I'm Reed Fish

Every now and again I watch a movie that was just about to slip under my radar and can't believe I almost missed it.

I'm Reed Fish is one such wonder. It was funny and well-acted, the music was superb, and it was far from formulaic.

In this case, I think that might have been the issue. From one angle it is a fairly straight-forward story, but it is told in a round-about way that isn't always easy for today's shallow viewers to follow.

Of course, once you get a chance to watch Schuyler Fisk perform a song she wrote for the movie in the movie, I think minds might be opened a little. She's just really cool and the performance is excellent.

If you are a fan of Jay Baruchel who you might know from Undeclared or Just Legal, then you definitely need to add this to Blockbuster Queue.

Uhh...yeah.

This week, like a sentence of mine, has been really full.

It has been really good to connect back with people I care about; to engage in the business of living a little. My workouts have been (almost) daily, my meditations intense, my recreation relaxing.

It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.
--Francis Bacon

In honesty, not much has changed except the faces and the focus. And yet somehow everything has changed.

Soon I'll get to head back to Seattle and meet up with old friends and share my work in a professional circle. Before then will come the weekend and some cavorting with compatriots. A game of Nertz is just what I need to restore me again. Anyone know a decent place to socialize in Orange County?

By the way, if you have the stomach for it, check out Blades of Glory. Very funny. Very, very, wrong.

300

Wow. You would think by now I'd have grown immune to the 17 hour flights overseas. Nope. They still knock me over.

This weekend before I flew out I got a chance to see the new movie: 300.

Surpassingly tremendous. Utterly fantastic. Incredibly amazing.

This movie is everything you want in a great story and more than you can ask for from a great movie. There are evil villains, larger than life characters, men of iron character, and women of fierce resolve. The dialog is spectacular in places and over the top in others. The production quality is simply phenomenal. The soundtrack leaves you pumped, breathless, and awestruck.

The story, while told superbly, leaves you amazed to consider those on which the story is based. Sure they take license in the telling, but the events at the heart are no less moving, inspiring, powerful.

In the course of a few hours my whole standard for movie excellence was unmended and unmade. If you haven't seen it...go now.

Christmas Party

Tonight I got to spend some time with my family at a Christmas party. One of my sisters and her family recently moved to another state and not having them around was a little weird. But my mom and dad stayed for quite a while which was cool.

My family has their quirks just like every family I suppose. The most notable from this evening is how loud we are. Everybody talking loud and making all sorts of noise. It was one part chaos and two parts mayhem.

Following our tradition, I took some cousins out for a movie and we saw "Unaccompanied Minors" which was actually pretty funny. A ridiculously cheesy ending, but a very hilarious romp until that part so it was easily overlooked. Lewis Black, one my favorite comedians, played with gusto and verve as was to be expected.

And by the way, big Congrats to my friend Dusty who just got engaged.

Bond Reborn...Again.

A well-crafted report on a movie I thoroughly enjoyed...

Talking about Shaken or Stirred - WHO CARES !!!

Like the author, I found the realism of the character a refreshing jaunt.  Not that big of an Eva Green fan, but found her performance wasn't lacking.  When it comes down to, even the displaced time-line was easily consumed because of the smooth elegance of the story.

Kudos!

Back in the Rain

The last few weeks (months!) I've been blessed to spend my time in very temperate climates...India, Hawaii, Southern California.  This week I'm back in Seattle and loving it.  It was interesting to me how much I brightened up at the idea of coming back to the land of grunge and rain.

Of course, having spent so much time in warmer tempatures I was caught a little by surprise by the volume of rain when I got on the ground.  It wasn't that I didn't remember to bring a jacket.  I actually reminded myself to pull it out of the closet.  Then I promptly left it on the couch in the apartment.

So now, I've been running around in the rain freezing my little tush.

Speaking of which, I saw the movie Babel last night which was possibly the worst movie I have seen since the Thin Red Line.  I wanted to poke my eyes out just to stay awake.  Even the gratuitous use of full frontal nudity (something I would normally applaud) was unable to quell my desire to intellectually vomit.  See this movie at your own risk.

The Illusionist

It had been some time since I've been able to hit the theatre and catch a movie.  This weekend, I got a chance to see The Illusionist.

It was an excellently put together film, well executed, with smooth dialogue and solid cinematography.

Edward Norton proves again to me that he is excruciating selective in choosing his roles and adapts them marvelously to his unique sensibility.  Paul Giamatti continues to showcase his remarkable talent in well-suited roles.

While predictable and yet not, your suspension of disbelief is not strained and yet it is an intriguing story that will surely delight you.  This is the type of theater that cinema was meant for.

Caleb Hoodwinked Me!

My amazing boy and fabulous girl went to see Hoodwinked. Very funny! That Andy Dick is hilarious.

Hitch...Gotta love it!

The new movie Hitch with Will Smith and Kevin James is really funny. Highly recommended.