Posted by barb on Jul 3, 2005 in
Movies 2/5 stars
This was the story of two young tigers who are separated from both their mother and each other early in life, and follow different paths that cross again. It’s cute, but unfortantely our copy from Netflix had problems about three-quarters of the way through the film. I didn’t want to wait for a new copy, so we ended up skipping ahead a couple times when the DVD was unplayable. Whether because of the story or our problems with the DVD, I wasn’t all that interested in the ending. It’s a cute film with lots of footage of baby tigers, but not a great story otherwise.
[IMDB link to Two Brothers]
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jul 3, 2005 in
Movies 4/5 stars
While I’m not a Chistian Bale fan, I was able to get past that an enjoy this newest take on Batman. There was a lot of great acting power in this film, and it really paid off. I hardly recognized Gary Oldman as Officer Jim Gordon, and of course, there was Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as a weapons specialist, and Liam Neeson as mentor and teacher. Definately recommended.
[IMDB link to Batman Begins]
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 27, 2005 in
Books by Kay Kenyon
Star Road has returned to Earth after a failed attempt to establish a colony elsewhere in the galaxy. They turned back after the young people stopped being able to bear children. They’ve been gone 250 years according to the ships clocks, but 10,000 years have passed on Earth.
When they arrive, they find an Earth covered with “Ice” — a crystalline substance that covers most of the surface. The people of Star road don’t have much time, since Ice is still spreading, and the small tract of land left open will be covered in less than 6 months.
On the surface, the Ice Nuns are the group to negotiate with. They are not catholic, nor God-fearing; however, they keep up the heirarchy of the old Catholic Nuns — along with the discipline and corruption. Their goal is to talk with Ice, and they don’t want to stop its growth.
Zoya tries politics with the Nuns, hooks up with a tracker of Ice Witches, and searches for a nun postulant who could unlock the secret of Ice.
This is the first book of Kenyon’s that I’ve read. Based on the blurb on the back of the book, I wouldn’t have even picked it up, and I would have missed out. The story was strong, the characters compelling, and I look forward to seeing what else Kenyon has written.
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 24, 2005 in
Memes, Etc. They Fight Crime!
He’s an ungodly one-eyed master criminal fleeing from a secret government programme. She’s a sharp-shooting cat-loving stripper with a birthmark shaped like Liberty’s torch. They fight crime!
[via Brutal Women]
Posted by barb on Jun 19, 2005 in
Movies 2.5/5 stars
Woody Allen plays a has-been director whose last hit was ten years ago. He’s now almost unemployable, being known for unreasonable demands. He gets a chance when his ex-wife (Tea Leoni) pushes her producer boyfriend to hire Allen. Allen becomes blind before the first day of shooting, but can’t give up the job, or he’ll never get a job in Hollywood again. Ostensibly, hilarity ensues.
This film is typical of recent Woody Allen films — lackluster and with a large “thud” at the end. The characters weren’t much more than 1-dimensional. The story lacked much push toward the “climax” and ending, and frankly, I wasn’t sure when the climax happened. There was some entertaining dialog, but all-in-all this is not a film I’d go out of my way to see.
[IMDB link for Hollywood Ending]
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 17, 2005 in
Books by Madeleine L’Engle
This is another book that I read in my childhood that I’ve revisisted to see how it held up.
Meg’s father is a scientist who has been missing for quite some time. Her mother knows that something has gone wrong with his last assignment (top secret, with the government), but doesn’t know what to do to help him. Then, Meg meets Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which through her brother, Charles Wallace. These three unusual women know where Meg’s father is, and use a tesseract (a wrinkle in space and time) to help the children find him.
A great story, and it holds up as a good read for my adult-self as well as it did for my child-self.
Note: This book is on the list of 100 most challenged books from 1990-2000. Why? According to Forbidden Libaray, this book was:
Challenged at the Polk City, Fla. Elementary School (1985) by a parent who believed that the story promotes witchcraft, crystal balls, and demons. Challenged in the Anniston Ala. schools (1990). The complainant objected to the book’s listing the name of Jesus Christ together with the names of great artists, philosophers, scientists, and religious leaders when referring to those who defend earth against evil. Got it. Let’s cross Jesus off that list, shall we?
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 15, 2005 in
Movies 4/5 stars
For nearly a decade, ballroom dance has been taught in New York City public schools. At the end of the year, there is a citywide competition for the best of the schools. This documentary follows students from three of the schools as they learn the dances, choose competitors and finally compete for the gold.
This film was a bit reminiscent of Spellbound, the documentary on kids competing in the national spelling bee. However, I felt that this one didn’t give us as intimate a look at the kids as Spellbound did. There was much more emphasis on the dancing and dance classes than on getting to know the kids. Don’t get me wrong — we do get to know a few of the kids, and I felt very invested in the final outcome of the competition, but there was a lot more dancing footage than getting-to-know-the-kids footage.
[IMDB link for Mad Hot Ballroom]
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 14, 2005 in
Memes, Etc. Book-a-minute, SF/F — all the sci-fi and fantasy classics boiled down to their essence.
The Collected Work of Stephen King
Ultra-Condensed by Mike Martinez
It was a nice day………………………AND THEN EVIL CAME!
THE END
They also have Classics and Bedtime Stories.
Tags: dumb fun
Posted by barb on Jun 13, 2005 in
Books by Richard Lederer
More bad grammar, gaffes, and funnyu mistakes collected together. A fun, funny read, but quickly forgotten.
Tags: reviews
Posted by barb on Jun 13, 2005 in
Memes, Etc. JD tagged me for this one.
A typical day for Barb
On a typical day I wake up, wash the boogers from my big toe and put on my sock. I say goodbye to Orlando Bloom and I hopped on my scooter to a vet office where I am a Support Scientist. I feel itchy about what I do, sure I’d rather be a Head Asshole in Charge in Egypt, but this pays the bills and buys me lots of batteries that I can rebuke.
My morning is pretty sunny. Aside from my π/4 trips to the game room to apply deoderant and my angry encounter with Mushi it’s just the same every day.
I break for lunch and draw with Donna over a angry plate of magic mushrooms. A quick jaunt to Hartford to smooch with Sweetie, who’s a total genie, and it’s back to the grind, until 3 PM when I jump in my crunchy pink bus and head for home.
My evening is spent exercise and listening to Barenaked Ladies while hopping on one foot around laundry room wishing I was Einstein and drinking all sorts of chai. Then its off to bed where I dream of cats and Wil Wheaton in a teddy.
Passed to:
- Sweetie
- Mushi (though Mushi is really busy with work, so it might be a while until she can get to it)
The Instructions:
Take the following and fill in your own blanks, try not to read as you fill. Post this, let everyone know who sent it to you and send it on to three more people. Have fun.
The Madlib:
A typical day for (your name).
On a typical day I wake up, wash the (sticky substance) from my (body part) and put on my (piece of clothing). I say goodbye to (celebrity) and I (method of travel) to a (place) where I am a (your job title). I feel (adjective) about what I do, sure I’d rather be a (any job title) in (city, state or country), but this pays the bills and buys me lots of (plural noun) that I can (verb).
My morning is pretty (adjective). Aside from my (number) trips to the (room in home or building) to (something you do in the bathroom) and my (adjective) encounter with (a blogger you kow well) it’s just the same every day.
I break for lunch and draw with (someone with a Web site who’s not really a blogger) over a (adjective) plate of magic mushrooms. A quick jaunt to (place) to (some kind of personal interaction) with (blogger who you consider a friend), who’s a total (something you dress up as for Halloween), and it’s back to the grind, until (time in the afternoon) when I jump in my (adjective) (color) (vehicle or mode of transportation) and head for home.
My evening is spent (something you do at home) and listening to (band or musical artist) while (activity) around (room in house) wishing I was (someone you admire) and drinking all sorts of (beverage). Then it’s off to bed where I dream of (plural noun) and (a Web celebrity) in a (clothing item).
Tags: dumb fun