watch the special one and some movies

If you haven’t seen the Jose Puppet, please follow this link:
http://www.setantanorthamerica.com/special_one.aspx

One of my favorite lines is, “Thanks for doing it to me on the email.” Anyway check it out, especially if you follow English soccer.

Moving on, watched several movies this weekend.

Stranger than Fiction. Will Farrell is surprisingly good, while Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a decent performance, similar to her supporting yet influential role in Criminal. How great is Dustin Hoffman? His role as professor was great and reminded me a lot of his role in Wag the Dog. He was good in Outbreak, which I really enjoyed the first time I saw it. I watched it again a couple of years later and almost threw up. Back on topic . . . The story was very interesting. Sort of Adaptation meets Being John Malkovich. I liked all of the little animations at the beginning but they disappeared through long stretches of the movie. Maybe I got used to them. The ending sort of dragged and while the tension of whether the main character would live or die was nice, just let me know so I can move with my day.

Inside Man. Let me preface this by saying that I watched the movie in two parts. Maybe a comprehensive viewing would have changed my opinion.

My opinion. Could have been great, but just petered out into nothing. Great bank robbery heist idea. Get that. But the whole subplot about what was in the box was annoying. And then we didn’t really have any closure. Who was the bad guy? The banker or bank robber? Were the bank robber’s actions acceptable because he was shining light on the banker’s sketchy history? I mean the banker is about to die. You tarnish his image. Well done. Who cares?

I felt like I was being double crossed every five seconds. Was Jodie Foster really a high priced mover and shaker who was in on the whole thing? Denzel’s IA subplot was ok, but then he just magically gets a raise and the issue goes away? Deals made, promises made, threats made. And then at the end, Denzel gets a diamond and we’re done. Where was Clive Owen telling his story? Jail? The compound he built with the diamonds he stole?

The movie could have been better.

Last night was West Wing night. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, the score for this show is god awful. The title music is terrible, the music telling me how to feel is too overpowering. I know it’s a critical moment. I know that character so and so is telling me something that is insightful into the psyche of the country. I know that the President character is tough but has a good heart. This is a smart show, so I don’t need a crescendo of violins that is way too loud to tell me how to feel.

So a stand in congressman doesn’t have an agenda? Are you telling this is how things ought to be or you making an indictment on the current batch of reps who are in it for the money and power and will do anything to stay in power?

I’m trying to imagine Chelsea Clinton in a bar without protection. Don’t think so. But Barlett’s argument re: the necessity of protection was quite powerful. Really made me think about horrors that could really happen to the President and his family.

Finally, playing poker with the President. Really? “I’ll see you leader of the free world and raise you an insignificant amount of money.” Shouldn’t the rake from one of these games go to pay off the debt and replenish social security or something?

Be Champions!!