Wha . . .Whaa?!?!

Today's Thursday! Where the heck did that come from? This week has just flown by - I can't believe it's nearly over. Believe me - the fact that the in-laws left Monday has nothing to do with it. Seriously.

I'm trying to come up with something to write - usually I do the writing at 11:30 PM when Seinfeld is on - after watching The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien; but today I had to rent a free movie otherwise it was going to go away. I couldn't turn away a free movie - that's like saying: "No - Really I have enough good things in my life. I really can't take another good thing."

So tonight the Squaw and I watched said free movie. It was a drama. It is based on a true story. It is the movie 'Defiance' with Daniel Craig. So no Conan - just drama.

Admittedly I had no idea what this movie was about - but it was a choice of either this movie or 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' and seeing as how that tanked fast in the theaters I wasn't too keen on using a precious free movie coupon on it. I'm horrible at retelling things - ask the Squaw about my joke telling ability. Sucks ASS.

All I have to say is - if you hate Jews, this movie is not for you. You will only become frustrated and angry. I don't think you will find it enjoyable, uplifting, motivating or entertaining. It will be two hours of torture.

I'm fairly indifferent when it comes to Jews - I've only known two openly Jewish people and haven't had a beef with them; but I love this movie. If it weren't for the 'R' rating I believe that I would have a space filled out on the movie shelf with it right there waiting. I know - it's kind of weird that there's a rule in the house that we can't own any 'R' rated movies, but I can bring them into the home and have it broadcast throughout the house. . . I so want to be able to wake up in the middle of the night and say: "I'm in the mood for 'The Departed' let me pop it in." Alas - it's not to be.

Alright it's midnight - time to post. Catch y'all tomorrow - thanks for stopping by. Bring a friend.

Wherein Old Things Become New Again

Contrary to public opinion - and my own statements. I do enjoy very much spending time with my little family. Amber's wit and sarcasm brings smiles to my face, and when it ticks me off - I am able to appreciate it that much more later. Caleb's physicality intermixed with generosity and thoughtfulness is just fun and refreshing to be around, along with his sense of humor. Very much like my own - rudimentary. Then there's Dylan. Who is sick today. He's hilarious, thoughtful, and very very sweet.

Lately - when I get "family" or "kid" movies I've gravitated to the old standbys. No Bionicle. No Yu-Gi-Oh's or other blights on children entertainment. Most recently I got the boys "Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier" - it was a lot of fun to hear the boys give their rendition of Mr. Crockett's theme song and hear them pretending that they are going after "my people" - as Caleb put it. He was quite distressed that people were fighting with Indians and took it personally.

I followed Davy Crockett up with Swiss Family Robinson. That was a show I really enjoyed when I was a kid, and knew the boys would have just as much fun with it too. The best part of it was - the very beginning. On the new DVD release Disney brought back a tradition they had whenever they showed one of their feature presentations, and that was an animation short before the movie started. This one was with Donald Duck.

When Donald's mug flashed across the screen - along with his theme song both the boys broke out in pure excitement: YEA!!
Dylan: Donald the Duck! It's Donald the Duck!

The boys were glued and had a great time with the short and the movie. I wonder why don't they make 'em like they used to?

Layered Removal

Good morning - thanks for stopping by. Don't mind the mess, I was up late watching the final episode of Conan O'Brien on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien'. This last week he's been showing highlights from his last 16 years of hosting the show from New York. Now he's jet setting to L.A. to take over the hosting duties of 'The Tonight Show'. It will be interesting how he handles the transition - which I will think he will do so effortlessly. Remember, he was a writer on "The Simpson's" which is Prime-Time.

It's a big weekend for the Arts and Sciences. Oscar weekend. I like to consider myself a film buff - but when it comes down to it; I'm probably a slight hair more than just the average movie watcher.

Growing up in Bethel, Alaska, and the 80's, really molded my movie watching habits. For a brief time we had a movie -theater where I remember watching 'Superman: The Movie' and bringing my Superman toy. Not long after that the theater shut down.

We were left with local broadcasting on television - which was not like local broadcasting down there in the States. We would watch television shows that were recorded in Seattle - or somewhere, then barged up to Bethel, brought to the radio/television station, then we would be able to watch partial shows of Charlies Angels, or month old reports from one of the broadcast channels or watching the mating habits of wildebeests from Nature. The "commercials" would be the local cameraman Mike going around town videotaping folks fishing from the riverbank - or children playing with puppies while Gershwin or some freestyle jazz was layered over.

Then cablevision came to town - oh sweet Cable. Instead of two channels - the local station and the Statewide public broadcast - we had thirteen. So now we could at least watch the "local" news - with local meaning Detroit. That was a big paradigm shift - this small, rural eskimo boy hearing stories of gang murders and all the other stuff that happens in Detroit.

Then there were the trips into Anchorage - where I could actually go to the movie. 'Clash of the Titans', 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' - then a few years later 'Ghostbusters' then that year - 1984 we got a VCR - and Chinook Video opened. A whole slew of movies - sweet, sweet movies just waiting to be seen.

'Garbage Pail Kids: The Movie'? Sure! 'Howard the Duck'? You betcha! Some comedy based on Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde - and all I can remember is some lady getting a really huge boob job and having them explode - why not!?! So - I wasn't too picky about what movie I would watch. Heck - when I was in Anchorage and had the opportunity to choose between 'Teen Wolf Too' and 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' - heck yes I chose 'Teen Wolf Too'. I think my dad still resents me for that choice. We - and my two friends that I was able to bring along -were the only four in the theater.

So - though I like to think that my standards have raised or that I am more concerned over character development over action; I still have 'Masters of the Universe' naggin at me stirring up hope that the sequel will be out shortly.