron Diaz) during the motocross scenes. I loved the silver streak across her eyes.
Favorite Cameo: Pink.
Honorable Mention: Demi Moore was perfect as the Fallen Angel. She looked great, had great lines, and sure kicked some butt.
DVD Oops: The English subtitles didn't work. You know I love closed captioning.
Last night I finally finished watching the documentary on Elizabeth I. It was kind of disappointing. I was hoping for more I guess. They ended with the English win over the Spanish Armada and didn't even tell us about the last years of her reign or who was king after she died leaving no natural heir. I guess I'll have to read a book about it.
I also watched Finding Neverland, the story of JM Barrie, the playwright who wrote Peter Pan. It was excellent. I highly recommend it for all ages. Johnny Depp has to be the most beautiful man in the entire world. I laughed, I cried and then cried some more. So make sure you have tissues on hand before hitting play on your DVD player. Kate Winslet was very good as were all the little boys who played her sons. The imaginary scenes merged so well with the real scenes that I often didn't notice when they left one for the other.
So I mailed those two back this morning. I still have Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett. I may watch that tonight seeing as there's still no Survivor. Next on my Netflix queue are: Birth (with Nicole Kidman) and the first disc of The History of Britain.
So I joined Netflix last Friday and soon had a queue of over 60 titles. That was overdoing it a bit, I know, but whenever you add one to your queue they show you movies you might also be interested in, so it's hard to stop. When I thought I had too many, I printed out my list and then eliminated over half. Now I have 25 or so. That's enough.
For the free two week trial, they set you up with three movies at a time. My first three were Beauty Shop, and a 2-disc set of an A&E show on Elizabeth I. Beauty Shop was a'ight. I like Queen Latifah but the rest of the cast was uninteresting to me. The plot was kinda boring, saved only by the excellent revenge on Jorge. All in all it was cute.
I watched the first disc on Elizabeth I last night. The information was good but they presented it with actors who basically had to look either stern, happy, sad, concerned, troubled, satisfied, etc. but hardly said a word. Once in a while they let the actor present some quote in a stiff formal tone. A couple times they even had the narrator speaking the words that the actor was mouthing. It wasn't entirely pleasant but it won't stop me from watching the second disc.
Finding Neverland should be arriving tomorrow! Gotta love that Johnny Depp.
