Things that make me feel old, #453: Watching the Olympic athletes, in interviews, say things like “I decided I wanted to be a skater/skier/bobsledder/whatever when I was a little kid watching the Games in Albertville.” I was 21 and in college during the Games in Albertville….. Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….
Parents: If you’re looking for a movie to watch with the kids, and you’re tired of Disney and the assorted non-Disney Disney clones that clog the video store shelves, here’s a movie to find: My Neighbor Totoro. I watched this last night with my own daughter (she’s two-and-a-half) and it met with her sign of approval: she demanded to watch it again today. This anime production is just wonderful. The story of a father and his two young daughters who move to a country house near some woods (the mother is in the hospital with an illness that is neverDown the rabbit hole….
I’m a bit concerned about Michelle Kwan’s chances of winning the Gold in the long program. Yes, she is the best female skater in the world right now, but what’s got me concerned is the degree to which skating has become jump-focused, which will play into Irina Slutskaya’s strengths. She’s the athletic jumper, whereas Kwan is the graceful skater with impeccable lines, flawless spins, and wonderful artistry. Here’s hoping, though. Go Michelle!!! (BTW, I would almost be willing to bet money that by the 2010 Winter Games some male skater will attempt a Quintuple jump in competition. That seems toDown the rabbit hole….
Read this week: Harlan Ellison‘s classic SF story, “‘Repent Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” (reprinted in Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Century). Orson Scott Card’s introductory note calls the story “a Kafkaesque parable about the dangers of individuality in a conformist society”. I didn’t read it that way; I saw the story as a cautionary tale about the futility of attempting to create a society where everything is controlled and where nothing is left to any kind of chance. The story’s ending suggests to me that although the society’s apparent cause for concern has been eliminated, a seed ofDown the rabbit hole….
What to do with the gaping hole left in lower Manhattan following the 9-11 attacks has been a vigorous discussion since the initial shock wore off. Some have suggested rebuilding the towers, only this time adding height so they are again the tallest buildings in the world; some have suggested shorter towers; Roger Ebert suggested turning the whole site into green space with trees and grass and places for quiet contemplation. Just about everyone agrees that there needs to be some kind of monument to those lost on that horrible day. One particularly unique suggestion for a monument can beDown the rabbit hole….
Why I hate The Practice, reason number 342: Did the denouement of last night’s episode, the so-called “shocking moment” at the end, really come as a surprise to anybody? This is the kind of plot twist that David E. Kelley has been spinning for years. I only watched the last ten minutes or so of the episode (since I can’t stand the show and normally avoid it like the plague, but at that moment whatever was on the Olympics was boring so I channel-flipped a bit) and I saw the surprise event coming a mile away. I won’t spoil itDown the rabbit hole….
Both King of the Hill and The Simpsons last night had gags that involved the Olympic Torch being accidentally extinguished, and both depicted the five Olympic rings upside down, probably for trademark reasons. I wonder if this was planned. Anyway, if the Futurama writers end up being let go as seems might very well happen (FOX doesn’t like the series, for some reason, and insists on giving it shabby treatment) maybe they can just be brought over to The Simpsons, which could use some writing help. The show is still good, but nowhere near the pinacles it once hit (andDown the rabbit hole….
Why one should never go to Borders without extra pennies in one’s pocket: Christopher Moore‘s new book, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, is out. And I didn’t have enough on me to pick it up. Ah well….there is always next week. Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….
Last week I saw Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in its new IMAX version. I was a bit apprehensive, because I’ve read that IMAX films have to be edited differently because the images are so huge; compositions that are fine on a normal-sized screen become disorienting when expanded to occupy the entire visual range. Happily, this did not seem to be the case except in the action sequences at the end of the film. The final fight between the Beast and Gaston is a bit hard on the eyes with its quick cuts and jolts (it doesn’t help that theDown the rabbit hole….
Roger Ebert’s latest addition to his biweekly series, “The Great Movies”, is a very good one indeed: “Say Anything”, which is probably the greatest adolescent love story ever filmed. And now I remember that it’s been years since I saw it….read what Ebert has to say about the film here. Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….