Pirates, Memes, and Weddings
Well, once again it's been quite a while since I've posted. Things are a tad crazy around here, and the few and far between moments that I have to relax, I usually spend watching VH1 or playing a game, rather than coming on here to a place that is, essentially, a record of my relaxation time. That would be counterintuitive.
PotC: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
I was somewhat torn on this one. On one hand, the movie was generally a fun summer romp, which is what I expected of it. I question the sanity of taking a fantastic supporting character like Jack Sparrow and thrusting him into the forefront as the major protagonist; particularly since he is built around being fairly shallow. This is amusing as a supporting character, but tiring as a major one.
The ending felt completely unsatisfying, and revealed that this is one-half of a larger movie. I know they're going for a trilogy and all, but the best trilogies have some form of resolution in each piece, even if the second ends on a cliffhanger. When watching the second installment of a trilogy, I want it to intrigue me, but not to the detriment of it as a movie itself. This film was a setup for the next one, and it's hard to see it as more. Still, the action sequences were amusing enough, and I liked it about 85% of it, up until the ending.
Score: * * *
I've been reading a book called "Haunted" by Chuck Palahnuik. (For those unfamiliar, he penned the original novel "Fight Club", later adapted into a movie). It's an interesting book, structurally. Essentially, it's short stories from different characters, all of whom use code names to describe some aspect of themselves or their past (Comrade Snarky, Chef Assassin, Saint Gut-Free). These short stories are tied together by a plot of each author being attracted to a "writing retreat" held by a crazy old man. I'm only halfway through the book, but so far I'd say it works better as a collection of short stories than as a novel. Moreso, Palahnuik has a distinct writing style, so to say these 24 short stories are written by different authors seems like a stretch, when each of their voices sound precisely the same. Still, I'd highly recommend it as a read, for the experimental structure if nothing else.
I also figured I would steal a meme from nekox14.
1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (pet and current street name)
Misty Baldwin (... I guess I'm a chick rock star?)
2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on mother's side first name, favorite candy)
Caleb Goodbar
3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first two or three letters of your last name)
S-wat
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite animal, name of high school)
Tiger Liberty
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Caleb Annapolis
6. YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME: (name of dad/mom, cell phone Company you use)
Vickie Verizon
7. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Watwilmis
8. YOUR JEDI NAME: (middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards)
Belac Nosliw
9. YOUR STAGE NAME: (middle name, street you grew up on)
Caleb Chestnut
10. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the first thing you see when you look to your left)
The Green Doorknob
So we're only two weeks away from the wedding now; less so, actually. This weekend was the bachelor party (hence the movie that I saw), and that went pretty well. No strippers, minimal booze; it was more my style than what you imagine as the stereotype. That gets all of the big pre-party stuff out of the way. The next large group event is... the rehearsal. (DUN DUN DUUUUN.)
And for no apparent reason, here's the first web banner ever made.
PotC: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
I was somewhat torn on this one. On one hand, the movie was generally a fun summer romp, which is what I expected of it. I question the sanity of taking a fantastic supporting character like Jack Sparrow and thrusting him into the forefront as the major protagonist; particularly since he is built around being fairly shallow. This is amusing as a supporting character, but tiring as a major one.
The ending felt completely unsatisfying, and revealed that this is one-half of a larger movie. I know they're going for a trilogy and all, but the best trilogies have some form of resolution in each piece, even if the second ends on a cliffhanger. When watching the second installment of a trilogy, I want it to intrigue me, but not to the detriment of it as a movie itself. This film was a setup for the next one, and it's hard to see it as more. Still, the action sequences were amusing enough, and I liked it about 85% of it, up until the ending.
Score: * * *
I've been reading a book called "Haunted" by Chuck Palahnuik. (For those unfamiliar, he penned the original novel "Fight Club", later adapted into a movie). It's an interesting book, structurally. Essentially, it's short stories from different characters, all of whom use code names to describe some aspect of themselves or their past (Comrade Snarky, Chef Assassin, Saint Gut-Free). These short stories are tied together by a plot of each author being attracted to a "writing retreat" held by a crazy old man. I'm only halfway through the book, but so far I'd say it works better as a collection of short stories than as a novel. Moreso, Palahnuik has a distinct writing style, so to say these 24 short stories are written by different authors seems like a stretch, when each of their voices sound precisely the same. Still, I'd highly recommend it as a read, for the experimental structure if nothing else.
I also figured I would steal a meme from nekox14.
1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (pet and current street name)
Misty Baldwin (... I guess I'm a chick rock star?)
2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on mother's side first name, favorite candy)
Caleb Goodbar
3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first two or three letters of your last name)
S-wat
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite animal, name of high school)
Tiger Liberty
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Caleb Annapolis
6. YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME: (name of dad/mom, cell phone Company you use)
Vickie Verizon
7. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Watwilmis
8. YOUR JEDI NAME: (middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards)
Belac Nosliw
9. YOUR STAGE NAME: (middle name, street you grew up on)
Caleb Chestnut
10. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the first thing you see when you look to your left)
The Green Doorknob
So we're only two weeks away from the wedding now; less so, actually. This weekend was the bachelor party (hence the movie that I saw), and that went pretty well. No strippers, minimal booze; it was more my style than what you imagine as the stereotype. That gets all of the big pre-party stuff out of the way. The next large group event is... the rehearsal. (DUN DUN DUUUUN.)
And for no apparent reason, here's the first web banner ever made.