Tuesday, February 21st, 2012
|
|
7:51 am - Writer's Block: Shaken, Not Stirred
|
|
|
Monday, February 28th, 2011
|
|
6:37 pm - The last 100 Best Picture nominees
|
+ means I've seen them.
2011 (6 of 10)
127 Hours
+Black Swan
The Fighter
+Inception
The Kids Are All Right
+The King's Speech
+The Social Network
+Toy Story 3
+True Grit
Winter's Bone
2010 (9/10)
+The Hurt Locker
+A Serious Man
+An Education
+Avatar
+District 9
+Inglourious Basterds
+Precious
The Blind Side
+Up
+Up in the Air
2009 (4/5)
+Slumdog Millionaire
+The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
+Milk
+The Reader
2008 (3/5)
+No Country for Old Men
Atonement
+Juno
Michael Clayton
+There Will Be Blood
2007 (4/5)
+The Departed
Babel
+Letters from Iwo Jima
+Little Miss Sunshine
+The Queen
2006 (4/5)
+Crash
+Brokeback Mountain
+Capote
+Good Night, and Good Luck.
Munich
2005 (5/5)
+Million Dollar Baby
+The Aviator
+Finding Neverland
+Ray
+Sideways
2004 (3/5)
+The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
+Lost in Translation
+Master and Commander
Mystic River
Seabiscuit
2003 (2/5)
+Chicago
Gangs of New York
The Hours
+The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist
2002 (4/5)
+A Beautiful Mind
Gosford Park
+In the Bedroom
+The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
+Moulin Rouge!
2001 (4/5)
+Gladiator
Chocolat
+Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
+Erin Brockovich
+Traffic
2000 (5/5)
+American Beauty
+The Cider House Rules
+The Green Mile
+The Insider
+The Sixth Sense
1999 (5/5)
+Shakespeare in Love
+Elizabeth
+Life is Beautiful
+Saving Private Ryan
+The Thin Red Line
1998 (4/5)
Titanic*
+As Good as It Gets
+The Full Monty
+Good Will Hunting
+L.A. Confidential
1997 (4/5)
+The English Patient
+Fargo
+Jerry Maguire
Secrets & Lies
+Shine
1996 (5/5)
+Braveheart
+Apollo 13
+Babe
+Il Postino
+Sense and Sensibility
1995 (5/5)
+Forrest Gump
+Four Weddings and a Funeral
+Pulp Fiction
+Quiz Show
+The Shawshank Redemption
1994 (3/5)
+Schindler's List
+The Fugitive
In the Name of the Father
+The Piano
The Remains of the Day...
It took me twice to get 2/3 of the way through Titanic. 1/3 in the theater before leaving, another third on cable before just not caring anymore. It's fucking horrible.
|
|
(7 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Monday, January 10th, 2011
|
|
10:27 pm - Movies in 2011
|
I've seen four five new movies in 2011, and all were good, in completely different ways:
1) Black Swan
2) True Grit
3) Exit Through the Gift Shop
4) Green Hornet
5) Four Lions
Four Lions was tonight -- a movie about a group of idiot UK Jihadists, who want to become martyrs. It effectively uses black comedy to drive home its point, that religious violence and those who perpetrate it are fucking idiots.
It's a very brave film, one that would probably not have been released in the US without the intervention of Tim League, founder and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. This is exactly the type of film that fits him -- one that's bound to piss off a lot of people on all sides of the issue.
I know I wanted it to end differently than it did. Saying anything other than that will ruin it for you.
It's playing right now at the Saint Anthony Main theater. Check it out.
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
|
|
11:02 pm - Back home.
|
Thursday,  sithlet and I did some final shopping, then headed to the airport. We met my mom and my brother's family, flew down to Orlando, rented cars, and got to our hotel.
Friday, my mom and I drove back to the airport to see if anyone had found her mobile phone, but no luck. We went back, gave Kieran his Xmas gift (a digital video camera -- man, he was happy!), picked everyone up, and drove to Port Canaveral.
Lots of lines, and a moment of panic when I could not find my passport. I ran back to the car and found that it had fallen between the seats. After some Ugly American Douchebaggery that almost ended in me punching some asshole, we eventually got onto the ship (the smallest one in the fleet, and it's still only three feet smaller than the Titanic), found our cabins, and headed upstairs to grab a bite to eat.
We got pizza and ice cream, and were sitting next to a window when we noticed that the ship was moving! sithlet and I grabbed the kids and ran outside on deck to check out the canal. The highlight for me was seeing NASA's SRB Recovery Vehicles.
By the time we were out in the ocean, it was time to get dressed for dinner. We met in front of our dining room and were seated. Our waiter was wonderful, especially with the kids. Had one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life.
After dinner, sithlet and I signed up for a historical tour of Nassau for the next day, then hit the main theater for the "Love and Marriage Show" (a Newlywed Game knockoff). We ended up being cast in the show as one of the couples. The eventual winners were a couple who had been married for 10 years, but we loved the couple who had been married 51 years (and were from Austin!). The ship gave us a copy of the show on DVD, so we'll probably have a viewing party sometime soon.
We didn't stay up too late, and fell asleep pretty quickly, due to the gentle rocking of the ship.
More later...
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
|
|
6:39 pm - Writer's Block: Dream or Reality?
|
What do you think really happened at the end of the movie Inception? Have you ever had a dream that you confused with reality?
I think the credits rolled and we went home.
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
|
Monday, December 6th, 2010
|
|
6:21 pm - Writer's Block: Bold Textured Looks
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
|
|
11:00 am - Writer's Block: Tales of Talladega
|
From phantom cars to mysterious voices warning of danger, there are many legends surrounding Talladega Superspeedway - do you believe any of the tales?
Oh, Terry. Did you need money? I could loan you some money.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
|
|
8:09 am - sithlet will be skating in Derby 101!
|
Return of the RollerGirls
Atomic Bombshells vs. Rockits
Dagger Dolls vs. Garda Belts
DETAILS
Saturday, October 16th
Doors at 6:30pm, bout at 7:30pm
Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul
Tickets | Directions | Parking
FEATURED ENTERTAINMENT
Featuring half-time entertainment by the Bratwurst Brothers, our house polka band. Twin Cities Junior Roller Derby will be doing the pre-show entertainment – if you thought we were fun to watch, just wait until you see these kids! Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will be doing the celebrity bout countdown!
GET THERE EARLY, GET A FREEBIE!
We'll be giving away a special limited edition Minnesota RollerGirls t-shirt to the first 200 people in the doors. There will also be a very limited quantity for sale for $15 and when they're gone, they're gone. So get there early!
GET A BLACK EYE OR SHOW YOUR TEAM SPIRIT
Get old-fashioned black eyes for a buck at our Black Eye Booth ... OR support your favorite home team for just a $2 donation. (Kids always free!) If you think we've done an exceptional job, a more generous donation is always appreciated. All proceeds go to charity.
CHARITY
Foundation IX
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
|
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010
|
|
10:14 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
#75: Let the Right One In
Maybe it was the buildup, but I thought it was just okay. I am interested in seeing the new version, though.
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
|
|
9:28 pm - This is in reference to a Twitter discussion. Move along.
|
Bond films, from best to worst:
From Russia with Love
Casino Royale
Dr No
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Goldfinger
The Spy Who Loved Me
You Only Live Twice
Tomorrow Never Dies
Quantum of Solace
Diamonds Are Forever
The Living Daylights
The World is Not Enough
Thunderball
Live and Let Die
Goldeneye
The Man with the Golden Gun
For Your Eyes Only
Moonraker
Octopussy
License to Kill
Die Another Day
A View to a Kill
|
|
(8 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
|
|
10:16 am - 2010 Movies!
|
72: Machete
It was the trailer, just two hours long. Awesome.
73: The September Issue
This is ridiculous. A bunch of people who really do nothing worthwhile. People for whom fashion is the most important thing in the world. You put this movie in front of an Al Qaeda member who is questioning what they're doing and they'll say "oh, yeah -- the West needs to be wiped off the map."
Truly they were the "B" Ark.
74: Law-Abiding Citizen
Neat little revenge movie. Gerard Butler's best attempt at an American accent.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
|
|
7:33 pm
|
#70: The Expendables
Meh. It was okay.
#71: On Her Majesty's Secret Service
My second-favorite Bond movie (after From Russia with Love, just slightly above Casino Royale). I have to watch this one every once in a while.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
|
|
8:11 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
#68: The Bounty Hunter
#69: The Jonses
There were movies on the plane to and from California this weekend. They weren't personal video screens or anything, they were these flip-down dealies every three or so rows. Pan & scan, mono sound, and a cricked neck. Still, it was a good way to pass time.
The Bounty Hunter was pretty terrible. One or two good lines, but overall dreck.
On the other hand, The Joneses was pretty good. Not as good as it could be, but a great premise and fairly good all in all.
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
|
Sunday, August 15th, 2010
|
|
3:02 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
#67: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Awesome. I can't remember the last time I've smiled so much during an entire film. And people keep telling me I should have played Comeau, which I agree with.
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Monday, August 9th, 2010
|
|
10:06 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
|
|
|
6:58 pm
|
#64: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Meh.
#65: The Hunt for Red October
Man, Alec Baldwin looks young in this. And I forgot about the cameo with Gates McFadden! I now remember being excited when I saw this in the theater. Her and Tim Curry. I'm a nerd.
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
|
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
|
|
12:27 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
#62: Octopussy
#63: A View to a Kill
Octopussy isn't great, but they were trying more than the previous two 007 movies (Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only), where they were kind of on autopilot. A View to a Kill is still by far the worst in the series, even more so than Die Another Day. The only redeeming thing about AVtaK is the interplay between Bond and Steed.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
|
|
11:36 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
|
|
11:36 pm - 2010 Movies!
|
#60: The Girl who Played with Fire
Great, another one! It was really good, just as good as the first. I'm glad they filmed this and the final film in the trilogy (The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest) at the same time, I can't wait to see how this story ends!
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Saturday, July 24th, 2010
|
|
11:24 am - Cruisin' #2
|
|
So we decided on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. It's a 3 night cruise over Christmas weekend, departing from Port Canaveral. I'm excited to take my nephew to Kennedy Space Center!
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
|
