Alright, folks. Special, this week only. Considering I'd taken three days off this week, my Interweb Travels would have been so short, it would hardly seem to have been worth posting. So, then. Included with a bit the usual, I'll regale you with my impressions of some of the movies I'd watched. Sad to say, there weren't many to impress me, though.

Tideland

I loved this movie. You might guess, & rightly so, that I'm definitely a fan of Terry Gilliam. Sure, he just seemed like a warped animator back in the days of Monty Python's Flying Circus, but as a film director, he's fantastic. Granted, I've only seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Time Bandits, Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Twelve Monkeys, Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, &, of course, Tideland. Each ranks high on my list of all time favorites.

This is a strange period of life as seen through the eyes of a young girl, played by Jodelle Ferland -- &, in my opinion, they couldn't have chosen a better actress for this part. The movie addresses a number of subjects which make people nervous, but what Gilliam film hasn't? How Jeliza-Rose -- the part played by Jodelle -- deals with such makes for an although typically weird (Gilliam again), but beautiful experience.

See this one.

Lost In Translation

This rather slowly paced movie was actually very enjoyable. At first, I felt odd watching Bill Murray, of Saturday Night Live & Where the Buffalo Roam, among other titles, in a non-comedic role. But I like him, & I like the looks of Scarlett Johansson -- despite her so-so acting ability. If you're not familiar with this movie, it's set in Tokyo -- well, mostly in a lavish hotel in Tokyo.

Now, I've seen Tokyo in a number of movies before, but never had I seen such a panorama of the city as had been shown many times from the rooms of each of these characters in this hotel. Talk about sprawl! I've forever loved the Japanese, the culture, the girls. But had always expected that the only thing about Japan I wouldn't be so pleased with was the food. Well before I'd developed my allergies to most anything from the sea, & apart from the fact I love most crusteations poor me), I've never been able to get excited about the tiny portions -- particularly of meat -- or the exorbitant prices for sushi. But having seen the expanse of a city that once seemed pretty damn cool, I now know for a fact I would never find a minute's peace in Tokyo.

Oh, the movie? Well worth watching, but don't be expecting much in the way of action, unless you enjoy a few minutes watching a woman dance provocatively on a tiny table.

Some weird set of vampire vignettes

Don't ask me the title, it was perfectly forgettable. If Faustus reads this, as he'd loaned me the dvd, perhaps he can leave the title in the Comments.

Euro Trip

Yes. I lust after the silly, little girl Michelle Trachtenberg, but that's no reason to write this movie off as another fetish of the sillier Angus. Do yourself a favor & get the unrated version. Not only are the added breasts a nice touch, it also comes with lots of extras.

A very, very fun movie.

The Maltese Falcon
Can't go wrong with Bogie.

Syriana

This one has action. No, nothing like the non-stop cavalcade of explosions & fight scenes in the Bourne series (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum), but great political & corporate intrigue.

Chinatown

What? You've never seen Chinatown? Get out! Jack Nicholson, a great actor to begin with, playing a private detective in a really well produced movie. You can't go wrong here, either.

I really love all the nice, little touches in the houses. The thirties had some craftsmanship!

The Grudge

Heh. What a waste. Another movie set in Tokyo, but, as I'm sure you've seen this, not really worth the time. The only things I'd liked were the girl playing Yoko, played by Yoko Maki -- she dies early on; Kayoko, Takako Fuji, in the scenes before she was killed, as opposed to the part she'd played as the as the scary grudge. Oh, while I wasn't wild about the house itself, I really loved the little things: The tinny wind chime, the gate outside, the odd touches of decoration round windows in doors (which seemed odd -- little windows in bedroom doors too?), & I love the Japanese, sliding, rice paper doors & walls between rooms.

Oh, Sarah Michelle Gellar & Jason Behr, the guy who played Max in Roswell just seemed like pointless additions. Anyone could have played those parts, & unknowns would likely have made The Grudge a better movie, though still nothing special.

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure

Yeah. It's really, really bad. But, for me, it's not pointless. Why? Well, I think because I'm a sucker for cute, pathological liars whose lies are so bad, you can't take them seriously. Besides, since the days of Sister Bertrille in The Flying Nun, I've also been a sucker for Sally Field. To say she's the only worth while feature of this movie is an understatement. The movie stinks worse than The Poseidon Adventure...& then some.

Really, unless you find Sally of interest, you shouldn't bother. But if you like her, you'll at least find her adorable. There just wasn't enough of her to make this movie anything more than a huge waste of time.

More on the stupidity of humans: The Goody Parsons Witchcraft Case.

Whoo-hoo! Lots of myth stuff at World Mythology.

Finally! Instead of the usual ho-hum, some cool images from space.


"I hate reality but it's still the best place to get a good steak."
"Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only food: Frequently there must be a beverage."
-Woody Allen

I Would Live in Your Love

I would live in your love as the sea-grasses
live in the sea,
Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn
down by each wave that recedes;
I would empty my soul of the dreams that
have gathered in me,
I would beat with your heart as it beats, I
would follow your soul as it leads.

The Rose and the Bee

IF I were a bee and you were a rose,
Would you let me in when the gray wind
blows?
Would you hold your petals wide apart,
Would you let me in to find your heart,
If you were a rose?

"If I were a rose and you were a bee,
You should never go when you came to
me,
I should hold my love on my heart at
last,
I should close my leaves and keep you
fast,
If you were a bee."
-Sarah Teasdale

                                VIII

Casting dispersions of the wondrous Rite
      from beneath her brow, high-arched -
she wonders that I could say that.
Advance of simple proposition
      by the contradictory man;
her expression rebels her affected disbelief.
The Priestess dances round young Magister,
      stepping lightly as she go -
              Magister laughing before elicit Curse of
                 Magus.


Smiling & beguiling
      spelling out the Magus' name;
sweet Priestess fearing potentiality's issue
Swooning Magister keeps his place,
      straining at her call.
He pursues her trance of rapture.
Advancement in her act of drawing back;
      Priestess in apprehensive departure,
And the Magister's wry expression
              of sweet covenant's approach.
-That's mine.  Testing the waters...and yes.
You know it's for you;-).