Posted in events, film, television on Mar 8th, 2010
After staying up entirely too last on a school night, I have a few thoughts about the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. I have to ignore the sets for the most part, since I’d be drooling all over the keys for the duration.
NPH. Is there anything he can’t do?
What an entrance by Steve Martin and Alec [...]
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Posted in life in general on Feb 6th, 2010
The last big snow, we all bitched about how we couldn’t get out. In retrospect, that was nothing. We could have gotten out. This time around — with over three feet of snow in less than 24 hours — no one is going anywhere without a plow, although I just got a report about some [...]
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Posted in life in general on Jan 8th, 2010
I’m not prone to losing things but recent events have gotten me thinking about other objects that have gone missing.
Evil Empire, an album by Rage Against the Machine. I miss the hard riffs, slapping bass, and electric guitar effects. I think it was lifted from my CD wallet by a student while working at Severna [...]
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Posted in film, reviews on Nov 6th, 2009
So The Men Who Stare at Goats has its moments, but not enough. Sadly, it is a case where the trailer holds most of the good stuff.
Clooney is a face actor. One of those guys who can bring intensity and disbelief at the same time. Like a lot his past movies — Burn After Reading, [...]
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Posted in film, life in general, reviews on Nov 2nd, 2009
It just occurred to me that I’ve seen a lot of movies lately.
I really enjoyed Zombieland. Funny, violent, and quirky, with a spectacular cameo. It was just as someone described it to me: “It’s definitely a zombie movie, but different than anything I could have expected.” I almost went to see it again this past [...]
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Posted in film, music on Sep 19th, 2009
There’s this song called All Things, by The Cinematic Orchestra. It’s driving me nuts.
A sample is available from Pandora. The full track on Last.fm, and according to a comment there, “at the beginning: samples from John Barry’s work on the soundtrack of Petulia (1968).”
I haven’t seen the movie. This song (and every other track on [...]
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Posted in film, reviews on Aug 26th, 2009
An unexpected gem, as seen on TV.
The opening credits of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang grabbed me right away, drawing me in knowing absolutely nothing about it. Really well done. As are the main character’s monologues directed towards the audience. As are the titles interspersed throughout the film.
I found it a quirky and clever whodunit with [...]
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Posted in life in general on Aug 21st, 2009
Yesterday after work was a blur of activity, all across Anne Arundel County. Met up with some of the cool kids to hang out, before they headed back to school next week.
Slacklined on the shore of the Magothy River
Enjoyed double dogs and shakes at Ann’s Dari Creme
Failed to find a good movie at Marley Station, [...]
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Posted in books, film, reviews on Aug 8th, 2009
The Kite Runner glossed over the immigration issues and the bulk of the extrication issues, themes that were prevalent in the book. It also glossed over the suicide attempt, which I thought was important to the story.
If I had to guess, I’d say were chopped for time. I would hate to be an editor with [...]
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Posted in film, music on Jul 25th, 2009
Wolf Trap is an amazing venue, specifically the Filene Center. I usually avoid 66 at all costs, but this venue is worth the drive.
First, the venue itself is beautiful. A wooden open-air structure, not unlike Nissan Pavilion but small and more classy. The interior is lit by reflection off the white girders. Wood paneling and [...]
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Posted in advertising, observations on Jul 4th, 2009
In the course of one hour of Comedy Central — watching Christian Finnegan — I observed no less than six advertisements with Transformers themes. Six ads in less than sixty minutes. That’s pretty heavy rotation, considering the movie is already out.
It seems like that’s a lot of different companies and products to be merchandised and [...]
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Posted in film, reviews on Jul 2nd, 2009
I saw Public Enemies last night. Opening night, apparently. You could have fooled me, the mall was vacant. Sign of a Wednesday night? or one of the times?
I remember seeing the trailers in the theater and saying “damn, I’ll surely be seeing that.” With Johnny Depp and Christian Bale facing off, how could you go [...]
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Posted in culture, film on Jun 7th, 2009
I’ve been borrowing a lot of movies lately. One of them has shiny things, old-school computers, horrendously trendy but period synthesized music, Paul Reubens, a 21-year old Sarah Jessica Parker, and a child lead who hasn’t been seen in years. The dubbing is fair, but it’s a classic. Flight of the Navigator embodies a kind [...]
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Posted in film, reviews on May 20th, 2009
Having just finished watching Donnie Darko for the first time (several years late), my initial reaction is simple.
Wow.
This is one of those films that just levels you. I like to think I have an imagination and a head full of ideas, but I just don’t know how someone could sit down and write something like [...]
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Posted in film, reviews on May 16th, 2009
The truth — if there is one — is out there, but we may not be able to see it. Or if we can see bits of it, we may not be able to comprehend. That’s how I feel about Edmond.
William H. Macy plays well as the confused and shaken protagonist; I imagine it would [...]
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