Wednesday, June 24, 2009

BIRTHQUAKE!!!

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

My entries haven't been as radically abundant as usual...but that's because I've been a little busy...and my new job won't allow me to update at work...and my "borrowed" internet connection is sketchy & frustrating. Oh well, hopefully you still enjoy the occasional pictures of my niece & nephew...and movie reviews...and news stories. I know I enjoy sharing them. So yeah, here's some of those aforementioned movie reviews from the past few days...

First up was a movie I warned you about last week, "A Sound of Thunder" starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Edward Burns. This movie had the look and feel of one of those Sci-Fi Channel D-List movies...but I couldn't get that confirmed. The story is about a company called Timesafari that offers...you guessed it, safari expeditions back into time to kill dinosaurs...but of course, any changes done in the past ripple through time (apparently in "time waves") and a small change like killing a butterfly 65 million years ago can apparently threaten the entire human race...and cause evolution to create horrible baboon-raptor hybrids that sleep hanging upside down like bats...and humans become odd walking catfish somehow. Can the time safari expert (Burns) save the future? You'll have to watch the movie to find out...or better yet, I took this bullet for you. Just skip it. Spoiler alert: He saves the future...and gets the girl...and gains leverage on his billionaire boss (Kingsley) so all's well that ends well...and I may have a new Flush It for my Time Travel Movie List. Oddly enough, I also found out via the Wingmans that there's a Butterfly Effect THREE!!! The first was horrible, I heard of the second but I think it went straight to DVD...but a THIRD. A trilogy of the Butterfly Effect? Apparently I have to see this one...because one part made Mrs Wingman think of me (which unsettles me to my core) but I think I'll wait on that one. Until then, this is the new Flush It.

Next up was a movie that had all the makings of a badass movie. It starred Angelina AND John Malkovich...and Jeffery Donovan from "Burn Notice" AND directed by Clint Eastwood, who bleeds badass even into his seventies. However, this is not a tale of badassery. It's a typical Eastwood movie, which means it's great, thought-provoking and downright depressing at times. The movie is "Changeling" and it's set in 1920's Los Angeles about the story of Christine Collins (Jolie) whose son is kidnapped and missing for several months...and when the police find her son, she's convinced that it's not her son. Why? He's shrank a few inches, somehow got circumcised and doesn't remember anybody or anything. So yeah, the corrupt LAPD made a mistake (gasp of disbelief). Well, when she questions them on it & threatens to go to the press, the captain (Donovan) has her committed to a mental institution and throws away the key...and a preacher (Malkovich) has to save her...but can he do it before it's too late? Will she find her real son? Can anyone stop the LAPD? Is it possible to make Angelina unattractive? All these questions and more will be answer...but beware, it gets really dark with a tie-in to a serial killer who may know where her son is. It's really a great movie...and Eastwood is a fantastic director (not just a badass). I would highly recommend checking it out...but you'll feel lots of anger watching it, especially if you empathize when you watch movies and put yourself in Angelina's shoes (and not just to amuse her during coitus). It's a drama...but masterfully done.

Also, speaking of Eastwood, I don't know if anybody else had this problem over the weekend...but I've been trying for DAYS to get a copy of "Gran Torino" for my dad for Father's Day...and all I can find are Blu-rays...and my dad doesn't have a player. Finding a DVD copy just isn't happening. Oh well, I'll just have to order it online or something. Yesterday, I gave him a special present of Tasty Kakes (he grew up in Pennsylvania & they're THE BEST) with an IOU reading "IOU One Gran Torino (the movie, not the car)" so I may just do that in the meantime...since I didn't get my shopping done thanks to being kidnapped by my brother. My brother also wanted to do the midnight showing of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" so I considered getting my Robot & Fox fix on simultaneously...which is hard to do midweek when you have a job and a life...but I didn't. "Don't you wanna go to work the next morning all groggy & tired and say you saw this movie first?" "OH MY GOD, I WOULD SO DO THAT TOO!!!" he said sarcastically. Anybody interested? Let me know. I don't want to be alone with my brother so he can tell me how inaccurate this movie is too. Yes, he's one of THOSE nerds...and my response is always something like "They're f**king living robots from outer space shaped like boomboxes and sports cars. Why don't you tell me how the concept of Gremlins doesn't make sense?" He says its the greatest movie ever...EVER!!! We shall see.

Oh, ridiculous 80's movies! So yeah, Monday night I watched "April Fool's Day" which is your typical 80's horror flick...but it's a good one. If you like campy movies and/or cheesy horror flicks, this is the one for you. Anyway, the coolest thing about it is that it stars Thomas Wilson (Biff from Back to the Future) and it's about a socialite named Muffy who invites her friends to her private island getaway for a party...but then people start dying...horribly (as opposed to in their sleep). Who's behind the murders? The answer may not surprise you...but hey, Biff is in this movie...and it's a ridiculous cheesy 80's horror flick. I say check it out...with friends if you have any. (Sigh...)

Fortune Cookie of the Day - "An Unexpected Windfall Will Be Yours...in bed" - Not even sure what the hell that really means. What is a windfall? Like a tornado or something? It doesn't sound good...and anything falling is typically unexpected, right? Not sure why because of gravity and all...but it just is...even falling in Love. Perhaps fruit will fall on my head...and be made of gold or something. Okay, so I honestly googled it...and it means "an unexpected gain, piece of good fortune, or the like" which is even better. So stand back y'all...or stand closer if you want some of this windfall. Then again, if I'm expecting it because of the fortune cookie, then how is it unexpected? The cookie defeats the purpose. Damn you, Cookie!!! You may be wise & all knowing...but if you miss with my windfall...

Last night, I went to a concert at Kilby Court featuring the band Birthquake...and it came highly recommended by JL Clyde...and it did not disappoint. It's a little hard to describe their style...but for me, it's kind of like the Red Hot Chili Peppers...but instead of Anthony Kiedis, they have a flutist / sax player. Sound weird? It's great stuff. Also, I loved the enthusiasm of the player, particularly the drummer. He's got a HUGE smile on his face the whole time...and does his own backup vocals. They have a lot of talent all around and do a great show. If you get the chance, I would highly recommend it. Besides, it was only $8 last night...and you can't really beat that with a baseball bat.

Anyway, that'll do it for today. No new Transformers last night...but maybe over the weekend. Looks like it'll be more action than the first one...which is awesome & exactly what it needed. We shall see. There looks to be a bit of drama in it too...but hopefully to the soundtrack of robotic destruction. Also, Basketball's Christmas is tomorrow night (the NBA Draft) so be prepared for my boring review and critique (with a few wiseass comments) on Friday concerning my 2nd favorite sport that involves penetration. Also, tomorrow will be my third concert in less than a week...as I was given free tickets to Andre Rieu & his Johann Straus Orchestra at USANA Amphitheatre (first time at that venue). Have a great day everybody!!!

No comments:

Where Should I Go Next?