And, now my Bones

Results of bone density just in....I'm dense! YAY, I don't have to force those big honking calcium rock pills down, just stick with the yogure:)

I watched the Big Lebowski again. I keep thinking that this movie will make more sense to me. There are some very good actors ans odd characters in this movie and a Pulp Fiction type plot. Turturro and Buscemi and John Goodman, as well as the star Jeff Bridges play some very quirky people. I did not recognize Julianne Moore until I saw her name in the credits. This movie is rated 8/10 on IMDB, so I'm going to go read their review now. I just didn't get it, although I was amused. BRB

Comments from IMBD: "A celebration of the ultimate man, nay, the ultimate dude"-I'm not sure what this means. Compared to The Big Sleep...mmm, I still don't get it.

I will rate it 3/5 acorns. I may watch it again.

Gunhed, The Big Lebowski, and my Bones

Gunhed is a live action mecha movie. The greatest scenes imo are right in the beginning when narrator tells the tale of the island taken over by the computers. Ultimately the Gunhed troops sent to rescue the island are defeated and left a giant junkyard. It is visited by various pirates seeking chips and parts to salvage. The acting is a bit stilted and cheesy in a way only the Japanese can make it. The Gunhed units and battle scenes are pretty cool. I will rate this one 3.5/5 acorns.

Gingko Bed 1 and 2 Review

Gingko Bed 1 is a melodramatic love story that crosses time. A general obsesses on a the love of his queen, but she is love with a musician. His jealousy leads to killing the musician and a curse. The lover become two Gingko Trees who untwine their roots while the General wanders in pergatory.

Gingko Bed 2 is an entirely different kind of movie. The story is a little hard to follow with the subtitles. The leader of one tribe betrays the other and bears his daughter for sacrifice un order to gain power with the help of a holy mountain. Father escapes with his daughter. She grows up in love with one man, but his best friend in in love with her. At the time of the eclipse she is supposed to sacrifice for some reason. The best part of this movie was all the cute Korean actresses and actors. To hell with the story;)

I will rate them 2/5 acorns for GB2 and 2.5/5 acorns for GB2

Walk The Line, Review

My son who usually nods and grunts when I ask him about movies he'd seen actually spoke words of praise for this movie, so my sister and I took this rainy afternoon to see it. I had forgiven Joaquin Phoenix for being such a bastard in Gladiator, and I think he did a great job as the man in black. Reese Witherspoon also gave a really great performance and looked perfect in the 50s and 60s clothes. And, there was Robert Patrick, ex-Terminator! It is tough to squeeze a man's life into just a little under 3 hours and a I would love to read or hear more about Johnny Cash and June Carter. They were married 35 years and died within 4 months of each other.

I will rate this movie 4/5 acorns.

TV Reviews

Masters of Horror is a Showtime series. I have seen a few episodes including Deer Woman, Homecoming, Fair Haired Child and Sick Girl. I enjoyed all of them. Homecoming is especially cheesey.

American Idol is off to it's start. The beginning is never that interesting to me...so much bad talent out there thinking they are good. I give them credit for putting themselves out there and giving it a try, but I'm sure glad someone else is weeding them out!

24 is my favoritie and it got off to a rocking start. I will be glued to this one.

I'm also looking forward to Medium and hope to catch the ending of Yoshistune (I know how it ends, so if I miss it, oh well:)

March of the Penguins, Review

I recall watching a special years ago about the Emperor penquins and their lifestyle. I also remember how the 75 year old host was dropped off on Antarctica to narrate. I felt shamed that I was too chicken even to leave the country or lazy to work until I was 75!

The narration by Morgan Freeman gives human characteristic to these awesome penquins and the babies are just too too cute. The imprinting of this birds is so amazing. I really hated the gull trying to eat them and the cracked egg and crying was almost too much. Luckily this movie didn't dwell on the real harshness of life or show blood and shreds.

I will rate this documetary 4/5 acorns. It's a story just too amazing to pass up on.

Nausciaa Review

Nausicaa is one of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces. The story is quite complex and the creatures fantastic. I love every minute of this movie which I have seen numerous times.

I will rate it 5/5 acorns.

Rawhead Rex, Review

This movie is based on a Clive Barker story. It is not as well polished as the Hellraiser movies and not as endearing as my favorite, Nightbreed. Ole Rawhead himself is a pretty good monster and he manages to rip up a quite of few of the local residents of a very small town. The parish has some very unkindly clergy but then it is built on a very old secret. The pushy American and his family is there to study antiquities. I Will rate this 2.5/5 acorns.

Rasen Review

There are quite a few Ring movies. Rasen is the sequel to the newer Japanese one. It is just a ho hum movie, and and I admit I slept through a lot of it. It did have some good parts, but jumped around too much. I can see why it was ignored in Japan.
I rate it 1/5 acorns.

Reviews: Munich, The Astounding She Monster, and Harold the Amazing Contorsionist Pig

Steven Spielberg brings Munich to the big screen. At the 1972 Olympics, a Palestinian terrorist group named Black September kidnap and murder 11 Israeli athletes. Eric Bana, an Australian actor who was also in Troy, Chopper and Black Hawk Down, plays a Mossad operative who goes out into the cold to seek revenge. Acording to Wikipedia, Mossad is one of the world's best-known and most highly regarded intelligence agencies. Mossad was formed in December 1949 as the "Central Institute for Coordination", at the recommendation of Reuven Shiloah to Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Mossad is a civilian service, and does not use military ranks, although most of its staff have served in the Israeli Defense Force as part of Israel's compulsory draft system, and many of them are officers. Its many successes in serving Israel's security interests have earned Mossad a reputation for being extremely effective as an intelligence agency. The movie is tense pretty much all the way through and touches on the emotions and fall out from the hit teams actions. Once again Spielberg brings a powerful historical story to the screen with passion. I will rate it 4.5/5 acorns.

The Astounding She Monster is a vintage sci-fi movie with bad music, dated special effects and a corny message. It was entertaining enough for me to watch in its entirety. I will give it 2/5 acorns.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Pig Tale. The humour is deadpan, matter of fact and made me chuckle. I will rate it 3/5 acorns.

Chronicles of Narnia, Review

This was a very enjoyable movie. The characters were so well done. There are fawns, centaurs, minotaurs, beavers, wolves and of course the lion. The acting is very good, especially the White witch who does her character so well. I loved the music, too. Alanis Morissette sings Wunderkind at the end.

Oh perilous place
Walk backwards toward you
Blink disbelieving eyes chilled to the bone
Most visibly brave
No apprehended bloom
First to take this foot to virgin snow

I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
I am a wunderkind oh
I live the envelope pushed far enough to believe this
I am a princess on the way to my throne
destined to serve
destined to roam

Oh ominous place
Spellbound and un-childproofed
My least favorite chill to bear alone

compatriots in place
they'd cringe if I told you
our best back pocket secret: our bond full blown

I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
I am a wunderkind oh
I am a pioneer na�ve enough to believe this
I am a princess on the way to my throne
destined to seek
destined to know

most beautiful place
Reborn and blown off roof
My view: about face weather, great will be done

I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
I am a wunderkind oh
I am a groundbreaker na�ve enough to believe this
I am a princess on the way to my throne

I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
I am a wunderkind oh
I am a joan of arc and smart enough to believe this
I am a princess on the way to my throne
destined to reign, destined to roam
destined to reign�.destined to roam�

See it :) I give it 5/5 acorns, but then I love fantasy.

This and That

From Science News: Circumcision cuts HIV transmission. Apparently this study had to be stopped because the number of men that converted during the study period in this high risk group was twice as high in the uncircumcised group. As much as I hated doing cirucumcisions, this is a compelling reason. The article makes of point in saying that HIV transmission is reduced 60% and not 100%.

I can't seem to get through more then a couple pages of any novel, but I can read craft magazines, especially knitting ones over and over, and I can read Science News. I think it's because the articles are short and my mind wanders if I have to concentrate too long. I can't seem to read the newspaper, though, with any frequency, but then it's always full of sad stuff like, car accidents and soldiers dying overseas. I don't follow sports. I continue to subscribe because I need something to line the birdcages with, and I like the Sunday paper.

I didn't make any resolutions for New Year. I started a list of things I learned in 2005. Number one was, don't use my hand as a hammer. Guess it was just that kind of year.

Syriana Review

A lot of plots and subplots come together in Syriana. There are some really great actors in this movie including George Clooney, William Hurt, Christopher Plummer, Matt Damon and Alexander Siddig. In the beginning it was a bit confusing...lots of characters and lots of locations. Clooney pulls off a unique performance as a CIA operative. Alexander Siddig of Deep Space 9, Kingdom of Heaven and Reign of Fire was intriguing. He is the nephew of Malcolm McDowell and was born in Sudan to an English mum and Sudanese father. He was raised in England.

A very well done movie and I give it 4/5 acorns.

King Kong, 2005, Review

I wasn't going to see this movie in the the theater since I know how it ends. But as things worked out the movie I went to see wasn't playing at the time I thought it was so it was karma that I see Kong. I will have to go back and watch my favorite pre-LOTR Peter Jackson movie Braindead or that other classic of his, Meet the Feebles. It was a good thing he "sold out" on the blockbusters as he has really raised the bar on them. Naomi Watts was wonderful as Ann Darrow. She is beauty with heart...funny, strong and talented as well as beautiful. No wonder she charms the beast. The Skull Island natives are scary. The fauna on the other side of the wall is great. The dinosaurs and bugs are way too real, especially the squishy ones.

I always thought Adrien Brody looked like Chris Johnson of the The Black Crowes.
But well...maybe not.



Anyway, I rate it 4/5 acorns. I enjoyed it very much!