Drewby Goes to the Movies

Didn't see Rent this weekend. I tried, but no go. It's still on the to do list, though. As I was explaining to Chang, I could either be pleasantly suprised or, hey, $10 for a life time of credible wailing.

I also tried to see Pride and Prejudice Friday night. To my suprise, it was sold out. So, I saw HP4 for the 3rd time. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but 3 times in a week.... Let's just say I was looking forward to different previews my next trip to the theater.

Sunday night, I finally got to see P&P. My review:

May be the 2nd best adaptation out there (next to the BBC version of course). I should start by saying I'm in deep smit with Kiera Knightly's Lizzy - another smart, cute, spunky woman. Beyond that, though, the acting was great, especially since so much of the story in this version was told with gestures, movements, fleeting glances and reactions. It's a great decision to do things this way since the story has to be so compressed for time, though I wonder for those who are unfamiliar with the book and/or the BBC version would be able to catch all of it.

I also really enjoyed the fresh takes on these characters. You have certain preconceptions of these characters going in, and again, the BBC version was so right on they'd be tough to top, so they didn't even try. While the spirit of Darcy, Lizzy, Jane and the rest are clearly in this version, there's something in these versions that helps you get them right off the bat. Again, 'cause you're so pressed for time, it's essential to do it, but it also lets you see the story from a slightly diferent perspective and makes the movie... not only entertaining, but maybe even a little suspenseful? Hard to do given the status of the work.

Anyway, great movie. And I watched it in a theater with far and away the most palpable "chick flick" atmosphere... I think the butter in my popcorn mighta actually been estrogen. I'm 99.7% sure I was the only straight guy in there that wasn't dragged there by his girlfriend.

Now I have to decide whether I'm gonna see Aeon Flux.

Rent Check

I was thinking of going to see Rent.

No, really.

At first, I thought, “Phffff… Rent.” But then I thought about it. This movie could be like spinach – I like to try spinach once every coupla years, ‘cause I think it might be good, or that my pallet may have changed. Heck, it worked with mushrooms!

On the other hand, this movie could be like spinach – I like to try spinach once every coupla years, and it sucks every time! There’s a reason musicals tend not to be my thing, and while I like to occasionally test that, more often than not, I was right in the first place.

--First off – the songs. I dunno about you, but I hardly ever burst into spontaneous song. And when I do, it’s never just me singing about me. But then again, I may just be dead inside.
--Secondly – they tend to be very melodramatic. Everyone’s either ecstatic or morbidly depressed. Characters in musicals are hardly ever “okay.” *
--Thirdly – I find there to be a certain quality to musicals that grates on me. Maybe it’s pretentiousness. Maybe it’s the commitment to a device that in the end holds little to no novelty. Maybe it’s just the mass of odd musicals: Cats! Andrew and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! Hair. Maybe it’s just “modern” musicals? Chicago may have been okay. But then that would eliminate Oklahoma! From the list of baddies, so that idea’s out.

All this being said, I’m not completely against the things. I like Phantom well enough – some good songs and a lot of them are at least somewhat contextual. I never saw it, but Wicked at least had a novel premise. I mighta gone to see that. I really liked the musical episode of Buffy. And who’s not getting’ their walkers ready to see The Producers?

If I do go see it, maybe it’ll be for the same reason I started blogging – I can’t bad-mouth it with credibility unless I tried it.


* If there was a musical based on a character whose primary attitude was “Meh,” that might interest me. Imagine the hit number “Apathy’s… Okay, I Guess”

New Entry in the Lexicon

I like how "biotch" is quite popular nowadays. It's got a few spelling variations that may include "beeyotch" or "be-yotch," but you generally get the idea. I usually don't carry it in my repetoir ("craptacular" is a personal favorite of mine), but it's fun nonetheless.

As a take on a commonly held derogatory word, I think it's less patently offensive. And with the root word being more commonly accepted and used in more of a slangish way, the new variation carries little to no stigma whatsoever. In fact, it may be used more for comic effect than anything else. Not only does it signify the sort of hyper state of being, let us say, "crabby" (for the thin skinned at home), but it sounds funny. And we can always use more funny sounding words.

As far as useage goes, it's very expressive and, like the "F" bomb, can be used in a wide variety of situations:
As a greeting: "What up, biotch?"
As a statement: "Don't be such a biotch."
Frustrated cry: "This jar is a biotch to open!"
While playing Mario Cart: "That biotch cut me off!"
Notice how each useage is somewhat familiar, and while still expressing a certain sentiment, is nowhere near as inflamatory as it could be if the root were inserted.

So, go forth, my biotches, and spread the word.

Really Bad B.O.

Ya wanna know why movies aren't making the huge money this year? Ya wanna know why only a few certain blockbusters are bringin' in the huge box office that went to any number of crap movies over the past few years? 'Cause if ya wanna know, I'll tell ya.

Charlie and the Chocolate factory already came out on DVD. I didn't see this movie when it came out in theaters on 7/15. Musta been in theaters for about 2 months and I just never got around to seeing it. I was even interested. But for whatever reason, I didn't go.

Did I miss much? Some liked it. Some didn't. It was supposed to be odd. Tim Burton is usually a bit odd. And I usually like odd. So maybe I mighta missed something.

But it doesn't matter now. I didn't have to pay $10 for it then. I don't plan on shelling out $16 at Best Buy for the movie I missed, that this time around comes with the making of featurette, director and cast commentary, deleted scenes and production materials. If I really want to, I might rent it for $6 at Blockbuster or something. And if I was on Netflicks, it'd probably be somewhere on my list to be included in my $18 monthly fee.

(On a side note, I was at Best Buy with my mom and sister a little while ago. They had about 5 movies in their hands: Monster in Law, Longest Yard, a couple of other bad movies. I asked them why they were thinking of buying them and they said they hadn't seen them when they came out and for $13, they could just buy them and maybe they'll like them.)

Don't know when I might get around to watching it, though. Between Fall TV season, hockey, the stuff my DVR picks up, and my X-Box and PS2, my entertainment time is spread out pretty thin. There's other stuff I wanted to see but didn't (anyone know when March of the Penguins is coming out on DVD?). And then there's the time I spend writing stuff like this.

Point is, much like the current internet trend, technology nowadays is all about "your" entertainment. Everything is all about you making your schedule, fitting things in whenever you want them.

Why the heck should I have to watch Lost at 9pm on Wednesdays? My DVR's got it. And you expect me to leave my house and be at the theater at 8:45? Why should I, especially if the movie's gonna be out on DVD 4 months after it opens in theaters? Does anybody else remeber when movies took over a year to come out on VHS? You had to see that sucker now or you'd almost never see it.

And dangit! Now there're Lego Vikings. How am I gonna fit those in?

Jack, you're a genius

I'm sitting here and a song just pops into my head.

Anybody else hear this White Stripes song?*
"I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it? When ya gonna ring it?"

I think this may be one of the best songs ever.

Normally, I don't make claims like this. Normally, I'd put forth 30 or so DMB, Police, Coldplay, and a few other people's songs and say, "I dunno, these are some really good songs!" But the more I hear and think about this song, the more impressed I am by it.

First off, it's pure simplicity. Any of those who know me well know this is huge for me. Take all the bells and whistle you want, but give me streamlined any day. And you generally can't get simpler than the White Stripes. All you've got here is Meg on the drums and Jack singing with a piano. That's it. And the music in this is, again, bare bones. I could play the drum part and after about a day, I might be able to play the piano, too.

Next, it's pretty dang near universal. The guy's waiting. For his doorbell. When's she gonna ring it? Who hasn't felt that? Okay, maybe it was a phone or an e-mail and not your doorbell. Maybe it wasn't a girl (or boy), but something at some point has had you waiting. For your doorbell. When they gonna ring it? You hear that and you know what it means. You've been there. It's now you're song.

And the bugger's catchy as hell! With only two instruments, you can only do so much. But what they do sticks with you. You hear it once, and next time it's on you're thinking "There's that song again." Though, you can run the danger of getting it stuck in you're head, and since you can only really understand the uber repetitive chorus, it just might kill you if you don't like it. But you like it, so it's cool.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

*A little while ago, I woulda just started commenting on it, but every since Lisa threw me off with Hot Hot Heat, I figured I should check to make sure first.

Return of the King

So it's been about a month.

What can I say? I've been busy.

I honestly had some plans to post after my last post. But the fact that there were multiple plans, combined with upcoming plans, external factors, and another more immediate outlet for my writing energies and there's a month.

All of that leaves me with the need/desire to post the kernels of the larger bits that I had planned.

So here they are in no particular order:
=====

-- Made a deal with Annaka to post regularly. This after she backed out on another deal she made with me. My trust in her has been irreparably shaken, but my honor compels me to give it a go. If nothing else, she might learn from my example. =D

-- Reunion was pretty good. I think I actually may have met more people than I saw (discounting those whom I always see, of course). Got some food. Got to see old friends. Got to dance. Got a name tag. Got a pint glass! Though, I must say the tag on the bottom of my pint glass was rather disturbing and cryptic:
"This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm." I'm not preggers, but still...

-- I'm loving life without fantasy sports. I can just sit on Sunday, pick a team, and see how they do. No more worrying and checking Yahoo! for the up-to-the-minute stats of my 3rd WR that I picked up on waivers 'cause my 3rd RB is on a bye. No more rooting against the Dolphins. No more rooting for the Rams. And no more angst about the last minute scores that screw my D. Like a 22-year-old woman in the late '60s - I'm liberated. And coincidently, I'm braless too!

-- Been posting more on LetsGoKings. This is the other writing outlet I've found. With hockey season in full swing, there's always something to talk about, and posting in the forums is much less demanding than my blog. And since I can post from work, and the fact that comments tend to be short and sweet, it's not as disrupting as, say, writing this. Been makin' some board buddies, who should become game buddies once my season tix kick in.

-- I remain employed with the same company I've been with for nearly 2 1/2 years. With respect to a new job, it's pretty much like this:

"Bobby, they ever find that gorilla what punched you in the eye?"
"No, Momma. The search continues."

-- On occasion, I've been tempted to post my serious thoughts on life, love, and the general pursuit of truth and happiness. I have and will continue to hold off on this for my sake and the sakes of the 3 of you that read this stuff. I really don't wanna be that guy.

-- And finally, my biggest distraction the past month has been the Kings. I'm amazed at how much I've missed the game and I've been happily surprised by my boys in purple and black. The game in general has been fast and open. Scoring is up, and there aren't as many stoppages.

I haven't said this before on the blog, but I'll say it now and again: watch this sport. Speed, skill, grit, character, cute guys for the girls and cute girls in jerseys for the guys. Watch it, and if you get the chance to go see it in person, go see it. The rules you can learn and the experience will be great.


So that's about it for now. I'll try to keep coming back a little more regularly and maybe you will too.