The Snow Queen, Review

This version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen is a British production for TV. Gerda, a young girl, befriends a freezing orphan and they become inseparatable. The Snow Queen had almost had him before she rescues him, and he tells Gerda that he has seen her and if he opens the window, she will see the Snow Queen, too. He opens the window and the Snow Queen sees him. Gerda makes him shut the window because she is cold but not before he gets something in his eye. After that he changes and become mean, and one day he disappears. Gerda goes to rescue him from the Snow Queen, braving odd and dangerous beings.

The film has some odd effects which at first I thought was bad PAL to NTSC transfer. They were somewhat like the dream sequences in Gladiator. Once I realized it was intentional, it didn't bother me at all. There is a lot of sweet music in the background which made me think this was a musical, but none of the characters break out in song. The Snow Queen herself is portrayed in a very beautiful and haunting way.

All in all I enjoyed this rendering and give it 4/5 acorns.

Family Stone, Review

I did not know anything about this movie before going to see it. It is not the kind of movie I would pick as it had a sad theme. I loved all the actors and actresses in this movie. Sally Jessica Parker was great as the uptight girlfriend brought home to meet her boyfriend's quirky family. The are preloaded to dislike her and there is a yet unknown sorrow. I haven't seen Claire Danes in anything for a while, and she is sparkly as the sister invited in for moral support. Luke Wilson plays one of the boyfriends brother and I find him just as appealing as ever. The story itself has some very funny moments, but is a bit too contrived. The background snowy secluded neighborhood is beautiful.

I will rate this 3/5 acorns.

Hitting the Note

What is it about the blues? I was giving up the blues because by definition it is about angst and loss and well, the Blues. I was going to take my life away from dark places with World Music where even if the words were really bummers, I didn't know since the music was in a language I didn't underdstand.

And then, I listened to this CD, Hitting the Note. I am an Allman Brother's Band fan going pretty far back. I didn't discover them until after Gregg Allman's untimely death, but I did experience one of the most memorable concerts of my college years hearing Dicky Betts and Duane rock in Kansas City.

The band has reconstituted with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks on guitar, and of course Duane Allman. And yes the lyrics are about life's bumps and love's lost, but I discovered that it's not about the lyrics for me so much as it is about the beat and the wailing guitars. This music makes me stomp my feet and want to get up and dance.

And that's why I love the blues so.

Bah Humbug

I'm a grump this week. I gotta get out of this job. The clerical stuff added to my already overwhelming day is getting to me. Not only that, it is started to affect what I consider my real work...the Medicine. And, it is my weekend. I worked half day yesterday and I work 8 hours today. Bah, humbug.

On December 15 a "soft stop" was put in place to remind me to "associate" my orders and "esig" or electronically sign my notes. What that looks like is while I am trying to say, order a test for a patient to diagnose something, a pop up window shows up asking me if I want to associate or not and in order to go on I have to close the pop up. Sounds pretty easy until it gets mulitplied by a factor of 50 times or more/day. Not only that, but if there is only one diagnosis the popup window inquires, "there is ony one diagnosis do I want to assoicate the order with that one"...well, duh! Needless to say after 2.5 days of that I want to get a sledgehammer and beat the shit out that slow computer. Also the shortcut keys on two of my workstations do not work. I have called IT several times, the last time being very unsatisfying, but it really is just driving me crazy.

Not only that it is affected by crafting time and projects. My sock has had mistakes I've had to redo so many times, and I can't seem to get started or finish anything. Crafting is generally what keeps me sane. I'm hoping this rant will help.

On a high note, my son's Christmas present to me is humming along...a new video card and rebuilt computer with new case complete with carrying straps in case I want to take the thing to a lan party. Are there any games for the seriously motion sensitive?

And where is that Sony repair guy? My TV is broke and I'm missing the end of Yoshistune and Boston Legal. He better come before 24 starts or I'm buying a Panasonic.

The Devil's Rejects Review

The movie opens with one of my favorite Allman Brother's songs, Midnight Rider, and closes with Freebird, by the Legendary band, Lynryd Skynyrd. The movie itself is Dukes of Hazard meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The director, Rob Zombie, was born Robert Cummings in Massachusetts. He was part of the group White Zombie and from a brief look at his biography he has led a very colorful life so far.

I didn't see his other big movie, House of 1000 Corpses.

Devil's Rejects is a very gory movie and the gore was very serious. Not much comic relief or cheese factor. Ebert and Roper gave it two thumbs up. I'll give it 3/5 acorns.

Grace

The generous earth
bestows abundant color
coveting nothing.

Hoppity Goes to Town, Review

This movie was already ten years old when I was born. I can't exactly remember how old I was when I first saw it, but while watching it now, I remember so vividly the bee boy scout saying,"A bee scout must be brave, a bee scout must behave." Another memorable scene for me was the hot rivit being caught in bucket that also had the slime ball in it.

The animation is very nice and the story, too. It's a classic and will stick in my mind forever.

I will give it 4.5/5 acorns.

The Strange World of Planet X, Review

This 1957 movies starring Forest Tucker is not a bad bug movie. He was one of those familiar faces in so many Westerns and then hit it big as Sargeant O'rourke of F Troop. I watched many an episode of that way back when. Anyway, here is is as the leading man/love interest for the flirty lady computer expert in her pointy bra and flared skirt.

Spoiler alert***
An alien, but the name of Smith, comes from, Planet X, I guess (it's not that clear) because the experients going on by the ruthless scientist "I never think of things that don't support my research", has caused people and bugs to grow big and act crazy.

I didn't know this but from the movie it looks like giant spiders and roaches are natural enemies and in a fight to the death, the roach can win. Good thing Smith has a raygun, cuz that really comes in handy. Better the Raid.

I will rate this 2.5/5 acorns. I found it slow, but funny. If you like cheese...

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Review

I've loved all the Harry Potter books and the movies are getting better and better. This current movie has lots of special effects including some great dragons. It also has wonderful castles and costumes. Glenfinnin Viaduct of Loch Shiel is so beautful.

One of my favorite actors in these series is Alan Rickman. He plays Serverus Snape, but his part isn't that big in this particular episode. I really didn't recognize Ralph Fiennes as He whose name should not be mentioned, or Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Maggie Smith is perfect as Minerva.

Well if you can't tell by now, I loved this movie and will give it 4.5/5 acorns.

Aah, Saturday

It has come to my attention that Christmas is coming on fast. I haven't a clue what to get people at work. I happen to have several people who support me so well, I would like to give them a gift. The hard thing is knowing what to get. Money and gift certificates seem the most practical and actually are the easiest. They avoid the pitfalls of traditional gifts...will that person like it? can they use it? will they have to return it? am I adding to the clutter at their homes? Yikes. My brain is going to explode.

I am de-cluttering at home myself, and have discovered a vast collection of packing worms and bubble wrap, saved from Amazon and other deliveries. What to do? What to do? They are not biodegradable for the most part so tossing them in trash somehow seems enviromentally unfriendly. I did manage to give a little of it away. That seems to be the best solution. Or I suppose I can mail the gift certificates in large boxes full of packing material to my family on the Mainland, but then somehow that seems like passing the buck. Of course maybe others are not stuck on this like I am.

I also discovered a shelf liner collection. I think it came to be because I bought the stuff on sale, but never lined any of my drawers like I intended. As far as I can tell this is from sheer laziness.

Decluttering also led to pattern organization, and if course I came across my Traveling Quilter pattern, and of course that led to an obsession with knitting needle cases, so I'm off to get Hobbs Thermore to pad the case. Dang. More clutter.
That's how it happens.

I might buy a small TV, too. My main one broke down again, and I have to wait 2 weeks for a part. I have already decided that if it breaks down again, out it goes. My son hooked my computer up to the cable TV, so now at least I won't have to miss Monk, Yoshitsune or Boston Legal. Hmm, maybe I don't need that small TV after all.

The Descent, Review

The Descent is directed by the same man who did Dog Soldiers, but imo this movie is much more tense. In fact it scared the ba-jeezus out of me. I am crossing cave exploration off my to do list after watching this movie. I must have jumped and infact screamed a few times. I think I have indigestion now and don't feel sleepy at all even though it's past midnight here.

A group of women who enjoyed doing extreme sports together get together after tragedy has separated them for a while. They decide to go explore a cave, but the leader chooses new area without telling any of the other women, and it turns out to be a very, very bad idea.

It is supposedly filmed in Appalachia, and the mountains are green and beautful. I was half expecting the women to meet up with the boys from Deliverance, but it's much worse.

Not for the squeamish, but very well done. I'll rate it 4/5 acorns.

Curse of the Fly, Review

The Fly guys are back and guess what? They still don't have that teleporter fixed.

The seemingly normal mad scientist/doctor picks up a girl running around in the dark in her underwear and is quite taken with her. He steals some clothes off a clothesline for her and the dress fits her just right. Since she has no friends, family, job or place to stay, they fall in love and get married. They return to his home where a mysterious Chinese (one might be genuine, the other looks fake) give her the stink eye.

There are a lot of weird noises around the house, especially at night so they keep her drugged a lot and tell her she's seeing things.

Meanwhile, the matron of the insane asylum from where she escapes gets the cops and comes looking for her.

This kind of stuff just seems to happen often in some places. The teleporter is cool and may actually be working quite well, but not if you put two beings in the teleporter at the same time. You think they would have learned that already.

I will give this movie 2/5 acorns.

Revenge of the Zombies, review

This movie has John Carradine as a mad, Nazi scientist who is trying to create an army of zombies. There are many stereotypes in this movie and I found that detracting and downright annoying.
I kept thinking to myself, "When did zombies start eating brains?" This movie is from the 1940s and the previously viewed, Revolt of the Zombies was from the 1030s. I guess brain eating wasn't thought of, or not allowed then.
Anyway, other then having a you John Carradine in it, this movie wasn't very good, imo.
I'll give it 2/5 acorns because of Mr. Carradine.

It's still the day before Thanksgiving here. It was a cloudy, muggy, rainy day. I drove around to Kailua and then to Aina Haina through Waimanalo, and the ocean and mountains were still beautiful, so much to be thankful for.

Hiding mystery
behind misty mountains
Today I'll just be.

Starchaser Review

Starchaser is a scifi animated movie. The plots are familiar...teenager with authority problem loses girl and has to abandon crippled brother. He has a vision and finds a sword that is supposed to make him free his people from the robots that have enslaved them. Along the way he is saved by a princess whom he falls for right away, and a space traveling smuggler. The space ship has a talking computer and loyal fembot.

In spite of the obvious parallels with Star Wars, this 1985 feature length animation is still entertaining. The animation is very nice. I enjoyed watching it and give it 3/5 acorns.

Colossus of New York, and Revolt of the Zombies, Review

This movie has a brain in a fishbowl scene like the one from Donavan's Brain. The difference is that this brain ends up in a mechanized form and has cool powers like shooting rays from his eyes that kill people. He apparently has no soul and is prone to evil, but must have some heart as he remembers his son.

This was an entertaing movie although a bit sad.

Revolt of the Zombies was filmed in 1936 and I love the costumes from that period. The femme fatale is so very lovely in her flowing gowns. A man finds the secret of controlling the thoughts of other people turning them into zombies, and they have to follow his commands. Initially his intentions are good, but later he decides to use them to get he girl. These zombies do not lust for brains so can't be real zombies.

I liked both of these movies. I will give Zombies 2.5/5 acorns and Colossus 4/5 acorns.

Equinox Review

Equinox has some nice stop action monsters and special effects. The people have that strange look from movies made in that period that make think that humans have evolved. I wanted to poke one of the guys' eyes out for the way he treated his girlfriend. It was dubbed so hopefully he wasn't as obnoxious as he looked. The women had the same colored sweaters on, perhaps there was a sale on at Walmart.

Anyway, a nice little gem. I rate it 3.5/5 acorns.

Locusts Review

I was going to review this made of TV movie about a plague of Locusts, but it was a ripoff of another movie I saw once with bees and not very good so I won't.

I took one of those quizes about my birthday at PaulSadowski.com and it came up my tree is the Lime Tree-prone to laziness, unfulfilled potential, and apt to whine. All I can say about that is waaaahhhh! I am not going to work today. Well okay, I'm just cutting out of a meeting.

Man with the Screaming Brain, Review

Man with the Screaming Brain is acted in and directed by Bruce Campbell. Hardly anything else needs to be said, but I will anyway. The movie is filmed in Bulgaria so it can have real gypsies in it and also according to Mr. Cambell, it fit the budget.
Mr. Campbell is a rich American who travels to Bulgaria with his wife, looking for tax shelters. They fall in with bad elements and meet with accidents. The mad scientist played very well by Stacy Keach uses them in his experiment. A former KGB taxi driver who has had an affair with Bruce's wife also meets with an accident and ends up becoming Bruces re-animated right brain. He wife is also brought back, but in a robot body.
Ted Raimi acts as Mr. Keach's assistant and he is in charge of the robot.

This movie has lots of goofy lines and situations and is an entertaining way to spend a cold and rainy afternoon instead of cleaning bird cages. It is an action flick that tells a tale of science, love, and revenge.

I will rate it 4/5 acorns. If you like goofy, watch it:)

Frankenstein Conquers the World and The Bamboo Saucer, Reviews

Frankenstein Conquers the World is a fun watch on a rainy day or night. Frankenstein's brain apparently was somehow in the possession of Nazi's and sent to Japan for scientific study. It gets into a child's body in Hiroshima, and begins to grow very quickly until he is 20 feet tall. Unfortunately his intelligence does not grow with him but his appetite does. And he is rather clumsy and often misunderstood. He runs away and is pursued by the army. A monster awakens, as often happens in the Japanese countryside, and the distruction of person and property is blamed on Frankenstein. I better not say anymore because it might spoil it. Nick Adams, aka Johnny Yuma, The Rebel, is a scientist/doctor in this movie and he also is trying to become and Iron Chef (wink wink)




The Bamboo Saucer is one of those vintage sci-fi flicks that used to come on all the time. The music takes me back in time. The "bad boy" test pilot is asked to go on a mission in China to find a saucer he said he saw, but the government wants him to write off. Apparently the arch enemy of the time, the Russians are also after it. Luckily for our hero, the Russian translator is a babe, and also scientist. I'm pretty sure the saucer is not made of bamboo, unless I fell asleep and missed that part. I just love how the electric shaver opens the saucer. That's usually the most challenging thing about strange saucers. BTW, the "Red" Chinese are after both the Russians and the Americans.

I will give Frankenstein 4/5 acorns and Bamboo Saucer 3/5 acorns.

Tam Lin Review

This movie stars Ava Gardner and is the only movie Roddy McDowell directed. It is based on an English/Scottish folk tale. Tam Lin is a character who accosts young women and takes their virginity. A woman falls in love with him and he with her. He tells her is is actually a prisoner of the fairy queen and if he tries to leave her she will kill him. She becomes pregnant and he runs away with her. In this movie Ava tells the man that if he leaves her, she will give him 7 days and then she will come after him. Being as this movie was made in 1969, she drugs him and sends her lackeys after him.

This movie has a great mood and the back drop is very beautiful. I know this dates me, but the Pentagle does the music. Boy that brings back some memories.

I will give this movie 4/5 acorns.

On Clutter, the future and the Plan

I promised to stop thinking and watching all these movies, work, surfing the Net, blogreading and knitting are great ways to avoid it. However, I do get back to thinking about my next bracelet. It is going to be about my values. I suspect it is a long way off yet.

I gleaned this bit of wisdom surfing this am while looking for good feng shui sayings. The disussion was on the question, am I ready for a relationship? The recommendation is to answer these 3 questions in order.

Who am I?
Where am I going?
Who am I going with?

So here's the basic plan I've outlined. For the next 18 months, I plan to work on Who am I? and Where am I going. Why 18 months? I want to try and retire in 18 months. The great thing about these plans, is that they are mine. I can change them anytime I want :)

I'm starting with reducing clutter. Okay, I know, I've said that before. But I have some serious clutter. Part of the principle behind reducing clutter is to let go of attachments, emtpy that dish or plate, and find out who is hiding underneath and also find out who is out there. This could take more the 18 months, especially with the holidays upon me!

Some serious questions for me to contemplate: Do I sell the serger? Are Totoros useful to me? Am I ever going to make another basket?

And the biggest question of all is, can I give shopping for things I don't need?

Undo and Harvey, Review

Harvey is a short film from Australia. It's an odd one. A women comes home to her apartment and hears a call for help from the apartment across the hall. Harvey is peering out from the mail slot in the door, calling for help. Actually he is a bit beyond help as he is only half a person split vertically. There might be deep meaning to this movie if I really think hard about. It is a well done cinematic effort.




Undo is another example of Japanese weirdness. A writer who works from home, lives with his girlfriend, who stays at home and knits. They appear to be in love. They can't have pets so he brings home turtles. Turtle lovers beware, because they are not treated well. After the woman gets her braces off, he can't get used to her teeth and taste and this leads her to Obsessive Knot Disorder, a malady of love. Her descent into madness and his efforts to help her do not make for a happy ending, but that's often then case in Japanese movies.

I give Harvey 4/5 acorns and Undo 3.5/5 acorns.

The Ghost Ship Review

Val Lewton (The Cat People, The Body Snatcher) directed this movie in 1943. It a mystery set on a ship. I have not watched the more modern movies of the same name, but I think those version had ghosts in them. There are some allusions to ghost ship in this movie, but it does not fit real well in this case. There were some great moments in this movie, such as the anchor scene.

I liked that fact that the movie still had horses and carriages in it, and that ship travel was still so important. It was a very nice movie to DVD transfer.

I will rate it 2.5/5 acorns.

The Raven, Review

I watched another vintage Bella Lugosi and Vincent Price movie. At first I thought I had misread the credits because Mr. Price was no where to be found, but he shows up later in the movie. There are some classic views of Mr. Bella's eyes looking diabolical. Price's role seems to borrow a bit of character from Frankenstein.
I can really see where Gene Wilder got some of his ideas in his spoof of the genre.

Bella is a retired mad scientist/doctor. A rich guy who's daughter is comatose, but not on a ventilator or anthing and looks very pretty in spite of rolling off a cliff in her car, drags Bella out of retirement when the other good doctors have not given him any hope. Bella comes in and operates...not sure on what, but of course she wakes up immediately and goes back to her dancing career and her fiancee. Bella falls in love with her, and when every one tells him to back down, he doesn't take it well. Madmen are like that Absolutely no sense of humor until he gets the father down in his torture room and has the woman and her fiance in the room with the closing in walls. Then he laughs, inapproprately like he's a samurai or something. "Ha ha! watch that really sharp blade decent upon your neck you trussed up ungrateful wretch!"

Somehow he needs Vincent Price in this so he can do plastic surgery on him.

I found this movie very entertaining and will give it 3.5/5 acorns.

While channel surfing I saw Ellen Degeneres play a theremin.

The Invisible Ray, Review

The Invisible Ray reminded me a little of Tarzan the Ape Man. Tarzan was made in 1932 and The Invisible Ray i 1936. The Africa scenes were similar in that the "White Hunter" image was going on and in today's age the way it was done in both movies is very dated and annoying.

That aside, this movie has Bella Lugosi and Boris Karloff in it, as well as Frances Drake. They seriously overact and no one can play a mad scientist like Mr. Karloff. They all meet in a Carpathian mansion where Karloff, though married, is a mad scientist mamma's boy. His work with Radium X take him to Africa in search of a meteor.

The glowing man scenes are fun. I will give this movie 3/5 acorns.

More Vintage Horror, Nightmare Review

Nightmare is a vintage Hammer film. Theme is basically what goes around comes around or as you sow so shall you reap. The ladies are all good screamers in this one and screaming well is quite a feat imo. (spoiler) Baxter is a worm and his fate is just.

The houses are so great in this picture...the girls school and Janet's home, and the asylum behind it's large foreboding wall.

The director, Freddie Francis was also responsible for Trog.

I will rate this movie 3.5/5 acorns.

Political Test

Whew, I'm glad I didn't sit with Darth Vader and Hitler! But, d**n, I'm almost a socialist!

You are a Social Moderate (55% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (36% permissive) You are best described as a: Centrist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Black Friday, Night Creatures, 4D Man Reviews

Today I started watching a series of vintage horror. By today's standards many do not seem so horrible, but it is hard to beat the eerie sound effects, dark brooding looks of Peter Cushing and Bella, or the diabolical characters played by Vincent Price.

Black Friday stars Vincent Price as a brain surgeon who just doesn't seem to be living up to his potential. He has succesffuly transplanted animal brains, but just can't seen to get a good job. An English professor has befriended him, but when that professor is mortally wounded in an auto accident involving a ganster, the surgeon sees not only an opportunity to experiment on a human, and save his friends life, but also an opportunity to get a share of the gangster's stolen money.

In Night Creatures, Peter Cushing plays a vicker with a couple of secrets. This movie reminded me a bit of the Scarecrow series on TV when I was a kid. The characters are a bit confusing and I'm not sure who was the good guys and who was the bad guys. It's not entirely clear to me what the Night Creatures are up to. Oliver Reed is quite young in this one. He still looks quite good after he's been beat up by the sailors trying to get out his secrets.

4D Man was quite good. Scientist brothers start working together and there combined experiments allow 4D Man to pass through solid objects. The cost of this ability is that the energy required ages him. This is hard on his relationships.

I will give Black Friday 2.5/5 acorns. Night Creatures, I'll rate 2/5 acorns. I will rate 4D Man 4/5 acorns.

Driving

Mountain layers hide
earth, lives, dreams and tomorrow
Nothing more or less.

Cereberus and Tea Time, Reviews

Cereberus is the 3 headed dog that guards the entrance to the Underworld. It is also a made for TV movie that aired on SciFi channel. Some bad guys are hired by a Korean to find Hannibal's sword. While on this quest, they unleash Cereberus and having 3 heads he can eat 3 times as many people at once. Only the sword of Hannibal can kill him. The cocky hero flirts with the girl while he helps save her dorky brother.

Tea Time, is a short movie with very little dialog. It is basically a conveyer belt that has people tied up on it. They get to the worker garbed in an apron and he chops their head off and throws it in a bucket. He is watching the clock. When the bell rings he takes a break and has some tea. The last victim begs with his eyes and the worker takes a bit of break time to lift up the guillotine like blade resting against his neck. So what happens when break time is up?

Cereberus was okay. I will give it 2.5/5 acorns. For some reason, I found Tea Time very entertaining, and will give it 3.5/5 acorns.

I tried watching Cutie Honey, the live action version, but I wasn't in the mood for it. Cutie Honey the actress is very cute, but I still couldn't sit through the movie.

How can I tell winter is coming to Hawaii?

I can always tell it's "winter" in Hawaii because Punchbowl is so green. Most of year it is brown and dry. It was also a classic Halloween...dark, cool and drizzly. No. 1 son carved the punkin and it looked great with the flickering candle. I got all of 3 trick or treaters...just the way it goes in my neighborhood these days, sigh. Good news is there's lots of candy left. Bad news is, there's lots of candy left.

Medium is having a marathon since the new season is starting next week.

I got the new video card finally. I suppose David was trying to tell me that my vintage card did not support the new monitor, but I didn't get it. I finally did when it started acting strange...glowing colors around the pointer and vertical green lines. The old card got a lot of use and since it still works it will join the other computer parts I have scattered around the house, just in case someone needs it. ATI now has TV out on nearly all the new cards. The ATI driver reload looked easier then in the past, but alas when it said reboot, I got the black screen of death. As it turns out it was the "white connector" which my system doesn't like too well. Everything is up and running now, thanks to my IT son. His benefit is that he actually has the new card in his computer. He repeately informed me that I don't need the high end card because I don't play games. I haven't tried any lately, but I'm sure the first person shooters still give me motion sickness, so he has a point.

I feel a bit restless. I'll be the rebel today and only be 15 minutes early for work instead of 30. Heh. PTL, I'm half day...the age ole question comes up. Do I clean house or go a-yarn crawling. And, will I remember I need golden raisins for the oatcakes?

Blood Rain takes place during the Chosun Dynasty(1392-1910). The place is a paper mill on an island. The mill produces paper for tribute once a year and when one of the boats catches on fire and a grisly murder takes place, a magistrate boats in to solve the mystery. When two more people turn up dead, and the investigation goes deeper, the island begins to give up it's secret.

This is a very serious movie. The only line I laughed quietly to myself over was "Is there anyone named Park here?" After Kim and Lee, I think Park is one of the most common Korean surnames. The murders are gruesome. The costumes are wonderful and the scenary very beautifully photographed. There are flashes into the past, glimpses of a love, hints of the supernatural and a deep vein of revenge.

This was my last movie and the last day for the Hawaii International Film Festival. I didn't get to see Sad Movie (Korean), Cavite (Filipino) or American Fusion. Those were some very popular ones.

I rate Blood Rain, 3/5 acorns.

Mirrormask, Review

Mirrormask is treasury of all kinds of cinematic magic. There are Jim Hensen creatures, circus performers, fantasy, animations and terrific live action characters. The story is deep and complex. The music is interesting. And it has a happy ending. Oops, there I told.

The mistake I made was to take my blankie with me and go to another evening show. I was nodding off before I left home, and I had some blank moments during the show where I entered a different level of consciousness. It might not be a good idea to rate this one, but I know its at least 3.5/5 acorns. The anouncer said it's the kind of movie one has to see on a big screen, but I think I will get more out of it watching the DVD at home.

Ashura, Review

I missed this movie Tuesday as I couldn't stay up until 10:15 pm to see it. How lame. But since I was able to leave work on time I decided to chance it. Rie Miyazawa, a very sweet actress, plays Tsubaki. I read a little about her and she has had some rocky times. She was so wonderful in Twilight Samurai. I remember Ashura as being the little girl from one of my first and favorite anime, RgVeda, so I was thinking somehow this character might be connected. Well, she isn't. Izumo, most excellent demon hunter quits and becomes a Kabuki actor after being haunted by killing a child in one of the demon-killing frenzies. A chance meeting with the Camelia (Tsubaki), hiding under the bridge leads him back to his old life. She has amnesia, but he feels he knows her. His old friend, Jaku, is tempted by Bizan, a "lecherous nun" and tricked into luring his friend back into the life. Jaku wants to find Ashura, who is going to be reborn, unite with her and doing so become strong even though it means he will become a demon. Of course you know right off the bat he will have to fight Izumo,
I liked the soundtrack to this movie. The battle scenes, special effects and artwork were really great. The story was a bit overdone in places but made sense and came to a satsifying end. Ashura's castle which is supposed to come down from the sky upside down, is quite fantastic. There is a lot of that inappropriate laughter so common in Japanese movies.
I enjoyed this picture and will give it 3.5/5 acorns.

Armageddon Review

This is the Chinese movie called Armageddon, not to be mixed up with the Bruce Willis/Ben Affleck one. It stars Andy Lau as one of the foremost inventors in the world. Or is it scientist. It's a bit confusing. I decided to watch this one with English audio as both the Cantonese and the Mandarin tracks sounded as if they were dubbed. The video transfer was not very good.
Being on the list of best scientists is a bad thing, as some of them have been murdered. A team on secret agents come to protect him, but he wants his old elementary school classmate to do it even though he appears to be inept.
The movie is a bit ho hum in the beginning even though the scientists appear to be dying of spontaneous combustion. I don't know about you, but that always is a show stopper.
Somehow the murders coincide with Armageddon as do world events and Andy just happens to figure it out. Scientists, you know, have a duty to take care of all people of the world. What a burden! Andy is drawn in to figuring out the plot of this movie by the ghost of his dead girlfriend who keeps showing up. Can Andy keep himself and his friends from self ignition?
I bet everyone will want to know, so I wont'd give it away.
I rate this one 2/5 acorns. My two sons only gave it 1.

Naisu no mori: First Contact, Review

Naisu no mori: First Contact is directed by Ishii Katsuhito. I adored Taste of Tea last year from the HIFF, not only because it starred Asano Tadanobu, but because I found it truly entertaining. I didn't want to miss this one from the same director and also starring Asano. They have collaborated also on Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl,

Many of the actors from Taste of Tea were also in this collection of vignettes of bizarre creatures and serious misfits. It simple amazes me how anyone in this movie kept a straight face long enough to make it through to the end.

There were a bunch of squishy creatures ala Existenz, and a club of men who just can't meet girls. The director takes us into some very strange dreams. Really this movie is very hard to explain.

I will give in 4/5 acorns. It is definately not everyone's cup of tea, but I would see it again.

No Blade of Grass Review

This s a made in Britain movie from 1970 about a time when polution has just about ruined the world and people are banding together against the anarchy that follows. It takes place in Britain and the scenary is great. The acting corny as it usually is in these B moves and the lyrics and lines are quite rediculous at times. One example is in London in a club where food is laid out in lavish supple while pictures of famine around the world is on the TV/ The men are discussing the likelyhood of London falling and one says, "It will be worse here...over there they are used to famine." What the heck does that mean? Can people actually get used to famine? At the end it says some like, "This is not a documetary, but it's real." I hope I heard that wrong, cuz that doesn't make sense.

So anyway, if this movie comes on at midnight some night when you can't sleep, it's better then watching the color bands, but I'll only give it 2/5 acorns, and I think that is being generous.

Tomorrow is Another Day

Fooey. I feel like life is getting ahead of me! My second sock is not growing very fast, I only folded half the clothes out of the drier, and poor Tweedy has been eating Cockatiel food for 2 days! It didn't help that I had to work today. I decided not to see Ashura, tonight at 10:15pm. What was I thinking? It's dark and rainy outside, and no doubt I would fall asleep in the middle of the movie.

Work was like a surreal vignette today. Thank goodness it was only medium busy since IT picked my shift to swap out all the computers as the company is rolling out the new W2K systems. The corrider was full of tall, thin dudes who mumbled somewhat incoherantly and floated about, logging me out and leaving me with new icons and no instructions. After realizing, there was no "yellow sheet", they decided to stop referring me to it. I got my cardio wandering out trying to find out where all my stuff was printing out to. It was a relief when it was over. I just pray they swap out the systems at my clinic after hours instead of during work.

The high point of the day was getting on the scale and finding out the hershey bar (okay, bars) didn't do too much damage. Also, there was a very lovely rainbow on the way to work and I heard from a few people who it was a nice surprise to hear from.

Godzilla Final Wars Review

Godzilla Final Wars is reportedly the last of the Godzilla movies. A group of mutant earthmen have joined forces to protect the world against monsters. An alien force collects the monsters that have started attacking around the globe. The alien force, mutants and most of the monsters have genetic similarities, so the alien force is able to control them. The aliens plan to use humans as food.

The monsters are great. The twin fairies of Mothra show up. Cities are destroyed left and right. Ryuhei Kitamura, director of Versus, also directed this one and gives it a much more frenetic, driving pace. Kazuki Kitamura is great as the bad guy with his heavy brows and he throws great tantrums.

I don't remember seeing any blood in this movie. I can't remember any deep quotes. I did laugh, though and I didn't fall asleep even though it was pretty late.

I'll give it 3.5/5 acorns. It was a lot of fun.

Hinokio Review

Hinokio is a sweet movie about a boy who shuts himself in and away from people, including his dad. The film starts with Satoru and his fatally injured mother in the emergency room. He observes the code and his mother's death. He blames his father. Although the doctors say Satoru can get better and walk, he remains wheelchair bound, and refuses to leave the house.
His father is designing the 603, a robot, that can be powered like a video game. The robot goes to school for Satoru and allows him to experience friendship and later actual physical sensations.
Juxtuposed with this story is a computer game called Purgatory.
The movie as some cute and sad moments. It moves a bit slowly at times.
I enjoyed it and will give it 4/5 acorns.

PS: Hinoki is a pine tree. 603 has some parts of him made of Hinoki so he will be lighter, and the kids at school nickname him Hinokio after the famous puppet.

Friday Haiku

Everyday unique
Mountain, sea and sky shout it.
Celebrate today!

Hawaii Internation Film Festival

The 26th Hawaii International Film Festival starts today. I will have to miss Sunday because of work, but plan to go to at least 6 films. There are so many great choices it's hard to narrow it down. I hope I can stay awake for the 10:15pm one on Sunday!

Dark City, one of my all time favs is showing and there is a discussion after. I'm a bit torn, but will miss it.

Kung Fu Mahjong Review

Some of the goofy characters from Kung Fu Hustle come back in this movie but it wasn't quite as good as Hustle, imo. It was still fun and silly. Our naive young hero is discovered waiting tables and he has a perfect memory. His employer warns of the dangers of becoming a gambler, but he falls in love and wants to make money so he can ask for her hand in marriage. I can't tell you more then that as it will spoil the surprise. Anyway, he loses his memory for a while and has to make a comeback.

His restaurant boss is that funny character with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth from Hustle.

I will give this movie 3/5 acorns. I can't think of anything deep I got watching it, though.

The Wig Review

This is a Korean horror movie that follows in the vein of Hands of a Stranger, and The Eye. You guessed it a women who has lost her hair due to chemotherapy takes on the personna of the wig she is given by her sister. Creepy accidents occur involving the long, drippy black hair I have come to love since Juon came to America. The hair even walks up a flight of stairs! The good sister loses her voice and goes about whispering. The bad sister also competes for the good sister's boyfriend. There is a surprising twist at the end, but all in all it wasn't a very scary, original movie. It was a little gruesome in parts.

I will rate it 2/5 acorns. Good midnight movie fare.

Heaven's Soldiers Review

Heaven's Soldiers is a Korean movie that combines historical drama, science fiction, and comedy all in one.
The historical figure is Yi Sun Shin who was a Korean admiral who in 1597 was killed in a naval victory in which the Japanese armada was defeated against great odss. He also introduced the the Turtle Ship
The scifi involves time travel and a comet.
The comedy is just thrown in and I did laugh.
The battle scenes are fairly graphic and well done.

I will give this movie 4/5 acorns. I found it very entertaining.

Zatoichi 26 review

I don't profess to have seen the preceding 25 of this series, but I have seen quite a few of them. Shintaro Katsu is greying but still has his funny walk, his swift sword and is still massaging and hacking his way through corrupt officials and yakuza slime. The ladies pure and jaded fall for him and he defends orphans and innocent young girls.

He has one last confrontation at the end with a samurai who might be his match but who also has become a friend. Their relationship is summarized by the saying "the falling leaf does not hate the wind" and "the one who drew first was you."

Some noteworthy faces include Takanori Jinnai and Ogata Ken. I could swear that is Beat Takeshi in there, too, but I don't see his name in the credits, so I could be wrong.

As in many of these long running serials, plots and characters repeat themselves, but this one came off well, and I give it 4/5 acorns.

Mimi

And here's Mimi. Mimi lives with Ted in Madison, Wisconsin. I believe she was First Cat, until she was deposed by Ted and Daisy. I truly have learned not to take cat pictures with a flash, as Mimi also has gone to the devil. As you can see Mimi is allowed to sit on a counter! I have mixed feelings about this. My parents were militant about cats NOT sitting on counters. But Mimi is allowed to sit on counters as long as she minds her own business, looks endearing, and doesn't try to eat any human food she finds. It's none of my business. I don't have cats. But I think she looks cute sitting on the counter.

What is it?

While Upcountry Maui, near where Oprah will have her "preserve", I took a picture of this plant. It had cotton like stuff coming out of the pods that were open. I asked the property owner what it was, and she replied, "It's a weed". The leaves kind of look like Oleander, but the pods are fat and round.
I thought it could be a triffid.

Addicted to thinking

Back to work. Sigh. It was a very good break. In the twilight and sunrise moments my mind usually wanders and gets stuck in the usual places. I'm trying to think of things that make me happy instead. I have a new assistant to get to know. I have lots of details to complete and my yard keeps growing. I don't want to be bogged down with thinking. I plan to jump over those places I get stuck. Maybe I'll try acupuncture again.

I contemplate practicing forgiveness and empathy. Yikes I'm thinking again!

"Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'"
....Journey

Hare today, gone to Maui.

My last day of vacation. Waaah, work tomorrow.

Youch!

Today I got my hair done by the remarkable Misa. She talked me into having my eyebrows waxed by Nathan. Youch! There is a Friend's episode I saw about waxing and the 40 year old virgin goes through waxing, albeit of other body parts, and so I was apprehensive. The reason I have such bushy eyebrows after more then half a century of life on this planet is that I've tried plucking and frankly, it hurts. Well let me tell you, waxing hurts, too. I shall view this as penance for enlarging my yarn, fabric and bead stashes, even though I said I was going to stop. The same can be said of chocolate which I looked for reduantly on the WW list of approved foods (surprise! It's not there)

The real question is did it improve my self esteem and confidence? Well after the bleeding, itching, swelling and redness subside, I'll ponder that. Okay, I lied, no bleeding.

At least Nathan praised me for not ordering stencils and trying to do it myself.

Corpse Bride Review

I'm an big fan of Tim Burton and Danny Elfman and this latest collaboration is done very well. It's about love and retribution, families and greed. The characters are done very cleverly. And, it's a musical. I found myself laughing at the quips and characters.

I rate it 4/5 acorns!

Gladiator Review

The current craft is knitting, and I can't follow a pattern and read subtitles at the same time, so TV in English is the way to go.

Gladiator was on again, and I watched it again. I really like Russell Crowe as an actor and he is very good in Gladiator. Joaquin Phoenix plays a very good villain, too.

Whether it was coincident or not, the History Channel was doing a special on the Ceasar's, and was focusing on the morals of the time. I got in on the part starting with Tiberius, to Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Apparently in those times practices consider kapu now(pediophilia, incest, etc)were the norm with with upper class preying upon their slaves, but these 4 Ceasars were even more debauched then usual.

I liked the music at the end of Gladiator when he is floating between the world of the living and the world of the dead, and how he goes to a happy place when his last tie to the living world says, "Go to them." His work was done.

I will give this movie 4.5/5 acorns.

Dare mo shiranai Review

Nobody Knows is based on a true story about 4 children who are abandoned by their mother in a Japanese city. The oldest child is a 12 year old boy and his mother "counts on him". She doesn't let any of them go to school and disappears for long periods of time. She leaves money which is never enough and occasional sends some from whereever she is. The director uses shots such as hands, and sweat to tell the story. The kids survive in part due to friends and strangers who show them little kindnesses. The ending is left hanging.

The movie is long and moves slowly. No cyoborgs, creepy noises or seaweed black hair is used. Some vegetation is destroyed. In spite of this, I sat through to the end because it was very engaging. I will rate it 4/5 acorns

When in doubt, stay down.

candsmon related a lesson learned in her story about her piano recital, and it got me thinking. I found my self feeling very angry and victimized by two episodes recently, the one I ranted on previously involving my dad, and another more recently with my ex. Anger comes up so easily in certain situations, and it really takes a lot of "work" for me to "stay down". I rationalize and rationalize, but I have to write it down and read and contemplate for quite awhile before I can see where the irrationality of my initial reaction comes.

What do I have to gain by holding on to this reaction? I know on an intellectual level that I cannot change anyone, "They are...(who they are)". Any perception I have of them is not them, it's really me. Is it a sick attempt on my part to validate myself and invalidate others? Is it my inability to forgive significant others for not being perfect? Is it because I think they are inconsiderate bastards and should be hung even though they are not bastards, just acting in inconsiderate ways?

Clearly this is a place where I get stuck. Like roadwork, there are three choices...detour, turn back or wait for the workers to get out of the way. I suppose if I wait long enough, everyone will get out of the way. In the meantime, I'll work on the detour.

Devil Cat

Poor Baby. She suffers from the ultimate Red Eye nightmare and has been renamed Devil Cat by my son who I was hoping could borrow some nice blue yes I grabbed off the Net and fix them. I'll have to get out the Mask tutorial and figure it out myself.
Baby is old, and has to tolerate life with Willow, and is a tortie shell Siamese. Years of being a solo house cat made her quite antisocial, and pretty much a one people cat. In her senior years, though, and maybe since she started on her new improved diet, she actually shows herself when I am visiting. She won't sit on my lap or let me pet her, but hey, I'm allergic anyway. One of her endearing tricks is to wander around the house a night mewing with her catnip mouse in her teeth.

First Family Whine

Well today I'm trying to catch up on stuff. The termite man came and recomended home treatment and observation. What a relief! I went next door to borrow the Term-Out recommended and while I'm there my dad walks in with 3 lovely homegrown cucumbers. My mom says "oh, would you like one?" and I happily say "Sure!". My dad says with a frown on his face, "No, don't give her any, there aren't too many and I'm going to make namasu" Mom had just given me some of his namasu, and I still have some in my fridge. I'm the only one who eats it, and I'm not that crazy about it.

I reacted to my perceived tone of disdain in his voice and the look of disgust on his face. I'm a fricken grownup, damn it. It hurts anyway. I can't help but think he hates me because I'm divorced and he spends more time with Ex then with me. I think he is too old for me to confront him, and I'm a chickenshit anyway. Where is the high ground?

I hope my yarn comes in the mail today, because that will make me real happy. Maybe I'll move up my massage date, too, and schedule that haircut and color with the magical Misa. Life goes on.

Willow

Here's another grey cat. Her name is Willow and she lives in Tacoma. She is not a snooty cat although she looks it in the picture. She is an undaunted spirit, and loves any kind of attention she can get. If I open the bedroom door in the am, she races in and expects to get under the covers.

Ebony

This is Ebony with her scungey soccer ball. She has two residences, Seattle and Whidbey Island. She likes to jump in the water and retrieve sticks. She doesn't like to give them back, but expects humans to steal the sticks back from her and throw them again. She liked to curl up under the covers when she was a baby. She has issues with other dogs.

A Irish Setter ran me down and took a chunk out of my arm when I was 5, so I have issues with dogs, but I like Ebony and she seems to remember me when I visit. I even walk her and do the pickup chore for her, but I always take extra bags, just in case!

She expects me to touch the scungey soccer ball. Eeeeoooo!

Ted

This is Ted. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin. He likes catnip and tuna. He also would like to escape outside and romp around the neighborhood. He is my sister's favorite of 3 cats. Mimi wouldn't care, but Daisy would be very jealous.

I am allergic to cats although I grew up with many of them, my favorite being Elvis, but Tina being a close second. Two of my 3 sisters have cats, and so do my parents. When I visit, I have to lock them out of my bedroom or I find them sleeping on my pillow! Sneaky things. They also eat yarn.