Stuck on You
The Farrelly Brothers, Peter and Bobby, were on their way to becoming one of the best comedy teams ever. They made "There's Something About Mary" and "Dumb and Dumber" plus they directed "Kingpin". Then there was dud after dud after dud. "Outside Providence", "Me, Myself, and Irene", "Shallow Hal" (okay, but nothing amazing), and "Osmosis Jones". The Farrellys probably hoped "Stuck On You" would mark their triumphant return, but alas, no.
The film stars Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as conjoined twins Bob and Walt. Successive burger joint owners, Bob and Walt were the talk of the town of Martha's Vineyard. But Walt has dreams of becoming an actor and convinces Bob to make the trek to Los Angeles to see if he can make it big. It was also an excellent time to meet Bob's penpal, May, who doesn't know about their condition. After moving in to a shady apartment and meeting a neighbor, namely Eva Mendes, they soon try to get to as many auditions as they can but are shut out. At the same time, Cher herself is trying to get out of a TV pilot and figures the only way to do it is to get Walt in as the star. She figures there's no way the network will let a conjoined twin be the star. But they do and it's a big success. With their diverging needs and wants, Walt figures it's time to separate, something Bob has been reluctant to do since it would harm Walt. But it seems Walt won't take no for an answer.
The movie is humorous but results in very few belly laughs, something the classic three had plenty of. By highlighting the condition of siamese twins, the jokes make it seem like we're laughing at them instead of with them, making it look mean instead of funny. However, Damon and Kinnear show excellent comedic chemistry together. Their timing is impeccable; ha, like their twins or something. If only they had better material to work with, it would have been even better. 1.5 stars
12/17/2003
Mystic River
Jimmy, Sean, and Dave were three Boston boys who did everything together. Yet when Dave was kidnapped and molested for a period of several days. Things were never the same after that. Sure, they lived in the same area but they never did get around to seeing each other as often as they once did. They each went on to lead different lives. Jimmy (Sean Penn) runs a small grocery store and has three daughters, his oldest, Katie, from a previous marriage. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is in the midst of a separation and is a homicide detective. Dave (Tim Robbins) became a handyman and has a son. Their lives became closely intertwined once again when Katie is reported missing and later found dead in a park. Sean becomes the lead investigator and is partnered with Whitey Powers (Laurence Fishburne). The wild-card here is Dave who last saw Katie in a bar and later in the night, showed up at home with a knife wound and blood on his hands.
The film is masterfully directed by Clint Eastwood who shows all the experience and appreciation to detail one can show with a number of award-winning films under his belt. But like any mystery, the story gets interesting when there are clues to quench our thirst to find the truth. And for a time in the beginning, clues are found few and far between, leaving the storytelling stuck in neutral as everyone gives their best sob performances. It isn't until all signs point to Dave when the story's true brilliance and conflict comes to light and presents us with a struggle of emotion. That being said, Robbins probably gives the best performance of the movie, balancing a cold demeanor with the potential truths he is hiding. Penn also gives a quality performance, but it's not something that he hasn't done before; same with Bacon. Underused in the film are the wives as they are barely seen; the exception being Marcia Gay Harden who does her best dealing with Dave through her facial expressions. It all ends poignantly, leaving you guessing what happens next. 3 stars
Jimmy, Sean, and Dave were three Boston boys who did everything together. Yet when Dave was kidnapped and molested for a period of several days. Things were never the same after that. Sure, they lived in the same area but they never did get around to seeing each other as often as they once did. They each went on to lead different lives. Jimmy (Sean Penn) runs a small grocery store and has three daughters, his oldest, Katie, from a previous marriage. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is in the midst of a separation and is a homicide detective. Dave (Tim Robbins) became a handyman and has a son. Their lives became closely intertwined once again when Katie is reported missing and later found dead in a park. Sean becomes the lead investigator and is partnered with Whitey Powers (Laurence Fishburne). The wild-card here is Dave who last saw Katie in a bar and later in the night, showed up at home with a knife wound and blood on his hands.
The film is masterfully directed by Clint Eastwood who shows all the experience and appreciation to detail one can show with a number of award-winning films under his belt. But like any mystery, the story gets interesting when there are clues to quench our thirst to find the truth. And for a time in the beginning, clues are found few and far between, leaving the storytelling stuck in neutral as everyone gives their best sob performances. It isn't until all signs point to Dave when the story's true brilliance and conflict comes to light and presents us with a struggle of emotion. That being said, Robbins probably gives the best performance of the movie, balancing a cold demeanor with the potential truths he is hiding. Penn also gives a quality performance, but it's not something that he hasn't done before; same with Bacon. Underused in the film are the wives as they are barely seen; the exception being Marcia Gay Harden who does her best dealing with Dave through her facial expressions. It all ends poignantly, leaving you guessing what happens next. 3 stars
12/14/2003
In breaking news sure to disappoint Jon, the Orioles have lured Miguel Tejada away from the A's with a 6-year $72 million contract. Talented he is, but probably not worth this much, no? With the prospect of signing Vladimir Guerrero and a star catcher (Ivan Rodriguez or Javy Lopez), the Orioles will be about 20 guys away from fielding a decent team to compete.
Meanwhile, the A's have lost Tejada and closer Keith Foulke to other teams with only high-priced but limited talent free agents and inexperienced minor leaguers left to fill their spots. The Giants are in the same boat, losing Rich Aurilia, Benito Santiago, and Tim Worrell while their only prized pickup is rumored to be...Darren Oliver? Whew, this looks bad.
Meanwhile, the A's have lost Tejada and closer Keith Foulke to other teams with only high-priced but limited talent free agents and inexperienced minor leaguers left to fill their spots. The Giants are in the same boat, losing Rich Aurilia, Benito Santiago, and Tim Worrell while their only prized pickup is rumored to be...Darren Oliver? Whew, this looks bad.
Saddam Hussein proved not to be as elusive as Bin Laden has been as Hussein has been captured after eight months of hiding. What a great day this must be for Americans, Iraqis, and the world. I don't know about you, but if I was dictator of a fairly large country, rich beyond my wildest dreams, yielding some major weapons (nuclear? chemical? biological? uhh, no comment), yet forcibly taken out of power by the most powerful country in the world, I would not stay in that country. Yet, that's where they found Hussein, right near his hometown too, sure, in a tunnel and with a fairly long beard. Judging by the picture, he may look old, but he looks healthy (he was smiling in the tape!) and all those news reports that he had plastic surgery were completely false. See, without an open media in Iraq, he couldn't get an Extreme Makeover, or at a lower level, not even a makeover with a queer eye.
Though most likely, Saddam would have executed the guy with a queer eye before allowing him to do anything.
Politically, it's a boon for President Bush, up for re-election in ten and a half short months. His administration has been getting dogged by doubts that the military can handle the escalating situation in Iraq, the rising death toll, the money being invested, the exclusive contracts to Halliburton and others, etc. This news should quiet the critics for at least a little while, especially his Democratic rivals, where this is their only issue they can effectively fight President Bush in the face of an improving economy. Sure, they could talk about the environment, and the new Medicare plan, and all those tax cuts, but the two major issues facing the country is the economy and Iraq. That being said, unemployment is dropping, albeit SLOWLY, GDP growth is lightning fast, Iraq is supposedly on its way to self-government according to its timetable, and the insurgents don't have a leader to look up to. Saddam has been captured. Now Bush must be dying to see what message his rivals will approve of next.
Though most likely, Saddam would have executed the guy with a queer eye before allowing him to do anything.
Politically, it's a boon for President Bush, up for re-election in ten and a half short months. His administration has been getting dogged by doubts that the military can handle the escalating situation in Iraq, the rising death toll, the money being invested, the exclusive contracts to Halliburton and others, etc. This news should quiet the critics for at least a little while, especially his Democratic rivals, where this is their only issue they can effectively fight President Bush in the face of an improving economy. Sure, they could talk about the environment, and the new Medicare plan, and all those tax cuts, but the two major issues facing the country is the economy and Iraq. That being said, unemployment is dropping, albeit SLOWLY, GDP growth is lightning fast, Iraq is supposedly on its way to self-government according to its timetable, and the insurgents don't have a leader to look up to. Saddam has been captured. Now Bush must be dying to see what message his rivals will approve of next.
12/10/2003
I'm coming to you live from the Doe Library as finals week has begun in earnest. Lucky or unlucky me, as the case maybe, I've got finals in the first group, the last group, and the one on Saturday. As a result, the first one was this morning, a deceptively easy one if I may say so. Deceptive since the professor's exams have always been easy but the class always seems to stumble on it.
It's been awhile since my last post that was non-movie related. But honestly, not much has happened since then.
I went to two new-age Asian restaurants. Those Americans trying to run Asian restaurants are the weirdest bunch. We heard they had decent food, so we decided to try it out. The first was P.F. Chang's. It's a Chinese bistro. The first thing that sticks out is the supposedly authentic decor, with statues of Chinese soldiers and lots of artwork. Too bad the waitress was not the same. Her first mistake was not noticing that we were Asian to begin with. Through her talk, you can tell she incorrectly assumed that we've never been to a Chinese restaurant before. She lectured us on their "unique" concept of family-style cuisine, what the dipping sauces were, etc. I'm surprised she didn't tell us how to use chopsticks. (Haha, no worries, there are forks galore.) The food, overpriced as it was, was not half-bad, though I wouldn't have minded going to a cheap dollar place instead.
Then there's the case of the Straits Cafe, located in SF and Santana Row. It's nearby that Asian decor shop where my brother likes to point out that crappy oil paintings that sit collecting dust in my grandfather's garage could probably sell for tens of thousands of dollars here. Straits serves Malaysian food, which is a collection of a whole bunch of cuisines in the Southeast Asian area. One difference between this and P.F. Chang's? The table has a lazy susan. Other than that, it was predictable fare. A combination of Indian and Thai food in my opinion. And a small amount of calamari for $10. In terms of decor, they don't even try to make it authentic. It seems utterly American. The music made it seem like one of Jeanette's online music shows.
In other news, I had the windows replaced on my apartment. My parents were afraid the contractors might come in and steal my credit card numbers or something, but that wasn't the case. The search for a roommate continues as my landlord has slashed the rent offered to $475 from $500 before and the $550 I'm currently paying. Now she calls almost every day wondering if I've found a person to move in. So now I have to make another ad. I sincerely hope no one responds. It's nice having at least a little privacy.
Finally, could someone explain to me how Steve, he of the Oakland bunch, has come to be president of the Berkeley VSA? I can see it now. No fundraising needed...they all should be able to make the money they need through trips to Cache Creek.
It's been awhile since my last post that was non-movie related. But honestly, not much has happened since then.
I went to two new-age Asian restaurants. Those Americans trying to run Asian restaurants are the weirdest bunch. We heard they had decent food, so we decided to try it out. The first was P.F. Chang's. It's a Chinese bistro. The first thing that sticks out is the supposedly authentic decor, with statues of Chinese soldiers and lots of artwork. Too bad the waitress was not the same. Her first mistake was not noticing that we were Asian to begin with. Through her talk, you can tell she incorrectly assumed that we've never been to a Chinese restaurant before. She lectured us on their "unique" concept of family-style cuisine, what the dipping sauces were, etc. I'm surprised she didn't tell us how to use chopsticks. (Haha, no worries, there are forks galore.) The food, overpriced as it was, was not half-bad, though I wouldn't have minded going to a cheap dollar place instead.
Then there's the case of the Straits Cafe, located in SF and Santana Row. It's nearby that Asian decor shop where my brother likes to point out that crappy oil paintings that sit collecting dust in my grandfather's garage could probably sell for tens of thousands of dollars here. Straits serves Malaysian food, which is a collection of a whole bunch of cuisines in the Southeast Asian area. One difference between this and P.F. Chang's? The table has a lazy susan. Other than that, it was predictable fare. A combination of Indian and Thai food in my opinion. And a small amount of calamari for $10. In terms of decor, they don't even try to make it authentic. It seems utterly American. The music made it seem like one of Jeanette's online music shows.
In other news, I had the windows replaced on my apartment. My parents were afraid the contractors might come in and steal my credit card numbers or something, but that wasn't the case. The search for a roommate continues as my landlord has slashed the rent offered to $475 from $500 before and the $550 I'm currently paying. Now she calls almost every day wondering if I've found a person to move in. So now I have to make another ad. I sincerely hope no one responds. It's nice having at least a little privacy.
Finally, could someone explain to me how Steve, he of the Oakland bunch, has come to be president of the Berkeley VSA? I can see it now. No fundraising needed...they all should be able to make the money they need through trips to Cache Creek.
12/06/2003
Runaway Jury
The widow of a murdered lawyer, shot by a madman with a semi-automatic weapon, does what any widow would do in this situation: sue the gun manufacturer of course. So she hires Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) and proceeds to sue Vicksburg Firearms. The company is obviously worried about the outcome of the case and hires a jury consultant led by Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman). But this is no ordinary jury consulting firm (Jeremy Piven seems to play this role for the plaintiffs). Armed with high-tech equipment, manpower, and unlimited sources of information, they can pick and choose jurors while manipulating the swing jurors their way through other means. Enter Nicholas Easter, played by John Cusack. By an unknown motive, he gets on that jury, allowing girlfriend Marlee (Rachel Weisz) to offer the jury to either side for a price of $10 million.
Based on the John Grisham novel and directed by Gary Fleder, this movie provides solid entertainment but nothing truly remarkable. While it has the addition of a juror's point of view and the tampering of said jury, "Runaway Jury" hits with the same level of impact of a "Practice" episode. Not even a good one, just an average one at that. It even got Dylan McDermott to cameo as the murdered lawyer. The plot holes in the beginning and the preaching at the end didn't exactly help. Hackman's scenes as a forceful manipulator, not as the helpless fool, really worked well. But other than that, the performances by some big name stars were underwhelming, especially Hoffman, who as a principled attorney, sticks to his guns and as a result, doesn't get the juicy scenes Hackman and Cusack get. So watch the first half for the interesting parts but by the time the case gets rolling, you know what exactly will happen. 2.5 stars
The widow of a murdered lawyer, shot by a madman with a semi-automatic weapon, does what any widow would do in this situation: sue the gun manufacturer of course. So she hires Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) and proceeds to sue Vicksburg Firearms. The company is obviously worried about the outcome of the case and hires a jury consultant led by Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman). But this is no ordinary jury consulting firm (Jeremy Piven seems to play this role for the plaintiffs). Armed with high-tech equipment, manpower, and unlimited sources of information, they can pick and choose jurors while manipulating the swing jurors their way through other means. Enter Nicholas Easter, played by John Cusack. By an unknown motive, he gets on that jury, allowing girlfriend Marlee (Rachel Weisz) to offer the jury to either side for a price of $10 million.
Based on the John Grisham novel and directed by Gary Fleder, this movie provides solid entertainment but nothing truly remarkable. While it has the addition of a juror's point of view and the tampering of said jury, "Runaway Jury" hits with the same level of impact of a "Practice" episode. Not even a good one, just an average one at that. It even got Dylan McDermott to cameo as the murdered lawyer. The plot holes in the beginning and the preaching at the end didn't exactly help. Hackman's scenes as a forceful manipulator, not as the helpless fool, really worked well. But other than that, the performances by some big name stars were underwhelming, especially Hoffman, who as a principled attorney, sticks to his guns and as a result, doesn't get the juicy scenes Hackman and Cusack get. So watch the first half for the interesting parts but by the time the case gets rolling, you know what exactly will happen. 2.5 stars
12/04/2003
The Last Samurai
This past Thanksgiving, I got reacquainted with the films of Akira Kurosawa, the master of Japanese cinema, by watching his best colorized film, "Ran", a Japanese version of Shakespeare's King Lear. His balance of still imagery and the realistic bloody scenes of the samurai truly describes the visionary he was. Kurosawa and a variety of other films influenced director Edward Zwick's latest creation, "The Last Samurai".
In it, Tom Cruise plays Captain Nathan Algren, a Civil War soldier now doing nothing in the year 1876 except for being a spokesman for the gun company Winchester for $25 a week. An opportunity arises to train the Japanese army into a modern fighting machine and Algren is forced to take it. Japan faces a civil war pitting the forces who want to modernize and plan ahead for the future with guns and trade agreements against the traditionalists, namely the Samurai. The emperor is loyal to both and is reluctant to commit to either side. With a couple of weeks training, the unprepared army is rushed into its first battle and is easily vanquished. Algren is taken prisoner by the leader of the samurai, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). For the next 6 months, Algren is witness to a highly disciplined society and soon learns the ways of the samurai as well as the Japanese language. As compassionate as he is for them, he is returned to the other side as Katsumoto travels to Tokyo to try to negotiate peace. He ultimately fails and he and Algren return to the village to prepare for a fight that will decide the fate of Japan's military future.
One of the best movies of the last 15 years is Zwick's "Glory" with the similar storyline of a white man surrounded by a black army. And for the first hour, it seemed this would be the same, straight down to Algren forcing a soldier to shoot with the sounds of gunfire in the air. After Algren was captured, the movie grew into something more. We come to appreciate the Japanese way of life as Algren had. We see some in Japan turning into their American counterparts, technologically superior with money as their language of choice. And we see the distinguishing qualities of being honorable and being dishonorable.
The movie, though long at almost two and a half hours, moves quickly with a fast pace to its story. Even at its most tender moments, especially the culmination of the budding romance between Algren and his caretaker Taka, the pacing is just right, not too fast we would miss it nor too slow that it drags. Cruise is solid in his role but the real star is Watanabe, whose silence speaks volumes and otherwise does a lot with the words he speaks and the leadership he shows. The film though is guilty of placing a lot of 20th-century references into a 19th-century period piece, from some of the phrases being said to battles and situations we've seen in countless movies before. So what sets this movie apart with those countess movies? "The Last Samurai" is the complete package, full of emotion, action adventure, and a few moments of humor, including a small homage to Cruise's dance in "Risky Business".
No, it doesn't reach the level of Kurosawa, but, in this day and age, what can? 3.5 stars
This past Thanksgiving, I got reacquainted with the films of Akira Kurosawa, the master of Japanese cinema, by watching his best colorized film, "Ran", a Japanese version of Shakespeare's King Lear. His balance of still imagery and the realistic bloody scenes of the samurai truly describes the visionary he was. Kurosawa and a variety of other films influenced director Edward Zwick's latest creation, "The Last Samurai".
In it, Tom Cruise plays Captain Nathan Algren, a Civil War soldier now doing nothing in the year 1876 except for being a spokesman for the gun company Winchester for $25 a week. An opportunity arises to train the Japanese army into a modern fighting machine and Algren is forced to take it. Japan faces a civil war pitting the forces who want to modernize and plan ahead for the future with guns and trade agreements against the traditionalists, namely the Samurai. The emperor is loyal to both and is reluctant to commit to either side. With a couple of weeks training, the unprepared army is rushed into its first battle and is easily vanquished. Algren is taken prisoner by the leader of the samurai, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). For the next 6 months, Algren is witness to a highly disciplined society and soon learns the ways of the samurai as well as the Japanese language. As compassionate as he is for them, he is returned to the other side as Katsumoto travels to Tokyo to try to negotiate peace. He ultimately fails and he and Algren return to the village to prepare for a fight that will decide the fate of Japan's military future.
One of the best movies of the last 15 years is Zwick's "Glory" with the similar storyline of a white man surrounded by a black army. And for the first hour, it seemed this would be the same, straight down to Algren forcing a soldier to shoot with the sounds of gunfire in the air. After Algren was captured, the movie grew into something more. We come to appreciate the Japanese way of life as Algren had. We see some in Japan turning into their American counterparts, technologically superior with money as their language of choice. And we see the distinguishing qualities of being honorable and being dishonorable.
The movie, though long at almost two and a half hours, moves quickly with a fast pace to its story. Even at its most tender moments, especially the culmination of the budding romance between Algren and his caretaker Taka, the pacing is just right, not too fast we would miss it nor too slow that it drags. Cruise is solid in his role but the real star is Watanabe, whose silence speaks volumes and otherwise does a lot with the words he speaks and the leadership he shows. The film though is guilty of placing a lot of 20th-century references into a 19th-century period piece, from some of the phrases being said to battles and situations we've seen in countless movies before. So what sets this movie apart with those countess movies? "The Last Samurai" is the complete package, full of emotion, action adventure, and a few moments of humor, including a small homage to Cruise's dance in "Risky Business".
No, it doesn't reach the level of Kurosawa, but, in this day and age, what can? 3.5 stars
Bad Santa
Christmas always brings a sense of joy to all who celebrate it. It's no different for Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) and Marcus (Tony Cox). Every Christmas, Willie plays a mall Santa and Marcus his elf and they go around to a different mall each year and robs them on Christmas Eve. One Christmas, Willie believed it was the right time to call it quits but with his empty pockets, he's forced to do it again for one more Christmas, this time in Phoenix with an inquisitive mall manager (John Ritter, in his final role) and a know-it-all security chief (Bernie Mac). It now seems Willie has hit rock bottom. Barely able to stand up straight with all the drinking he does, he barely gets through the day, just waiting for the holiday season to end. A few nights in, he meets a fat kid who truly believes he is Santa Claus. At first Willie exploits him, but soon a connection develops and he becomes a father figure in his life. As a result, Willie is forced to balance good and bad, leading to a showdown in the end.
I never saw "Crumb" but I did see Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World" which I thought brought a fresh view of outcasts growing up in a new world. Zwigoff again brings his sense of style to change what we know about dark comedies, "Bad Santa" being one of the darkest comedies I've ever seen. Every minute is filled with something offensive and every minute is filled with a laugh, some out loud, others just a chuckle. But a comedy needs to have its limits and this one doesn't have any, which really turned me off. It hit rock bottom when Willie starts to beat up children. Sure, it's to defend his new friend, but come now, that's pretty low. There's also some missed opportunities. Ritter seems to disappear after the first half of the movie and Cloris Leachman is the grandmother who either sits in her recliner or makes sandwiches. Still, the movie's pretty damn funny. 2.5 stars
Christmas always brings a sense of joy to all who celebrate it. It's no different for Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) and Marcus (Tony Cox). Every Christmas, Willie plays a mall Santa and Marcus his elf and they go around to a different mall each year and robs them on Christmas Eve. One Christmas, Willie believed it was the right time to call it quits but with his empty pockets, he's forced to do it again for one more Christmas, this time in Phoenix with an inquisitive mall manager (John Ritter, in his final role) and a know-it-all security chief (Bernie Mac). It now seems Willie has hit rock bottom. Barely able to stand up straight with all the drinking he does, he barely gets through the day, just waiting for the holiday season to end. A few nights in, he meets a fat kid who truly believes he is Santa Claus. At first Willie exploits him, but soon a connection develops and he becomes a father figure in his life. As a result, Willie is forced to balance good and bad, leading to a showdown in the end.
I never saw "Crumb" but I did see Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World" which I thought brought a fresh view of outcasts growing up in a new world. Zwigoff again brings his sense of style to change what we know about dark comedies, "Bad Santa" being one of the darkest comedies I've ever seen. Every minute is filled with something offensive and every minute is filled with a laugh, some out loud, others just a chuckle. But a comedy needs to have its limits and this one doesn't have any, which really turned me off. It hit rock bottom when Willie starts to beat up children. Sure, it's to defend his new friend, but come now, that's pretty low. There's also some missed opportunities. Ritter seems to disappear after the first half of the movie and Cloris Leachman is the grandmother who either sits in her recliner or makes sandwiches. Still, the movie's pretty damn funny. 2.5 stars
21 Grams
At first glance, the three people we get to know in this movie have absolutely nothing in common. One is a math professor who's facing heart failure with a wife who is desperate to have his baby before he dies. Another is a reformed housewife with a loving husband and two kids. She used to do drugs. She still does, but she used to too. Finally, there's the ex-con who has turned to Christianity for guidance in life and believes God has a hand in everything he does. Yet, a tragic accident brings together the lives of Paul (Sean Penn), Cristina (Naomi Watts), and Jack (Benicio Del Toro) and sends each of them on a journey through pain and pleasure, love and loss, and desperation and death.
Look closer and you'll find a wonderful film. The thing most people will notice is the non-linear format of the film, something that can blow up in the face of an inexperienced director. But even though the film really is directed (and written) by an inexperienced director Alejandro Inarritu, he shows off the skills of a professional, making us wonder about the characters while we know in the back of our minds what's going to happen though it's disorienting at first. But in fact, by the ending, it all hits us with equal, if not greater, impact than it might have been chronologically. The performances are also key to this film's success. Penn is his usual angry self and Watts is a sight to see, but the best performance comes from Del Toro. Though his character is the least featured of the three, you can really sense the passion he exudes in his role and the transformation he's forced to go through, from one who believes in the word of God to one who questions them; from reformed criminal to criminal; from a nice family guy to a loner forced to separate from his family. The jumbled scenes portray these characters on a downward spiral but in the end, we realize we all have our roles in society and there isn't much we can do about it. 3.5 stars
At first glance, the three people we get to know in this movie have absolutely nothing in common. One is a math professor who's facing heart failure with a wife who is desperate to have his baby before he dies. Another is a reformed housewife with a loving husband and two kids. She used to do drugs. She still does, but she used to too. Finally, there's the ex-con who has turned to Christianity for guidance in life and believes God has a hand in everything he does. Yet, a tragic accident brings together the lives of Paul (Sean Penn), Cristina (Naomi Watts), and Jack (Benicio Del Toro) and sends each of them on a journey through pain and pleasure, love and loss, and desperation and death.
Look closer and you'll find a wonderful film. The thing most people will notice is the non-linear format of the film, something that can blow up in the face of an inexperienced director. But even though the film really is directed (and written) by an inexperienced director Alejandro Inarritu, he shows off the skills of a professional, making us wonder about the characters while we know in the back of our minds what's going to happen though it's disorienting at first. But in fact, by the ending, it all hits us with equal, if not greater, impact than it might have been chronologically. The performances are also key to this film's success. Penn is his usual angry self and Watts is a sight to see, but the best performance comes from Del Toro. Though his character is the least featured of the three, you can really sense the passion he exudes in his role and the transformation he's forced to go through, from one who believes in the word of God to one who questions them; from reformed criminal to criminal; from a nice family guy to a loner forced to separate from his family. The jumbled scenes portray these characters on a downward spiral but in the end, we realize we all have our roles in society and there isn't much we can do about it. 3.5 stars
12/01/2003
11/27/2003
11/23/2003
Elf
Will Ferrell, in whatever role he's in, produces memorable characters with hilarious results. From the near death burn victim in Austin Powers, to a divorcee in Old School, and finally his portrayal as President George W. Bush on SNL, Ferrell has a way of doing anything for a laugh. In Elf, he plays Buddy the Elf. As a baby at the adoption agency, he sneaks into Santa's bag on Christmas and grows up on the North Pole. Years later, fully grown and obviously not an elf, he goes to New York to find his real father, who turns out to be an editor who looks amazingly like James Caan and goes by the name of Walter. With a family of his own, Walter isn't too receptive of meeting his son from a former relationship but he tries to make the best of it as the pressures of work become so great, he's in danger of getting fired. Buddy, in the meantime, has difficulty adjusting to city-life. After all, he's grown up as an elf. People celebrate Christmas for a short time every year while for Buddy, it's his entire life. He soon stumbles upon a partially decorated Santa's workshop with a fake Santa he loudly calls out. It's here that he's charmed by a "worker elf" in Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). Soon, it's Christmas Eve and Santa's having problems with his sleigh and only Buddy can help him out.
Without Ferrell, this story of elves and humans wouldn't be any good. It's the energy Ferrell brings to the role, with his big smile everywhere, that keeps us in a good mood throughout most of the movie. It isn't until its hurried and somewhat inexplicable ending that even Ferrell himself can't save. His fight with his elf counterpart is good for a cheap laugh, but nothing more. Santa's sleigh breaking down in Central Park with the Central Park police chasing him on horseback was just weird. Caan is supposed to be in the Christmas spirit by the end, but it doesn't seem like he changed a bit by the end. And ultimately, the North Pole is supposed to be a mythical place where we believe Santa and his elves are anxiously building toys for the next Christmas. But it seems Buddy comes and goes as he pleases. After all, he walks from the North Pole to New York! What's to stop someone to follow him and ruin Christmas for everyone? At least "The Santa Clause" had security measures. On the strength of Ferrell's performance in the first half along with playing along with what goes on in the second, gets this movie a borderline thumbs-up. 2.5 stars
Will Ferrell, in whatever role he's in, produces memorable characters with hilarious results. From the near death burn victim in Austin Powers, to a divorcee in Old School, and finally his portrayal as President George W. Bush on SNL, Ferrell has a way of doing anything for a laugh. In Elf, he plays Buddy the Elf. As a baby at the adoption agency, he sneaks into Santa's bag on Christmas and grows up on the North Pole. Years later, fully grown and obviously not an elf, he goes to New York to find his real father, who turns out to be an editor who looks amazingly like James Caan and goes by the name of Walter. With a family of his own, Walter isn't too receptive of meeting his son from a former relationship but he tries to make the best of it as the pressures of work become so great, he's in danger of getting fired. Buddy, in the meantime, has difficulty adjusting to city-life. After all, he's grown up as an elf. People celebrate Christmas for a short time every year while for Buddy, it's his entire life. He soon stumbles upon a partially decorated Santa's workshop with a fake Santa he loudly calls out. It's here that he's charmed by a "worker elf" in Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). Soon, it's Christmas Eve and Santa's having problems with his sleigh and only Buddy can help him out.
Without Ferrell, this story of elves and humans wouldn't be any good. It's the energy Ferrell brings to the role, with his big smile everywhere, that keeps us in a good mood throughout most of the movie. It isn't until its hurried and somewhat inexplicable ending that even Ferrell himself can't save. His fight with his elf counterpart is good for a cheap laugh, but nothing more. Santa's sleigh breaking down in Central Park with the Central Park police chasing him on horseback was just weird. Caan is supposed to be in the Christmas spirit by the end, but it doesn't seem like he changed a bit by the end. And ultimately, the North Pole is supposed to be a mythical place where we believe Santa and his elves are anxiously building toys for the next Christmas. But it seems Buddy comes and goes as he pleases. After all, he walks from the North Pole to New York! What's to stop someone to follow him and ruin Christmas for everyone? At least "The Santa Clause" had security measures. On the strength of Ferrell's performance in the first half along with playing along with what goes on in the second, gets this movie a borderline thumbs-up. 2.5 stars
11/22/2003
Elephant
Alex and Eric lead pretty normal lives. Alex plays the piano. He's got parents who seem to be nice and on speaking terms. He plays video games. Eric is the buddy. They seem to do many things together. As such, they're gay and they're outcasts. Oh yeah, they like guns too.
The day was starting off pretty normally in an Oregon high school. A couple is going to the doctor to see if the girl is pregnant. A boy was taking care of his drunk father. Teenage girls ate a salad and quickly threw it back up in the bathroom. A young photographer stops a couple to take some pictures. An insecure girl is shelving books in the library. Ah, normal times. Then with guns they've ordered through the mail, Alex and Eric walk onto campus with no fear in their eyes, quietly load up, walk into the library and start blasting away as if they're playing the very video game seen earlier in the film.
Wow, the film treats these students' lives with such nonchalance, you get a pit in your stomach when you see them pinned down one by one after getting to know them for the first hour. There's no concrete reason given for Alex and Eric's shootout. They didn't even seem to be mad at anything. It was a calm killing all around, but to us, it's all too shocking. The same way the students' deaths are treated indifferently, the gunfire and violence are as well, It's not glorified or dignified, it just continues as it had in the first hour, by just filming it and watching. And that's the message writer and director Gus Van Sant seems to be sending in this film. Van Sant's style is simple and excellent, giving us a voyeuristic view of students' daily lives, following behind them as if we were there. Also well done was the intersecting storylines where different cameras following different students will meet up and then go on to give us a sense of timing. So yes, it's senseless, it's a tad bloody, and it's pretty much pointless as it stands, but afterwards, you can't help but wonder how that could have happened in the first place and where it will happen next. It stands to start discussion, not to answer why.
Well, I guess not exactly pointless. As Alex reminds Eric before they begin, the most important thing is to have fun. 3.5 stars
Alex and Eric lead pretty normal lives. Alex plays the piano. He's got parents who seem to be nice and on speaking terms. He plays video games. Eric is the buddy. They seem to do many things together. As such, they're gay and they're outcasts. Oh yeah, they like guns too.
The day was starting off pretty normally in an Oregon high school. A couple is going to the doctor to see if the girl is pregnant. A boy was taking care of his drunk father. Teenage girls ate a salad and quickly threw it back up in the bathroom. A young photographer stops a couple to take some pictures. An insecure girl is shelving books in the library. Ah, normal times. Then with guns they've ordered through the mail, Alex and Eric walk onto campus with no fear in their eyes, quietly load up, walk into the library and start blasting away as if they're playing the very video game seen earlier in the film.
Wow, the film treats these students' lives with such nonchalance, you get a pit in your stomach when you see them pinned down one by one after getting to know them for the first hour. There's no concrete reason given for Alex and Eric's shootout. They didn't even seem to be mad at anything. It was a calm killing all around, but to us, it's all too shocking. The same way the students' deaths are treated indifferently, the gunfire and violence are as well, It's not glorified or dignified, it just continues as it had in the first hour, by just filming it and watching. And that's the message writer and director Gus Van Sant seems to be sending in this film. Van Sant's style is simple and excellent, giving us a voyeuristic view of students' daily lives, following behind them as if we were there. Also well done was the intersecting storylines where different cameras following different students will meet up and then go on to give us a sense of timing. So yes, it's senseless, it's a tad bloody, and it's pretty much pointless as it stands, but afterwards, you can't help but wonder how that could have happened in the first place and where it will happen next. It stands to start discussion, not to answer why.
Well, I guess not exactly pointless. As Alex reminds Eric before they begin, the most important thing is to have fun. 3.5 stars
You know it. You tell the story. You tell the whole damn world this is Bear Territory.
The traditional chant after a win for the Golden Bears ran the chance of not being yelled out after the wrong Bears team showed up to the Big Game. For the first 30 minutes, it seemed we were watching a Tom Holmoe coached team. Dropped passes. Sputtering offense. Turnovers. In fact, 4 in the first half alone. Luckily, their opponent in Stanfurd was inept at handling the ball which kept the game close and allowed the sleeping Bears to wake up in the second half to score an ugly victory in the 106th Big Game.
It started off badly for the Bears on the opening kickoff as returner James Bethea coughed up the ball allowing the Cardinal to take advantage with a 3-0 lead. After exchanging punts a few times, Adimchinobe Echemandu's fumble deep in Stanfurd's end of the field allowed for a touchdown pass from Chris Lewis to make it 10-0. From then on, neither offense could do much with the ball as both teams missed field goals (Cal's Tyler Frederickson would be 0-3 on field goals for the day).
The Bears that came out in the second half was the team we became accustomed to throughout the season. QB Aaron Rodgers led the offense to 28 consecutive points and Stanfurd would not score again until no time was left to do anything about the outcome. Geoff McArthur had 2 touchdowns with little Vinny Strang and Echemandu scoring as well.
What does this all mean? Cal's going bowling. Depending on what happens with the BCS and the other Pac-10 teams, Cal's probably headed to either the Sun or Insight Bowls. Cal successfully defended the Axe for the first time since 1994 and Coach Jeff Tedford becomes the first coach since Joe Kapp to be 2 for 2 in their first 2 Big Games.
The Axe gets paraded around at noon Monday on the Sproul steps. Last year, I promised a camera to document the whole thing this year but first, I don't have a camera to use and second, I've got a midterm to study for that day. I'm sure I'll take a lot of mental pictures for me to enjoy.
Hey, fellas, what's cooler than being cool? Ice cold! Damn, it was freezing tonite at the Greek up til the bonfire was lit. It didn't help that they played Hey Ya no less than 3 times during the night. The song was good and while it still is, it's being overplayed to death; a victim of its own success.
There are always things that go wrong during the bonfire rally and this year was no different. Audio problems plagued the speakers and singers all night. The fire didn't light like they wanted. (They had to manually light it.) But once the fire was going, the show went on with a few new touches like the candle stunt (not as good as hyped) and a new act to go along with the usual suspects ("Cal Eye for the Square Guy" was just, well, queer). Still, an enjoyable evening had by all, highlighted by a larger-than-usual fire helped by a strong wind and the appearance of the axe for the first time in 8 years at the rally. I patted it a few times last year as it was paraded and maybe I'll do it again this year.
Of course, all of this is a far cry from Stanfurd's annual lighting of the cardboard boxes. You laugh when I say this and I'll admit, they use some firewood but when the size of their bonfire is about 15 feet, as seen here, and Cal's bonfire is 10 times that, it's a bit of a mismatch. Of course, they'll argue we need a bigger fire; we've got more people than them. The Cardinal spirit might be a bit lower this year after being hit with two pranks, the first being a Go Bears! banner hung from Hoover Tower on Wednesday while the costume for the Tree was stolen from the band in San Francisco. No one has claimed responsibility but Stanfurd of course blames Cal.
It all leads up to today's Big Game, #106. For the first time in ages, a bowl game hinges on the Big Game outcome with Cal needing to win this game while Stanfurd both of their remaining games. It begins at 12:30 tomorrow over there in Palo Alto.
While the fire raged on, Cal basketball played on, opening the season with a rare defeat. This was to Cal Poly, the UC of the CSU's. Not to belittle the school since my sister-in-law went there, but it can't really be described as a basketball powerhouse. Yet, they found a way to win with a last second jump shot.
Also, from what I hear, Oak Grove was eliminated from the football playoffs by those ding-dongs at Bellarmine. Close game though.
Okay, different subject.
What's your opinion on public urination? Hopefully, against it. Berkeley is filled with homeless, so you can't help but smell that stink when you walk your way through this town. But you know what, at least they're discreet about it. Walking home the other day (shudder at the thought; I actually walked home?), a car pulled over ahead of me, the passenger jumped out and started to relieve himself in the parking lot of the Tune-Up Masters, getting weird looks from the two girls walking in front of me. Geez, at least go behind a bush or those new green trash bins. Just not in front of me.
I don't know what's worse: Michael Jackson being accused of child molestation or subjecting the world with that mug shot. I mean, Nick Nolte and Wynonna Judd and the like had to be forced to take a picture, but Jackson surrendered and brought himself in, and he STILL looked like that, whatever that was.
My roommate finally moved out. I'm all alone here. And no one it seems wants to move in. Not even one inquiry. But it does feel nice to have all this space at half the cost.
As crazy as it sounds, there's one more midterm left and there's two weeks of instruction remaining in the semester. Time sure is moving pretty fast.
There are always things that go wrong during the bonfire rally and this year was no different. Audio problems plagued the speakers and singers all night. The fire didn't light like they wanted. (They had to manually light it.) But once the fire was going, the show went on with a few new touches like the candle stunt (not as good as hyped) and a new act to go along with the usual suspects ("Cal Eye for the Square Guy" was just, well, queer). Still, an enjoyable evening had by all, highlighted by a larger-than-usual fire helped by a strong wind and the appearance of the axe for the first time in 8 years at the rally. I patted it a few times last year as it was paraded and maybe I'll do it again this year.
Of course, all of this is a far cry from Stanfurd's annual lighting of the cardboard boxes. You laugh when I say this and I'll admit, they use some firewood but when the size of their bonfire is about 15 feet, as seen here, and Cal's bonfire is 10 times that, it's a bit of a mismatch. Of course, they'll argue we need a bigger fire; we've got more people than them. The Cardinal spirit might be a bit lower this year after being hit with two pranks, the first being a Go Bears! banner hung from Hoover Tower on Wednesday while the costume for the Tree was stolen from the band in San Francisco. No one has claimed responsibility but Stanfurd of course blames Cal.
It all leads up to today's Big Game, #106. For the first time in ages, a bowl game hinges on the Big Game outcome with Cal needing to win this game while Stanfurd both of their remaining games. It begins at 12:30 tomorrow over there in Palo Alto.
While the fire raged on, Cal basketball played on, opening the season with a rare defeat. This was to Cal Poly, the UC of the CSU's. Not to belittle the school since my sister-in-law went there, but it can't really be described as a basketball powerhouse. Yet, they found a way to win with a last second jump shot.
Also, from what I hear, Oak Grove was eliminated from the football playoffs by those ding-dongs at Bellarmine. Close game though.
Okay, different subject.
What's your opinion on public urination? Hopefully, against it. Berkeley is filled with homeless, so you can't help but smell that stink when you walk your way through this town. But you know what, at least they're discreet about it. Walking home the other day (shudder at the thought; I actually walked home?), a car pulled over ahead of me, the passenger jumped out and started to relieve himself in the parking lot of the Tune-Up Masters, getting weird looks from the two girls walking in front of me. Geez, at least go behind a bush or those new green trash bins. Just not in front of me.
I don't know what's worse: Michael Jackson being accused of child molestation or subjecting the world with that mug shot. I mean, Nick Nolte and Wynonna Judd and the like had to be forced to take a picture, but Jackson surrendered and brought himself in, and he STILL looked like that, whatever that was.
My roommate finally moved out. I'm all alone here. And no one it seems wants to move in. Not even one inquiry. But it does feel nice to have all this space at half the cost.
As crazy as it sounds, there's one more midterm left and there's two weeks of instruction remaining in the semester. Time sure is moving pretty fast.
11/19/2003
Best news I've heard all day:
Baby Stewie could be staging a comeback.
In a sign of the growing importance of DVD sales to Hollywood, 20th Century Fox is considering a plan to resume production of Family Guy, a sometimes crude animated comedy that the Fox network took off the air more than 18 months ago.
As many as 35 new episodes could return in January 2005, marking the first time that a canceled series has been revived based on strong DVD demand and ratings in syndication.
Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow said a decision is expected soon and called the series a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.
A DVD set of the show's first 28 episodes released in April has sold nearly 1 million copies, making it this year's top-selling TV show and the No. 4 television title ever, according to Video Store magazine. A second collection, of 22 episodes, has sold 520,000 copies. And the series is Cartoon Network's most popular among adults.
Family Guy premiered with a big audience — 22 million viewers — and some controversy after Fox's 1999 Super Bowl telecast. In the pilot episode, Stewie, a talking toddler with a clipped British accent, was openly contemptuous of his loutish dad and bent on killing his sweet-natured mother in a quest for world domination.
Creator Seth MacFarlane, then 24, wrote scripts, drew characters, provided voices and infused the show with rapid-fire sight gags, a nod to The Simpsons. But ratings faded, and the show ended with a whimper early last year.
The relatively short network run may have helped DVD sales, Video Store's Judith McCourt says. "It really speaks to something that had a following, was cut off network TV, and people said, 'What did I miss?' "
DVD and cable viewers have "created kind of a groundswell that could lead to better ratings" on Fox, Grushow says, although new episodes could end up going directly to Cartoon Network.
A decision to restart the show suggests a reversal from the old TV business model, in which a network hit predicts a profit windfall in syndication. This time, the promise of DVD and syndication gold could justify a show's return even if low network ratings didn't.
But canceled favorites aren't likely to rise from the grave en masse. Family Guy has one major advantage: With no actors and no sets, it can simply be drawn back into existence.
From USAToday.com
Baby Stewie could be staging a comeback.
In a sign of the growing importance of DVD sales to Hollywood, 20th Century Fox is considering a plan to resume production of Family Guy, a sometimes crude animated comedy that the Fox network took off the air more than 18 months ago.
As many as 35 new episodes could return in January 2005, marking the first time that a canceled series has been revived based on strong DVD demand and ratings in syndication.
Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow said a decision is expected soon and called the series a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.
A DVD set of the show's first 28 episodes released in April has sold nearly 1 million copies, making it this year's top-selling TV show and the No. 4 television title ever, according to Video Store magazine. A second collection, of 22 episodes, has sold 520,000 copies. And the series is Cartoon Network's most popular among adults.
Family Guy premiered with a big audience — 22 million viewers — and some controversy after Fox's 1999 Super Bowl telecast. In the pilot episode, Stewie, a talking toddler with a clipped British accent, was openly contemptuous of his loutish dad and bent on killing his sweet-natured mother in a quest for world domination.
Creator Seth MacFarlane, then 24, wrote scripts, drew characters, provided voices and infused the show with rapid-fire sight gags, a nod to The Simpsons. But ratings faded, and the show ended with a whimper early last year.
The relatively short network run may have helped DVD sales, Video Store's Judith McCourt says. "It really speaks to something that had a following, was cut off network TV, and people said, 'What did I miss?' "
DVD and cable viewers have "created kind of a groundswell that could lead to better ratings" on Fox, Grushow says, although new episodes could end up going directly to Cartoon Network.
A decision to restart the show suggests a reversal from the old TV business model, in which a network hit predicts a profit windfall in syndication. This time, the promise of DVD and syndication gold could justify a show's return even if low network ratings didn't.
But canceled favorites aren't likely to rise from the grave en masse. Family Guy has one major advantage: With no actors and no sets, it can simply be drawn back into existence.
From USAToday.com
11/17/2003
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) heads the crew of the naval ship Surprise patrolling the Atlantic. Great Britain is being threatened by Napoleon and the French and the ocean is now the primary battlefield. Aubrey's orders are to intercept a French ship named the Acheron and keep it from controlling the seas outside of Brazil. Their first battle though was less than successful, in fact, it was a disaster. Outmanned and outgunned, Aubrey and the Surprise flee to rebuild and reload. It soon leads to elusiveness and lots of chasing. After rounding the horn, it seems apparent that Aubrey has lost the Acheron. He satisfies the wishes of his injured best friend Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), the ship's doctor and budding naturalist, by allowing him time to explore the Galapagos Islands. It is through this exploration that they happen upon the Acheron and Aubrey soon devises a plan to try to end this mission as quickly as possible.
Before the construction of the Panama Canal, sailors needed to round Cape Horn to get to the Pacific Ocean. That takes a very long time, months and months. And you know what, that's how the first half of the movie felt; like an eternity. While the film is to be commended for its realism and character development, the fact of the matter is, these people are awfully boring. It slowed the entire movie down and it didn't help that we had 6 or 7 different boring storylines to keep track of. It's particularly troubling when a crew member gets killed or does something memorable, but we can only ask "Who was that guy?" The only interesting guy there is Aubrey himself, who covers a wide range of personalities, from heroic, to intelligent, to musically talented, etc. But the movie doesn't pick up until the Galapagos Islands, when we see a different side of sailors that we're not accustomed to seeing in earlier naval efforts, and the ensuing battle with the Acheron, which is crisp with tension and a sight to see with cannons going off, Aubrey leading the way in hand-to-hand combat and a teenager in command. 3 stars
Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) heads the crew of the naval ship Surprise patrolling the Atlantic. Great Britain is being threatened by Napoleon and the French and the ocean is now the primary battlefield. Aubrey's orders are to intercept a French ship named the Acheron and keep it from controlling the seas outside of Brazil. Their first battle though was less than successful, in fact, it was a disaster. Outmanned and outgunned, Aubrey and the Surprise flee to rebuild and reload. It soon leads to elusiveness and lots of chasing. After rounding the horn, it seems apparent that Aubrey has lost the Acheron. He satisfies the wishes of his injured best friend Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), the ship's doctor and budding naturalist, by allowing him time to explore the Galapagos Islands. It is through this exploration that they happen upon the Acheron and Aubrey soon devises a plan to try to end this mission as quickly as possible.
Before the construction of the Panama Canal, sailors needed to round Cape Horn to get to the Pacific Ocean. That takes a very long time, months and months. And you know what, that's how the first half of the movie felt; like an eternity. While the film is to be commended for its realism and character development, the fact of the matter is, these people are awfully boring. It slowed the entire movie down and it didn't help that we had 6 or 7 different boring storylines to keep track of. It's particularly troubling when a crew member gets killed or does something memorable, but we can only ask "Who was that guy?" The only interesting guy there is Aubrey himself, who covers a wide range of personalities, from heroic, to intelligent, to musically talented, etc. But the movie doesn't pick up until the Galapagos Islands, when we see a different side of sailors that we're not accustomed to seeing in earlier naval efforts, and the ensuing battle with the Acheron, which is crisp with tension and a sight to see with cannons going off, Aubrey leading the way in hand-to-hand combat and a teenager in command. 3 stars
11/11/2003
Happy Veterans Day to all. It doesn't seem like much of a holiday though. It's on a crappy Tuesday this year, meaning Monday was a school day. The private schools don't observe it; the school I live next to was alive and buzzing, even louder than recent mornings, which got me up when their bell rang at 8, when I usually get up on Tuesdays. All financial markets and businesses seem to be open. No time to reflect when there's a dollar to be made. Even the Senate is in session after Senator Reid of Nevada spoke for 8 straight hours yesterday in protest of an upcoming 30-hour session on judicial nominations, holding up an appropriations bill. So it seems Veterans Day will always be lost in the shadow of Memorial Day. At least it has this Simpsons dialogue.
Bart: I just think our veterans deserve a little recognition.
Lisa: That's what Veterans Day is for, Bart.
Bart: But is that really enough to honor our brave soldiers?
Lisa: They also have Memorial Day!
Bart: Oh Lisa, maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong, the important thing is that veterans deserve a day to honor them!
Lisa: They have TWO!
Bart: Well maybe they should have three, I'm Bart Simpson.
Like almost everyone else, I'm fighting illness right now, luckily in its later stages. Still, I'm feelin awfully tired, even though I always feel like that nowadays. But things got worse on Sunday when I wanted soup, but I couldn't find the can opener anywhere. Not knowing what to do, I did what any desperate guy would do and bashed that can open. Geez, what a loser I am.
The roommate search is going nowhere fast. I guess I'll have to relist it.
Somebody stole my professor's car, an old Nissan Pathfinder. He seems to be taking it in stride, but is it coincidence that it was stolen shortly after midterms? The funny thing is he offered the class extra credit to whomever can find it.
ESPN has been showing some weird things lately. The Spelling Bee is one thing, but the Math competition is a complete waste of time. Playmakers is over-the-top football fun (its season finale is tonite), but Deion Sanders on the All-American Sportsman is a mismatch. Honestly though, do Scrabble and chess belong on ESPN? Scrabble is something to play for fun, not as part of a competition. It doesn't make for good television. Chess does make for good television, they even made a good movie about it with "Searching for Bobby Fischer". But trotting out Garry Kasparov to face a bunch of machines is boring even if this time it's in a virtual reality/3D environment.
As for traditional sports, Cal needs to win its final two games to reach a bowl game for the first time since 1996 when Steve Mariucci coached the football team. It lost last Saturday night to Oregon, blowing a 10 point lead heading into the 4th quarter.
But what's cooler than being cool? The Raiders, at 2-7, are literally ice cold. And to top it off, they're really old too. They're holders of the league's worst record. I would usually laugh, since I'm not a Raiders fan, but this is getting ridiculous.
As a former soccer player (please, I emphasize former and I was awful), I stay interested in the game. How can you take your eyes off the World Cup? But that's every 4 years. In the meantime, there's the crappy MLS. Every year, one thing turns me off from it. This year, it's the playoff format. They went to a two-game aggregate score format, which is totally unfair for a team like San Jose, which blew away the competition and into a first seed in the conference playoffs. With two games, there's no home field advantage. And if one team runs up the score in the first game, the other has little chance of winning the series in the next. In this situation, Los Angeles defeated San Jose last weekend 2-0, which meant San Jose, at home, needed to win by 3 goals in the next and final game to advance. This task was further complicated by the Galaxy scoring twice within the first 13 minutes of the second game. Miraculously, the Earthquakes scored 4 unanswered goals, then scored the golden goal to advance and face Kansas City in the semifinals.
Finally, kudos to the VTA. They've finally finished widening 880 to 3 lanes each way all the way to 101.
Bart: I just think our veterans deserve a little recognition.
Lisa: That's what Veterans Day is for, Bart.
Bart: But is that really enough to honor our brave soldiers?
Lisa: They also have Memorial Day!
Bart: Oh Lisa, maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong, the important thing is that veterans deserve a day to honor them!
Lisa: They have TWO!
Bart: Well maybe they should have three, I'm Bart Simpson.
Like almost everyone else, I'm fighting illness right now, luckily in its later stages. Still, I'm feelin awfully tired, even though I always feel like that nowadays. But things got worse on Sunday when I wanted soup, but I couldn't find the can opener anywhere. Not knowing what to do, I did what any desperate guy would do and bashed that can open. Geez, what a loser I am.
The roommate search is going nowhere fast. I guess I'll have to relist it.
Somebody stole my professor's car, an old Nissan Pathfinder. He seems to be taking it in stride, but is it coincidence that it was stolen shortly after midterms? The funny thing is he offered the class extra credit to whomever can find it.
ESPN has been showing some weird things lately. The Spelling Bee is one thing, but the Math competition is a complete waste of time. Playmakers is over-the-top football fun (its season finale is tonite), but Deion Sanders on the All-American Sportsman is a mismatch. Honestly though, do Scrabble and chess belong on ESPN? Scrabble is something to play for fun, not as part of a competition. It doesn't make for good television. Chess does make for good television, they even made a good movie about it with "Searching for Bobby Fischer". But trotting out Garry Kasparov to face a bunch of machines is boring even if this time it's in a virtual reality/3D environment.
As for traditional sports, Cal needs to win its final two games to reach a bowl game for the first time since 1996 when Steve Mariucci coached the football team. It lost last Saturday night to Oregon, blowing a 10 point lead heading into the 4th quarter.
But what's cooler than being cool? The Raiders, at 2-7, are literally ice cold. And to top it off, they're really old too. They're holders of the league's worst record. I would usually laugh, since I'm not a Raiders fan, but this is getting ridiculous.
As a former soccer player (please, I emphasize former and I was awful), I stay interested in the game. How can you take your eyes off the World Cup? But that's every 4 years. In the meantime, there's the crappy MLS. Every year, one thing turns me off from it. This year, it's the playoff format. They went to a two-game aggregate score format, which is totally unfair for a team like San Jose, which blew away the competition and into a first seed in the conference playoffs. With two games, there's no home field advantage. And if one team runs up the score in the first game, the other has little chance of winning the series in the next. In this situation, Los Angeles defeated San Jose last weekend 2-0, which meant San Jose, at home, needed to win by 3 goals in the next and final game to advance. This task was further complicated by the Galaxy scoring twice within the first 13 minutes of the second game. Miraculously, the Earthquakes scored 4 unanswered goals, then scored the golden goal to advance and face Kansas City in the semifinals.
Finally, kudos to the VTA. They've finally finished widening 880 to 3 lanes each way all the way to 101.
11/07/2003
NBC has just unleashed the show "Average Joe" to the world. It's a concept where one beautiful girl, in this case a former cheerleader and Miss Missouri, gets to choose between 16 average-looking guys where in a normal situation, she would probably push them aside in search for a better-looking guy. This group of guys fit the profile of nice guys finishing last. Then like most dating shows, once you get to know someone, looks don't apply, it's personality that counts. It's funny to watch the girl go through that, but a little uncomfortable to watch since I could probably be on the show. It all reminded me of a chain email I got last month about geeks, the very people vying to win on the show. Don't know who wrote this, but by the miniscule chance the author stumbles upon this very site and wants credit where credit is due, say so.
What is a geek?
A geek, quite simply, is a man or woman who is too intelligent for their own good, who is sweet and funny, but slightly socially inept. They generally have a passion for sci-fi and/or fantasy novels, table top or live action gaming (think Dungeons and Dragons), and make obscure jokes. There is often a fascination with computers that comes in very handy for the non-geeks around them. They are often giving to the point of getting hurt, and don't understand that others may find them attractive.
Keep in mind that not all of these will fit a particular geek. There are computer geeks, humanities geeks, music geeks, comic book geeks, gamer geeks, etc. You need to figure out which one is which.
Computer geeks are pretty much just that. A finer distinction would be between the hardware and software geeks, the Linux geeks (watch out...Linux isn't so much an operating system as it is a religion for them), the Mac geeks, the Perl geeks, etc. If you want to understand a damn thing they're saying, you should either have a good baseline knowledge of computers or be willing to learn.
Humanities geeks are your literature geeks, history geeks, psychology geeks, etc. They know all sorts of esoteric facts and are surprised when you didn't know that. They're the people who know all the Jeopardy answers and there is often much crossover between the fields. Most lit people know a good deal of history and vice versa. They tend to have extensive libraries, and relate a little too closely to the character of Hermione in the Harry Potter books, especially when she looks around in exasperation and asks "Don't you people read?"
Music geeks are perhaps the most trendy of the geeks. They're the ones you see in places like used music stores, indie stores, and looking guilty when found in mainstream music stores. They usually can play several instruments and want you to listen to bands you've never heard of (along with the rest of the world).
Comic book geeks live and breathe comic books. Usually they stick to one or two comics (like X-Men, Spiderman, Batman, etc) but they know the entire storyline of that series going back years and years. On the other hand, most women can do that with soap operas. These geeks tend to have a silly side, and are very young at heart. You'll find yourself climbing a tree for the first time in years, or getting on a skateboard because it's "fun!"
Gamer geeks talk about games they've played like it actually happened. They usually refer to each other by their character names. This can be odd at first, but think of how often you do that online. Don't stress. These are very imaginative types. And again, they'll convince you to dress up or do something you'd never do because it's fun.
Most geeks are a mixture of the above. There's plenty of crossover. But they usually are one flavor predominantly with a little bit of this and that thrown in for flavor.
So what's the difference between a geek, a nerd, and a dork?
Several factors.
Geeks are slightly socially inept, but they either can conquer it or already have to a degree. Nerds can't and dorks won't. None will ever be the life of a party however. Geeks will find a few people to talk to, nerds will watch from the side of the room and dorks will go hide.
Geeks take care of themselves. They may forget to eat once and awhile, but they bathe regularly and try to smell and look good. They may have different standards of what style is, but they try. Nerds tend to dress like they're already in their 40's, both girls and guys. Dorks don't have a clue and are usually the ones with the pocket protector.
Geeks want to occasionally play in the mainstream, although they also enjoy a round of "freak out the mundanes." Nerds and dorks generally pride themselves on never doing so.
Geeks want to interact with the outside world and will make an effort. Nerds want to but don't know how. Dorks don't want to.
What is a geek?
A geek, quite simply, is a man or woman who is too intelligent for their own good, who is sweet and funny, but slightly socially inept. They generally have a passion for sci-fi and/or fantasy novels, table top or live action gaming (think Dungeons and Dragons), and make obscure jokes. There is often a fascination with computers that comes in very handy for the non-geeks around them. They are often giving to the point of getting hurt, and don't understand that others may find them attractive.
Keep in mind that not all of these will fit a particular geek. There are computer geeks, humanities geeks, music geeks, comic book geeks, gamer geeks, etc. You need to figure out which one is which.
Computer geeks are pretty much just that. A finer distinction would be between the hardware and software geeks, the Linux geeks (watch out...Linux isn't so much an operating system as it is a religion for them), the Mac geeks, the Perl geeks, etc. If you want to understand a damn thing they're saying, you should either have a good baseline knowledge of computers or be willing to learn.
Humanities geeks are your literature geeks, history geeks, psychology geeks, etc. They know all sorts of esoteric facts and are surprised when you didn't know that. They're the people who know all the Jeopardy answers and there is often much crossover between the fields. Most lit people know a good deal of history and vice versa. They tend to have extensive libraries, and relate a little too closely to the character of Hermione in the Harry Potter books, especially when she looks around in exasperation and asks "Don't you people read?"
Music geeks are perhaps the most trendy of the geeks. They're the ones you see in places like used music stores, indie stores, and looking guilty when found in mainstream music stores. They usually can play several instruments and want you to listen to bands you've never heard of (along with the rest of the world).
Comic book geeks live and breathe comic books. Usually they stick to one or two comics (like X-Men, Spiderman, Batman, etc) but they know the entire storyline of that series going back years and years. On the other hand, most women can do that with soap operas. These geeks tend to have a silly side, and are very young at heart. You'll find yourself climbing a tree for the first time in years, or getting on a skateboard because it's "fun!"
Gamer geeks talk about games they've played like it actually happened. They usually refer to each other by their character names. This can be odd at first, but think of how often you do that online. Don't stress. These are very imaginative types. And again, they'll convince you to dress up or do something you'd never do because it's fun.
Most geeks are a mixture of the above. There's plenty of crossover. But they usually are one flavor predominantly with a little bit of this and that thrown in for flavor.
So what's the difference between a geek, a nerd, and a dork?
Several factors.
Geeks are slightly socially inept, but they either can conquer it or already have to a degree. Nerds can't and dorks won't. None will ever be the life of a party however. Geeks will find a few people to talk to, nerds will watch from the side of the room and dorks will go hide.
Geeks take care of themselves. They may forget to eat once and awhile, but they bathe regularly and try to smell and look good. They may have different standards of what style is, but they try. Nerds tend to dress like they're already in their 40's, both girls and guys. Dorks don't have a clue and are usually the ones with the pocket protector.
Geeks want to occasionally play in the mainstream, although they also enjoy a round of "freak out the mundanes." Nerds and dorks generally pride themselves on never doing so.
Geeks want to interact with the outside world and will make an effort. Nerds want to but don't know how. Dorks don't want to.
11/04/2003
The Matrix Revolutions
So everything that has a beginning has an end. After watching this, I'm not so sure of that. When we last left the cast of "The Matrix", we were left wondering about Neo (Keanu Reeves), stuck between the real world and the machine world, and the fate of Zion, threatened by the machines and its many sentinels. The wild card in all of this is Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), who has now appeared in the real world and rapidly gains control of the matrix itself. Once Neo awakens from his coma and gets out of the middle world, it takes a little time but finds his true calling at the center of machine city and requests a ship. With the attack looming, the crew is hesitant to give up another ship but Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), going on advice from the Oracle (Mary Alice, taking over for the late Gloria Foster), offers her ship to him and off he leaves with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). Meanwhile, the other ship with Niobe, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and others race back to Zion to save what is left of the place. The machines are drilling their way through the dock while the humans are wasting away bullets and shells to block their path. It soon becomes serious enough that the infantry faces a showdown with the machines. And, as the trailer gives away, Neo faces Agent Smith for another time. The fate of both worlds lies in their hands.
I think with some creative editing, the whole Matrix experience would have been a whole lot better by making Reloaded and Revolutions one big movie. Instead, we get a movie loaded with character development and plot without much explanation or action (Reloaded) while Revolutions is the complete opposite. The movie seems to coast on a computer-controlled auto-pilot, knowing full well what we want to see while lacking imagination in trying to explain what we're seeing, something it did very well in the first installment, the only one to strike a harmonious balance. Visual effects were always a strong point in the Matrix films, and this does not disappoint. The Zion battle scenes are something to truly applaud and watch on a larger screen than the one I did (IMAX, perhaps? While it makes the action scenes much better, you might not want to spend the $10-15 to watch it). The Agent Smith/Neo fight is bigger and better, more complicated and poignant with the addition of water in the mix and less cartoonish with the subtraction of all those Agent Smiths from the last one. However, the bookends weren't as good as expected. The beginning eases us in, trying to explain Neo's coma but the use of the Merovingian doesn't seem to be necessary (probably the only reason to bring him in was to get us to see an underused Monica Bellucci again) as the resolution to this plot point. The ending itself is muddled, possibly raising just as many questions as it answers. And while it hints at another movie, maybe it should go ahead and make it since this one is a semi-letdown to what it could have been and what we hoped for. 3 stars
So everything that has a beginning has an end. After watching this, I'm not so sure of that. When we last left the cast of "The Matrix", we were left wondering about Neo (Keanu Reeves), stuck between the real world and the machine world, and the fate of Zion, threatened by the machines and its many sentinels. The wild card in all of this is Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), who has now appeared in the real world and rapidly gains control of the matrix itself. Once Neo awakens from his coma and gets out of the middle world, it takes a little time but finds his true calling at the center of machine city and requests a ship. With the attack looming, the crew is hesitant to give up another ship but Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), going on advice from the Oracle (Mary Alice, taking over for the late Gloria Foster), offers her ship to him and off he leaves with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). Meanwhile, the other ship with Niobe, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and others race back to Zion to save what is left of the place. The machines are drilling their way through the dock while the humans are wasting away bullets and shells to block their path. It soon becomes serious enough that the infantry faces a showdown with the machines. And, as the trailer gives away, Neo faces Agent Smith for another time. The fate of both worlds lies in their hands.
I think with some creative editing, the whole Matrix experience would have been a whole lot better by making Reloaded and Revolutions one big movie. Instead, we get a movie loaded with character development and plot without much explanation or action (Reloaded) while Revolutions is the complete opposite. The movie seems to coast on a computer-controlled auto-pilot, knowing full well what we want to see while lacking imagination in trying to explain what we're seeing, something it did very well in the first installment, the only one to strike a harmonious balance. Visual effects were always a strong point in the Matrix films, and this does not disappoint. The Zion battle scenes are something to truly applaud and watch on a larger screen than the one I did (IMAX, perhaps? While it makes the action scenes much better, you might not want to spend the $10-15 to watch it). The Agent Smith/Neo fight is bigger and better, more complicated and poignant with the addition of water in the mix and less cartoonish with the subtraction of all those Agent Smiths from the last one. However, the bookends weren't as good as expected. The beginning eases us in, trying to explain Neo's coma but the use of the Merovingian doesn't seem to be necessary (probably the only reason to bring him in was to get us to see an underused Monica Bellucci again) as the resolution to this plot point. The ending itself is muddled, possibly raising just as many questions as it answers. And while it hints at another movie, maybe it should go ahead and make it since this one is a semi-letdown to what it could have been and what we hoped for. 3 stars
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