King Kong + Narnia

Alright... finals week is over, I've left the good old mushy-snow streets of A-town and made my way back East for the next few weeks. Hopefully I'll have more time to write and actually something to say.

At any rate, a few days ago I made a post about movies I'd like to see, and I figured I'd update on that. Thursday night I went to see King Kong with Joe and Amanda, and I'd say that overall it was a good movie- it far exceeded my initial expectations. That said, I did find it to be quite long and contain some scenes that I thought were unnecessary and didn't really add much to the movie other than that Peter Jackson likes strange CG creatures (speaking of which, when the group was being attacked by all of the creepy bug-like animals, did anyone else pick up on the one creature that stunningly looked like one of the enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? Ah, the geek in me comes out...) I will say that, for a CG animated creature, Peter Jackson has done a terrific job endearing King Kong to the audience, and actually making them feel as if a terrible injustice has been committed when he dies in the end. I suppose that quality is what has made King Kong popular through the years.

Tonight, I got to go to see The Chronicles of Narnia, which I also enjoyed. I haven't really looked at the books since I first read them in 4th or 5th grade 10 years ago. That didn't really matter though, because the movie was fantastic. The production was fantastic, and the principal character actors did a terrific job, for being a group of relatively unknowns. All in all, the movie was great, and I'm looking forward to reading the books again sometime soon, and the release of the rest of the series on film. The Biblical allegory was obvious, but I think that C.S. Lewis most likely intended it to be so, and Liam Neeson was a terrific Aslan (as could be expected).

Alright, I'm off to watch a few episodes of Lost Season 1 and catch some sleep.

10

Haven't written in a few days... finals week, you know how it goes. I'll hopefully have lots of time to write over break (which is sorely needed). But for now, 10 years ago the year was 1995. The O.J. Simpson murder trial was going on. Timothy McVeigh bombed the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, and Unibomber was sending bombs through the mail. Jacques Chirac became president of France. Windows 95 was released. Bill Clinton got rid of the 55 mph speed limit. Calvin and Hobbes went out of syndication. And where was I?

10 years ago, I…

was in 5th grade, and has Mrs. Helsing as a teacher. Regularly visited Mr. Klicker and Ms. Neely (fourth grade teachers) at the end of the day. Went to Camp Kon-O-Kwee as a student. Was 11 years old, and eagerly awaited being a “teenager.” Had just met Jesse Helfrich, and quickly became best friends with him (Funny how things like that work out…) Had a bowl cut. Loved math and science. Found out that Jesse had to have his appendix removed, and actually cried because I was worried he would die. Liked animals. Didn’t own a computer. Didn’t have a TV in my own room… in fact, there was only one TV in the whole house. Shared a room with my brother. Started riding my bike to Chippewa on a daily basis. Spent most days with Jesse, Tom Detka, Bo Oravitz, and Tony Wyman. Later on, I would meet Amanda Cox, Candice Strickland, Courtney Storey, Stephanie Staples, and Matt Peters. We became a really tight group of friends, spending most days together, until they all pretty much moved away. Used my imagination a lot more than I do now. Had hardly any body hair. Bought candy at the store and sold it on the bus. Was even more of a geek than I am now. Rode my bike EVERYWHERE. Found out that my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. Hated chapstick with a passion. Got glasses because my eyes sucked. Was helping to clean up the “new house” so we could move. Didn’t fully appreciate having 3 bathrooms (until we moved to a house with only one). Ate ramen almost every day after school. Played around on an old apple computer that my grandfather bought from somewhere... This one had simple graphics, but still was just green on a black screen. Wanted to be an astronomer, or a scientist. Wrote for a little newspaper that the Gifted Program put out to the intermediate school. Spent my free time at school building elaborate things with pneumatic lego sets. Listened to B94 out of Pittsburgh pretty much nonstop. Had a crush on Natalie Freed and let her play my Gameboy on the school bus so she would sit with me. Couldn’t cut my fingernails for shit. Started playing trumpet. Watched new episodes of Seinfeld after Friends on Thursday nights (Must-see TV). Watched All That on Nickelodeon, and thought it was the funniest show on the planet. Went to Jesse’s after school to watch taped episodes of The Late Show with David Letterman, since we weren’t allowed to stay up that late.

The beauty of Seinfeld

I was watching Seinfeld tonight, mostly out of boredom, and as I watched the first 4 episodes of Season 4, I realized one of the many things that makes Seinfeld such a great show: Each of the characters has so many little quirks that we all laugh at, but every so often, they hit a quirk on the head and we see ourselves in them.

For example, in "The Trip," George is accompanying Jerry on a trip to appear on The Tonight Show in L.A., and although it is only a two day trip, George packs two large suitcases and several bags. Jerry questions him as to why he has packed so much, and George replies "I happen to dress based on mood." I find this humorous because, I, too, often choose what I wear based on what mood I happen to be in. I used to lay my clothes out at night, to reduce the time I needed to get ready in the morning, but often I found myself the next morning either regretting my choices and picking something new, or putting them on anyways and feeling strange all day.

I saw another little part of myself in George Castanza in "The Pitch." George is discussing his discomfort because he hadn't shaved that morning, and Jerry nonchalantly asks him why he didin't shave. George replies that he had shaved yesterday afternoon and it was too early to shave again, and that he would have to get back on schedule. While I'm sure there are people who can shave any time or as many times in a 24 hour period as they'd like, I don't happen to be one of them. I, like Costanza, would most likely have waited and gone with stubble for a day, waiting until the next morning to shave, effectively "getting back on schedule." I've found in my own life that if, for some reason, I am unable to shave at the usual time, I must be stubbly for a day or so until I can get straightened out.


I'll post more when I find them.... it amuses me, at least.

Great headline.

This just in: Bush says he does not live in a bubble. Thank you, Mr. President, for clearing that up, but I'm sorry, the card says 'Moops.'

15

Alright, I stole this idea from K-Lowe, and so I'm not trying to claim it as my own. I believe he stole it from someone else, and so here it is. In installments, I'm going to write about where I was and what I was doing 1, 5, 10, and 15 years ago.

For what it's worth, I'm going to start with 15. Even though I was just starting Kindergarden at a ripe 6 years old, I think it's interesting to note what I can remember.


15 years ago, I...

Was 6 years old, and started Kindergarten. Had George Bush for a President. Learned to Count and Tie my shoes. Learned that Santa Claus wasn’t real. Was very religious, and had unquestioned faith. Had Mrs. Wagner for a teacher. Was taught the alphabet in class, but my dad had already taught it to me. Learned the Pledge of Allegiance. Took Ninja Turtles stuff into class for Show and Tell. Watched Saturday morning cartoons religiously. Had to go to bed at 9:00 on school nights, because my mom made me. Hated brushing my teeth. Spent my afternoons after school at my grandparents’, where my grandfather taught me about computers and showed me how to program on an old Radio Shack computer with no graphics and only orange text on a black screen. Had about 10 cats that lived outside. Still lived at the “old house,” which is, coincidentally, right next to the house where I now live. Regularly rented VHS tapes from Wilson's Video Corner in Chippewa. Made some money by sweeping floors at houses my dad was building and folding flyers he mailed to generate business for Riccon Development Inc. Uncle Ronnie was alive. Pap Gray was alive. Had a bowl cut. Took sign language classes with my mom at CCBC for fun. Had a best friend, Carson Pete, who eventually moved to Nevada. Bought candy from McCarters. Rode my bike to the bar across the street to pick up the cans and bottles people left outside so I could recycle them and my grandfather would give me money. Convinced my mom to start going to church. Had a two-year-old baby sister. Went swimming out at Shirleen's swimming pool, right next to my grandma's house. Wore cheap shoes from Payless and hand-me-down clothes from relatives and the rummage sale at the Chippewa United Methodist Church. Did odd jobs around the house for money, which I saved up in a jar in my dresser for the entire year, only to spend it during the week my family spent at Geneva-on-the-lake every summer. Great Grandma McClain was still alive. Shared a room with my brother, and fought over top bunk (or bottom, usually whichever of the two I happened to want at the time).

Movies I'd Like to See

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten to see as many movies lately as I would like to, but there are certainly a bunch of movies out or coming out soon that I'd like to see... possibly over break.

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - I first read The Chronicles of Narnia when I was in 4th grade and had Mr. Klicker as a teacher. I read the first book and quickly tore through the rest of them. I haven't reread them in years, but I can't wait to see it. And Liam Neeson, who is a badass, will be the voice of Aslan. A fine pick.
• King Kong - I think the first time I saw a preview for this was when we all went to see Star Wars: Episode III at the midnight showing, and I remember thinking that the movie looked horrible, the animation was fake, and it looked like it was going to be a big piece of shit. We all laughed at how bad it looked. But recently, I've actually found myself really looking forward to seeing Peter Jackson's King Kong. I don't know what happened, but it really looks like it's going to be good. Plus, the fact that I just Checked Rotten Tomatoes, and right now it's at a 96% rating, which is fucking amazing for Rotten Tomatoes. I'm starting to wonder if it's going to be like one of those experiences where your mind is totally blown because it's something so... groundbreaking? New? Innovative? That it is absolutely and truly unlike anything ever done before.
  
• Walk the Line - I wanted to see this one long before Jamie DeMonte recommended it. From the previews (and Jamie's say-so), it looks like Joaquin Phoenix does a great version of the Man in Black, and I really think Johnny Cash's life would make a fantastic movie.
• Capote - I wanted to see this since I read about it in the GQ I snagged from the convenience store when they were giving them away at the beginning of the month. I really have liked Truman Capote since I read In Cold Blood my Senior year of High School. I think that Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a very versatile actor, and he doesn't get enough credit for it, and so I think that he'll pull of the role of Capote nicely. Plus, Frank Tascone recommended it, and I trust him. *Cue up Selby voice: "I wouldn't tell this to my classes ten years ago, but Truman Capote was a homosexual."* Only you, Selb Dogg, Only you.

Plus, Maggie said I could borrow season 1 of Lost. I've been interested in it, but I haven't had the time. So maybe I'll catch the bug.

P.S. I'm going to try to restart my blogging. I usually don't have much to say, and what I say will most likely not be too important, but at least it keeps me writing.