Not a whole heck of a lot to report but wanted to get one more post in before we roll the calendar over.
Spent Christmas in Houston and looks like we missed out on some truly nasty weather up here in Chicago. I have no doubt that we'll have plenty of more chances to experience horrible weather over the next 2-3 months. Our nice and relaxing time in Houston was brought to a grinding halt when we were informed on Saturday that a pipe had burst in our building and the garage was being flooded. Fortunately (for us, not the developer) it was the rear half of the building that was affected and our car was parked at Midway, so from a damage perspective we were fine. It did mean, however, that we had the distinct pleasure of returning home to no running water. After some headaches dealing with our not-at-all efficient developer we finally got water restored last night ~7:00. Good times.
Weather was decent in Houston. Got up into the 70s most days but rained a lot. I was excited to have a chance to get outside and run again for the first time in over 6 weeks. I was real good and ran the first 5 days I was there but then took Christmas day off and somehow never made it back out again. Nothing too much else exciting to report from the trip. Worked at the pizza place a bit, finished a couple books, and saw a couple movies: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Bedtime Stories. Benjamin Button I would classify as a good movie that I just didn't like very much. Everything about it is well done (acting, writing, directing) but it just can't escape the fact that the story is inherently depressing and in the end that makes it not a lot of fun to watch. Bedtime Stories was about what you'd expect it to be (i.e. pretty stupid but moderately entertaining); only saw it because we took our nieces and nephews to see it and when you can get 4 kids (from ages 4 to 13) to all agree on the same movie that is the movie you are seeing.
Since we got back I also went out and saw The Wrestler, which I thought was excellent. Ironic that it was just about as depressing as Benjamin Button but somehow I liked it a lot more. Maybe it's because it was an hour shorter or maybe it's just because I am quite familiar with what happens to has-been (or never were) wrestlers and thus I knew more what to expect. Mickey Rourke does indeed turn in an Oscar-worthy performance and you can't help but think that he put a lot of himself into the role. Evan Rachel Wood is also very good in a small role. I've only seen her in this and Across the Universe but I've been impressed by her and wouldn't be surprised to see her really take off in the next couple years.
The Bears? Blah . . . Only silver lining is that tickets to the game were going for so much money that I avoided having the displeasure of witnessing the season-ending loss in person. I am however, excited about Illini basketball and the Big Ten conference season opening today, as well as the Blackhawks Winter Classic and all the bowl games on New Year's Day.
Well, I think that does it for me for 2008. I'm working on a couple of more weighty posts that hopefully will be enjoyable and stimulate some good discussion. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, has a Happy New Year, and I will see you in '09!
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Okay, this is not really related, but I was on Wikipedia (again) today... like always... and I finally felt guilty enough to click on the "please donate" banner at the top.
As the founder writes, their mission statement is no more ambitious than to give "every single person on the planet... free access to the sum of all human knowledge." Er... wow. Dream big, dude. In the end I gave them some money.
Of course by telling you guys about it I know I'm opening myself up to having you tell me that it was a waste of money, that they will eventually have to cave and give in to advertising, and that my piddly donation isn't going to help much--finger in the dam, you know. But what can I say.
Here's the letter that broke me.
An appeal from Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales
Becky I read that letter and can I just say that you are weak. Did you also know that for less than $1 a day you can give a child access to healthy food, safe water and an education? Sally Struthers is looking for you!
Honestly, you do use wikipedia a lot and I think it's fine that you donate to your favorite source of info.
Thought this was an interesting read, and it goes to our longstanding climate change discussion:
Canada's forests, once huge help on greenhouse gases, now contribute to climate change
just caught Gran Turino tonight. damn good flick.
...oh, and I'm closing the night with Rock of Love Bus. And it is great...
I just saw Starship Troopers yesterday for the first time. I think I’ve heard some of you talk about it, yes? For some reason I thought it was a comedy in the vein of Galaxy Quest, but it’s not, really, is it?
I liked it though. My comments are (because I’m sure you’re all dying to know):
1. Loved the whole post-gender-role thing. I know it’s unrealistic--ignoring the fact that men will always be, on average, much more physically stronger. But I loved the fairy tale fantasy of it. Even to the extent they share a locker room and no one even cares? Totally cool.
2. Much gorier than I expected, and less funny. But somehow, like, you still think in the back of your mind it’s a comedy still, even though it’s really not. (Maybe this is what allows you to forgive the bad acting and especially Denise Richards, who, I gotta say I’m bleh about.)
3. Surprisingly meaty food for thought about, you know, life, civilization, human nature, the nature of living creatures in general.
4. I finally get the whole “would you like to know more” bit that people do. Didn’t know where it was from.
Gran Torino - I have heard good things about it and it does look good, but every time I hear him talk in the previews it just sounds like he's doing Dirty Harry again. Is his character 3-dimensional enough to let me get past that?
Starship Troopers - Ah, memories. That's the only movie I ever rode the bus at U of I all the way up to the Beverly to see. By myself. On a Friday night. Yes, first semester at college was a bit slow for me. Anyway, no it's definitely not supposed to be a comedy per se. It WAS intended to be in the spirit of old B-movie sci-fi, and that's always bumping up against the comedic boundaries. It got the wrap for being "funny" I think due to the fact that 1) all 4 of the main characters were obviously chosen to be the eye candy they were 2)it was the first major thing NPH was in after Doogie Howser and 3) let's be honest; the only way any of the actors in that film are ever going to an awards ceremony is as someone else's date.
Denise Richards in particular is notable for having the most ridiculous grin plastered on her face in every scene she's in during the first hour (to her credit, she's even commented on it and said she can't watch herself in it because of that). And Dina Meyer . . . well, I actually feel kinda bad for her. I think she is a pretty decent actress and was one of those that was on the virge of being a major star for a while. In the span of 3 years, she was the female lead (or co-lead) in 3 big-budget studio films, and you don't get that unless a lot of big-wigs believe in you (or you've got some extremely incriminating photos of a studio head). Unfortunately, those films were Johnny Mnemonic, Dragonheart, and Starship Troopers; none of which were hits and all of which were critically panned. Since then she's been relegated to doing mainly TV and horror movies.
Anyway, I thought that Starship Troopers was fun and I enjoyed it for what it was: a cheesy B sci-fi/action movie with 2 hot chicks. I don't remember thinking that it was terribly deep, although I do remember the intentioanl Nazi-like propaganda and it's hard to not see the war with bugs as being either an "homage" or outright ripoff of the Ender series.
Oh, see, I got a whole totally different thing out of it. With the whole, the bugs are just doing what they do... multiplying and overtaking their enemies, fighting for survival... lacking the ability to communicate and negotiate with their rivals they just kill them all. Which is also what the humans are doing. ...And then with the sense of scale, knowing that insects on earth have similar societies--a queen and then various workers and young in stages of development... it kind of made me think about if our bugs were bigger--like that size--well, they'd try to destroy us, too, I suspect. ...And what is intelligence but an overdeveloped survival instinct, blah blah I get tired of hearing myself talk. Anyway. But yay. Glad I came down on the right side of the review for Starship Troopers.
I hate blogger for continually deleting my comments when I hit 'publish.'
Yes John, Eastwood has depth and levels and humanity in Gran Turino.
I thought Starship Troopers was laughably bad the first time I saw it, but it is one that I can watch over and over. Not funny exactly, but the way they exaggerate their satire makes it so.
The political stuff about joining the army to achieve citizenship and rich people just not caring was the stuff that was interesting to me.
The part at the end when Doogie announces that the brain is scared and all the people cheer is actually a nice little scene that kinda reminds me of the Mickey Mouse Club ending of full Metal Jacket.
*highlight, ctrl/c, publish*
Yay, your comment went through! *high five*
Just out of curiosity, have any of you read any of Heinlein's books?
I've read a lot of them, but not Starship Troopers, and some of the criticisms of his work as militaristic and facist are very off base. He constantly pushes a very libertarian agenda in every other book of his that I've read.
Verhoeven has stated in at least one interview (IMDB has the info) that he never finished reading more than two chapters of Starship Troopers. Verhoeven also acknowledged that he found the subject material to be facist in nature, and so the whole look and feel of the film came from this point of view. If he had read any other Heinlein, I think the movie would have turned out a lot differently. Also, the first draft of the movie, named something like "Bug Hunt on Planet Claire" was written before the book was optioned. The writers didn't even know the book existed. Apparently the film has two things in common with the book: The title and the bugs
I like the movie, but since I plan on reading the book (it's been on the list for years now... I guess I'll go buy it tonight) I'll probably have to keep in mind it's an entirely original story while I'm reading it.
Also, the book was written in 1959, and Enders Game was written first as a short story in 1977 (I think). Orson Scott Card has acknowledged outside influences on the Ender series.
P.S. Becky; Apparently in the book, it's never stated, or even alluded to, who started the conflict. This was supposedly done on purpose because it never really matters to Rico who started the war. His only concern is that his duty is to kill bugs. I'd love to talk about this book club style... anyone else in for reading the book?
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