Movies I'm interested in seeing:
2046 (I need to see it on the big screen)
Junebug
Broken Flowers
Saint Ralph (maybe)
The 40-Year Old Virgin
Pretty Persuasion
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (I guess they are re-releasing this)
Thursday, August 11
Tuesday, August 9
I just added New Wave to my Netflicks' Friend's List. Within 2 seconds after I approved her as my friend, New Wave told me to remove National Treasure from my list. I personally heard that it was a good movie. So I'll have to blog about it after I watch it.
Oh yeah...can't wait to see the 40 year old virgin. Looks really funny.
Oh yeah...can't wait to see the 40 year old virgin. Looks really funny.
Monday, August 8
(A) Plans (Aug. 30, Death Cab for Cutie) Grade: B
DCFC's fifth full-length plays like a Transatlanticism Pt. 2 of sorts. It is a lot more melodic, slower in pace and offers less catchy beats than You Have the Facts and Photo Album. But Plans is stronger overall than its predecessor (which I sincerely attempted to like yet couldn't ignore the over-production, the drawn-out sequences and the Velveeta cheese lyrics). Ben Gibbard doesn't stray too far from his typical excess sentimentality ("Someday You Will Be Loved"), but Plans offers up some winning lyrics ("Marching Bands of Manhattan") and a certain element of darkness ("I Will Follow You Into the Dark"). Plans might not win them new fans, but it should keep the old.
Side note: DCFC performs @ the Wiltern on Nov. 11. Granted, I missed their last performance there (the first time I missed seeing them in L.A. since 2000), but I will be there super early because the opening band is my new favorite obsession: Stars. Glee!
DCFC's fifth full-length plays like a Transatlanticism Pt. 2 of sorts. It is a lot more melodic, slower in pace and offers less catchy beats than You Have the Facts and Photo Album. But Plans is stronger overall than its predecessor (which I sincerely attempted to like yet couldn't ignore the over-production, the drawn-out sequences and the Velveeta cheese lyrics). Ben Gibbard doesn't stray too far from his typical excess sentimentality ("Someday You Will Be Loved"), but Plans offers up some winning lyrics ("Marching Bands of Manhattan") and a certain element of darkness ("I Will Follow You Into the Dark"). Plans might not win them new fans, but it should keep the old.
Side note: DCFC performs @ the Wiltern on Nov. 11. Granted, I missed their last performance there (the first time I missed seeing them in L.A. since 2000), but I will be there super early because the opening band is my new favorite obsession: Stars. Glee!
Sunday, August 7
X-Games XI 2005 - Grade: A
I saw three of these events:
(Thursday Night) Moto-X best Trick
(Saturday Day) Skateboard Vert Best Trick
(Saturday Day) BMX Vert Best Trick
This is my third year attending X-games. Moto-X best trick was an okay experience, I think Freestyle is much better, but the crap these idiots due is amazing. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I didn't arrive 4 hours earlier than I needed to and didn't have to sit in the sun for 4 hours staring at the ground. That aside I saw some crzy men do crazy crap on motor bikes and of course watch them hurt themselves when they mess up.
Skateboard was great. This was the event I wanted to see most and these guys really are amazing that they do this kind of stuff on a skateboard. NOt much to say, but I am glad I went and as a bonus for going to Skateboard I got to see BMX which was actually more enjoyable than skateboarding. These guys are INSANE! They're all insane... skate, bike, moto, whatever. You guys are nuts and that's why I watch you do stuff I wouldn't even attempt in my sleep and drunk.
(M) Daughter From Danang (2002, Documentary) Grade: B
This was rather interesting. A vietnamese womans husband leaves her with her children and to fend for herself while he joins the communist side of the vietnamese soilders during the Vietnam war. The abandoned mother gets a job at a U.S. Military base and has sex with an officer in exchange for her to be able to feed her family. The woman becomes pregnant and 4 months into her pregnancy the U.S. soilder leaves. The mother who is considered a "whore" for sleeping with an American raises her family with this "half-breed". With public opinion of the U.S. involvement in the vietnam war very negative, the U.S. says they are bringing back a bunch of vietnamese orphans to provide a better life for them. Many of the children however are not orphans but are considered to be "attractive" vietnamese children and the parents are told there will be an open line of communication with their children and that they will return (parents of "half-breeds" give up their children because the Viet-Kong will kill any "half-breed" child). Of course, the U.S. doesn't hold up their claim
One child (the main woman of this documentary) decides to return to visit her Vietnamese family. She is married with children in the U.S. and though she has memories of her life in Vietnam she has been raised in America. The rest of the documentary documents this re-union and with cultural differences (especially in american perspective versus vietnamese perspective involving money and supporting your parents) the woman begins to regret ever coming to Vietnam.
It's really interesting and you do see the differences in lifestyles of Vietnamese verses Americans in lifestyle, living circumstances, perspectives on family and money values.
I personally really respected the way the Vietnamese who have little put so much on family and close ties with all their relatives who all live within proximety to each other and support each other, where as here in America sadly it's a country of personal isolation and a fend for yourself mentality. I'd recommend watching this documentary.
(O) X Games (Staples Center, 8/6/05) Grade: A
I had never imagined myself actually attending the X Games, but it was really fun watching the best skate trick and best bike trick. And what made it more fun was the fact that it was inside and not in the sweltering heat.
(O) Some girl's upper back tattoo. (X Games, 8/6/05) Grade: F
Cup O Noodles and I were walking behind a girl who had something tattooed on her upper back. Upon closer inspection, it said in script: "Just live and breath. Try not to die again." Uhhhh. This is the part where the grammar snob in me makes fun of her for not spelling "breathe" correctly. Well, luckily, it's something that's easy to fix. Just add an E at the end of breath. But yeah, why don't people have their tattoos proofread? And how can someone die again?
(O) Moving in the 90 degree heat. Grade: F
It sucks. Period.
(O) Having your friends help you move. Grade: A
Best friends ever.
I had never imagined myself actually attending the X Games, but it was really fun watching the best skate trick and best bike trick. And what made it more fun was the fact that it was inside and not in the sweltering heat.
(O) Some girl's upper back tattoo. (X Games, 8/6/05) Grade: F
Cup O Noodles and I were walking behind a girl who had something tattooed on her upper back. Upon closer inspection, it said in script: "Just live and breath. Try not to die again." Uhhhh. This is the part where the grammar snob in me makes fun of her for not spelling "breathe" correctly. Well, luckily, it's something that's easy to fix. Just add an E at the end of breath. But yeah, why don't people have their tattoos proofread? And how can someone die again?
(O) Moving in the 90 degree heat. Grade: F
It sucks. Period.
(O) Having your friends help you move. Grade: A
Best friends ever.
Here's some tv dvd news I dug up:
- Scrubs season 2 release date November 15th
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe season 1 release date October 18th
- Arrested Development season 2 release date October 11th
- Simpsons season 6 release date August 16th
Apparently they are releasing season 6 to 10 with each character head though it is not confirmed.
- Scrubs season 2 release date November 15th
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe season 1 release date October 18th
- Arrested Development season 2 release date October 11th
- Simpsons season 6 release date August 16th
Apparently they are releasing season 6 to 10 with each character head though it is not confirmed.
(M) Wedding Crashers. (2005, David Dobkin) Grade: B
Thoughts: Funny stuff but nothing you haven't seen before. Any scene with Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher were pretty classic but the whole Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams (who is amazingly beautiful) storyline just dragged. Oh and they didn't use Christopher Walken enough, how disappointing is that.
(M) Last Days. (2005, Gus Van Sant) Grade: C-
Thoughts: Watching this film feels like your last days, good grief. I think Gus Van Sant is trying to lose his fanbase and audience completely. Although the movie is "loosely" based on Kurt Cobain, I think it pretty much was an interpretation of what Kurt's last days were like. Some scenes of the film were so difficult to watch because NOTHING would happen. The only reason I did not give this movie a lower rating was due to a few and I mean a few good scenes and Kim Gordon's performance.
(M) Upside of Anger. (2005, Mike Binder) Grade: B+
Thoughts: Joan Allen can act. Her performance alone is worth watching this movie. Oh and how scary is this - Kevin Costner is not half bad either. When Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) "thinks" her husband has up and left her and their four daughters (Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell and Alicia Witt) for a younger woman she doesn't get sad ... she gets crazy angry. I say "thinks" because there is a twist ending which I'm not sure if I should hate or love but I'm leaning towards hate because I don't think it was needed.
(M) Bride and Prejudice. (2004, Gurinder Chadha) Grade: C+
Thoughts: I do not think I'm a big Bollywood fan. All the colors and singing and happiness scares me a bit. Bride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice but Bollywood style. Aishwarya Rai who plays Lalitha is beautiful and smart but has too much prejudice or was it pride to realize William Darcy (Martin Henderson) is the man for her. The ending is pretty obvious to us all but I did enjoy Naveen Andrews performance as Balraj Bingley just for comic value. Oh and the musical numbers were interesting.
(M) Mostly Martha. (2001, Sandra Nettelbeck) Grade: A-
Thoughts: A charming German film about an uptight chef whose world gets turned upside down when her sister dies and she has to take care of her 8-year old niece.
(M) Pane E Tulipani (Bread and Tulips). (2000, Silvio Soldini) Grade: C+
Thoughts: I think the film could have been better but the charm of it got lost in the translation. I'm sure I was missing key terms and phrases that would have worked if I understood Italian. It is still a nice little movie and I had this overwhelming desire to see Italy afterwards.
(M) The Nightmare Before Christmas. (1993, Henry Selick) Grade: B
Thoughts: Pretty strange/scary I have not seen this movie until now. I'm not sure why I never got around to it but yup ... just never did. The storyline isn't all that great but the entire movie is wonderful to look at. It is amazing that they created each of the figures by hand and shot the entire thing that way. The paitence and labor that went into that is impressive. I'm not super eager to see the Corpse Bride but I think it should be pretty good.
Thoughts: Funny stuff but nothing you haven't seen before. Any scene with Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher were pretty classic but the whole Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams (who is amazingly beautiful) storyline just dragged. Oh and they didn't use Christopher Walken enough, how disappointing is that.
(M) Last Days. (2005, Gus Van Sant) Grade: C-
Thoughts: Watching this film feels like your last days, good grief. I think Gus Van Sant is trying to lose his fanbase and audience completely. Although the movie is "loosely" based on Kurt Cobain, I think it pretty much was an interpretation of what Kurt's last days were like. Some scenes of the film were so difficult to watch because NOTHING would happen. The only reason I did not give this movie a lower rating was due to a few and I mean a few good scenes and Kim Gordon's performance.
(M) Upside of Anger. (2005, Mike Binder) Grade: B+
Thoughts: Joan Allen can act. Her performance alone is worth watching this movie. Oh and how scary is this - Kevin Costner is not half bad either. When Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) "thinks" her husband has up and left her and their four daughters (Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell and Alicia Witt) for a younger woman she doesn't get sad ... she gets crazy angry. I say "thinks" because there is a twist ending which I'm not sure if I should hate or love but I'm leaning towards hate because I don't think it was needed.
(M) Bride and Prejudice. (2004, Gurinder Chadha) Grade: C+
Thoughts: I do not think I'm a big Bollywood fan. All the colors and singing and happiness scares me a bit. Bride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice but Bollywood style. Aishwarya Rai who plays Lalitha is beautiful and smart but has too much prejudice or was it pride to realize William Darcy (Martin Henderson) is the man for her. The ending is pretty obvious to us all but I did enjoy Naveen Andrews performance as Balraj Bingley just for comic value. Oh and the musical numbers were interesting.
(M) Mostly Martha. (2001, Sandra Nettelbeck) Grade: A-
Thoughts: A charming German film about an uptight chef whose world gets turned upside down when her sister dies and she has to take care of her 8-year old niece.
(M) Pane E Tulipani (Bread and Tulips). (2000, Silvio Soldini) Grade: C+
Thoughts: I think the film could have been better but the charm of it got lost in the translation. I'm sure I was missing key terms and phrases that would have worked if I understood Italian. It is still a nice little movie and I had this overwhelming desire to see Italy afterwards.
(M) The Nightmare Before Christmas. (1993, Henry Selick) Grade: B
Thoughts: Pretty strange/scary I have not seen this movie until now. I'm not sure why I never got around to it but yup ... just never did. The storyline isn't all that great but the entire movie is wonderful to look at. It is amazing that they created each of the figures by hand and shot the entire thing that way. The paitence and labor that went into that is impressive. I'm not super eager to see the Corpse Bride but I think it should be pretty good.
Thursday, August 4
Surprised myself that it has been so long since I last wrote, so here goes:
(A) Set Yourself on Fire (March 8, Stars) Grade: A
Arts & Crafts has the best artists. This one namely.
(A) Underwater Cinematographer (July 12, The Most Serene Republic) Grade: A
Proving my point that Arts & Crafts (and Canada) is where it is all happening, Most Serene Republic boasts innovative song construction, impenetrable singing and delightful dialogue interspersed throughout. This Milton, Ontario-based band plays on all these eccentricities to full and surprisingly effective results. The album plays like a book--begins with a prologue, ends with an epilogue--and features such song titles as "The Protagonist Suddenly Realizes What He Must Do In The Middle Of Downtown Traffic" and "Where Cedar Nouns And Adverbs Walk." Stand-out track: "You're A Loose Cannon McArthur ... But You Get The Job Done," which features a "Wait!" "What?" "There's just one more thing..." introduction. I love it.
(A) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (June 28, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) Grade: A
Buzzzzzz band alert! Simple pop music seemingly ... but actually isn't. First, why would this Brooklyn band elect Alec Ounsworth to be their vocalist? One who commands such whinal nasality that it borders on painful? Perhaps because Alec can successfully convey an entire range of emotion in a simple "ahhhh" note. Add some delightful compositions (the bouncy introduction of "Over And Over Again Lost And Found") and amusing lyrics ("You look a bit like coffee/And you taste it" in "The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth") and that is the formula for the next big thing. It almost makes me want to, well, clap my hands and say, Yeah!
(A) The Weight is a Gift (Sept. 13, Nada Surf) Grade: B-
There is something to be said about writing in a direct manner. Those who can do so effectively, without hiding behind obscure lyrics, are admirable. Those who can't, on the other hand, often sound trite and overly simplistic. Nada Surf falls in that latter category. Not to say that these musicians aren't completely sincere in their messages. (I get the feeling Matthew Caws sings with complete sincerity.) But listening to such lines as, "To find someone you love/You got to be someone you love" in "Concrete Bed" or "Always love/Hate will get you every time" in "Always Love," connects with someone in junior high, doodling love notes in science class. Maybe Nada Surf should get back to that quirkiness they achieved in, dare I say it, "Popular."
(A) Set Yourself on Fire (March 8, Stars) Grade: A
Arts & Crafts has the best artists. This one namely.
(A) Underwater Cinematographer (July 12, The Most Serene Republic) Grade: A
Proving my point that Arts & Crafts (and Canada) is where it is all happening, Most Serene Republic boasts innovative song construction, impenetrable singing and delightful dialogue interspersed throughout. This Milton, Ontario-based band plays on all these eccentricities to full and surprisingly effective results. The album plays like a book--begins with a prologue, ends with an epilogue--and features such song titles as "The Protagonist Suddenly Realizes What He Must Do In The Middle Of Downtown Traffic" and "Where Cedar Nouns And Adverbs Walk." Stand-out track: "You're A Loose Cannon McArthur ... But You Get The Job Done," which features a "Wait!" "What?" "There's just one more thing..." introduction. I love it.
(A) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (June 28, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) Grade: A
Buzzzzzz band alert! Simple pop music seemingly ... but actually isn't. First, why would this Brooklyn band elect Alec Ounsworth to be their vocalist? One who commands such whinal nasality that it borders on painful? Perhaps because Alec can successfully convey an entire range of emotion in a simple "ahhhh" note. Add some delightful compositions (the bouncy introduction of "Over And Over Again Lost And Found") and amusing lyrics ("You look a bit like coffee/And you taste it" in "The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth") and that is the formula for the next big thing. It almost makes me want to, well, clap my hands and say, Yeah!
(A) The Weight is a Gift (Sept. 13, Nada Surf) Grade: B-
There is something to be said about writing in a direct manner. Those who can do so effectively, without hiding behind obscure lyrics, are admirable. Those who can't, on the other hand, often sound trite and overly simplistic. Nada Surf falls in that latter category. Not to say that these musicians aren't completely sincere in their messages. (I get the feeling Matthew Caws sings with complete sincerity.) But listening to such lines as, "To find someone you love/You got to be someone you love" in "Concrete Bed" or "Always love/Hate will get you every time" in "Always Love," connects with someone in junior high, doodling love notes in science class. Maybe Nada Surf should get back to that quirkiness they achieved in, dare I say it, "Popular."
Monday, August 1
(O) Sick (maybe with laryngitis). (2005, August) Grade: F
Thoughts: I'm not sure if I have laryngitis but I can't talk and if I can my voice is all hoarse and gross like I just smoked 10 packs of cigs in one sitting. Dang it my throat feels like burning and it hurts when I swallow. WTF.
(O) Work. (2004, August)Grade: F
Thoughts: I'm so super busy at work trying to finish all this shite up. Ugh. How depressing is this?? Last Thurs. I felt pretty sick so I went home and bascially slept for a day and half only to wake up on Sat. and drive into work to finish stuff I knew had to get done. WTF.
(O/TV) HBO On Demand/Six Feet Under. (2005, August)Grade: A/B
Thoughts: Okay I know I know Darth has been telling me I had this function on my cable box FOREVER. But do I listen ... nope. However since I've been sick I had nothing better to do so I decided to catch up on the eps of the final season of Six Feet Under. I've watched only 4 so far and find it alright at most. The characters are tiresome and I am glad the show is coming to an end. Although I was told by my old boss that last night's ep (which I'm like 5 or 6 eps from) is supposely really good. We'll see.
Thoughts: I'm not sure if I have laryngitis but I can't talk and if I can my voice is all hoarse and gross like I just smoked 10 packs of cigs in one sitting. Dang it my throat feels like burning and it hurts when I swallow. WTF.
(O) Work. (2004, August)Grade: F
Thoughts: I'm so super busy at work trying to finish all this shite up. Ugh. How depressing is this?? Last Thurs. I felt pretty sick so I went home and bascially slept for a day and half only to wake up on Sat. and drive into work to finish stuff I knew had to get done. WTF.
(O/TV) HBO On Demand/Six Feet Under. (2005, August)Grade: A/B
Thoughts: Okay I know I know Darth has been telling me I had this function on my cable box FOREVER. But do I listen ... nope. However since I've been sick I had nothing better to do so I decided to catch up on the eps of the final season of Six Feet Under. I've watched only 4 so far and find it alright at most. The characters are tiresome and I am glad the show is coming to an end. Although I was told by my old boss that last night's ep (which I'm like 5 or 6 eps from) is supposely really good. We'll see.
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