The Good Life

Troll Hunter

2012-02-10T22:37:00.001-05:00

Troll Hunter is a low budget Scandinavian found footage movie about a three college kids who are making a documentary about a troll hunter. I know it sounds totally pants, but it is actually quite good. (Full disclosure I was sick on the couch with a stomach flu when I watched it.) The story is surprisingly interesting and the characters are surprisingly well realized.
The whole idea is that this group of friends set out to film a bear hunt, but instead stumble across a giant government cover up. Trolls are real, the government knows, and has an agency dedicated to keeping trolls and humans safe from each other. There are designated troll habitats and as long as the trolls stay on their own land everything is fine. When one leaves and starts causing trouble like killing cows or hikers, the TSS sends out Hans to deal with the troll. Once the troll is taken care of clean up crews come in and make things look like say a rabid bear or a tornado. It is vaguely Men in Blackish.
The movie looks good too. The shots of the Norwegian countryside are spectacular. The effects for the trolls are the perfect blend of cheap and well done. Trolls are clunky creatures. The interior shots are sufficiently bleak to set the tone of Hans. The found footage trope mostly works. The chase scenes early on are enhanced by it, but by the end it was a little distracting.
The movie also has an underlying moral message about living in harmony with nature. Trolls aren't evil. They are just wild animals whose habitat is threatened.
I'd recommend Troll Hunter as a pay rental. It was good fun for a sick day.

Chuck is Over

2012-02-08T19:04:00.001-05:00

Chuck was one of my favorite shows of all time. I know it was often ridiculous and had plot holes a space shuttle could fly through, but the show's heart was in the right place. It offered up likable characters that I genuinely wanted to succeed. Even the superfluous characters like Jefster and Morgan had a certain charm.
I am sad that the show is over and even sadder at the way it ended. I wasn't expecting a great ending that displayed all of the best parts of the show. Finales usually don't hit that mark and most wouldn't work if they tried. A finale is for wrapping things up and sending the heroes into the sunset. On one level the Chuck finale succeeded in that it wrapped up the spying and sent the characters into the sunset.
The thing that really got me was that they didn't let Chuck and Sara have their happy ending. All of the other characters, even Jefster, saw their dreams realized and moved onto the next stage of their lives. Meanwhile Chuck and Sara are left wondering if they will ever get their life back. The writers do drop a lot of hints that it will all work out and Sara will get her memory back, but they leave the question hanging. I choose to believe that the kiss is the key and that, like Morgan, Sara will get the important parts of her memory back. However, it would have been better if the writers answered the question before the sunset. It is not like there will be a sequel or a movie to finish things up. Chuck was generally a show that showed all of its cards. Leaving this key card hidden feels gratuitous and out of character for the show. Chuck and Sara were the center of the show and deserved a neater bow.

The Fighter

2012-01-30T22:39:00.001-05:00

H and I watched The Fighter on Netflix this past weekend. I found it to be Rocky for the artsy crowd. The plot is the typical stuff. Without knowing any of the real life story of Micky Ward, I knew the basic plot five minutes into the movie. It didn't matter much since I like a good zero to hero redemption tale. I like it even more when there is fighting involved.
What makes The Fighter special are the performances. The male leads, Whalberg and Bale, are excellent.
Whalberg plays Micky with deft physicality. It would have been easy for Micky to be seen as dull or even a tool, but Whalberg brings the character's grace and strength to the fore.
Bale does the opposite. He takes a manic and overly verbal joke and humanizes him. Dicky could easily have become annoying and unlikable. He talks too much and sucks the oxygen out of the room. In Bale's capable hands, however, Dicky becomes human. Even early in the movie, you can see the love and loyalty alongside the fear and desperation in Dicky. It makes the transformation at the end of the movie believable.
I recommend seeing this movie. It has a good, if predictable, story that showcases several great performances.

Your Highness

2012-01-14T01:14:00.003-05:00

Given the awesome cast signed up to this film, I had high hopes. I should have remembered that the quality of a movie is often inversely proportional to the number of hot stars that are in it.
The performances are passable, but it is pretty obvious that Natalie Portman is not a comedic actor and neither is James Franco. While they have superb dramatic skills, they were unable to find the sweet spot for a satiric performance that was funny because it was supposed to be and not because it was so bad.
The humor also was a let down. The jokes relied too heavily on homo jokes and dick jokes. Sure one or two jokes about macho men being unknowingly gay is funny, but an hour and forty minutes of it is wearing. The rest of the dick jokes were just lame.
I certainly hope that Portman and Franco look back on this movie as a bad mistake. Maybe they will feel guilty enough to make up for the hours wasted by people watching this shlock. If I wasn't trapped on a plane for three hours I would have walked out of this just after seeing Portman semi-nude. That is the only good thing in the whole film.

2012

2012-01-14T01:14:00.001-05:00

So this is the last year of the Mayan calendar, so the world might end in December. If that is the case, which I doubt, there is a lot of living left to squeeze into the year....
For me, less is usually more so I'm not going to clutter the year up with lots of big plans and lofty must accomplish goals. Instead, I'm going to set myself a few things to guide how I live this year:
1. I'm going to value time with my family over time at work.
2. I will do my best in all things that I do.
3. I will read indiscriminately.
4. I will prefer outdoor time to screen time.
5. I will stay active.
6. I will eat healthy with the occasional chocolate and ice cream.
7. I will try to relax.
These are just guiding principles. They are not mandates. They are not goals to be reached.
Mandates, goals, resolutions are just another way to beat yourself up. They are carrots to chase and hoops to jump through on the way to the next goal. They are not a way to live a life.
If they Mayans were right, I don't want to be looking back from the end of the world wishing I had accomplished some goal. I want to be happy knowing that I had lived life.

Breakfast of Camels

2012-01-13T13:38:00.001-05:00

Location:Canyon Run Dr,Las Vegas,United States

ChronicTaco

2012-01-12T19:05:00.001-05:00

While wandering around the suburbs of Vegas looking for food, I found Chronic Tacos in an oasis of strip mall stores. It is a small taco and burrito joint with a distinctly skate punk decor. Don't let the decor put you off though, the food is good if you are looking for basic burritos or tacos. I got a chicken burrito with hot salsa and it was on par with Chipolte Grill. The chips were also excellent.
The ordering process was similar to other joints in the genre. You tell them what you want and they custom build your meal out of the available meats, rices, beans and toppings. All of the food was fresh, but I'm not sure how local, GM free, or organic it was. They kid who served me also had a distinctly skater punk feel, but the other workers looked very Mexican. All of them were polite and efficient.
Overall I enjoyed the meal. If I lived in Vegas, I'd considered making Chronic Taco a regular joint.

Location:Canyon Run Dr,Las Vegas,United States

Camel Goes to Vegas

2012-01-12T04:26:00.001-05:00

Source Code

2012-01-09T01:32:00.001-05:00

Rented Source Code on iTunes for a flight today. It was an interesting film. I'm not sure I liked the twist at the end, but it was kind of cool. For me there were two things that made it so compelling: the acting and the premiss. All of the actors do a great job making the characters real. Gyllenhall's war hero chopper pilot is both inspiring and heart breaking. You want him to succeed and get the girl and find some peace. The actor that plays his handler paints an equally compelling character. You can see the conflict in her. She knows her duty and will see the mission through. You also see the pain it causes her to use another soldier this way.The idea that you can relive the last eight minutes of a person's life is interesting. The idea that you can use those eight minutes as the basis for a role playing game is out there. The idea that you can use those eight minutes to relive the past is crazy, but fascinating. Can you do that without altering the time line? Is it all just a computer simulation? If it is just a simulation how can you trust that the "facts" that are uncovered aren't just ghosts in the machine? Is it really time travel?The who done it and the love story are almost ancillary. They are required to give the characters something to do and some way to make the premise tangible. They are handled well enough to make the film work.I do recommend the movie. I think it would be better on a big screen although I didn't find the small screen detracted too much.

Keurig Must Die!

2011-11-27T23:02:00.001-05:00

Keurig is evil. They prey upon people's laziness to foist bad, over priced coffee on us. To make it even worse, their k-cups pile up in landfills where what ever comes after humanity will find them and be amazed at how primitive and backwards we were.
It is easy to make good single cups of coffee cheaply and without so much waste. Use a French press or a single cup filter. It tastes better and is better for the planet. As an added bonus, you will be forced to sit back and relax for a few minutes while your coffee brews.

Tangled

2011-09-16T10:56:00.001-04:00

Tangled is not a movie I'm proud to say I've watched, particularly when I didn't watch it with a child. H and I watched it on Netflix when there was nothing else on the tube.
I expected Tangled to be pretty mediocre and was modestly surprised. It definitely isn't a classic, but it is more fun than it could have been.
The plot is pretty much what one would expect. The characters are all standard fare. The heroine is plucky and resourceful. The hero is a rouge with a heart of gold. Together they fall in love, defeat the forces aligned against them, and live happily ever after. There is betrayal, sacrifice, and help from a rouge's gallery of misfits. Oh there is plenty of singing.
The beautiful animation is one of the Tangled strengths. While the story is cookie cutter, it is a good story and it is well assembled. Everyone does a good job. Mandy Moore's singing is excellent. Zac Levy's rouge is dashing when needed and believable when he gets soft. The jokes are well done and well timed.
So, Tangled won't win any awards, nor will it become a classic. That said, it is a decent way to kill an hour and a half.

Gearing Up

2011-06-10T23:12:00.001-04:00

I love my Tricross single speed. Not worrying about shifting and the silence of the drive train are magical. The only trouble with a single speed is that you need to be in good enough shape to complete your ride in the bike's gear. It was becoming obvious to me that I was not in good enough shape to complete my commute to and from work in the bike's gear. It was also obvious that I was not going to be able to get into good enough shape if I kept trying to do it on the single speed.
I needed gears.
I have an old geared bike, but I just don't like riding it. The drive train is twitchy and the aluminum frame rattles my bones over the smallest bumps. I could have done some upgrading by putting better components into the drive train and getting a carbon fork, but that seemed like a lot of money to put into a cheap bike.
So I decided to buy a new bike. I knew what I wanted: my single speed with gears. I considered putting an internally geared hub on the single speed, but there are no shifter choices for drop bars. I wasn't really prepared to spend the money needed to switch to straight bars. Nor was I convinced that I wanted to ride on straight bars.
Then I saw that my local bike shop had a new Tricross Comp in stock. It is the same frame as my single speed, but with a Shimano 105 drive train. I figured I'd give it a test ride and see if it felt right. While I was there I also tried out a few other cross bikes, just to make sure.
Two of the other bikes that I tried had SRAM components, but I really didn't like the double tap shifting. Remembering that one tap did something and two taps did something else and a long tap did a third thing just wasn't working for me. The other bikes were also more traditional cross racing frames and felt twitchy.
The Tricross' shudders are easy to understand and smooth as butter to shift. The geometry is nice as well. It is a slightly relaxed cross racing geometry. It is a little longer and more stable which is what I was looking for in a commuting bike. The Triccross frame also is fender and rack ready. O e other nice feature of the Tricross is the triple from ring. The granny gears come in handy on the big hill between the bike path and home after a long day at work.
After two weeks and 200 miles on the bike, I am very happy with the upgrade. It really is just like riding the single speed, but with gears. I thought that I would be bothered by needing to constantly think about the gears and the clicking of the cassette. Instead I find that I appreciate the gears because I can commute to work in a reasonable amount of time without nearly killing myself.
In fact, I hardly even think about the gears. I just tap the lever when I feel like I'm struggling. The click of the cassette is a pleasant chant reminding me that all is well. Good gears are great.

Chariot Courgar

2011-06-10T22:25:00.001-04:00

H and I wanted a way to take Bug biking with us, so we needed a baby carrier for our bikes. We both liked the idea of a trailer better than a child seat. The trailer seems safer because it is lower to the ground and has a built in roll cage. Having a child carrier on the back of a bike (I cannot even imagine that the front mounted seats are safe) changes the balance of the bike and means the baby falls the same distance to the ground.
I did a bunch of research to see if my bias was wrong. The bike mounted carriers are generally cost less than the trailers. It turns out that there are a lot of conflicting opinions, but no hard facts. There is no statistical evidence that either the trailer or the bike mounted carrier is safer. Carrier people like having the child close to them so they interact with the child and feel that the risk of a trailer getting hit by a car is worth the danger of the child falling. Trailer people think the trailers are safer because they are less likely to flip and the child is better protected in any accident.
Since there was no hard evidence, we decided to go with a trailer. Then we had to find the right trailer. There are a wide range of trailers on the market and a correspondingly wide range of prices. We quickly ruled out the low end trailers. Some just looked cheap others didn't get good reviews. Bug's safety and comfort is worth going up a notch.
The two big names in trailers are Burley and Chariot. I looked at both and read a ton of reviews. The prices were comparable as were most of the features. From my reading, the Chariot trailers seemed to be a notch better. The Chariot's also had a few spiffy features the Burley did not: adjustable spring suspension, easy store trailer arm, and a ton of conversion kits.
We opted to get the mid-level Chariot, the Cougar. It was not cheap, but it seems worth it so far. It is well constructed. The cockpit is well ventilated and the integrated screen and rain cover is easy to use. The strap system is well padded and easy to use. One nice feature is that the back has a pocket so that the back of the child's helmet doesn't push against the back panel.
The trailer also has a ton of storage. There is a good sized trunk and a big mesh pocket on the back.
We've taken it out once, and it performed admirably. The hitch is a simple ball hitch that hooks up without any trouble. When in motion it rolls along smoothly. You can tell there is some weight behind you, but it is not too bad. Getting used to the wider turn radius was a little difficult.
Bug seemed to enjoy the ride. She chatted away one the way out and fell asleep on the way home.
The best part was that we had a stroller to push around in between bike riding stints. We had ridden into Lexington to do a bit of shopping, so having a stroller was key.

Kick Ass

2011-05-26T21:22:00.001-04:00

I've had Kick Ass on my list of movies to see for ever. The opportunity finally popped up last weekend. H was too pooped to argue and it was on Netflix.
I was prepared to be disappointed, but was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty awesome. The characters, visuals, acting, and action were great. I liked the origins of the title character. I particularly liked Hit Girl.
The weakest part of the story was the love story. I found it unbelievable even for a movie about super heroes. I know every super hero needs a girl, but a little effort could have been made to make it work.

Baby Backpacking with Kelty

2011-05-26T20:56:00.001-04:00

H's cousin gave us a used Kelty Journey when bug entered the scene. Until recently, we'd been using either a stroller or carrying bug in a Baby Borne when we'd go on walks. Then I pulled the Kelty out of the basement because the Baby Borne was wrecking my old, chair conditioned back.
The Journey looks like a serious back pack with the storage compartment converted into a chair. We didn't have instructions, so figuring the harness system out was a challenge. Once you figure the straps out it makes perfect sense and they keep the passenger snug, but comfortable.
With the technical hurdles overcome, the real challenge was seeing how bug, and I, did on an actual walk... We started small with a walk around the neighborhood. Bug liked it a lot. She was able to see stuff and move around a little better. My back liked the Kelty much better than the Baby Borne. The weight is well distributed.
We've taken out two more times since then. We did a 5k charity walk that was most fun. Today we did a short hike that was marred by mosquitoes. On both occasions the Kelty did excellent. Bug likes hanging out in it and my back is much happier!

Chuck Anticipation

2011-05-17T16:59:00.001-04:00

I'm psyched that Chuck is getting one more, albeit shortened, season. It is a fun, action comedy and the central characters—Chuck, Sara, and Casey—are interesting. You want them to succeed and be happy. The rest of the cast makes a nice back drop, as long as they don't get too much air time.
I thought the season finally was, although predictable, excellent. It showed Chuck's growth in terms of self-confidence and skills, it resolved the Volkoff storyline, and tied up the family issues. I also liked that it set up the next season for big changes.
The one concern I have, and it was one of the things that bothered me all season, was the expansion of Morgan's role. As the slacker friend in the first few seasons he was a nice comic side-kick. This season his position as "team member" put him on screen too much, and his role is set up to be even bigger next season.
It many ways Morgan is just a delayed version of Chuck. Adding a second Chuck into the mix cannot be a good idea. It will either distract from the main arc of Chuck's development or be just an easy way to keep fall back on previously trodden territory.
I hope the writers can find a way to keep the story focused on the central trio. I imagine there is a way Morgan can be integrated into the story and his status elevated such that he enhances the central narrative. I just hope the writers pull it off.

Easy A

2011-05-17T16:40:00.001-04:00

The highly rated teen drama staring the highly regarded Emma Stone makes Hester Prynn a web caster - sort of. It is a neat idea to update the classic in a respectful manner without a naked Demi Moore. Sadly, Easy A is not the film to do it.
Emma Stone's performance is strong and the supporting performances by her character's family member are perfect. The film does deal with the issue of character assassination and false piety, but it gets lost along the way. There is the whole rumors running wild conceit, the whole being infamous has a dark side conceit, and the whole be true to yourself conceit. They all have a place, but in this case I found that they detracted from the main thrust of the story.
The writing and humor was well delivered, so it is a watchable movie. It was definitely an OK Saturday Netfilx film.

The Joneses

2011-04-28T11:13:00.001-04:00

H and I streamed this movie a few nights ago when the TV selection was particularly dismal. The description on the tin sounded promising. It hints at a dark secret that will be exposed. I was hoping for something really sorted and nasty. Instead, it turns out that the big secret is that they are not a real family; they are a lifestyle marketing team that pushes high end goods to their posh neighbors.
It is a cool and relevant concept for a story that is ripe for plumbing. There are many interesting places a story like this could explore like the morality of what they are doing, the shallowness of the rich and gated, the impact of advertising on our culture, what it means to be a family, if there is more to life than owning the best toys, what is the nature of happiness and success.... Pick one, or two, and you can have a really good story.
Sadly the movie cannot make up it's mind and turns into a pretty, but sprawling mess. The daughter has an affair that ends badly, the son ends up to be gay, the neighbor is spending more than he makes to keep up, the father isn't sure what he is doing is right and is in love with the mother. The only thing missing is the kitchen sink. The end result is a movie that says so much it all gets garbled together.
The one nice thing is that the plot follows a predictable three act sequence and has a happy ending. It made it a three out of five stars and an OK way to waste a couple of hours in front of the tube.

Driving Priusly

2011-04-11T21:57:00.001-04:00

H, bug, and I spent the weekend visiting my Mom in FL. For ground transport, we rented a Toyota Prius. I thought it was a good idea to save gas and it might be neat. We didn't save much money because a Prius costs more to rent than a car of similar size, but we did save on gas.
For two days the rental fee, with Budget, was $244. That included the $56 dollars in extra insurance I got suckered into. For roughly 200 miles of driving we used about 4.5 gallons of gas which was running around $3.80. We averaged 40+ mpg. The most similar car on offer at Budget was a Nissan Sentra which gets around 30 mpg. A bit of quick math: the Prius cost us $19 in gas, the Sentra would have cost us $26 in gas, the rental price difference was about $20. We didn't save any money, but it was close. If we had done more driving, or used the climate control less, we would have saved.
As for the neat factor, it wore off pretty quickly. The Pruis drives like any other gas sipping compact car. It accelerates smoothly, but not quickly. It handles fine. It is a pretty boring car to drive.
The one area where I found it truly lacking was the feedback it provides to the driver. The dashboard offers a plethora of information, but I found more distracting than informative. The car's blinds spots are gigantic and visibility out the back window is terrible. Our car lacked the rear camera, which should be standard equipment. The accelerator and steering are dead and provide no feedback at all. The one piece of feedback that was noticeable was the wind noise at highway speed.
As a city/light commuting car, the Prius is likely an excellent car. If you want some fun in your ride, or spend a lot of time on the highway, I'd go for something different. Hopefully someone will make a fun, affordable, efficient car.

After getting back into H's Forester, I realized that I really didn't like driving the Prius.

The Crazies 2010

2011-04-04T21:27:00.001-04:00

After seeing the original Romero version of The Crazies, I was not certain I wanted to see the remake. Remakes usually just up the gore level to cover up a complete lack understanding of the original and an utter lack of originality.
We had free Starz this weekend and they happened to be showing the remake of The Crazies and there was little on other than basketball and baseball. Given my choices, I went with the remake.
I was pleasantly surprised. The gore factor was ampler up, but just enough to make it feel modern. They managed to keep the tension up and the sense of paranoia high. If anything the government in the remake is more sinister. In Romero's version, the military was a little clownish in the face of their futility. The military in the remake is more shadowy and therefore more menacing.
I really enjoyed the remake and think it is a worthy version of a classic.

Naked Heat

2011-04-04T20:46:00.001-04:00

I make no secret of my love for Castle. The mystery's are not puzzling and the plot is predictable, but the writing is fun and the the interplay between Castle and Beckett is sweet.
One of the other fun things about the show is that ABC actually has books written by Rick Castle that match the books he writes on the show. The second one, Naked Heat, came out late last year and I put a hold on it at the library almost immediately. My turn to read it just came round.
Like the show, the book is not going to win any awards or be mistaken for high culture. It is a quick read with a few laughs. It also sticks to the form of a modern police procedural novel.
The thing I like most about the novels is that they make me appreciate the TV show more. The dialog in the novels is snappy, but it doesn't have the same buddy quality that the actors bring to it. The characters in the book are flat compared to their TV counterparts despite the fact that the novel gives us glimpses of their interior thoughts. The action in the book lacks the funny tension of the TV show.
The cast is what makes Castle magic.

Me and Orson Wells

2011-03-27T21:31:00.000-04:00

If the Wittertainment gods had not favorably reviewed Me and Orson Wells, I would never have considered watching it. I have an unreasonable urge to dislike Zac Effron (it is not as strong a completely reasonable dislike of Will Ferrel).
The recommendation from Dr. K and the price (free streaming on Netflix) made it an easy decision to give Me and Orson Wells a try.
It is a good character piece. Zac Efyoung plays the innocent, ambitious young actor to a tee. Christian McKay nails the narcissism of Orson Wells. Claire Daines is a perfect up and comer. The supporting cast adds a dash of comedy to the show.
It was a fun way to spend an evening.

Better Off Ted

2011-03-22T22:24:00.001-04:00

Better Off Ted is a short lived, witty take on Dilbert. (I lo e the fact that Netflix let's me watch things like this!) It is so much more than Dilbert though.
The show is centered around Ted who looks like a generic successful white male executive at a large generically evil mega-corporation. He has two whacky scientists that work for him and a nice, honest tester who plays his sort of love interest. Ted also has an affectless maniacal boss. It takes this cliche cast and spins gold.
The dialog is fast paced and spot on. The plots are original but laced with enough convention that you don't miss the satire. The cast plays things perfectly. They oscillate between subdued and over the top deftly. It is like Arrested Development meets The Office. Except that it is way better than The Office. I think it makes The Office look like a cheap community production.

Monsters

2011-03-22T22:11:00.001-04:00

I've wanted to see Monsters I first saw the trailer. I almost paid $10 to rent it from iTunes before it was in theaters, but my inner cheapskate won out. Since my ability to get to the theater lately is nill, I was forced to wait for it to wait for it to be on pay per view. I got lucky though and it showed up on Netflix(in HD) at about the same time.
Monsters is billed as a smart, independent monster movie that was made for a pittance. The film maker did the special effects on a MacBook Pro and they look as good as anything being out out by the big studios. The movie delivers on its promises except for the one in the title.
There are monsters and they are big and scary, but they are not the focus of the movie. It is also possible that the title is a metaphor. The monsters are the backdrop for a quest story. The main action of the story is two people, one rich and one poor, trying to get home. The journey is perilous because they must cross a quarantine zone that is populated by the monsters of the title. There is also tension in the journey because home is fraught with complications for both characters.
The thing that makes the movie is the relationship between the central charters as they travel through the quarantine zone. The actors, who are a real life couple, bring the rawness and complexity of their charters to life. The male lead is a war photographer who has been sidelined by his employer. He is tasked by his employer to bring the employers daughter home. The daughter is in South America for unknown reasons and does not seem thrilled to be going home.
As the journey progresses, we learn why they are both so raw. We are also presented with subtle commentary on war and futility.
I highly recommend renting Monsters.

Romero's The Crazies

2011-03-22T21:50:00.001-04:00

I was intrigued by the Crazies idea. I am a big zombie and government conspiracy fan. However, I decided that instead of watching the new remake, I'd watch the Romero original. The originals are always better than modern remakes. Right? Most remakes of class in horror movies usually take one of two tacks: add gore or soften it up for the PG-13. They also typically dumb the material down.
I think I made a good choice. The Romero version was light on gore, but high on tension. The acting was terrible, but the story was well paced. It was interesting to see where all of the zombie movie conventions originate. They are all here in their rawest form.
I enjoyed the Crazies too much to go back and see the new one for fear it would ruin the old one for me.

Overdrive for iOS

2011-03-05T19:42:00.001-05:00

Overdrive finally came out with a solution for getting library books onto iOS devices. It took them long enough, but apparently not long enough.
At first the app was iPhone only (crazy for an e-book app) and it took a month for them to update it to a universal app. I didn't even bother with it until it was universal. The iPhone screen is great, but it is not my first choice for leisurely reading.
On the iPad it is a passable experience. The text is clear, pages turn using the standard tap on the side motion, and the interface is nice and sparse. Along the bottom you can see how far you are into the current chapter, but this display auto-hides and I found it tricky to bring back up consistently. There along the top there are buttons for getting to the TOC, adjusting text size, adjusting brightness, bookmarking, and getting to the main menu.
I found the text layout flat, but that could have been the e-book. I also found the lack of a dictionary troubling. I guess I've become spoiled by being able to look up words without leaving the book.
Getting books into the app is where it really falls down. To check books out of the library, you must leave the app and go to the library's web site. The app sort of helps you locate the right library, but the mechanics of it are poor. Basically you need to scroll through long lists. The Boston Public Library's site was OK on the iPad, but not great. Searching was terrible.
All in all the app is OK. It is not the one of the more polished e-book apps out there, but it will get library books onto your iPad.

The Talk

2011-02-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

H got a Groupon for a new restaurant in Watertown called The Talk. It was a good enough deal that we splurged and got a baby sitter. It was so nice for the two of us to get out and have some adult time that we didn't care if the food was awesome.
It was a good thing we weren't expecting much. The atmosphere tried to be upscale. The prices were upscale. The food was just OK. The Talk suffers from The Cheese Cake Factory syndrome, without the fabulous deserts.
I'd be hard pressed to say anything bad about the food or the service. It was just OK. I get food that is that good, and often better, when eating at home. For the prices The Talk charges for their food, I should be able to say something superlative about the food.
If you are desperate for a night out and want to feel upscale The Talk will work. If you want good food, there are better options.

An Education

2011-01-25T22:33:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend H and I watched "An Education" on Netflix. The reviews were mostly positive and the movie deserved them. It was well done. The acting was excellent, the story was well crafted, and the cinematography was top rate.
That said it was not a great movie. Like most European dramas it felt slow. We kept waiting for something to happen. This is because "An Education" relies on character and good acting instead of big plot arcs.
Also, the whole story is a little creepy. Perhaps my work with mentally ill kids who have had run ins with pedophiles, or the fact that I'm a new father of a lovely daughter, makes me particularly sensitive. I suppose the argument could be made that in 1960 such an affair would be more common, but I find it hard to believe.
Despite the movie's flaws we gave it four out of five stars.

Resolutions

2011-01-14T23:52:00.001-05:00

I recently read an article by one of those magazine shrinks that said that the important part about new years resolutions isn't keeping them; it's making them that matters. The process of making resolutions forces you to imagine how you would like your life to be different and imagine actions you can take to make the dream real. The more specific the resolutions the better.
Since it is that time of year, I'm going to take the article to heart and make three specific resolutions; one for work, one for family, and one for me.
For work I resolve to work as part of a team that accepts nothing short of excellent. Far to often we settle for doing the minimum because of resource constraints or we accept crappy user interfaces because the developers know best. This year I resolve that I will strive to do what is needed to provide the maximum benefit for the end user. I will not simply accept good enough. I will not sit idly by when a developer creates a bad UI or tries to slip a buggy feature into a release because it is good enough or there isn't enough time to fix it.
At home I resolve to do more around the house. I have a bad habit of putting off washing the dinner dishes until H just does them. I also tend to let laundry sit without being folded. In the warmer months I'm not great at keeping up with the yard work. This year I will be better about getting this stuff done.
For myself I resolve to take better care of myself. This includes flossing every night, doing something active at least three times a week, and eating better. I'll think twice before stopping at the McDonalds for a super size Big Mac meal. I'll actually order non-fat lattes. I'll eat more veggies. I'll actually start using the gym at work.
I want to be around for Kenzie for as long as possible. I also want to be a good role model for her. I want her to grow up seeing her dad living a healthy lifestyle, treating his partner with love and respect, and striving to be the best the he can be.
I know I'll fall short of these resolutions, but I will try to get closer to living my life according to them.

Sunshine Cleaning

2010-12-31T20:43:00.001-05:00

This seemingly light, quirky indie flick is a heavy ride. However, it never falls into maudlin or melodrama. Amy Adams, who I've never seen as more than a romcom fluff puff, handles the dramatic lead with grace and skill. Alan Arkin is fabulous as always. Would I be happy spending theater prices to see the movie? No. Did I enjoy it enough to rent? Definitely.

Up

2010-12-31T20:27:00.001-05:00

When Up was in the theaters, H and I wanted to see it and were in a particularly rough spot in our infertility struggle. Before we could go one of my co-workers warned me that the first ten minutes would not be healthy for us. So, we skipped it.
I'm glad we skipped it when we did. I'm also glad that we decided to watch it on Netflix the other night. It is one of the best movies I've seen in a while.
As one would expect with a Pixar movie, the animation is top notch. Even in 2D the images pop off the screen. The action is smooth and the back drops are lush.
What makes the movie so good is the story. Up is more than just a fluffy kids movie. It deals with some tough issues in an honest way. It accepts that kids can handle things without sugar coating. There is loss, death, failure, missing parents and some scary things, but still manages to be a fun movie that kids will enjoy.
The most impressive part of this impressive movie is it's first ten minutes. They are a masterpiece of story telling. They convey an entire life of loss and joy. They also perfectly set up the movie's main themes. When the main section of the movie starts, you feel like you know the main character. You understand his pain and know his inner strengths.
It is a testament to the quality of the film that the old man's character stays true throughout the movie. When he has his epiphany, it is consistent with his charter. His actions following the epiphany is also consistent with his basic nature.
I highly recommend Up.

Snow Falling on Cedar

2010-12-14T18:30:00.000-05:00

Last weekend H and I were looking for something to watch and resorted to Netflix to escape the dismal options on our thousands of cable stations. One of the new movies available for streaming was Snow Falling on Cedars. H remembered that she had liked the book and I remembered hearing good things about the book. We clicked watch.
I should have remembered the near universal rule that good books make lousy movies. (I know there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but the movie usually takes a lot of liberties with the book.) The movie was terrible. The cinematography was lush, but that was about the only redeeming thing the movie had to offer.
The main problems with the movie were lack of focus, over indulgence, and a bad central performance.
The movie tried to take all of the themes and sub plots from the book and give them all equal billing. In a novel, the author has the space to weave multiple plots and themes into a coherent whole. In a movie, the director is constrained by both the medium and time. Movies rely on show to tell the story and some things are very hard to show. Movies, generally, need to stay under 90 minutes before they become too long. To fit into the constraints a director needs to choose the one plot and theme that has primacy and force the rest into the background. In Snow Falling on Cedar the director tried to have it all and wound up with a mess.
A symptom of the director's lack of focus was an over indulgence when it came to screen time. A lot of time was given to montages and other lingering scenes. They were beautifully shot, but I wasn't looking for a visual spectacle. I wanted to see the plot move forward.
The director was not helped by his actors. Ethan Hawk's portrayal of the protagonist was terrible. I never found his emotional dilemma compelling. Should he be a man or a petulant child? I never got the sense that he had what it took to be a man in the first place. The rest of the cast was also flat. I never believed the racial tension that was the reason for the trial.
Given the major problems with the film, the plot hole driving the story is barely noticeable. I cannot believe that nobody thought to check the lighthouse records as a part of the murder investigation or the defense's inquiry. In a fishing community it seems unlikely that people were ignorant of the fact that the lighthouse listened to and kept records of the radio traffic in the area.
So the movie is crap. If you thought the book was good, don't bother. If you heard the book was good and wanted to see the movie instead of reading the book, don't.

Apple TV

2010-12-14T17:30:00.001-05:00

H got me a new AppleTV v2 for my birthday. I was shocked at it diminutive stature even after having seen them in the store. Its tiny size, however, is only one of its charms.
Set up was a piece of cake. I hooked up the HDMI cables, turned on the TV, and pointed it at our wireless network. From opening the box to streaming You Tube videos took about five minutes.
The interface is what you would expect from Apple. A two year old could use it without trouble. Everything is shiny and smooth. It makes my cable box interface feel like traveling back to the days of arcane magic and chanting. The only downside is having to navigate the on steen keyboard with a remote, but that can be easily fixed....
We rented Time Bandits from iTunes and it was almost too easy. The first time I had to enter my iTunes ID and password and it appeared on the TV. we waited a few seconds and starting watching. After the first rental the box remembers your ID and only asks for your password.
Finding content is easy as well. There are search fields just about everywhere. The remote isn't the best typing tool, but it isn't the worst either. I was able to find Chandler Vader on You Tube without much trouble. Finding radio stations was oddly difficult because there you cannot search in the radio interface. Hopefully they will fix that omission.
Streaming content over our finicky G wireless connection provides astonishingly good results. Time Bandits didn't stutter at all. The radio stations we've listened to didn't skip either. Netflix does occasionally hiccup. During an episode of Firefly I had to pause three times to allow the buffer to fill and resume normal playback.
When you pair the Apple TV with an iOS device it really shines. The Remote app smooths out the trouble of typing with the remote because you an use the iOS keyboard. Air Play is also a great feature. While traveling I rented Donny Darko to watch on the plane ride home, but didn't get around to it. Instead of sitting in my living room staring at my iPad's tiny screen, I sent it to my big TV screen. Playback was smooth and trouble free. I did experience one network hiccup, but our network is a little dodgy at times.
Can the Apple TV replace cable? No. Is it a nice addition to our media system? Yes. Is it worth the price? At $99 it isn't too hard to swallow.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

2010-12-13T21:45:00.001-05:00

This is the craziest movie I've seen in a long time. Yet it some how worked amazingly well. The animation popped and made the effects seem huge - even on my iPads screen. I wish I had seen it in IMAX! Mr. T's performance was perfect. I cannot think of a bad thing to say about this movie.

Thanks A Lot

2010-11-30T19:39:00.001-05:00

They recently did a study showing that being grateful is good for your health and mental well being. The study also showed that while some people are naturally more grateful, ungrateful bastards like me can learn to be more grateful with practice. To be really effective, one needs to be specific.
I have a generally good life and have a lot to for which to be grateful. I am generally healthy, despite my penchant for McDonalds, lattes, and chocolate. I have good friends who accept me despite my foibles. I have been fortunate to have opportunities for interesting travel, learning experiences, and enriching hobbies. I have been blessed by having a solid upbringing by a loving mother. I was doubly blessed to meet a wonderful partner who loves me even when I'm a PTA and supports me when I need it.
This year I have a lot of extra things for which I'm grateful. During what is hopefully the worst economic conditions I will ever see, I have not only managed to stay employed, but was lucky enough to find a better job. I was given the opportunity to experience some of the best kayak instruction o the planet this summer. I was also lucky enough to be able to afford some of the most innovative and game changing products that have come out in decades.
The thing I am most grateful for is K-bug. She is a treasure. She makes the frustration of several years of infertility vanish. I am grateful to all of the people who helped us in the journey. I am grateful to her birth parents for giving us this chance and loving her enough to place her in our care. We could not have asked for a better adoption experience.

Restoring Sanity

2010-11-01T00:24:00.000-04:00

I have to laugh at the post event analysis of The Rally to Restore Sanity/Fear. Most of the commentary I read, which was mostly left-leaning, bemoaned the fact that it didn't have more to say or didn't advance the populist agenda or wasn't an answer to Glenn Beck's rally. Did these people actually expect that it would do any of those things? Did they expect a couple of comedians who nightly lambaste the right, left, and everyone else to push an agenda? Are they really that stupid?
Sure Stewart is a lefty and makes no bones about it. But he is a comedian, not a pundit or a political figure. Unlike Beck and his ilk, Stewart knows his place in the media landscape and makes sure his audience knows as well. He makes his living poking fun at people who take themselves too seriously and the venues that give the clowns a voice. He relentlessly drills home the fact that guys like Glenn Beck are buffoons dressed up as people with something serious to say. For Stewart to put on a rally that pushed an agenda would be out of character. It would needlessly tarnish his image as court jester.
That Stewart did offer a brief statement of value at the end was more than enough. He spoke truth to power and reminded the crowd that we need to shut out the loud voices from the media and the fringes. We, the people, must forge alliances despite differences and work together to make the world a better place.
That the media made a big deal out of what the rally wasn't, makes Stewart's refrain about the media for him. They are stupid and mostly just want ratings. Why think when sensationalism gets eyeballs?

The Joy of Instapaper

2010-10-24T11:05:00.001-04:00

Instapaper is a "read it later" web service. The idea is that in our daily Web surfing, RSS skimming, and Twiter trolling we come across interesting articles that are too long to read in the 5 minute window we have allotted for our hourly Web break from work. Using Instapaper you can save the article to read when you have the time and focus to read the article.
What separates Instapaper from a bookmarking service is that it is built around the idea that you will return to read interesting articles on a mobile device and not a full blown computer.
The saved articles are run through a robust "mobilizer" filter that strips out most of the adverts and other clutter that festoons typical Web sites. This makes it easier to read on a mobile device and makes it easier to focus on reading the actual content of the article.
Instapaper has mobile applications for iOS that allows you to sync your saved articles for reading offline. The applications run on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. They have a number of helpful features including the ability to switch to a white on black theme for bed time reading and syncing your place in an article across your devices.
Instapaper also works with e-readers. You can download articles in e-pub format to sync with many e-readers. Kindle users can get their saved articles sent to their Kindles.
Getting articles into Instapaper is easy and getting easier. On a desktop Web browser you can install a bookmarklet that saves a Wen page to Instapaper. A number of mobile apps and desktop applications use the Instapaper API to build Instapaper directly into their interfaces. For example the iOS Twitter app has a menu item to save articles to Instapaper.
One of the features a really like is the "Editors Pick" section. The editor's picks run the gamut. They are long form articles from all corners of the Web. Not all of them interest me, but having access to them helps expand my reading circle.
Instapaper is a mostly free service. You can get an account for free and use all of the features on the Web site. For free you also get a very functional iOS application. For a few dollars, you can get the Pro version of the Instapaper app that adds folder control, better control of syncing, and a few other features. The developer is also thinking about adding a subscription to the mix, but that idea has not been terribly fleshed out. He has, however, promised that most of the features will always be free.
For me paying the five bucks for the Pro app was a no brainer. I use the service all the time and could spare a latte to keep the developer in business. Try the service for free, and you will quickly agree.

The End of Life as We Knew It

2010-10-08T16:46:00.001-04:00

H and I realized a life long dream over the summer. We added a child to our family. It was a long frustrating process getting the child. Having the child is an exhilarating exhausting experience.
Everyone says that having a child completely changes your life. H and I intellectually understood that our lives as we knew them were effectively over. No longer were we the center of our universe. Intellectually knowing something and being ready for it are different things.
We expected that we wouldn't go out as much. We knew that our outdoor adventures would be curtailed. We knew that sleep would become a precious resource. We knew that alone time would be scarce.
It has been the little things we didn't expect. We didn't expect that running to the store for a quick errand was a major excursion. It needs to planned so that you go between feedings and that the baby is not already napping. Then there all the supplies that need to be packed into the diaper bag. It takes longer getting ready to go to CVS than it does to drive there and back.
I didn't expect that the egg which has packed two sea kayaks, two bicycles, and enough camping gear for two weeks would be space constrained when taking a trip to the mall. The stroller, diaper bag, and related baby supplies consume the majority of my hatch. The baby seat effectively takes up the back seat because there needs to be a seat next to the baby incase she gets super fussy.
I certainly didn't expect that I would become hyper focused on another person's health. I notice changes in feeding patterns, changes in sleeping patterns, or her general attitude. I watch her breathing for signs of trouble. I notice slight changes all the time.
The biggest change is the amount of joy she brings into our lives. Her smile is enough to make up for a day of crap at work. The silly baby noises she makes are better than a good joke. It is truly indescribable.

TV Box Interfaces

2010-10-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

I just got done reading a description of the new Logitec Revue. It sounds impressive. It definitely out does the competition in terms of features and for triple the price it should.
The thing I'm intrigued by is the remote which includes a full on keyboard. The keyboard will make typing in searches easier than the onscreen keyboards used on most TV boxes now. But do I want to use a keyboard to interact with my TV? My gut says no.
What I really think would be interesting is a TV box that let me use my phone or tablet control things. I'm picturing a scenario where the search for content entirely on my remote while the big screen continues to show the real content. When I find the show I want to watch I can then switch the big screen. Browse on the tablet and watch on the TV.

Pete and Mika Rock

2010-08-08T02:17:00.000-04:00

I was thinking that every TV show with a boy/girl pairing involves some sort of sexual tension. I'm thinking of Sam & Diane, Mulder & Scully, Booth &Bones, Castle & Becket, even Peter & Olivia. In most cases it works. (Mulder and Scully didn't need tension. It just distracted from the show.) One show that, so far, breaks the rule is Warehouse 13. Pete & Mika are like brother and sister, or just really great friends. They respect and care for each other, but there is no hint that either want more than that. It is great for two reasons: The plot doesn't have to deal with an ancillary detail and it is a great example. In real life men and women work together all the time without falling in love or just into bed.
Let's hope Warehouse 13 doesn't fall into the trap like the X-Files did.

White Kids Cannot Serve

2010-08-04T12:23:00.000-04:00

With all the recent blathering over repealing the 14th amendment to prevent anchor babies and forcing immigrants to produce papers on demand, I got to thinking about coffee.
I frequently stop at McDonalds for coffee in the morning and most often I am served by an immigrant. The server is always polite and efficient. Sure I have to occasionally repeat my order, but not too often.
Recently, I've been subjugated to the service of native born Caucasians. The difference is night and day. The natives are terrible. They are rude, slow, and stupid. I always have to repeat my order at least once and am still not guaranteed to get the right stuff. I usually need to double check my change to make sure it is correct.
It terrifies me that these natives get all the advantages without deserving them. I'd prefer interacting with anchor babies over the sample of natives that I see at the McDonalds. At least they are hard workers.
Maybe we should deport lazy natives. Perhaps we should change the 14th amendment so that criteria for citizenship is being native born it is not being a lazy dumb-ass.

Men Who Stare at Goats

2010-07-24T00:52:00.000-04:00

H and I finally got around to PPVing this movie after passing it over several times. I'd like to say it was worth the wait. What it was instead was just mediocre Saturday afternoon cable fare. When we didn't get the chance to finish it, we weren't upset.
It is not a terrible movie, it is just not very good. It takes itself too seriously while being chuck full of tired cliches. I think it was meant to be funny by contrasting the seriousness of the story telling with the ridiculousness of the story. Sadly, it just doesn't work.

Sherlock Holmes

2010-07-14T00:51:00.000-04:00

We PPVed the new "Sherlock Holmes" over the weekend. I had high hopes for it since I'd heard good reviews and the cast was solid. Downey, Law, and McAdams usually do solid work. I also figured it would be pretty tough to botch Sherlock Holmes.
I was mostly satisfied. The cast does a decent job with a lame story. Holmes and Watson are like an old married couple. They constantly bicker, but you believe the genuine affection between them. Downey is well cast as the hard living, egocentric, difficult Holmes. Law's stoic and tight laced war hero Watson is a good counter to Holmes. McAdams is OK, but doesn't have the chops to equal Downey or Law.
The plot is the real weakness of the movie. The secret society conspiring to take over the world is tired. I also never believed that the bad guys had the gravitas to fool Holmes. The hinting at Holmes' real enemy lurking in the shadows felt like a set up for a sequel instead of a key plot point.
The retooling of Holmes as an action hero worked well for me. In fact, I felt that the retooled Holmes was better for the big screen than the more Victorian Holmes. The action Holmes made the movie more of an escapist flick.
Overall, "Sherlock Holmes" was well worth the six bucks it cost to PPV. It may well have been worth full price if I'd had a rough week at work.

Invisible Shield Failure

2010-07-11T14:42:00.000-04:00

Since my iPhone 4 is so pretty, I didn't want to hide it in a cover. I did, however, want some protection for it. The best rated product I could find was Zagg Invisible Shields. They are supposedly clear plastic covers that prevents scratches.
I found them to be a total waste of money. Installing them is a process that is hard to get right. It also involves water.... Needless to say I was totally paranoid for awhile after doing the install.
It made my phone look cheap. It is shiny and the ends didn't lie flat. The edges kept pealing up and I couldn't use a bumper.
The worst part was that it made the awesome screen of the iPhone look crappy.
I cannot recommend these.

Daybreakers

2010-06-23T16:26:00.000-04:00

Daybreakers starts from the now popular premise that vampirism is caused by a disease and spreads rapidly. It then asks the question "What happens when the food (humans) run out?"
In the movie the vampires have either turned too many humans or have fed on too many of them. Vampires that are not getting enough human blood regress into a subhuman form. The society relies on corporate run human farms that slowly drain the blood from living humans. The army's primary mission is to round up stray humans.
To stave off the coming starvation, scientists are desperately hunting for a suitable blood replacement. One scientist thinks that discovering a blood substitute will mean the end of hunting humans. The more pragmatic vampires know that humans will always be hunted. He thrill of the real thing is just too strong.
While the underlying ideas are interesting, the movie does not go too far in examining them. Instead it sticks pretty close to accepted norms. The bad guy is greedy, immoral, and cowardly. The good guys are noble, smart, and strong. The resolution of the problem is both miraculous and reaffirming of the basically good nature of humanity.
That does not mean that the movie is no good. If fact, I found it quite enjoyable. The acting is strong and the characters are well drawn. The cinematography maintains a nicely dark aura.
Daybreakers is well worth the six dollar PPV fee.

Iron Man 2

2010-06-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

H and I finally saw Iron Man 2. We had read the reviews, but hoped that they were just the typical stuffy reviewer tripe.
It wasn't. The movie is a mess. The creators attempted to cram way too many story lines and too many characters into a single movie. There are, if I counted right, five story lines vying for attention. There is an attempt to work them all together, but it never pans out. The net effect is that most of the story lines seem tossed in for no good reason except to further Marvel's need to push its other movie properties. The extra bits burry the bits that made Iron Man a good movie.
The whole Shield story line feels bolted on to pimp for Thor, Capt. America, and the Avengers. While Scarlet is nice to look at, her character serves no purpose worthy of the amount of screen time she gets. Samuel Jackson's Nick Fury is underwhelming. Pulling this fluff would free up needed time to make the rest of the movie better.
I never bought the Stark is dying story line either. It feels like a gimmick to explain the need for the new atom and the behavior that allows Rhodie to steel War Hammer.
The flaws do not get in the way of the movie being a fun romp. Downey and Paltrow are excellent together. In fact, the best parts of the movie involve Stark and Potts. Micky Rourke is fantastic as the baddie. The effects and action sequences rock - literally. The movie is very loud.
I left the movie feeling hopeful for the third movie. The lard piled on by Marvel couldn't destroy the strength of the franchise and by the time the third film comes out Marvel won't need to pimp other movies.

Splice

2010-06-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

I'm a sucker for a smart science fiction movie that deals with ethical and moral issues, so Splice was high on my to see list. It is a tail in the mold of Frankenstein. Two scientists create life by splicing animal DNA together. Not satisfied with creating non-human blobs, they then add in some human DNA. From that point on, you can predict the direction events take.
Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley are brilliant as the over ambitious scientists. Their characters are troubled, complex, and flawed in many ways. However, you root for them because they are essentially good people. Their relationship with each other and with their creation is as complicated as the plot is simple. In fact it is the characters and their relationships that propel the movie forward.
The plot is predictable and not overly original. You know from the beginning where this will all end. As the creature matures, things get predictably complicated and predictably bad. The creature develops more quickly than predicted; it becomes increasingly hard to manage; it becomes more intelligent and independent than predicted; it doesn't die as quickly as predicted. As the scientists try to control things they only get crazier.
Of course part of the the crazy has to do with basic flaws in the scientists themselves. Brody's character cannot say no. Polly's character has conflicted feelings about children and parenting. This makes the whole situation even more complicated.
I loved the movie. The issues it brings up are real and scary. Scientists will create a transgenic human simply because they can. That is how science moves forward. People pushing the envelope of what is possible and what is moral and what they can control. Add in the dash of complicated characters and you've got a smart, well crafted sci-fi movie.

Alice in 3D

2010-05-24T17:20:00.000-04:00

H and I were looking for a good movie to see that was playing at a reasonable time. We found that there is a dearth of decent films out there that we both wanted to see. (I can always be convinced to see a crappy action/horror flick.) The choice came down to Iron Man or Alice in Wonderland.
I leaned toward Iron Man, but only because I knew the explosions and robots bashing each other would provide mind numbing escape if nothing else. In the end, the decision came down to showtimes. Alice in Wonderland was playing at a better time.
I went into the film with low expectations. I'd read very mixed reviews. Most of them felt that there was too much flash and antics and not enough story. The harshest reviews called it a Tim Burrton movie without a heart.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was visually chaotic and the characters were over the top, but it is Wonderland after all. Johnny Depp and Helena B. Carter were in full crazy mode. They took the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen to the edge of over the top, but managed to keep from toppling over. The rest of the cast played the parts just as well.
The story is what it is. It follows closely to the original except now Alice is on the brink of adulthood. She must reclaim her inner strength and learn to trust her imagination.
The visuals are lush and make any weakness in the story fade away. I'm not sure if the 3D enhanced the viewing experience, but it certainly didn't hurt it. I'm sure that the movie is just as immersive and lush on a flat screen. It may not be so good on a small screen however.

Is the iPad all that?

2010-05-10T10:47:00.000-04:00

The short answer is yes. It is the next generation of mobile computing.
Even before I got the iPad, my iPhone started eclipsing my MacBook Pro as the goto computer e-mail, Facebook, Web surfing, checking news, etc. H and I frequently joked that my MacBook Pro was an obscenely large phone charger.
The iPad has accelerated that process. Its larger screen makes Web surfing and e-mailing much better. Web pages are readable and typing e-mails a breeze. Facebook is even better since it is possible to use the Web interface. (The iPhone app makes Facebook usable on the small screen, but it cannot match the full Web interface.)
I have used my iPhone for blogging, but it was not something I'd choose to do. On the iPad blogging is a joy. The bigger keyboard makes typing easy. I also like the spell checking. The iPad not only points out spelling mistakes, it offers suggestions to correct the mistake. I use BlogPress which is a universal app.
Along the same lines, I've also used pages to write fairly lengthy documents. Again, I found the key board easy to use. It is best using in it landscape mode is much better than portrait, but that is a problem for Pages. In landscape mode all of Pages controls are hidden. This means that you have to flip back and forth to do any formatted text. Pages also falls down when it comes to transferring documents between the iPad and a computer. The process is convoluted and lossy.
For pure fun, the iPad rocks. The ABC app is magical. The shows are clear, smooth, and portable. There are commercials, but they are not as egregious as watching on cable. The games I've played are also kicking. My two favorites are Harbor Master HD and Parcel Panic. The graphics are amazing and the speedy processor handles the action without a hitch.
Running iPhone games on the iPad is a mixed bag. They looked lost on the screen when played at regular size. When played at 2x they are pixelated. For some games, the pixelation is not too big a deal. For others, it is a deal breaker. One advantage is that all the games play much smoother than they do on my vintage iPhone.
The iPad also shines as an e-book reader. iBooks does a decent job displaying crisp text. It also does an excellent job displaying images. The built-in dictionary is a nice touch, as is the ability to look up words in Wikipedia. The bookstore software makes getting books easy. The UI eye candy is a nice touch even if it is useless.
Is the iPad perfect? Can it replace my laptop? No. It cannot do any photo editing. I haven't found a decent money management app. The storage capacity is tiny. There is no way to print from it. I cannot find replacements for some of the applications I use for work that will run on it. (Although there are a number of apps that will allow me to connect to my work computer to use them.)
Of course most of the problems can be solved by software. Eventually a developer will create apps that fill in the gaps.
When that happens, my MacBook Pro will truly be just a very large phone charger.

Mutant Chronicals

2010-03-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure why I was attracted to this movie. I hadn't seen any reviews, hadn't seen any previews, and didn't know any of the actors. The title is bland.
What ever got me to tape it, I'm not u happy I did. "Mutant Chronicals" is not a great movie; it is not what many would consider a good movie. It is not bad and includes some interesting touches.
Most of the dystopia, end of man tropes are present. Humanity has nearly stripped of it's resources. Mega corporations have replaced governments. The corporations are engages in constant war. There is a secluded religious order protecting the secret that can save humanity. A doomed quest must be made by a ragtag band. There is a noble, but troubled hero in the band.
The plot holds few surprises. There is plenty of action and gore to keep things moving.
What I found most interesting was the films visual style. It was all sort of soft focus and steam punkish. I'm not sure why. I've seen other films that use a similar style, and found it irratating. It just worked for "Mutant Chronicals".

Retrograde

2010-03-28T21:43:00.000-04:00

When a movie stars Dolph Lundgrin and Joe Montana, you can bet it will be terrible. Sadly, I didn't check the credits before taping "Retrograde". I was intrigued by the description in the info box.
Once I saw the cast list I hoped it would either be laughably bad or action packed. It was neither. The movie takes itself seriously and Dolph is too old to offer up any more than tepid action.
"Retrograde" isn't even good for a rainy day.

Lars and the Real Girl

2010-03-28T21:28:00.000-04:00

It is a free Showtime weekend, so we caught up on some movie watching. H heard that "Lara and the Real Girl" was really good and it was on last night.
The movie was not what I expected. From what I remember from the trailors and the movie's description, I expected a slightly juvinile sex comedy. I watched a touching drama about family, loss, and love.
The plot is original in concept, but ultimately predictable. Despite the predictable ending, there are enough outliers that surprise. I actually liked the predictability of the plot.
The characters and performances make the movie. Despite the craziness of the situation all of the characters play it perfectly straight. You know people like these characters. They are regular folk.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is a small movie with a big heart.

Crazy Burger

2010-03-21T18:23:00.000-04:00

There is a little joint in Narragansett called Crazy Burger. As the name implies, they are known for the burgers. However, they have a full menu of interesting things. The entire menu is a little outside of the box. Nothing is quite mainstream. H had a potato skin dish that had avocado and refried beans for skin stuffing. We've been to Crazy Burger several times and always enjoyed the food.
In addition to dinner, Crazy Burger also serves breakfast. I've been once and had an omlette that was pretty good.

Dinoshark

2010-03-15T17:16:00.000-04:00

I have a fetish for knowingly terrible horror movies. Dinoshark, a Scyfy production, ranks near the top.
The special effects are obvious, the dialog is terrible, the plot is predictable, and the acting is criminal. It is chuck full of the archetyps: hot, but discredited, scientist, mysterious, and troubled, man of action, expendable sidekicks, skeptical authority figures, creature unleashed by man's relentless assault on nature.....
To me, however, the sheer scope of the terribleness is the beauty of a movie like Dinoshark. Nobody involved in making the movie thought it would be anything more than a B-movie. It has all the references, it has all the required tropes, and it has the low budget feel. It even managed to have a few jumptastic moments.
How can you not like a movie that combines Godzilla and Jaws into one perfect cheese ball? It is a great way to waste a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Extract

2010-03-13T16:55:00.000-05:00

Extract is a small flick that made the indie rounds last summer. The trailer was funny enough to hook me. It had just enough quark to catch my eye, but not enough to be a turn off. (The right quark balance is tricky to find.) I hoped to see it in the theaters, but sadly it was gone before its time.
When it showed up on Verizon VOD, I jumped. After a few minor technical glitches, we were treated to a funny, dark rom-comish glimpse at lives gone slightly off track. Jason Bateman is perfect as the uptight, slightly lost, mildly depressed main character. Ben Affleck is surprisingly good as his high school buddy, confidant, and spiritual guide. Mila Kunis rocks as the smoking hot catalyst.
Some of the plot is just plain goofy, but that is the fun of it all. At times it is even a little ridiculous. That, for me, was part of the fun. Its distance to reality made it cathartic.
I recommend renting it for date night.

Pandorum

2010-03-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

Pandorum joins the ranks of in space no one can hear you scream sci-fi horror flicks. It has many of the standard elements: man ruins earth, man attempts to escape doom by fleeing to deep space, a horrible accident, mutated humanoids on a killing spree, a plucky hero, a misfit band of side kicks, ect. Because of the familiar feel of the story and the high production quality, Pandorum holds it own. It is not great like Space Odyssey, Moon, Silent Running, or Alien. Nor is it as terrible as Predator 2 or the AVP movies. It is somewhere between Event Horizon and Sunshine. Not as scary as Event Horizon and not as smart as Sunshine.
Many of the themes underpinning the stories are the same. How does the human mind hold up in deep space? Can mankind rise above its inherent flaws? Is there hope for a better tomorrow? Will the hero win and will he get the girl?
The plot is serviceable. (Miles better than Avatar) It moves along at a good pace and maintains the tension. I was never terrified, but was never entirely sure what was going to happen. The final reveal is good. The ending is predictable.
Pandorum is a solid movie. I'm glad I didn't pay $10 for it, but would not have felt ripped off if I had.

Sodastream Love

2010-03-10T17:54:00.000-05:00

For Christmas H and I invested (OK we used X-mas money from my Mom) in a new Sodastream machine. It is a counter top soda water maker. I drink a ton of flavored seltzer water; enough to keep a tribe of desert nomads hydrated for years. I also love new toys!!
Initially the marketing hype had me hooked: save money, save the environment, limitless flavors, convenient, healthier, etc. The other thing that had me hooked was the absence of negative reviews on the Web. It seemed like everyone who has ever used one of these things liked it, or at least didn't dislike it enough to type in a Web based hate screed.
After using it steadily for three months, I know why there is a dearth of negative reviews for Sodastream machines. The thing is one of the few gadgets that lives up to the hype.
We purchased the starter kit that came with the machine, a carbonator, 2 one liter bottles, and an assortment of flavors. We also ponied up for 2 extra bottles, a diet cola mix, a diet grapefruit mix, and a spare carbonator. In total, the cost was around $180.
The machine is a snap to set up. You simply pop the back off of the unit, screw the carbonator in, and reattach the back cover.
Making seltzer water is even easier. You fill up one of the bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and push the button a few times. After a few pumps the machine makes a loud farting noise. That means the water is fizzed. The directions say 3 farts make the water averagely fizzy and I would concur. You can tailor the fizzy to your own tastes.
To add flavors you simply pour the flavoring into the fizzed water. Adding the flavor before the fizzy is a messy proposition.
All of the flavors we tried (diet cola, diet grapefruit, berry essence, and lime essence) were good. The diet cola is more like RC cola than Coke or Pepsi. The grapefruit is like pink Fresca. The essences are just like any generic flavored seltzer you'd buy in the store. I can be pretty finicky and I haven't missed the brand name flavors (OK I do miss the Polar Vanilla occasionally).
In the three months that we've had the machine, H had purchased one liter of seltzer (it was on sale and a flavor I'm fond of). She doesn't miss lugging the bottles from the store or trudging the empties back to recycle. We always have seltzer in the house and often have soda as well.
We've used one of the carbonators (refills are $15), the diet grapefruit, and one of the essences. In total, I'm guessing we've gotten more than 100 liters of seltzer and soda out of the Sodastream. So the total cost per-liter is about $1.80 or less. Sure it is more than what seltzer costs at the store, but I'm guessing that before we burn through all of the starter kit supplies we'll have made 200 liters of seltzer which brings it under $1.00 a liter. Overtime the price per liter will keep going down. Add the convenience of not having to lug seltzer water home from the store, and knowing that the water used is filtered, and the cost is even better.
Our Sodastream is one of the few kitchen gadgets I've seen that are really useful!

Crazy Heart

2010-02-10T17:47:00.000-05:00

"Crazy Heart" is generating a lot of buzz in the indie movie sceene. Both Jeff Bridges and Maggy Gylenhall are nomitated for awards. So when H asked me if I wanted to see it (at a community run theater) I said sure. At the worst it would be few hours in the dark with my wife.
After seeing the movie, I understand the buzz. "Crazy Heart" is a solid character study. I liked the way it kept many elements of the traditional star biopic, but didn't feel compelled to stick to the traditional ending. Bridges is impressive as the crotchety star past his prime. Gylenhall is does a fine job as the too trusting plucky reporter. Even Collin Ferrel is pretty good as the young stud. Bridges' voice is well suited to the songs.
Is it a great movie? No it is just well done. However, when put against the dross that Hollywood is putting out lately, it shines like polished brass.

Up in the Air

2010-01-31T21:51:00.001-05:00

Up on the Air is being hailed as one of the best movies of the year, but I was afriad that, like most movies, it would devolve into a "people need love" flick. H was leary of the film because she heard it was a downer (which secretly gave me hope for it). So we had no strong desire to see it, but given the dirth of quality movies out there "Up in the Air" was the only choice.
If "Up in the Air" is one of the best movies of the year it will be a mediocre year for movies. "Up in the Air" is on the right side of average, but doesn't quite reach greatness.
The acting is solid, but I expect nothing less from Cloney. I always like Justin Bateman. They play the nhilistic business men perfectly. Cloney's character's ability to fake empathy is chilling.
The story starts taking a nose dive when the main character starts to feel the need to fall in love. Why must every film end up as propaganda for love and human companionship? I'm not saying that I think a life devoid of human conections is for me, but it is an understandable life choice.
I do give the movie credit for sticking, mostly, to it's nihilism.

The Brothers Bloom

2010-01-01T16:46:00.000-05:00

H and I decided that watching an on-demand movie while sipping intoxicating beverages would be a nice way to spend New Years Eve. After looking through the very long list of (mostly) questionable movies offered on Fios, we settled on "The Brothers Bloom".
I had seen the trailer a while back and made a note to be sure and catch it. Sadly, I don't think it ever got a wide enough release for me to see it in the theater. The trailer presents the film as a funny con/heist film with a heart. The cast of Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz added to the attraction.
The brothers Bloom are two brothers, raised in foster homes, who blossom into world renown con artists (or gentlemen thieves as they like to be called). As it turns out, the younger of the two brothers, Bloom, is a sensitive soul who is tired of living the roles created for him by his brother. They decide to pull off one last con with a rich, but reclusive, Penelope as their mark.
The basic plot is predictable: Bloom and Penelope fall in love, he pushes her away to protect her from the life of a con, Bloom grows a pair, Penelope returns to Bloom, and they ride off into the sunset. Everyone gets what they want.
Despite the predictable plot and the mostly stock characters, the movie has surprises and does keep you guessing a bit. It is very hard to tell the full extent of the elder Bloom's con. Is it simply to get Penelope's money or is it to also help Bloom get the girl? Is Penelope what she is presented at or is she a knowing participant in the con? What is the deal with Bang Bang?
The female characters really make the movie special. Penelope is quirky and inspiring. Bang Bang is a fun mystery. Brody and Ruffalo are sharp as the title characters, but their characters are nothing special.
The central question of the movie is if it is possible to live an unscripted life. Bloom's life has always been "scripted" because all he does is play the roles created for him by his brother. Penelope, on the other hand, has never had a role written for her, but reveals that she too has lived a scripted life. The difference is that she writes the script. She chooses to make the shut-in life she led before the movie into a good story instead of a tragedy. Is life just a series of stories we tell? Is the thing that makes a life worth living the way we interpret events?
I like the way the movie answers the questions. I also just plain liked the movie. It was good fun.

Blood: The Last Vampire

2009-12-31T18:54:00.000-05:00

I rented "Blood" on pay per view earlier this week to fill the post Christmas TV void. I didn't have high expectations for the plot or acting, so I wasn't disappointed. It was pretty typical vampire fighting fare.
What set "Blood" apart was the ballet fighting action. The influence of "Crouching Tiger" is evident.
It was definitely worth the $4 and filled a night of of reruns.

Kung Fu Panda

2009-12-28T07:51:00.000-05:00

Kung Fu Panda is not my favorite Dreamworks release. In fact, it is one of my least favorite. The animation is fine. The story is fine, if a little predictable. The characters are fine. That's it - just fine.
The one thing I did really like about the movie was the message: There is no secret ingredient. Things are special because people believe they are special. I know this message is supposed to teach kids that they can be what ever they want to be and help bolster their self-esteem, but that I like the message because it reminds people not to take things so seriously. Most "special" things are only special because we endow them with "specialness."
There are something that are special because they posses rare qualities, but those things are few and far between.
Kung Fu Panda is not one of those things. It is just fine.

Avatar

2009-12-20T19:15:00.000-05:00

Like the big nerd that I am, I rushed out to see Avatar on opening day. I saw it in the full glory of IMAX 3D and am glad I did. It is a movie that deserves a huge screen and a big sound system. I'm sure it would look great on a smaller screen and in 2D, but it was meant for the full treatment.
Like the original Star Wars, Avatar moves the bar up for what is possible using special effects. Cameron's new world looks as real as any set I've ever seen. The creatures also look real. They don't look "sort of" real like allot of CGI creatures. They look like flesh and blood. The facial expressions, the body movements, the skin, everything. It is hard to distinguish between what is CGI and what isn't even when humans and creatures are interacting. The 3D makes it all the more engrossing. However, there were a few times when the 3D effects fuzzed things out.
The story is nothing special. It is Ferngully in space. The trailer gives the whole plot away and there are no surprises. The script is clunky in places, but not as bad as the scripts for the last three Star Wars films. The acting was top notch considering that half of the time you are watching CGI and could still feel the characters.
At nearly three hours, the movie could use a bit of trimming. A lot of screen time is taken up showing off the fancy effects and the lushness of the world. There is also a little too much exposition. Overall, though, I didn't notice the long running time because I was so engrossed in the visual spectacle.
It is not the best sci-fi movie of the year, but it is top three. I highly recommend going for the full IMAX treatment. The seating is better, the sound is better, the visuals deserve the bigger screen, and the price difference is nominal. I paid 14 bucks - the extra $2 is worth it.

Union Bar and Grill

2009-12-13T16:35:00.000-05:00

The Union Bar & Grill, located on Washington Street in Boston's south end, is an upscale brunch spot in a land of brunch spots. The decor is classy and the staff is dressed accordingly. The space is large and the table layout optimizes the space.
We all got drinks that were good. H got a pimossa which is a mimosa made with pomergranite juice. It was very good. I got the wake up call which is an odd concoction of liquors, esspreso, and juices. When it came out I was taken aback because I thought it was a coffee drink, but it is a martini with a rusty orange color. Once the surprise wore off, I enjoyed the drink.
For food H got the cod cakes. The cod cakes are a twist on eggs benedict where the English muffin and Canadian bacon is replaced by lightly breaded cod cakes. H found them interesting and tastey. I got an omlette instead of my usual steak and eggs. I immediately regretted the decision, but not because the omlette was bad. I just don't like omlettes much. Fortunately, this omlette was very good and made my bad choice bearable.
The prices were in the high range, but the Union earns them. The entire experience was high class.

Alice

2009-12-12T23:28:00.000-05:00

SyFy's reimagining of Alice in Wonderland makes me wonder if SciFy's writing team couldn't use a bit more therapy to work out their family issues. Like the Oz reimagining they did with Zoey Daschenel, Alice revolves around a young girl who is the key to saving a magical land and the key to her power lies in resolving a deep family rift. In Alice, she must overcome her distrust of men caused by the disappearence of her father.
This is a mild criticism. I prefer my sci-fi to be more social commentary than the modern mopy dysfunctional family stuff. I'm probably also older than the target audience who digs Twilight and sensitive emo-pires who lust after their own angst.
Alice does have some strengths. The story is well paced if a bit predictable. The CGI set work is lush. The acting is good. There are some gags that elicited a titter.
For what it is, a long SyFy movie, it is good. Unlike the attrocious Prisoner redo on AMC, it delivered what it promised: a few hours of escape.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2009-12-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

On our way home from RI Sunday H and I stopped at the new Five Guys Burgers & Fries place in Norwood. The chain is well known as a premium burger joint with good prices and fast service.
They score well on both counts. The burgers are tastey and huge. The small is a "normal" size burger. My large was a double decker. The large Cajun fries were enough for a family of four.
The gamut of burger toppings are available. I got jalapenos, cheese, and BBQ sauce.
The burgers were better than average but not great. I personally like the burgers at Wild Willy's in Watertown better. The Cajun fries were also above average. One nice thing is that all of the ingredients are fresh. The fries are cut each day and the meat is never frozen.
Our meal came in at around $20 with two drinks. While not cheap, the price is good for the quality of the food.
The only part of the experience I found lacking was the atmosphere. Most McDonalds have more charm than Five Guys. The food comes in a brown bag perfect for take out. Unless you enjoy eating at formica tables in uncomfortable chairs, I'd take the hint. Eat the burgers at home or in the comfort of your car.

Tower House B&B

2009-12-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

This past weekend H and I traveled down to Narragansett for a birthday party. Since it was a night time event and the possibility of drinking, we thought it would be nice to stay nearby. Always thinking about an hour-plus drive home takes some of the fun out of a party.
H found the Tower House B&B online. This is their first season, but you wouldn't have known it. They family running it do an excellent job.
We stayed in the Caldwell suite. It is a large bed room, a sitting room, and a large bath. The bedroom was well apointed. The queen size bed was a little soft for me, but I'm comfortable sleeping on packed dirt. The bathroom was large. There was a full tub with a shower head. The water pressure was good and the multi-setting shower head worked wonders.
In the evening they have a beer and wine happy hour in the common area. The only beer served is Narragansett. The new Narragansett is a step up from the Narragansett I enjoyed in college, but it is still a basement beer.
Breakfast consisted of a french toast casserole, eggs Benedict, bacon, sausage, and fruit. I enjoyed the meats and the casserole. H loved the eggs.
From what we saw of them under the snow, the grounds looked nice. The Inn is set back off of the street and has a good sized back yard.
The location is perfect for people to enjoy the ocean. It is one block from the Narragansett town pier. The town beach is a reasonable walk if you are not hauling too much stuff.

The Prisoner

2009-11-30T22:20:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching AMC's reimagined The Prisoner. It was self-important pants.
It was well acted and looked lovely. I love most things the Ian McKellen does and his 2 was no exception. He slipped from touching moments with his son, to cool evil, to manic with ease. Jamie Campbell Bower's 11-12 is touching in his self-involved teen angst. Ruth Wilson's 313's predicament as pawn and heroine, need for stability and desire for life, tool of 2 and friend of 6 is poignant.
The supporting cast, the scenery, the costumes, and the cinematography are also superlative.
Sadly it is not enough to make the piss poor script worth the six hours of my life I wasted watching the show. The dialog, although mostly well delivered, is little more than self-help tripe strung into menace. "Only by becoming one can we defeat two." Seriously?
The central conflict between 6 and 2, between prisoner and jailor is convoluted. It would be one thing if it was a simple struggle for freedom. Instead it is clear that 2 wants something from 6. It is not as simple as 6 merely being trouble because you learn early on that 2 is not above simply eliminating trouble. The reason why 6 is a prisoner and why 2 plays with 6 are never made clear until the end. This allows for a number of interesting points to be brought up about terrorism, authoritarianism, free will, our surveillance state, human nature.
When the final resolution came I was left wanting. The truth of the village is disappointing in it unoriginality. The resolution of 6's struggle is unbelievable. It does not flow from the character and makes the moral ambiguity of the ending disappointing.
There was a lot of wasted potential in The Prisoner. A straight remake would have been excellent. The reimagined story could also have worked with better writers. The conflict between 2 and 6, jailed and jailor, needed more tension and more purpose. The Lost style puzzle for the sake of it/flashback story telling technique does not work here. 2's descent needs more time to be believable.

The Informant

2009-11-27T23:10:00.000-05:00

H and I have been kicking around the idea of seeing the Informant for months, but we were always scared off by the tepid reviews. Tonight we finally gave in and decided to see it at the local cheap theater.
I'm glad we went and I'm glad we went to the cheap theater. Matt Damon was excellent and overall the movie was funny. However, it was definitely a B-movie. There were several things both of us found to be off putting:
The overall look of the film was wrong. The date said the action took place in the early to mid 90's, but the everything from the clothes to the sets screamed 70's. It was jarring and not in a way that helped moved the story along.
The FBI agents were way to strident. Did they seriously not think the informant had something to hide? Did they not bother to do a background check and figure out that he was not adopted?
The wife was not well played. Was she complicit or just vacant? If she was just vacant the actress did a great job. However, I never really cared much about her either way.
It went on just a little too long. By the time he fires the good lawyers, I was ready for it to end. The ridiculousness had gone a little too far and I was tired of watching the character's twists and turns.
Overall, it was worth six bucks for a night out.

Epoch

2009-11-20T19:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight we ate at a little place in Exeter, NH called Epoch. For a change of pace we tried the tasting menu: six small courses.
The first course was oysters with caviar. I'm not a big fan of shell dish, but the dish was pleasant. I wouldn't get it again, but I didn't dislike it.
The second course was a beet salad with a hazelnut dressing. It was sweet and earthy.
The third course was a lightly seared tuna. This was my favorite course. The tuna was perfectly cooked.
The fourth course was duck two ways over a butternut squash purée. The. seared duck breast was pleasent. The fois gras was fine for fois gras. The purée was excellent.
The fifth course was a lovely cheese and cracker course. The accompanying wine was a white port. The wine was a subtle desert wine.
We finished the night with a squash cake and Ginger ice cream. It was a perfect end to the meal.
The price was not too bad at $65 per person for the food and $35 per person for the wine.
The waitstaff was attentive without being over bearing. They did an excellent job pairing the wines with the course and describing each course.
The night was fun. We felt like Top Chef judges.

Inglorius Basterds

2009-10-17T11:21:00.000-04:00

Irreverent, funny, gory: Classic Terantino. Brad Pit is superb as Aldo the Apache.

District 9

2009-09-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

I like the trend towards sci-fi that is more than cool effects. District 9, as has been discussed, deals with how people treat the unwanted others. We dehumanize them to justify our mistreatment of them.
Overall, I thought the movie was well done. I liked the fact that it was done in the style of a news report with commentary tossed into the mix.
There were a few things that weakens the movie:
The final half of the movie decends into little more than an action film. The main character's behavior is erradic and his sudden change of heart is difficult to swallow.
The narrative leaves too much about the Prawns unexplained. Why can't they fix the ship? Was it just out of gas? Are the majority of Prawns simple workers and the one smart Prawn the boss? Why don't the Prawn use their superior weapons and physical strength to fight their oppression? Is there a millitant Prawn group resisting their treatment?
Despite the flaws, District 9 is a movie worth seeing. It is a refreshing change from Transformers and GI Joe.

500 Days of Summer

2009-08-02T11:25:00.000-04:00

I went into this movie with low expectations. It looked like just another rom-com - an indie version of The Breakup.
I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are quirky without being weird. The story, although it follows a standard arc, has enough smart humor. I even liked the nod to Salinger. The precocious little sister is perfect.

Moon

2009-07-04T11:26:00.000-04:00

This is a must see for fans of classic sci-fi. It is a thoughtful piece that entertains and makes the audience think. It has hints of Silent Running, 2001, Alien, and Blade Runner.
The acting is top notch. The character is played with tenderness and subtlety. Kevin Spacey is the perfect voice for the robot-kind but flat.
Moon shows that good sci-fi doesn't have to cost a billion dollars and have lots of explosions to be excellent. It just needs a good story and the talent to tell the story well.

Quarentine

2009-06-06T11:29:00.000-04:00

Creepy like the "Blair Witch Project", but not as good. The pacing kept things suspenseful. The movies big problem is that it is merely dirvitive. The framing device has been done too many times to be edgy. People turned into zombies by a mysterious illness have been done better.
This is a decent thriller but not a great one.

Terminator Salvation

2009-05-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

The newest entry in the Terminator series lives up to its legacy. The action is top notch. The darkness permeates the movie, as does the twisted hope.
The acting in this entry is better than the previous movies. The story is also better written and more complex. The central dilemma of the film is what makes us human. Is John Connor less human at the end of the movie?
There are a few weak spots such as the coincidence that Marcus stumbles into Kyle Reese. I also found the fact that Marcus has a real heart a little trite.

Star Trek

2009-05-18T11:31:00.000-04:00

This "reboot" of Star Trek is good. I think it comes in just after "Wrath of Khan".
The new cast deliver a fun ride that pays homage to the original without slipping into the realm of a cheap copy. I particularly liked the new Kirk, Bones, and Uhura. The new Scotty and Sulu showed promise. Quinto's Spock was OK, but not a real standout.
The script is also good. The pacing is taught and has plenty of action. I also liked the few little touches that are tossed in to show the lineage. The 3rd space diver was a nice touch. I also liked the shout out to Star Wars fans when Kirk has his Skywalker moment on the ice.
There are a few things that I found disappointing. The first was the device the plot revolve around. I think time travel is a tired plot device. Sure it frees Abrahms from the baggage of the Star Trek universes history, but a really creative film maker could have stuck with the baggage and still made good movies. I also found the "relationship" between Uhura and Spock flat and troubling. It seemed like little more than a way to trump up the rivalry between Kirk and Spock.

Burn After Reading

2009-04-28T11:33:00.000-04:00

Maybe I missed something, but this movie was dreck. A bunch of terrible, uninteresting, stupid people doing terrible, uninteresting stupid things eventually wind up being killed for terrible, uninteresting, stupid reasons.
The only character I felt any thing other than contempt for was the poor gym manager. He may have been pathetic, but he was genuine.

Alone in the Dark

2009-04-21T11:34:00.000-04:00

This movie has all the things that make for a horror movie that is bad enough to be on SciFi Saturday. The acting is terrible, the script is banal, and it stars Stephen Dorf and Tara Reid.
What makes this worse is that it had a big budget and at least an A- list star. The typical SciFi fare is way low budget.

State of Play

2009-04-19T11:34:00.000-04:00

A great murder mystery. The script is smart and the cast is excellent. The plot has just enough twists to keep you interested but not enough to make you feel confused. It is the clarity that makes the ending work.
Sure the set pieces are pretty tired: corporate bogey men, corrupt politicians, over ambitious reporters. Even the hero is well worn. None of that stops the film from being a fun ride that exercises your brain.

Monsters Vs. Aliens

2009-04-11T11:35:00.000-04:00

In 3-D this movie is a good diversion. We saw it using passes and it was worth the three dollars. Not sure I'd pay full price.

The Foresaken

2009-04-02T11:36:00.000-04:00

Saw this on FEAR.net the other day. It was a good rainy day, free, vampire flick. The action was OK, but predictable. They could have done more with the blonde character. She was little more than eye-candy.

Za

2009-03-22T20:51:00.000-04:00

H and I stopped into a little pizza and salad place on Mass Ave. in Arlington. It is called Za and is located next to the Arlington Diner. They are a high end pizza place that uses a lot of locally sourced ingredients and a lot of organic ingredients. They have an eclectic selection of salads that range from a fancy wedge salad to a greek salad on a bed of potato salad. The also have an interesting selection of specialty pizza.
I had the wedge salad and a simple bacon and jalepeno pizza. The salad came with crumbled blue cheese, carrots, and a nice dressing. The pizza was a greek style pizza and was cooked to perfection. The most interesting part of the pizza was the jalepenos. They were bread and butter pickled. They had an initial sweetness and ended with a hot kick.
H had the greek salad and portabella and goat cheese pizza. She enjoyed it.
It is one more excellent option for pizza.

Watchmen

2009-03-10T22:44:00.000-04:00

I went to see "Watchmen" last night at the IMAX in Reading. It was worth the extra dollar to see this film on the gigantic screen. The special effects, which are good, have more punch in IMAX.
The movie itself was good, but not great. It stayed pretty faithful to the original graphic novel. Most of the changes were just to cut the length down and smooth out the story line. Of course the movie still rolls in at just shy of 3 hours, the movie is still long and could be made shorter. The love scene in Archie is needlessly drawn out. Silk Specter looks good in the buff, but it doesn't help the story at all. There are a few other spots where things could have been cut down a bit more. Maybe it could have shaved 5-10 minutes off the run time. It didn't feel overly long however.
The one major difference between the novel and the movie is how Ozymandias tricks the world into peace. While I think the story works either way, I don't see the point of the change. If there is a bigger point to be made, the ending doesn't really make that clear. The alien meme achieves the same effect as making Jon the baddy. The world would still unite to combat a new, powerful, common enemy. If the ending was turned so that humanity saw the error of relying on a single man for their safety, perhaps the altered ending makes more sense. Dan's comment to Spector at the end confuses things even more. Perhaps, I'm missing the irony in it all. Perhaps, the director wants to drill home the question "Who watches the Watchmen?"
I think the real point is not about watching anybody. It is about Rorschach's joke.
I'm not sure how people who are not Watchmen fans will like the film. It is beautiful to look at, the action is well done, and the story is good. It is a little depressing and dark. Few of the characters (OK none of the characters) are likable. (I'll admit to a grudging soft spot for Rorschach. He is the closest thing to a real hero in the story.)
Watchmen fans will likely enjoy the movie even if they don't love the movie. I'm sure a few will decry the ending, but they are little better than the characters in the story.
If you like action movies and don't have anything to do for a few hours, there are worse ways to spend your money.

Bear Rock Cafe in Reading

2009-03-08T16:16:00.000-04:00

Bear Rock Cafe is a Panera Bread alternative. It offers "artisan" sandwiches at a decent price and with relative speed. It also offers free wi-fi.
I had a jerk chicken sandwich on a sourdough roll. It was passable to eat, but the presentation was lacking. The roll overwhelmed the sandwich and was a little stale. The sandwich swam on the vanilla styrofoam plate. H's salad looked nicer and according to her it was good. The salad also arrived on a vanilla styrofoam plate.
I found it to be a poor alternative to Panera. The prices were marginally better, but the food was not on the same level.

What if Jesus was gay?

2009-02-25T21:26:00.000-05:00

It's a quirky folk song playing on the iPhone. It has a catchy guitar rhythm and harmonica riff.

And it asks a good question....

Slumdog Squarepants

2009-02-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

H and I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire this past weekend. It was a good film. The balance between slumdog and millionaire kept it from being standard fare. It certainly deserved the Oscar compared to the other nominees.

Drinking in Newburyport

2009-02-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

The Valentines Day plan was to get drunk.
We started the night at Agave. Since we called for reservations at 5pm on Valentines Day we ended up in the bar. That was fine by us. We settled in with margaritas. The drinks were strong, but tasty. We then order a nacho appetizer. The nachos were fine. I thought there was too much cheese and I'm not a fan of refried beans on nachos. We also got there spicy chicken tacos. They rocked.
After Agave we headed over to the Grog. The Grog is a local favorite. I switched over to beer, but H decided to stick with the hard stuff. Her drinks were good. We got a lemon berry cake for desert. It was creamy and well balanced.
It was a night of delicious drinks and fabulous food.

The Garrison Inn

2009-02-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

For the big V this year we decided to get out of town. On Saturday, the actual V day, H booked us a room at the Garrison Inn in Newburyport, MA.
After taxes the room cost $190. The room was fairly standard fair. The décor was pleasant, but not $200 pleasant. Breakfast came with the room, but breakfast was fancy McDonalds.
The one special thing about the Inn is the location. It is in the heart of the downtown area. All the bars and restaurants are less than a block away.

Lafamiglia Giorgio

2009-01-31T13:19:00.000-05:00

Located at the top of Salem St. on Boston's North End, this Italian eatery is quaint and tastey. The décor is typical of most resturants in the North End-small but cozy. The food, the real reason to eat out, is excellent. I got a pasta dish with spicy sausage and whole wheat pasta. The serving size was large but managable. Prices are reasonable for the area. Most main courses are in the $20 range.
As a side note: We waited for our table across the road at Bacco. We enjoyed Gingertinis. Despite the trendy name and the crazy price, the drinks were lovely. The ginger masks the alcohol with out burrying in Fabreeze. They are worth the price.

W.

2008-12-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday H and I saw W at the theater in West Newton.
I expected the movie to evicorate President Bush in a hillarious black comedy. My expectations were way off base.
Instead of making a farce of our parody of a President Stone took the high, and more difficult, road. The movie plays it straight. Brolin plays Bush as an under achiever trying desperately to live up to the family heritage.
Overall, the movie is a solid piece of work. It is not spectacular in any way. No new insights are gained. You will not laugh, or cry, your ass off. You will enjoy a well told story.

Tropic Thunder fails to Boom

2008-08-30T23:53:00.000-04:00

There are a few actors whose films I do not see. Ben Stiller is on the list. In fact, he is so bad that not even John Stewart can make the man seem funny. However, he has been in movies with other actors that overwhelm his badness. I'm thinking "The Royal Tanabaums."
I was hoping that Robert Downey Jr., in black face, and Jack Black would do the trick for Tropic Thunder. I was wrong... It was about what I expected from a Stiller film: stupid, sophomoric humor that often falls flat.
Ironically the best performance in the movie comes from another actor on my avoid list: Tom Cruise. He is fantastic.
Cruise is on the avoid list for being an ass. He can act.

The Dark Knight

2008-08-06T22:10:00.001-04:00

The movie is as awesome as everyone says it is. Unlike most comic book spin-offs, it does not give up on having ideas. The story line is solid and does not rely on great special effects and fight scenes.
In many ways, it is the accompanying cast that make the movie. Ledger's Joker, Olodman's Gordon, and Eckhart's Dent overshadow the Knight. This is both good and bad. It makes the movie more watchable. However, it does make it a little harder for the audience to feel the struggle going on inside Wayne.
The only real concern was the Batman voice.....

Like Greek food?

2008-08-03T23:26:00.000-04:00

It had been a very long while since I had seen any of the movie group clan so tried to corral people for dinner. I managed to meet up with a few of the group on Friday night. I was kind of craving Greek food but had bit of a challenge finding a place that was near a T stop in Cambridge that wasn't too pricey. I managed to discover Greek Corner II which is actually a mini knockoff of the Greek Corner Restaurant in Porter Square. The place was small - looks like it caters more to the take out crowd - but it met my needs. The food was basic but yummy (I had souvlaki) and the price was right. I would definitely recommend this place for take out or if you want a quick bite. But if you want a bit more atmosphere for during your dinner, would suggest you look elsewhere. However, the best part of the night was spending some time catching up with a few friends who I hadn't seen a while.

War, Inc.

2008-06-16T21:23:00.000-04:00

I was excited to see a John Cusack film that harkened back to his golden age. War, Inc. had the potential to be witty and cutting. It also had the potential to be a complete disaster.
The truth was somewhere in between. Like his early films, War, Inc. is very uneven. The premise takes a poignant relevant issue and takes it to it ridiculous extreme. There are many scenes that are excellent. The space between the excellence range from mediocre to painful.
Largely this is the fault of the script. The main characters do an admirable job. Cusack plays the troubled assassin with his usual aplomb. Joan plays his corporate assistant in her typical harried, slightly crazy manner. Tomei is cute as the love interest. Most surprising is Hillary Duff. She does a great job of playing a twisted version of herself.
The best way to sum up the movie is this: Gross Point Blank with a preachy message.

Lions for Lambs

2008-06-02T23:03:00.001-04:00

In a word: Preachy.

It is incredibly boring, self-absorbed crap full of common place high mindedness.

Iron Man

2008-05-23T23:04:00.000-04:00

Another excellent Marvel adaptation. Downey is excellent as Tony Stark. The CGI is fantastic.

Places to Eat in VA

2008-04-28T15:23:00.000-04:00

Last week H and I traveled to Colonial Williamsburg for a vacation. I expected that we'd find loads of great places to eat, but was a little disappointed. Most of the places we found were OK, but not great.
There were, however, a few that stood out:
The Blue Talon Bistro in Williamsburg is one of the best places I have ever eaten. It is located on the outskirts of the historic district and looks pretty regular from the outside. Inside, the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. The wait staff was attentive without being in your face. We ate at the Blue Talon twice. The first time we stopped for a late dessert and coffee. The desserts were the perfect size - enough to be filling but not overwhelming. I got a chocolate torte with banana ice cream. The chocolate was lush and bitter. The banana ice cream added a nice balance. I could have done without the sauce added as a garnish, but it was subtle enough to not detract from the dish. The coffee was served in a French press and was also excellent. The following day we went for dinner. The dinner menu is small and interesting. I ordered the Mac & Cheese. As with the desserts, the portion size was ideal. The mac and cheese was superb. The pasta was just a tad al dente. The cheese was flavorful and creamy. The side of asparagus was perfectly steamed and peppered. They were firm with just a bit of bite.
Aromas, across the street from the Blue Talon, was also very good. The iced coffee was a little watery, but the other drinks were fine. They serve a diverse menu of food. I got a salad with chicken that was quite nice. H ordered a scallop dish that she enjoyed. Aromas is always busy and full of college kids.
Pierce's Pit, also in Williamsburg, is a great BBQ joint. It looks like a dive and is off the beaten path, but is worth finding.
The last find is a coffee place in Mechanicsville. We were on the drive down to Williamsburg I was jonesing for a coffee, so H fired up the GPS and located Coffee Lane Cafe in Mechanicsville, VA. The store was closing in 30 minutes and we were about 30 minutes away. We arrived with minutes to spare and the staff was cheery and made us great drinks. It was so good we stopped on the way home also. This time the owner and a jolly assistant helped us out. I got a non-fat, sugar-free caramel latte that was most excellent.

Rendition

2008-04-07T16:12:00.000-04:00

We rented Rendition over the weekend on the recommendation of a friend. I don't feel like I wasted five bucks, but I feel like I could have spent the money better.
The movie had a number of problems:

Meryl Streep's character was too cynical to be believable.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Reese Witherspoon's character was too earnest. Don't even get me started on the fact that she was pregnant also.

The time phased love subplot was disconnected from the main action of the movie.

To sum it up: The movie was two movies. One was a trope about the out of control US security agencies in the age of Terror. This one was populated by transparently stock characters. They are either boring or over the top.
The second movie, which could have been a good movie, is a mystery about a father trying to solve a crime and find his daughter. The character's in this movie were sympathetic and interesting. If it had been pull away from the sad "message: movie and allowed to stand on its own two feet, this movie would have been an excellent movie.
Sadly, it was not.

The Counterfeiters

2008-03-18T21:08:00.000-04:00

The Counterfeiters tells the story of a group of men who survive in a concentration camp by working as counterfeiters for the Nazis. Unsurprisingly, it is not a good date movie. Holocaust movies are rarely uplifting. Even when the protagonists survive, they are broken and their humanity has been stripped away. Even in victory they are defeated.
In The Counterfeiters, the choice of main character adds a twist to the standard narrative. He is a criminal whose humanity is already in question. We know, even before he is interred, that he will do anything to enrich himself. As the story progresses, he seems to gain humanity. In a sense, he becomes the nobel criminal. He uses his talents and questionable morals to help his fellow prisoners. He allows one of his mates maintain his honor and not become dehumanized.
I'd definitely recommend the movie; just not when you are in the mood for something light.