Ahira's Hangar

I'm watching The Passenger--yes the ancient Michaelangelo Antonioni flick with Jack Nicholson and Maria (Last Tango in Paris) Schnieder. It's really a beautiful film the cinematography is gorgeous. It reminds me of a cross between The Constant Gardener and The Talented Mr. Ripley. In fact the premise of TMrR is ripped off straight from this film. Sony Pictures Classics did an incredible job in converting this to DVD.

I thought I had seen everything Jack has done, but no. In fact I've never finished watching The Last Detail and Atlantic City. But I think he'll forgive me for turning off Mars Attacks! right away *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>

Watched Brokeback Mountain this morning. I have been wanting to see it, but kept putting it off because the short story it was based on nearly put me into a depression (seriously - it is that heart wrenching). The movie is very well done. It is very very sad, though not as sad as the short story.

The scenery in the high Rockies is breathtaking; the acting on the part of the entire cast (especially on the part of Heath Ledger) is first rate. Very good film. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess, interesting your comments about the short story by Annie Proulx. My short fiction instructor at local comm. college thought Proulx was the worst writer ever. She even used excerpts from Ms. Proulx's texts as examples of bad writing.

And concerning the movie, agree with you; however, I've heard people characterize Heath Ledger's performance as one of mumbling and scowling, and that would be from someone who really disliked the movie. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
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That is the only thing I have ever read by that particular author, so I cannot really comment beyond saying that that particular short story was heart wrenchingly sad.

And as for Heath Ledger - that is exactly the sort of character he was portraying - a strong, hold-all-of-those-emotions-in-check, silent type of guy. Makes it all the more powerful when that character does let the feelings slip out. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Made the mistake of watching The New World (2006 release, big budget historical drama about the founding of Jamestown) last night in the middle of the night.

Now, if I had been more awake it might have been OK.

But being half asleep, I would have to rate this as one of the most boring movies ever.

It was a lovely movie to look at - the sets/location scenes were just great - but it seemed like all too much of the film consisted of the characters sitting in the mud or mooning around in the woods or standing around in the fields looking pensively at each other while voice overs were telling you what they were thinking (usually they were wondering what the other characters were thinking).

God, what a suckfest. I finally put myself out of my misery by taking it out of the dvd player with about three scenes to go, putting it into its little netflix envelope, and I dropped it into the lobby mailbox at work tonight. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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MI3 is very, VERY LOUD. (it seems since I've been having some problems with my hearing off and on over the last 2 years or so the loud would be welcome. Well not, it makes the loud only more annoying and way noticeable) taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html
Buff_fans_Chicago http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/buffy_fans_chicago/
live journal http://taras-wizard.livejournal.com<i></i>

I haven't seen that one and doubt that I will, but agree about the loudness of some films. I have had troubles with some of them just on dvd, much less the theaters, such as Underworld. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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And for MI3 I liked the Shaun of the Dead Guy, Simon Pegg. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html
Buff_fans_Chicago http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/buffy_fans_chicago/
live journal http://taras-wizard.livejournal.com<i></i>

Watched Casanova last night, the fairly new release starring my favorite hottie Heath Ledger. It was pretty fun; nice historical romantic comedy. NOthing particularly deep about it, but it made fine mind (and eye ) candy. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Last night I watched Failure to Launch. While the premise was cute (desperate parents hire a beautiful relationship consultant to pretend to be their 35 year old son's dream girl in order to get him to finally move out of their house), there wasn't much chemistry between the two leads (Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey). I actually enjoyed the interactions and relationship between his parents more than the one between the leads. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Bought Beyond the Sea man this movies kicks some serious ass!! Kevin Spacey directing himself as Bobby Darin and doing his own singing!!! Reminded me directly of Walk the Line--same time frame, singing actors, famous realtionships. Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee (yes even ancient I had forgotten they were a long term item-stole her at a young age off the Tab Hunter/Tammy sets.) John Goodman as his manager, Bob Hoskins as his brother-in-law. To quote Larry King, "Flat out wonderful!" *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>

Watched an absolutely wonderful movie last night - from HBO called Something the Lord Made. It is set in the segregated South over a period of decades. It featured Alan Rickman as Dr. Alfred Blalock, a surgeon who has the ability to think outside the box, and Mos Def as a brilliant young African American named Vivien Thomas, who helps him with his lab work. In a world filled with racism and poverty, the genius of Vivien Thomas was never able to advance further than high school. Yet somehow these two men formed a partnership which made huge medical breakthroughs in the treatment of shock, and they pioneered cardiac surgery. The performances were brilliant, the settings and script were excellent. And the movie shows how institutional racism holds back recognition and opportunity for the individual and also robs society as a whole from the contributions of those held down. Very powerful, finely made film.


My younger son and I watched Eight Below this morning. We did enjoy it. It told the story of a team of sled dogs who were unintentionally left behind when a scientific base in Antarctica had to be evacuated due to a medical and weather emergency. It was intended that the dogs would be picked up right away as soon as the injured humans were taken out to safety - but the brutal winter weather moved in, and no one could go back for the dogs. It is heart wrenching when bad things begin to happen to the dogs...you really do pull for them to survive until spring.

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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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We watched V for Vendetta tonight. Rather odd, but very stylish science fiction/fantasy movie set in a future totalitarian Britain. Hugo Weaving was fine as V, but Natalie Portman, while lovely, wasn't up to her demanding role. Ah well. One man's terrorist is another man's hero... ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Cambridge Spies. A BBC miniseries, four parts, shown on BBCAmerica a few years ago, but I borrowed it from my local library. Covers the lives of the four notorious spies, Anthony Blunt, Harold (Kim) Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, from the time they met at Cambridge till Maclean and Burgess defected to the Soviet Union in 1953. Since I love spy stuff and history this seems to be made for me. Something I learned from the movie, Anthony Blunt's mother was a cousin to Mary of Teck, mother of George VI, and that Donald Maclean had an American wife who later joined him in the Soviet Union. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Buffy fans Chicago
my livej<i></i>

Waterworld, Kevin Costner. Never seen this movie all the way through, and the other night it was shown on Bravo cable. It did not suck. It was not the greatest movie ever, but it was not horrible. Better than many others, but far from the bottom of the barrel. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Buffy fans Chicago
my livej<i></i>