Why this movie:
The Rock was on my list of unseen movies suggested by friends. My two younger brothers started watching it and filled me in when I came home 15 minutes later.
What I knew going in:
Alcatraz? Actiony-suspense?
Things that surprised me:
Hahaha.
My take-away:
Oh boy. I was on my laptop, casually glancing up now and then, within 10 minutes of joining this movie. It was doomed for failure as soon as I realized 2 of my least favorite actors (Cage, Connery) were main characters, but the film did nothing to redeem itself.
Best part:
Sean Connery's quarter trick in the interrogation room. "Womack! Why am I not surprised, you piece of shit." :P
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
TSMI: Sherlock Holmes
(***Spoilers!***)
(I was totally there!!! In the second row! 8D)
Why this movie:
I've wanted to see this movie since the first trailer. I saw Robert Downey Jr., Rachel McAdams, and several crew members speak at Comic-Con 2009 about the film and fully intended to go home and watch it, but somehow never got around to it until now. I enjoy Robert Downey Jr., quirky genius main characters, the 19th century England aesthetic, and all of the action promised by the trailers. We were on a family vacation and democracy chose Sherlock Holmes for the family movie one night.
What I knew going in:
I had seen the trailers, 10 minutes from the film, and a Q+A with the cast/crew. It looked heartily enjoyable; budget, script, cast, and editing all coming together to form what looked like my kind of movie.
Things that surprised me:
How little I know about Sherlock Holmes. I feel like I have read a Sherlock Holmes story, but I can't remember if that's even true. I suspect that I saw The Great Mouse Detective many times as a child and later in life convinced myself that I had read some Sherlock Holmes. I felt like a lot of inside jokes were flying over my head.
**EDIT: HOLD UP. I TOTALLY read The Hound of the Baskervilles. Mystery solved!
My take-away:
This movie was a slam-dunk for me. I was fully entertained and satisfied throughout. I am excited about the prospect of a sequel this December. I really liked Rachel McAdams' character, and am glad to see her name near the top of the new movie's cast list.
Best part:
Holmes/Watson HOMOSEXCELLENCE. I feel like the actors were well aware of this and had fun with it. Holmosaucesome~!
(I was totally there!!! In the second row! 8D)
Why this movie:
I've wanted to see this movie since the first trailer. I saw Robert Downey Jr., Rachel McAdams, and several crew members speak at Comic-Con 2009 about the film and fully intended to go home and watch it, but somehow never got around to it until now. I enjoy Robert Downey Jr., quirky genius main characters, the 19th century England aesthetic, and all of the action promised by the trailers. We were on a family vacation and democracy chose Sherlock Holmes for the family movie one night.
What I knew going in:
I had seen the trailers, 10 minutes from the film, and a Q+A with the cast/crew. It looked heartily enjoyable; budget, script, cast, and editing all coming together to form what looked like my kind of movie.
Things that surprised me:
How little I know about Sherlock Holmes. I feel like I have read a Sherlock Holmes story, but I can't remember if that's even true. I suspect that I saw The Great Mouse Detective many times as a child and later in life convinced myself that I had read some Sherlock Holmes. I felt like a lot of inside jokes were flying over my head.
**EDIT: HOLD UP. I TOTALLY read The Hound of the Baskervilles. Mystery solved!
My take-away:
This movie was a slam-dunk for me. I was fully entertained and satisfied throughout. I am excited about the prospect of a sequel this December. I really liked Rachel McAdams' character, and am glad to see her name near the top of the new movie's cast list.
Best part:
Holmes/Watson HOMOSEXCELLENCE. I feel like the actors were well aware of this and had fun with it. Holmosaucesome~!
TSMI: Aliens
(***Spoilers! Obvi!)
Why this movie:
On my Summer Movie Initiative list, the Alien movies were high priority for me. I like the Predator and AVP movies, and Alien is one of the most obvious gaps in my popular movie repertoire. I did not understand all of the talk about Sigourney Weaver when Avatar came out, or some of the mythology/science of the aliens in the other movies they appear in. I picked this movie to watch with my brothers on the drive from Portland to Sunriver because they both had an interest in it as well.
What I knew going in:
It's a sci-fi thriller (or horror...? maybe...?) about people vs icky aliens that lay eggs in yo mouth and burst from your tummy later. Survival rates not high.
Big guns and strong women. I think Sigourney kicks some ass.
Things that surprised me:
Aliens is the second movie in the series. WHOOPS.
It's more sci-fi/action than horror. It had a fairly happy ending!
It's set in the future and there are badass MECHA!
SO MANY JOKES from Starship came from this movie! XD
My take-away:
I really liked this movie! Fantastic action, great characters, and squirmy/icky/tense/scary parts without overdoing it. I can see why it is a classic, and I think it would be more fun on a second viewing (less time wasted shaking behind splayed hands). I wish I had watched Alien first, but I'm no less excited to see it now. I can't believe the main, surrogate daughter, and love interest characters survived. N'awww. And no twist ending for goddamn once!
Best part:
See illustration. Also, Vasquez's enormous black gun near the beginning. Insanely cool, that.
Why this movie:
On my Summer Movie Initiative list, the Alien movies were high priority for me. I like the Predator and AVP movies, and Alien is one of the most obvious gaps in my popular movie repertoire. I did not understand all of the talk about Sigourney Weaver when Avatar came out, or some of the mythology/science of the aliens in the other movies they appear in. I picked this movie to watch with my brothers on the drive from Portland to Sunriver because they both had an interest in it as well.
What I knew going in:
It's a sci-fi thriller (or horror...? maybe...?) about people vs icky aliens that lay eggs in yo mouth and burst from your tummy later. Survival rates not high.
Big guns and strong women. I think Sigourney kicks some ass.
Things that surprised me:
Aliens is the second movie in the series. WHOOPS.
It's more sci-fi/action than horror. It had a fairly happy ending!
It's set in the future and there are badass MECHA!
SO MANY JOKES from Starship came from this movie! XD
My take-away:
I really liked this movie! Fantastic action, great characters, and squirmy/icky/tense/scary parts without overdoing it. I can see why it is a classic, and I think it would be more fun on a second viewing (less time wasted shaking behind splayed hands). I wish I had watched Alien first, but I'm no less excited to see it now. I can't believe the main, surrogate daughter, and love interest characters survived. N'awww. And no twist ending for goddamn once!
Best part:
See illustration. Also, Vasquez's enormous black gun near the beginning. Insanely cool, that.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
So many dimensions and unanswered questions
Announcing Tally's Summer Movie Initiative!!!
There are a lot of famous and/or beloved movies that for some reason or other I have never seen. In a moment of frustration after yet another 80s action movie reference went over my head here in the studio, I set about making a list of movies I want to watch to fill in some of my pop culture blind spots. Here's the list! I'll continue to add to it as I remember movies from "why the hell haven't you seen that movie" rants. Feel free to make suggestions as well. :)
Goodfellas
The Goonies
Godfather (1 and 2)
Scarface (Youtube it)
Donnie Brasco
Steel Magnolias
Jason and the Argonauts
Bladerunner
Alien, Aliens
Die Hard (though I'm told I have to wait until Christmas to watch it)
Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Shining (Youtube it)
Spinal Tap
A Mighty Wind
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel
The Man Who Would Be King
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Clockwork Orange
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Rock
Shawshank Redemption
Cool Hand Luke
The Sting
7 Samurai
Idiocracy
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Maltese Falcoln
Big Sleep
True Lies
Starship Troopers
Man on Wire
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Death Becomes Her
Can't Buy Me Love
The Wizard
Clerks 1 and 2
Dark City
Surf Ninjas
Blues Brothers
I will watch as many of these as possible over the summer. I reserve the right to go in any order I like and to turn things off if they're just not doing it for me. I will report back on my findings!
Things suggested to me that I actually have seen already:
The Indiana Jones, Jaws, Predator, AVP, Tremors, and Terminator movies
16 Candles
Breakfast Club
The Usual Suspects
A League of Their Own
Back to the Future
There are a lot of famous and/or beloved movies that for some reason or other I have never seen. In a moment of frustration after yet another 80s action movie reference went over my head here in the studio, I set about making a list of movies I want to watch to fill in some of my pop culture blind spots. Here's the list! I'll continue to add to it as I remember movies from "why the hell haven't you seen that movie" rants. Feel free to make suggestions as well. :)
Goodfellas
The Goonies
Godfather (1 and 2)
Scarface (Youtube it)
Donnie Brasco
Steel Magnolias
Jason and the Argonauts
Bladerunner
Alien, Aliens
Die Hard (though I'm told I have to wait until Christmas to watch it)
Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Shining (Youtube it)
Spinal Tap
A Mighty Wind
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel
The Man Who Would Be King
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Clockwork Orange
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Rock
Shawshank Redemption
Cool Hand Luke
The Sting
7 Samurai
Idiocracy
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Maltese Falcoln
Big Sleep
True Lies
Starship Troopers
Man on Wire
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Death Becomes Her
Can't Buy Me Love
The Wizard
Clerks 1 and 2
Dark City
Surf Ninjas
Blues Brothers
I will watch as many of these as possible over the summer. I reserve the right to go in any order I like and to turn things off if they're just not doing it for me. I will report back on my findings!
Things suggested to me that I actually have seen already:
The Indiana Jones, Jaws, Predator, AVP, Tremors, and Terminator movies
16 Candles
Breakfast Club
The Usual Suspects
A League of Their Own
Back to the Future
Friday, May 20, 2011
I love to kick it up a notch
GUYS. WATCH STARSHIP RIGHT NOW.
**New: Mega-Girl!
I've decided that Mega-Girl is my favorite character in Starship. She's cool and hilarious and part of the best song.
Junior, you evil, awesome SOB. <3 You have the best 60 seconds of the entire play.
(Spoilers, as this is from the end of the play:)
**New: Mega-Girl!
I've decided that Mega-Girl is my favorite character in Starship. She's cool and hilarious and part of the best song.
Junior, you evil, awesome SOB. <3 You have the best 60 seconds of the entire play.
(Spoilers, as this is from the end of the play:)
The same black line that was drawn on you was drawn on me
Fan art for Estado de Meerkats from The Soup. :) Molly and I are Rapture Roadtrippin' it to Lincoln City tomorrow to see Joel McHale's stand-up!!! Awkward attempts at contact will be made, I am sure.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Even when you were here you were already gone
Emi and I had the best time yesterday: I just borrowed a Nikon FM2 from Charlie Chu, and she has been photographing with her dad's old camera for a while, so we went out together on a 3-hour walk around Portland and she showed me a few things about taking a good photo.
The weather was GORGEOUS. I sunburned my shoulders! It was the first warm, sunny day in a long time and everything looked good.
We explored a couple of piers at the waterfront and saw geese, boats, dragon boats, and a great blue heron. Let's do it again!!!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I'm an animal you're an animal too
All photos in this post courtesy Erik Scultz
On Saturday, I got to participate in Dove Lewis's Superheroes Celebration at the Lucky Lab. The event honored dogs who donate life-saving blood to Dove Lewis, which is a nonprofit emergency care center for animals. Owners brought their donor dogs out for canine cupcakes, award ceremonies, raffles, and portraits provided by yours truly, Terri Nelson, Joëlle Jones, and Cat Farris. It was so much fun! Cute dogs everywhere!!!
Check out this write-up and short video by local news team KGW.
And tons of lovely photos from the event by Erik Scultz on Dove Lewis's Facebook page.
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