This Week At The Movies

I rented Casino Royale, Dreamland and Eragon, and went to the first showing of Shooter.

Casino Royale -- for a franchise built around rip-roaring set pieces, they sure made a b o r i n g movie. Well, the guy had to talk once in a while. Turned it off, pretty quick. Couldn't figure out who he was trying to catch, and didn't care.

Dreamland -- written and directed by the Director.* Advertised as a cross between The X Files and Twilight Zone - which sounded neat, but alas, turned out to be more of a cross between The Blair Witch and another story that didn't make any sense.

Eragon -- written by a kid** from my little town. The book is better.

Shooter -- speaking of books that are better than the movies made from them -- I liked Stephen Hunter's series about Bob Lee Swagger, and I like Mark Wahlberg, but this movie was just -- not quite right.

Plus the villain is (gasp) a senator from Montana who, for some reason, is slaughtering villagers in Africa for oil pipeline rights of way. I'm sure the filmmakers did not expect the BIG LAUGH that reveal got in these parts. Or the snorting that sputtered from one end of the theater to the other when Bob Lee drives from Virginia to Bozeman in one day.

Oh well. I still may see The Last Mimzy or Premonition before the weekend is over.

*usually a bad sign.
**teenager.

A Pretty Girl Is Like . . .

Glamour magazine polled 1,000 of their readers asking:

"I'd love to be a famous ______."

Survey says - -

28% Artist/writer
21% Businesswoman
12% Nobel-winning activist
12% Supermodel
10% Oscar-winning actress
7% Grammy-winning musician
10% Other

Nobel Laureate -- Supermodel.

Could go either way.

Sláinte

On the day everyone is Irish --

Hoist a few for the Old Sod.

Sláinte chuig na fir agus go maire na mná go deo!

Health to the men and may the women live forever!

All Hail the 300

Leonidas at Thermopylae

Definitely a boy pix.

On the other hand, there are more six packs here than at a tailgate party during the Homecoming Game, so it's not like the ladies won't have something to watch.

My Grandfather was named for the Spartan hero whose sacrifice at the Hot Gates saved Greece from the Persians and hence all of Western Civilization, so I was very interested in this movie.

This graphic novel/animation/film technique created the sense we were watching a watercolor painting come to life. It was more beautiful than the average war movie.

But war movie it was, and after the first hour of multiple impalings, decapitations, and artistic blood spray, we saw the same thing over again. I mean, really, if you've seen one decapitation, you've pretty much seen decapitation.

Yes, fans, even though I liked this movie, I was getting twitchy toward the end. And the sub-plot about the Queen putting out to get the politicians back home to send reinforcements pissed me off.

In my little town, every showing from Friday to Sunday afternoon was sold out, so the target audience is turning out in droves -- which I think should cause us to consider what Hollywood is telling them this time.

Either by timing or intent, 300 is war propaganda. Bigger, louder, with better actors and more beautiful cinematography, but no different from when John Wayne killed all those nasty Japs in the 40s.

Perhaps I had this reaction because I grew up in the 60s and well remember the last time America mired itself in battle, at the sacrifice of our young.

As King Leonidas strutted the battlements shouting out epithets that could easily be turned into war bond posters, I wanted to shout back. Don't listen to him, boys.

There is no glory in war or honor in death. Only waste.

T G I F

Multiples of Five

Name one thing you do everyday.

Breathe.

Name two things you wish you could learn.

How to paint a watercolor picture that doesn't look like it should be hanging on the refrigerator.

How to make a million dollars without really trying.

Name three things that remind you of your childhood.

Mom. Dad. Sister.

Name four things you love to eat but rarely do.

Pate. Chocolate milk shakes. Pumpkin seeds. Lobster.

Name five things that make you feel good.

My home. My spouse and kid. My dogs. That's five and I didn't even get to my career.

Five on Friday

What do you like on a hot dog?

Mustard, cheese, relish and onions, but alas, I've had to give up onions.

What do you like on a hamburger?

Cheese*, ketchup, lettuce and onion (alas.)

What do you like on a baked potato?

Butter.

What do you like on a slice of toast?

Strawberry jelly.

What do you like in a cup of coffee or tea?

Nothing.

Friday 5

What is your favorite movie line?

Then one day, the cat got her.

Who is your favorite movie protagonist of all time?

Spidey. Josey Wales. Rooster Cogburn. Hmm. 'nother trend.

Who is your favorite movie antagonist of all time?

Riddick.*2

What is your favorite movie montage?

Be serious.

What is your favorite movie title?

It's late, I'll have to ponder that one a while.

Manonica


*Detecting a trend?
*2 Yum.