Galactica SitRep found this neat eight-minute recap of Battlestar Galactica from the mini-series through last season's cliffhanger (excluding the Razor DVD).
(WARNING: Major spoilers. However, if you've missed the first three seasons . . .)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
La Vie En Rose: B
Marion Cotillard-La Vie En Rose, originally uploaded by TiVo_epaper.
I just finished watching La Vie En Rose. It started-off as the typical child-with-rough-background-grows-up-discovers-music-fame-drugs-etc biopic, so I was a little bored during the first half. Also, the non-linear editing and jumping around annoyed me. However, the last half of the film brought everything together.
Marion Cotillard was terrific as Edith Piaf although IMBD reports that she lipsynched all the songs -- which doesn't matter because she is very convincing.
The movie version:
The real thing:
stuck in my head: "Falling Slowly"
Here is the latest sappy song that has been stuck in my head since I first heard it on Sunday's Oscars. The winner for best song Falling Slowly:
Here's the live Oscars version:
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Obama/Clinton '08????
It's no secret that I'm hoping for a Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama ticket. I know it's unlikely and no one wants to talk about it, but I'm a little excited that the AP reports Clinton's campaign chairman mentioned the possibility yesterday.
current obsession: Dexter
dexter_poster, originally uploaded by darlannex.
My latest TV show obsession is Showtime's Dexter starring Michael C. Hall of Six Feet Under fame. I'm currently rationing myself one episode per night from iTunes. Judging from the creepy/funny poster, I can't wait for the second season to become available.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
newspaper comics
The Portland Mercury's blog posted links to the hilarious Marmaduke Explained and Garfield Minus Garfield:
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sukkar banat aka Caramel: C
Scott and I joined Tammam to watch the French-Lebanese chick flick Caramel yesterday. It's about five women at a beauty salon and their pursuit of romantic interests at the fringes of cultural acceptance. The shop owner pursues a married man while ignoring the attention of the local cop; an old neigboring seamstress deals with her burden of carrying for her senile relative and the advances of suitor; an engaged shop worker worries about how to hide her non-virgin status from her husband; a divorced older woman seeks modeling/acting roles while taking desperate measures to maintain an illusion of youth; and a tom boy shop worker is pursued by a beautiful patron.
Admittedly, I probably would not be interested in seeing this movie if it were about an American beauty salon. However, it is interesting seeing a slice of life portrayed in an international movie. The ending of the movie was a little unsatisfying, but realistic.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Nooooo.- Star Trek Delayed to May 2009!!!
According to TrekMovie.com, the huge new Star Trek reboot has been postponed FOUR MONTHS from Christmas 2008 to May 8, 2009. As of this evening, the official movie website still advertises the old release date, so hopefully it's just a rumor.
Assuming the worse, I've revised the counter.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Starbucks' Sinister 'Phase Two' Operation
A news article from The Onion has come true. NWCN.com reports on the sinister nationwide plan:
How many baristas can be trained in three hours? What kind of "shot" will these baristas be making and what will they be doing with steaming "milk"? Fortunately, The Onion long ago forewarned us about Starbucks' nefarious activities:
Sunday, February 10, 2008
No Country For Old Men: A
Yesterday, Scott and I watched the last of the 2007 Best Picture nominees we needed to see, No Country For Old Men. Admittedly I love Coen brother movies, but I delayed seeing this film because it was described as a dark and graphic movie. However, after seeing the pointless There Will Be Blood and the mundane Michael Clayton, I was motivated to see what turned out to be an interesting and entertaining movie. No Country does have similarities to Coens' 1997 Fargo (rural sheriff tracking a killer with a sidekick deputy, humble guy with quick-rich scheme, and a ruthless killer), but with far less dark comedy. No Country reminded me of their 1984 movie Blood Simple which was dark and violent. Also, No Country is set in dingy, brown 1980 which they did a terrific job portraying. So much of their movies is about the dull, ordinary aspects of cheap suburban and motel life even in the midst of a murder story.
I also put-off seeing this movie because it starred Tommy Lee Jones in another law-enforcement-officer-tracking-a-fugative role and it took me awhile to give Jones a chance to convince me of his character. By the end of the movie though, Jones' Sherriff Bell was one of the most interesting characters in the story. Javier Bardem was also great as the hulking killer, but his character seemed a little too sociopathic and cartoonish to me.
Of the best picture nominees, No Country is my favorite -- although Juno was more fun to watch and Atonement was more epic.
Monday, February 4, 2008
rant: KGW finds weird angle to OR domestic partnerships
Woo-hoo, Oregon's domestic partnership law is effective today! It's a somewhat anticlimatic event since Oregon gays and lesbians were supposed to have this civil right a month ago. Also the legal and political battle for recognition of gay unions has been an ongoing story since 2003, so I don't blame KGW-TV for trying to find a new angle to the story. However, the story KGW reported on their 10 and 11 PM newscasts featured two spinster women friends who are entering a domestic partnership simply for the benefits.
The friends and business partners admitted that they were exploiting the DP law, but explained that they felt entitled to the civil right as well. Of course heterosexuals have exploited marriage more than same-sex couple ever will. I have heard of similar problem of straights marrying US service members just for the military spouse benefits.
I'm disappointed that KGW decided to profile a non-representative couple on what otherwise should be a joyous day for loving couples that have long waited for state-recognition.
KGW.com hasn't posted the story yet, but I'll update the link later.
(02/05/2008 8:10 AM: Re-worded my rambling. KGW.com has not posted any articles on their story last night.)
favorite super bowl ad
No, Scott and I did not watch the Super Bowl, but I did see the ads on YouTube. Here are my favorites:
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Michael Clayton: C
Michael Clayton, originally uploaded by wbmovies.
Scott and I continued working through the best picture nominees. We watched Michael Clayton Saturday with Heather and Isabel.
It was a good movie with great performances by George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton. However, I can't say anything in this movie particularly stood out to me. It covered the familiar themes of conflicted lawyers, powerful evil corporations, midlife crisis, and mental illness. I can't say anything was wrong with the movie either. It told its story in an interesting way. My only minor complaint was how unclimatic and abrupt the ending was. However, I also have to credit the movie for letting the viewer figure out the rest of the story.
Ultimately, an average movie that probably would not have made the Oscar list if it wasn't such a weak year for movies.
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