Brilliant. Everything a good movie should be; visually stunning, emotionally complex and has a great narrative drive. I expected the Capote mannerisms to bug me. They didn’t.
There is an image, at the beginning of this movie, that sums up the landscape, and perhaps the character, of the American mid-west. It was worth seeing this movie for that single image. Just blew me away.
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Disappointing. Flawed epic. I don’t understand why they even made this movie. Liked Kong. Wanted him to win. He was a much more interesting character than anyone else on the screen. As for his love interest, she needs a good smacking. Just how many seconds did she last till she ended up in the arms of another?
For a more in depth discussion of the movie check out Pharyngula’s blog and the comments of his readers in the article In which I Dwell on the flaws in King Kong
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Brilliant. You must see this movie. It is stunningly beautiful and emotionally complex. Who knew Heath Ledger was capable of such a sophisticated piece of work! Not just a pretty face after all. Jake Gyllenhaal was his usual great self. This film takes a long hard look at masculinity, what it is and how it it passed on (or one could say inflicted on) to the next generation. Heartbreakingly honest, it makes you want to shake society by the shoulders and scream, ‘what the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?’
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Attended the latest Cafe Scientifique in Morris last night,which has now moved to its new location at the Stevens County Museum. The speaker was Prof PZ Myers on “Why all the fuss about evolution?” The event was well attended and as well as learning more about science we raised money for local arts activities as Morris Area Art Boosters sold yummy homemade desserts.
PZ gave us a brief history of evolution and the creationist movement, plus an introduction to Intelligent Design. He took apart the main arguments in support of ID and used real world examples to illustrate why ID’s challenge to evolution just doesn’t cut the mustard. I especially liked the example of blood clotting. This is a process that IDers say is irreducibly complex and illustrates the existence of a ‘designer’. Very deftly, PZ demonstrated how it isn’t.
Congrats to PZ for such a great talk! Next up on the Cafe Scientifique schedule is a certain fellow unhinderbytalent blogger talking on, “Privacy, security, and cryptography: What happens to your credit card number on-line, and is that e-mail really from your boss?” The date for Phi’s talk is Tuesday 28th March, 6pm-8pm at the museum.
Current temperature 36F/2C.
I was startled to hear the news reports yesterday that Linda Smith had died. She was way to young and I shall miss the insightful way she talked about the world in which we live.
You’re probably thinking, who the heck is Linda Smith? Well, she was one of the funniest people in the universe. So amusing, in fact that she was voted the wittiest person by Radio 4 listeners in 2002. She’s one of the few comedians who would make me laugh so hard I cried. If you check out the BBC7 web site for past editions of The News Quiz, Just a Minute and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue perhaps you’ll get to hear her too.
Listen live this Friday at 12.30pm CST to BBC Radio 4 and you’ll hear a special tribute version of the News Quiz. If you can’t listen then it’ll be available via the Beeb’s listen again service after the Saturday repeat at 6.30am CST.
Current temperature 36F/2C.
So I’ve not posted in a while because a project I’ve been working on for the last year has finally come to fruition and it has needed much time and attention.
I’ve been working with a small group of women to bring the Embroiderers’ Guild of America’s 18th National Exhibit to our home on the prairie. The exhibit finally opened on Saturday 28th January. We are so thrilled. Not only do we have the EGA exhibit but we have organised several other shows to compliment the main exhibit plus a whole host of events every weekend.
To learn more about all the fun events we’ve hosted and those that we have planned in the coming weeks check out our web page.
Opening weekend netted us about 300 visitors and we’ve continued in a similar vein. If you’re passing through town you should definitely check it out, it’s an amazing exhibit.
I’m going to have serious stress issues for the next 19 hours of 24. They’re dropping like flies already, yikes. One of my favourites has already bitten the dust and another is hanging on by their fingertips. (I’m not saying who just in case, dear reader, you haven’t seen the first five hours.)
I love this show, flaws et al. While each season has its weak moments, they still manage to get me hooked for the rollercoast ride they embark on.
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Boy do I have a deal for you, the prefect gift for your honey and it helps further social justice issues. A twofer!
Just visit the unhinderedbytalent.com shop and buy any number of products emblazoned with the phrase Make Tea, Not War.
Hand calligraphed, by my sweetie as a present for my last birthday, it combines a great sentiment with wonderful design and pen skill.
Let’s follow Shrub’s exhortation to defeat the bad guys by shopping till we drop!
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I just listened to the second hour of Friday’s midday program from Minnesota Public Radio. They broadcast a speach made Monday, that’s MLK day 2006, where a past presidential candidate railed against George Bush’s illegal acts. (I went here to listen to it but it may not be there for long.)
There was passion. There was intelligence. There was integrity. There was someone who would have made a decent US president. And who was this person? Would you believe Al Gore? No, either would I but there he was doing what the current Democratic leadership should be doing but are too spineless to try.
Have scientists managed to transplant personalities and not told us about it? Perhaps there is hope after all.
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Note: Radio program was labelled Gore condemns Bush’s domestic spying program
Brilliant. The best movie I’ve seen in a long time. A whole host of story threads interweaving to create an image of the current relationship between the West and the Middle East. This movie recognises the complexity of real life and let’s you view the issues from multiple points of view. A definite must-see movie that raises many questions and actually encourages you to engage your brain as well as your emotions.
Great to see Alexander Siddig again.
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