Pretty good...
Bhan Thai
Sweet & Sour Thai Style
(Stir Fried assorted vegetables and pineapples with Sweet and sour sauce)
About Me
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Monday, September 01, 2008
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Movie Review: Munich
Yeah, this is the lazy way, but that's about all I got...
[out of 5]
Directing: UUUUU
Acting: UUUU
Intensity: UUUUU
Appreciation: UUU
Enjoyment: UU
[out of 5]
Directing: UUUUU
Acting: UUUU
Intensity: UUUUU
Appreciation: UUU
Enjoyment: UU
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Top 10 Books
Tentative list of fav books, which ring true on some emotional level, something which sparks a memory, evokes true feeling, and rises to catch the heart... (in no particular order)
- Catcher in the Rye (Salinger)
- Holidays on Ice (Sedaris)
- The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death (Pinkwater)
- Death in Holy Orders (James)
- A Wrinkle in Time (L'Engle)
- The Outsiders (Hinton)
- East of Eden (Steinbeck)
- Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare)
- The Shining (King)
- Castle Skull (Carr)
- Catcher in the Rye (Salinger)
- Holidays on Ice (Sedaris)
- The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death (Pinkwater)
- Death in Holy Orders (James)
- A Wrinkle in Time (L'Engle)
- The Outsiders (Hinton)
- East of Eden (Steinbeck)
- Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare)
- The Shining (King)
- Castle Skull (Carr)
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Top 10 Movies
Current fav top 10 movies
Category: Disney
1. Freaky Friday (1976)
2. Mary Poppins
3. Swiss Family Robinson
4. The Rescuers
5. Emperor's New Groove
6. Monsters, Inc.
7. Escape from Witch Mountain
8. Pirates of the Caribbean
9. Herbie, the Love Bug (1969)
10. No Deposit No Return
Some of these are childhood favorites that may not bear up under the test of time, but there you go.
Category: Disney
1. Freaky Friday (1976)
2. Mary Poppins
3. Swiss Family Robinson
4. The Rescuers
5. Emperor's New Groove
6. Monsters, Inc.
7. Escape from Witch Mountain
8. Pirates of the Caribbean
9. Herbie, the Love Bug (1969)
10. No Deposit No Return
Some of these are childhood favorites that may not bear up under the test of time, but there you go.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Thoughts
I love Hillary Swank. I love that Dominic Monaghan (aka Merry Brandybuck from LOTR) and Evangeline Lilly (aka late-nite porn line purveyor) from 'Lost' have coupled. I don' t like poopy dog butts. I don't like boring meaningless jobs. I do like having a job. I do like wonderfully composed lines of fiction by Martha Grimes. I do like red-headed stepchilds.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Top 10 Movies
Current fav top 10 movies
Category: General
1. Grease
2. Interview with the Vampire
3. Rear Window
4. Kill Bill (v. 1,2)
5. Best in Show
6. The Shining
7. The Birds
8. Raising Arizona
9. Blade Runner
10. Giant
Category: General
1. Grease
2. Interview with the Vampire
3. Rear Window
4. Kill Bill (v. 1,2)
5. Best in Show
6. The Shining
7. The Birds
8. Raising Arizona
9. Blade Runner
10. Giant
Monday, January 17, 2005
Review: 'In Good Company'
Premise: Corporate dramedy?
Pros: Likeable characters
Cons: Little predictable
Do 18-year-old NYU writing students routinely seduce their father's boss, them dump them because they have a double major and, are like, just 'too busy' to cope. Yeah, and we're not talking about Paris Hilton (because she's not smart enough to attend college). No, this is Scarlett Johansson, who plays Alex with such aplomb and Johannson-honey that we love her even though she's, well, 18 and kinda selfish.
Topher Grace, I predict (like anyone listens to me), as the next sensitive-witty breakout star. Here he leaves behind That '70s Show Eric Forman to play a likeable corporate whiz-kid sent to increase sales in the wake of a whim corporate takeover. Dennis Quaid is the 'old guy,' who is, of course, more sales and life smart than Grace and provides him with a little back-off-and-let-the-big-boy-do-it wisdom. Quaid is especially charming (even at 50) as he juggles his family and job responsibilities, struggling with finances for his two girls, his wife (Marg Helgenberger go back to CSI), and his little flock of sales employees who are quickly being fired out from under him, from -- you guessed it -- Mr. Sales himself, Topher Grace, et al.
Anyone who works in the corporate world (Office Space anyone?) can identify with the seedy business practices within which the characters find themselves caught: job security out the window, cost cutting, unethical pandering, the all important 'bottom line,' blah blah blah. It's a little disturbing considering how true it is. Even Johannson's dream to get 'Bohemian' and live in the city to study short story writing comes with a hefty tuition. And, Grace, amidst all this (did I mention his 911 Porsche?) starts to learn what is really important in life: family, loyalty and accepting his status in life as a smart geek who is better than his flashy sales pitch, better than his gaudy ex-wife, and better than his Johannson's fling (ok, they can still be friends, they're cute together).
Overall, likeable characters... Grace really brings some charm to what could be a really smarmy guy.
Pros: Likeable characters
Cons: Little predictable
Do 18-year-old NYU writing students routinely seduce their father's boss, them dump them because they have a double major and, are like, just 'too busy' to cope. Yeah, and we're not talking about Paris Hilton (because she's not smart enough to attend college). No, this is Scarlett Johansson, who plays Alex with such aplomb and Johannson-honey that we love her even though she's, well, 18 and kinda selfish.
Topher Grace, I predict (like anyone listens to me), as the next sensitive-witty breakout star. Here he leaves behind That '70s Show Eric Forman to play a likeable corporate whiz-kid sent to increase sales in the wake of a whim corporate takeover. Dennis Quaid is the 'old guy,' who is, of course, more sales and life smart than Grace and provides him with a little back-off-and-let-the-big-boy-do-it wisdom. Quaid is especially charming (even at 50) as he juggles his family and job responsibilities, struggling with finances for his two girls, his wife (Marg Helgenberger go back to CSI), and his little flock of sales employees who are quickly being fired out from under him, from -- you guessed it -- Mr. Sales himself, Topher Grace, et al.
Anyone who works in the corporate world (Office Space anyone?) can identify with the seedy business practices within which the characters find themselves caught: job security out the window, cost cutting, unethical pandering, the all important 'bottom line,' blah blah blah. It's a little disturbing considering how true it is. Even Johannson's dream to get 'Bohemian' and live in the city to study short story writing comes with a hefty tuition. And, Grace, amidst all this (did I mention his 911 Porsche?) starts to learn what is really important in life: family, loyalty and accepting his status in life as a smart geek who is better than his flashy sales pitch, better than his gaudy ex-wife, and better than his Johannson's fling (ok, they can still be friends, they're cute together).
Overall, likeable characters... Grace really brings some charm to what could be a really smarmy guy.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Review: 'Spanglish'
Premise: Blended family
Pros: Fav part of the movie is the poster
Cons: Just a little tooooo much
Is this James Brooks movie a tender romantic comedy, social satire, slice-of-life, all of the above? What makes this movie enjoyable, really (and no, it's not a romantic comedy), is the 'likeableness' of the actors, which is not to say we really like all of them (i.e., bitchy Tea Leoni) but that we like their performances... the relationships, the slow, thoughtful stitching of the characters.
A new Spanish houseworker (Paz Vega) is the catalyst for turmoil (or a much needed change) in the Clasky household, and the film attemps to explore the new 'family' that creeps out when the white suburban family gets real. Adam Sandler continues to transition from SNL's 'Opera Man' to a sensitive family man, giving a nice performance as chef John Clasky, the average man caught in a 4-star lifestyle. Tea Leoni, again, bitchy. The daughter (Sarah Steele) great as her dad's daughter (not her mom's), and Cloris Leachman damn funny as the drunk mother (you know, not all drunks are funny). Really, though, Paz Vega -- a famous (and more sensuous) actress in Mexico -- tones down the beauty and brings heart to the pivotal role. By engaging her daughter in this white affluent American lifestyle is she compromising her values and heritage?
The movie lags in certain scenes where we just aren't sure what the director wants.... yeah, surprises are good, but the audience is pulled in a lot of different directions. In short sometimes leaving us asking, "what's the point?" Overall, heartwarming and humorous.
Pros: Fav part of the movie is the poster
Cons: Just a little tooooo much
Is this James Brooks movie a tender romantic comedy, social satire, slice-of-life, all of the above? What makes this movie enjoyable, really (and no, it's not a romantic comedy), is the 'likeableness' of the actors, which is not to say we really like all of them (i.e., bitchy Tea Leoni) but that we like their performances... the relationships, the slow, thoughtful stitching of the characters.
A new Spanish houseworker (Paz Vega) is the catalyst for turmoil (or a much needed change) in the Clasky household, and the film attemps to explore the new 'family' that creeps out when the white suburban family gets real. Adam Sandler continues to transition from SNL's 'Opera Man' to a sensitive family man, giving a nice performance as chef John Clasky, the average man caught in a 4-star lifestyle. Tea Leoni, again, bitchy. The daughter (Sarah Steele) great as her dad's daughter (not her mom's), and Cloris Leachman damn funny as the drunk mother (you know, not all drunks are funny). Really, though, Paz Vega -- a famous (and more sensuous) actress in Mexico -- tones down the beauty and brings heart to the pivotal role. By engaging her daughter in this white affluent American lifestyle is she compromising her values and heritage?
The movie lags in certain scenes where we just aren't sure what the director wants.... yeah, surprises are good, but the audience is pulled in a lot of different directions. In short sometimes leaving us asking, "what's the point?" Overall, heartwarming and humorous.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Review: 'Napoleon Dynamite'
Premise: Can a geek be elected class president?
Pros: Not the same old thing
Cons: Believable?
In the first scene of the movie Napoleon skulks onto the school bus in his brown moon boots, sits in the back and is asked by a pesky little freshman, "What are you going to do today," at which time he sullenly responds, "Whatever I feel like I wanna do, go-ossshhhh!" This 'Napoleon Statement' kind of sums up what the movie does in regards to plot, character development & direction: Whatever it wants.
Now, when I first heard about this film from my peers in the industry... ok, it was actually from people I just kinda know, barely... I heard rave reviews about how it was the funniest movie ever, original plot, great music, yada yada. The truth is when I watched this movie I was speechless. It was that indescribable... almost. Directed and co-written by Jared Hess, this feature film directorial debut is a quirky little yarn about weird Idaho adolescent Napoleon (Jon Heder), his even weirder non-adolescent Internet-freak brother Kip (Aaron Ruell), their uncle's obsession with football, a Llama named Tina, Pedro's desire to be class president of Preston High School, Kip's soulmate LaFawnduh, and a fierce game of tetherball which begins with a friendship bracelet.
Does it work? Barely. Napoleon's character is believable enough in that he's played with a certain gloomy teenage rebellion -- even more believable when we realize his homelife is a little bleak and he pretty much has no friends (even the Llama gets more attention than he does). Some of the deadpan exaggeration comes off as stilted and unbelievable. We buy that there could be teenagers like this, but only up to a point. Fortunately, the ending trumps most high school movie endings in a big way. Kudos to Jon Heder's comic acting for bringing deadpan humor, heart and a little silent resentment to a character that we might have known (or were) in high school. Just remember when someone asks what you did over the summer, you can answer with a 'Napoleon Statement': "I told you! I spent it with my uncle in Alaska hunting wolverines!"
Oh, yeah the soundtrack does rock: (Bow Wow Wow, John Swihart, Jamiroquai, Yaz, Sparklemotion).
http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/napoleondynamite
Pros: Not the same old thing
Cons: Believable?
In the first scene of the movie Napoleon skulks onto the school bus in his brown moon boots, sits in the back and is asked by a pesky little freshman, "What are you going to do today," at which time he sullenly responds, "Whatever I feel like I wanna do, go-ossshhhh!" This 'Napoleon Statement' kind of sums up what the movie does in regards to plot, character development & direction: Whatever it wants.
Now, when I first heard about this film from my peers in the industry... ok, it was actually from people I just kinda know, barely... I heard rave reviews about how it was the funniest movie ever, original plot, great music, yada yada. The truth is when I watched this movie I was speechless. It was that indescribable... almost. Directed and co-written by Jared Hess, this feature film directorial debut is a quirky little yarn about weird Idaho adolescent Napoleon (Jon Heder), his even weirder non-adolescent Internet-freak brother Kip (Aaron Ruell), their uncle's obsession with football, a Llama named Tina, Pedro's desire to be class president of Preston High School, Kip's soulmate LaFawnduh, and a fierce game of tetherball which begins with a friendship bracelet.
Does it work? Barely. Napoleon's character is believable enough in that he's played with a certain gloomy teenage rebellion -- even more believable when we realize his homelife is a little bleak and he pretty much has no friends (even the Llama gets more attention than he does). Some of the deadpan exaggeration comes off as stilted and unbelievable. We buy that there could be teenagers like this, but only up to a point. Fortunately, the ending trumps most high school movie endings in a big way. Kudos to Jon Heder's comic acting for bringing deadpan humor, heart and a little silent resentment to a character that we might have known (or were) in high school. Just remember when someone asks what you did over the summer, you can answer with a 'Napoleon Statement': "I told you! I spent it with my uncle in Alaska hunting wolverines!"
Oh, yeah the soundtrack does rock: (Bow Wow Wow, John Swihart, Jamiroquai, Yaz, Sparklemotion).
http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/napoleondynamite
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Review: 'The Grudge'
Premise: Will this movie scare?
Pros: Yes
Cons: Jumbled plot
Scary as hell. Stars Sarah Michelle Gellar (delightfully delicious) and Jason Behr (mofo hot) as a young in-love couple who comes across a horrific evil hidden terror that dwells in a house in Japan. Action. Scares. Etc. What the audience would like, I think, is more character development between the two headliners. (And, alas, there will be a sequel according to production company Ghost House Pictures, so who knows?) There are some nice fish-out-of-water moments about what it's like to live abroad. Nice work by actress Grace Zabriskie who appears as the older mentally ill woman; she seems to pop up a lot in different kinds of great supporting roles (you might recognize her from Seinfeld as George's dead finance's mother). Great character actress.
Number of stars: Ah, who cares.
Pros: Yes
Cons: Jumbled plot
Scary as hell. Stars Sarah Michelle Gellar (delightfully delicious) and Jason Behr (mofo hot) as a young in-love couple who comes across a horrific evil hidden terror that dwells in a house in Japan. Action. Scares. Etc. What the audience would like, I think, is more character development between the two headliners. (And, alas, there will be a sequel according to production company Ghost House Pictures, so who knows?) There are some nice fish-out-of-water moments about what it's like to live abroad. Nice work by actress Grace Zabriskie who appears as the older mentally ill woman; she seems to pop up a lot in different kinds of great supporting roles (you might recognize her from Seinfeld as George's dead finance's mother). Great character actress.
Number of stars: Ah, who cares.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Review: 'I, Robot'
Premise: Will robots take over the world? Will our heros save the world?
Pros: Kick-ass action
Cons: Nothing more?
People magazine gave it two stars (out of four)... now, note that People also gave Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy three stars, so, guess what, they don't know crap. Anywaaaay, I would say the movie rocks. Are there flaws? Yeah, but this was designed to be an action movie and that's what it is. Throw in a little philosphy, a little love interest, some humanity --- and a billion dollars later, director Alex Proyas (and Co-Producer Smith) has a hit.
So, People staaaaars aside, I'd give it a 'A'. It ain't gonna change the world. Now, Bridget Moynahan (was she once a model, I think) was thrown a bit of flak for being too flat (acting wise), but really, first of all, she's hot. And she does what she's supposed to do, enhance and contrast Will Smith's character. Plus, I liked her pathos, ok? And Will.... Will, Will, Will Action Hero. He's got it down to a science. Kinda the same as his other movies but it works. He kicks ass.
'Is there a ghost in the machine?' i.e. do robots feel, can they become [more] human? The movie does succeed as an action flick and I think it suceeds on some level Re the philosophical question... Robots are as human as we make them.
Pros: Kick-ass action
Cons: Nothing more?
People magazine gave it two stars (out of four)... now, note that People also gave Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy three stars, so, guess what, they don't know crap. Anywaaaay, I would say the movie rocks. Are there flaws? Yeah, but this was designed to be an action movie and that's what it is. Throw in a little philosphy, a little love interest, some humanity --- and a billion dollars later, director Alex Proyas (and Co-Producer Smith) has a hit.
So, People staaaaars aside, I'd give it a 'A'. It ain't gonna change the world. Now, Bridget Moynahan (was she once a model, I think) was thrown a bit of flak for being too flat (acting wise), but really, first of all, she's hot. And she does what she's supposed to do, enhance and contrast Will Smith's character. Plus, I liked her pathos, ok? And Will.... Will, Will, Will Action Hero. He's got it down to a science. Kinda the same as his other movies but it works. He kicks ass.
'Is there a ghost in the machine?' i.e. do robots feel, can they become [more] human? The movie does succeed as an action flick and I think it suceeds on some level Re the philosophical question... Robots are as human as we make them.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
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