Saturday, October 22, 2005
The Godfather Saga
Network: TNT
Airtime: Varies
Intoxicant: The big green one - White Widow
Meal: Linguine with Carbonara, San Francisco style Sourdough bread
Discussion:
Discussion of the individual merits of Godfather, Godfather II and Godfather III will have to come later. This entry focuses on the Gofather Saga - a pastiche of the Godfather pieces sewn together and including the deleted scenes from the DVD collection.
I love this version. Clearly not the same compelling and suspenseful movies that Godfather or even Godfather II are, but it shows how carefully and completely the story is told, beginning with Vito Andolini (later to become Don Corleone) as a child in Sicily. The story line itself is compelling and many of the scenes include important subplots in the actual novel that had to be left out - probably for time considerations.
I miss the scenes that are in this version that are not in the regular movies. The extra scenes are included in the dvd collection as "bonus features" that have to be played one by one. There are many great flashback scenes that did not make it in (but are on the DVD) and it is so nice to watch them, in order, in this tv movie.
The entire saga takes several hours - more because of commercials. Typically it is run around the holidays, when it seems that people have the tv on for several hours. The Saga itself is a great primer for the movies - offering great back story.
The selected intoxicant will wear off after the first few hours of the movie - it is ok because most of the first few hours are subtitled. You can enjoy the language and the visual impressions rolling over you.
The first time I saw The Godfather in the theatre it was in re-release for the 25th anniversary. Even though I had seen parts of the story before and certainly heard about it, watching the film on the big screen caught me up in a way that few films do. Highly reccomended.
Tivo it, tape it - d0 whatever - you won't be sorry. This movie takes bad guys and makes them so human that you can't help but like and even root for them - Scorcese does a great job with this in Goodfellas as well.
Airtime: Varies
Intoxicant: The big green one - White Widow
Meal: Linguine with Carbonara, San Francisco style Sourdough bread
Discussion:
Discussion of the individual merits of Godfather, Godfather II and Godfather III will have to come later. This entry focuses on the Gofather Saga - a pastiche of the Godfather pieces sewn together and including the deleted scenes from the DVD collection.
I love this version. Clearly not the same compelling and suspenseful movies that Godfather or even Godfather II are, but it shows how carefully and completely the story is told, beginning with Vito Andolini (later to become Don Corleone) as a child in Sicily. The story line itself is compelling and many of the scenes include important subplots in the actual novel that had to be left out - probably for time considerations.
I miss the scenes that are in this version that are not in the regular movies. The extra scenes are included in the dvd collection as "bonus features" that have to be played one by one. There are many great flashback scenes that did not make it in (but are on the DVD) and it is so nice to watch them, in order, in this tv movie.
The entire saga takes several hours - more because of commercials. Typically it is run around the holidays, when it seems that people have the tv on for several hours. The Saga itself is a great primer for the movies - offering great back story.
The selected intoxicant will wear off after the first few hours of the movie - it is ok because most of the first few hours are subtitled. You can enjoy the language and the visual impressions rolling over you.
The first time I saw The Godfather in the theatre it was in re-release for the 25th anniversary. Even though I had seen parts of the story before and certainly heard about it, watching the film on the big screen caught me up in a way that few films do. Highly reccomended.
Tivo it, tape it - d0 whatever - you won't be sorry. This movie takes bad guys and makes them so human that you can't help but like and even root for them - Scorcese does a great job with this in Goodfellas as well.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Survivor 11: Guatemala ep "Big Ball, Big Mouth, Big Trouble"
Network: CBS
Airtime: Thursday 8pm
Intoxicant: Coconut Rum & Coke
Meal: Tamale
Discussion:
Ahh, the 11th season of Survivor. When we last left, the teams had been mixed and mingled - all were concerned about their footing. Poor Stephanie had been part of a forever losing team and she was getting frustrated. Bobby Jon was still smelly. Judd just talks and talks and works himself up into an argument even when no one is arguing with him. He has it out for Margaret because she reminds him of how he is a turncoat - is it a fear she will turn others away from him?
Judd need not worry about Margaret because he can offend and put off people perfectly well all by himself, thank you very much.
In this episode both teams go to tribal council (Mark Burnett has got to get rid of those two extra people at the beginning SOMEHOW). I'm somewhat surprised that neither Stephanie nor Bobby Jon have even really sersiously considered for elimination up to this point. Using Survivor Logic they would be most likely to form an alliance once the teams merge - but not a whisper so far.
The challenge looks like an ancient maya game of pushing a giant ball (that looks suspiciously like the Indiana Jones rock covered in leather) across the opposing team's line.
It's close - Amy takes a fall and injures her ankle again, causing her and Gary to lose. She goes right back out and they win. She freaking rocks. Amy won't win - I hate to say it. She's going to suffer the same fate as Deena from Survivor 6 (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor6/survivors/prof/deena.shtml) who I also really liked - but she was stabbed in the back by Evil Jenna Morasca (who really only won because she wasn't Rob Cersternino).
Yaxha goes first. Judd and Margaret have a confrontation at tribal council. Judd hates Margaret. Margaret thinks Judd is a sore loser (among other unpleasant things). Even Stephanie admits privately that Judd is the most offensive to other players. I'm a bit disappointed that Margaret didn't do more politicking to keep herself in. Judd is a jerk. After the merge, he has a real chance of winning individual immunity (if Stephanie makes a misstep) multiple times.
The problem with Judd is that he talks too much. He does appear to have a conscience or at least to be sensitive enough to other people's disapproval that he feels compelled to talk and talk and talk until everyone is exhausted of hearing him and no one will argue. He is a bully.
That's it - Margaret is gone. They have to end the conflict so Judd will shut the hell up. I suspect this will be a pattern - Judd will find a new weak player to pick on every week until he gets booted or wins - whichever comes first.
Next comes Nakum's tribal council. Rafe (from Yaxha) has won individual immunity and he can decide who will get immunity on Nakum. I see him eye Brian as the Nakum trial walks in single file. I can't help but hope that he will recognize a kindred spirit and give it to Brian.
The tribe votes - Brian has one more vote than Bobby Jon (who freaked out at the challenge and apparently smells pretty bad - a continuation from last season - Jeff Probst actually told him that he smelled really bad. He must be singularly smelly to distinguish himself among several people who have not showered for days and live in 120 degree heat).
Rafe's immunity vote goes to GARY! Clearly an attempt to suck up to the strongest player. Or maybe it was a way to hit on him. At any rate - Brian goes bye bye. Alas, poor Yorik. He never saw it coming.
Airtime: Thursday 8pm
Intoxicant: Coconut Rum & Coke
Meal: Tamale
Discussion:
Ahh, the 11th season of Survivor. When we last left, the teams had been mixed and mingled - all were concerned about their footing. Poor Stephanie had been part of a forever losing team and she was getting frustrated. Bobby Jon was still smelly. Judd just talks and talks and works himself up into an argument even when no one is arguing with him. He has it out for Margaret because she reminds him of how he is a turncoat - is it a fear she will turn others away from him?
Judd need not worry about Margaret because he can offend and put off people perfectly well all by himself, thank you very much.
In this episode both teams go to tribal council (Mark Burnett has got to get rid of those two extra people at the beginning SOMEHOW). I'm somewhat surprised that neither Stephanie nor Bobby Jon have even really sersiously considered for elimination up to this point. Using Survivor Logic they would be most likely to form an alliance once the teams merge - but not a whisper so far.
The challenge looks like an ancient maya game of pushing a giant ball (that looks suspiciously like the Indiana Jones rock covered in leather) across the opposing team's line.
It's close - Amy takes a fall and injures her ankle again, causing her and Gary to lose. She goes right back out and they win. She freaking rocks. Amy won't win - I hate to say it. She's going to suffer the same fate as Deena from Survivor 6 (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor6/survivors/prof/deena.shtml) who I also really liked - but she was stabbed in the back by Evil Jenna Morasca (who really only won because she wasn't Rob Cersternino).
Yaxha goes first. Judd and Margaret have a confrontation at tribal council. Judd hates Margaret. Margaret thinks Judd is a sore loser (among other unpleasant things). Even Stephanie admits privately that Judd is the most offensive to other players. I'm a bit disappointed that Margaret didn't do more politicking to keep herself in. Judd is a jerk. After the merge, he has a real chance of winning individual immunity (if Stephanie makes a misstep) multiple times.
The problem with Judd is that he talks too much. He does appear to have a conscience or at least to be sensitive enough to other people's disapproval that he feels compelled to talk and talk and talk until everyone is exhausted of hearing him and no one will argue. He is a bully.
That's it - Margaret is gone. They have to end the conflict so Judd will shut the hell up. I suspect this will be a pattern - Judd will find a new weak player to pick on every week until he gets booted or wins - whichever comes first.
Next comes Nakum's tribal council. Rafe (from Yaxha) has won individual immunity and he can decide who will get immunity on Nakum. I see him eye Brian as the Nakum trial walks in single file. I can't help but hope that he will recognize a kindred spirit and give it to Brian.
The tribe votes - Brian has one more vote than Bobby Jon (who freaked out at the challenge and apparently smells pretty bad - a continuation from last season - Jeff Probst actually told him that he smelled really bad. He must be singularly smelly to distinguish himself among several people who have not showered for days and live in 120 degree heat).
Rafe's immunity vote goes to GARY! Clearly an attempt to suck up to the strongest player. Or maybe it was a way to hit on him. At any rate - Brian goes bye bye. Alas, poor Yorik. He never saw it coming.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
My Name is Earl - ep "Teacher Earl"
Network: NBC
Airtime: Tuesdays, 9pm
Intoxicant: Mickey's Big Mouth
Meal: Donut (Krispy Kreme, creme filled)
Discussion:
My Name is Earl is the best new show for a looooong time. The setup - Earl (of title) is not a nice person. He wins the lottery, is immediately hit by a car, decides its karma and makes a list of all the wrongs he has done upon others in life. Each episode shows him righting a previous wrong (or two) with his brother and their friend Cataline (Nadine Velazquez) who is also a maid in the hotel where they live. The spoiler is his ex-wife, Joy (Jaime Presley) who divorced him after he gets hit by a car, but before he collects his winnings. She tries to foil his plans by making his life miserable to collect her share of the winnings.
In this episode, Earl decides make amends for all the times he's made fun of people who "talk funny" (people with accents). Following a montage of Earl laughing a a number of people from different countries, he takes on a class teaching English as a Second Language.
Enter a friend from his previous life who is still being bad. Earl has to decide if Karma will forgive him for standing by while his friend does wrong.
As always, the show is hilarious, with the bad people getting theirs in the end.
Notable:
Their friend/maid is one of the few genuinely hispanic characters on network television (obviously not including Univision). She is really hot as well. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1229204/
Airtime: Tuesdays, 9pm
Intoxicant: Mickey's Big Mouth
Meal: Donut (Krispy Kreme, creme filled)
Discussion:
My Name is Earl is the best new show for a looooong time. The setup - Earl (of title) is not a nice person. He wins the lottery, is immediately hit by a car, decides its karma and makes a list of all the wrongs he has done upon others in life. Each episode shows him righting a previous wrong (or two) with his brother and their friend Cataline (Nadine Velazquez) who is also a maid in the hotel where they live. The spoiler is his ex-wife, Joy (Jaime Presley) who divorced him after he gets hit by a car, but before he collects his winnings. She tries to foil his plans by making his life miserable to collect her share of the winnings.
In this episode, Earl decides make amends for all the times he's made fun of people who "talk funny" (people with accents). Following a montage of Earl laughing a a number of people from different countries, he takes on a class teaching English as a Second Language.
Enter a friend from his previous life who is still being bad. Earl has to decide if Karma will forgive him for standing by while his friend does wrong.
As always, the show is hilarious, with the bad people getting theirs in the end.
Notable:
Their friend/maid is one of the few genuinely hispanic characters on network television (obviously not including Univision). She is really hot as well. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1229204/
Amityville Horror - 2005
Easter Egg Alert:
>Go to "Special Features"
>Highlight "On Set Peeks"
>Left Arrow button - a red symbol appears in the middle of the screen
>Enter
>You have two options - Home Movies and Scare Reel
I cannot vouch for the interesting quality of the items offered.
Viewing Ambience: Complete or Near Dark
Intoxicants: Pina Coladas
Food: Pakwan Take Out (Indian/Pakistani)
Discussion:
A decent remake of the Amityville Horror (originally starring Margot Kidder of Superman and more recently suffering-a-breakdown-under-the-freeway fame). Based on a novel, which was allegedly based on a true story (see http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/amityville.asp).
This newer version is supposedly "truer" to the book as it includes the history of the house - being built on sacred indian grounds and a crazy settler who tortures those indiginous persons - all of whom maintain residence in the home alongside the living. I liked the extra back story, which provided an excuse for some "Beloved" style torture flashbacks. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120603/
I also felt that many of the special effects of this film were inspired by Ju-On http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330500/ which if you haven't seen, you really really should. It's dubbed in English. Great scary movie.
Satisfying, some great scary moments, some real gross out moments. The DVD special features include the aforementioned easter egg, as well as a nice little documentary that doesn't exactly refute the truth of the original story but does little to confirm it (personally, I need to know it's not all that real so I don't get too freaked out).
Overall:
Good movie for the money. Nice remake. I wonder if the real Mrs. Lutzes were as hot as Melissa George and Margot Kidder (at that time she was totally a "stacy's mom")
>Go to "Special Features"
>Highlight "On Set Peeks"
>Left Arrow button - a red symbol appears in the middle of the screen
>Enter
>You have two options - Home Movies and Scare Reel
I cannot vouch for the interesting quality of the items offered.
Viewing Ambience: Complete or Near Dark
Intoxicants: Pina Coladas
Food: Pakwan Take Out (Indian/Pakistani)
Discussion:
A decent remake of the Amityville Horror (originally starring Margot Kidder of Superman and more recently suffering-a-breakdown-under-the-freeway fame). Based on a novel, which was allegedly based on a true story (see http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/amityville.asp).
This newer version is supposedly "truer" to the book as it includes the history of the house - being built on sacred indian grounds and a crazy settler who tortures those indiginous persons - all of whom maintain residence in the home alongside the living. I liked the extra back story, which provided an excuse for some "Beloved" style torture flashbacks. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120603/
I also felt that many of the special effects of this film were inspired by Ju-On http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330500/ which if you haven't seen, you really really should. It's dubbed in English. Great scary movie.
Satisfying, some great scary moments, some real gross out moments. The DVD special features include the aforementioned easter egg, as well as a nice little documentary that doesn't exactly refute the truth of the original story but does little to confirm it (personally, I need to know it's not all that real so I don't get too freaked out).
Overall:
Good movie for the money. Nice remake. I wonder if the real Mrs. Lutzes were as hot as Melissa George and Margot Kidder (at that time she was totally a "stacy's mom")
Monday, October 17, 2005
Life's Necessities
There are great things in life. A great orgasm. Vodka on the rocks. A cold ale. Great coffee (the kind that has a nearly chocolate taste). A fat bowl of green bud. A fantastic meal. A good night's rest. A satisfying movie. An excellent book.
Many of these are best accompanied by each other. Sex is good fueled by alcohol. Coffee is delicious after a good night's sleep. Movies are great when accompanied by greens. A good meal and a good book go well with nearly all of the above.
A good deal of time has been invested in studying these passtimes. Indeed, I have traveled far and wide to attempt to discover the best of each - although my tastes favor the local, I'd like to share some of the better finds.
Just an experiment. Just for fun. Hopefully, just in time.
Many of these are best accompanied by each other. Sex is good fueled by alcohol. Coffee is delicious after a good night's sleep. Movies are great when accompanied by greens. A good meal and a good book go well with nearly all of the above.
A good deal of time has been invested in studying these passtimes. Indeed, I have traveled far and wide to attempt to discover the best of each - although my tastes favor the local, I'd like to share some of the better finds.
Just an experiment. Just for fun. Hopefully, just in time.
