Random share

Was about to search for something and noticed what the "recently found" list actually said...and wanted to share.

On the radio...

...this morning on my way to work, I heard the startling news that a man tried to rob a convenience store using a beer carton as a mask. Why you may ask? Didn't he have access to a pair of nylons or even the ever popular ski mask?

Not so much.

In a shocking turn of events this mastermind in fact left the carton behind as he was fleeing the scene. I imagine the police will be dusting it for prints but anyone this clever clearly left the carton as a calling card and wouldn't be stupid enough leave prints. He's been dubbed the Beer Box Bandit (alliteration: 6 points) by the media and the story has rapidly become international news.

I love it.

Now and then...

...I like to watch an old movie, notice the acting style of the time and enjoy the simplicity of a love story with a small number of complications.

Today I watched one of the old 1930's Nancy Drew movies with a friend and it reminded me of all those wonderful (and sometimes awful) movies they made us watch in school; claiming that they were the hallmarks of cinematic genius. So I thought I would suggest a few that-- if you haven't already enjoyed them-- are actually worth your time.

ADAM'S RIB (1949)
Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy playing a married couple on either side of a murder trial. The chemistry between these two accomplished actors is enough, but the trial itself is able to keep a modern audience interested. To be fair the trial IS a little simplistic by modern standards, but does holds up due to superb acting (chiefly by Hepburn).

SINGING IN THE RAIN (1952)
Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Douglas O'Connor star in this romp through the old Hollywood studio system. Set at the time when silent films are moving towards "talkies" and with Gene Kelly taking a turn as silent film star Don Lockwood, this film shows all three at their very best as they sing and dance their way through a touching love story. One of the greats, this film will have you missing the good ol' days when actors really were triple threats and didn't just claim to be (yes I'm talking to you ScarJo, because I know you read this blog).

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961)
This was in a category with Casablanca for me in that I decided a long time ago that the films would not live up to the hype. I am happy to say I was wrong about this one. Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly is at once charming and unnerving but manages to overwhelm the audience (and incidentally her love interest George Peppard) with her unbridled passion for life. A light romp through the sometimes odd streets of New York in the early 60's, this film is everything you want it to be.

There are three to start off. Post other recommendations if you think of them and I will update as others occur to me. Have fun!

Transformers

Quick question: when did Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen change its name to Chuck: The Movie?

"Shia has computer stuff in his head"

Bromance in Review: Wolverine

My housemate was fortunate enough to catch the film a few days before me and reported back with these inspiring words, "It was okay...I was a little disappointed with Gambit." Now what this managed to do (other than crush any hope I had at the prospect of a live action version of one of the cooler mutants in the marvel catalogue) was damper my expectations enough that I was pleasantly surprised by the latest offering in the franchise.

Others may disagree, but what I have found with the X-men films is that they have never shied away from showing the flaws in order to build the character of each film's cast. The result-- or so I believe-- is that the audience becomes much more involved in the fight scenes. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is no different, taking the time to carefully develop the tenuous relationship between James and Victor (Jackman and Schreiber) so that when they do clash later in the film it is with much more force and understanding.

I know, I know, it's an action flick. Who wants character development? Well, clearly most action fans don't so the film cleverly hides a lot of its development in random snippets of dialogue during fight scenes or in a well developed opening title sequence (à la Watchmen opening sequence).

All in all a solid romp in action-land. But I would caution against seeing the film in a digital projection theatre. I was able to visit the new all digital theatre at Yonge and Dundas for this film and while the clarity is incredible, the special effects do not stack up in the higher quality. Nobody wants to see Wolverine's claws shifting back and forth across his knuckles...

See it on film instead and enjoy the well choreographed fight scenes without all the distraction of bad effects.

Bottom line: An action-adventure bromance with teeth that far surpasses the last X-Men (even if Gambit was an even bigger disappointment than my housemate let on).

I need you to read this article...

...because the number of contradicting metaphors and competing adjective in her article makes me absolutely crazy. CRAZY. I'm going to put aside the obvious error in the title, though it does a good job of warning potential readers that they ought not to expect too much of the author (which is really not what a writer is after).

The article is full of wonderful little anger-inducing tidbits which managed to simultaneously entertain and annoy. "Hell," writes Constance Draganes in the piece in question, "I don't even know how many babes Captain Kirk has bedded since he first cast his ship's big, dilithium-powered anchors ashore on planets throughout the galaxy." Really? REALLY?! How exactly-- pretell-- does one first cast anchors ashore on many planets? Correct me if I'm wrong here but I'm pretty sure that you can only do something for the first time once. Later still she claims that, "these flyboys whip across the screen like a bunch of over-excited pit bulls." Hmmm, I didn't know that pitbulls could fly; that must be why they've outlawed them in Ontario.

"Guzzling popcorn" and "fumbling definitively" Constance also manages to come up with so many ideas in one article that each sentence brings up a new idea. In fact, I do believe that the one rule she did follow is that each thought needs its own paragraph:

People who write articles without proofreading them make me angry.

I have a few friends who claim to be grammar Nazis; I hope they don't read this blog.

I will have to tell my friends about this article as they will likely also be annoyed by it.

Are you annoyed yet?

Okay I'll stop ranting but if you would please just read it
"Best Trek Ever: Sky's the limit for new 'Star Trek'."

True Love...

Get ready everyone because True Blood is back in all its glory June 14 (HBO Canada and US) and I can't wait! This picture is from the cast party in Vegas to create some hype for the second season. I am all for creating hype for good shows (lord knows enough of them get thrown by the wayside to make way for terrible reality TV). Thing is...as much as I love the cast of this show, I'm not loving a couple of things about this picture:

a) Anna Paquin's outfit, it looks like she wrapped herself in in newsprint (or possibly one of those shower curtains that students like to use in their crappy college apartments) and wore a sports bra to keep from flashing the crowd. Not cute.

b) Ms. Thang on the left here is fierce* on the show but perhaps we are taking the method acting a little far? Get the lady some True Blood!

c) Stephen Moyer is about to fall asleep. Anna is holding him up while the fierceness tries to divert attention...is it working?

d) Sam Trammel (they picked a Sam to play Sam?!) seems to think he's at a dirty bar in-- oh wait no, he's spot on.

There is one thing I LOVE about this photo, and it's the look on Alexander Skarsgard's face. That is a look that says, "yeah he IS my dad and I COULD play a great Thor." It is also a look that says, "you know you want me." Unfortunately the "you know you want me" look is not terribly dissimilar to the "you know I want to lock you up in a basement and keep you as a pet" look which is decidedly less sexy.

Oh irony.

*Yes I did use Fierce. In my defense, keep in mind that I'm deconstructing the appearance of incredibly attractive people. This is a superficial post, therefore I will use superficial adjectives.