After this week, I can't think of a more appropriate QOTD:

"The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile."
- Albert Einstein (source: wikiquote)

Perception is reality.
Not other people's perception of us, rather how we perceive the people and things around us.
friendly... yow, bill

PS - SMOKE!

Labels: qotd

First, the good part... the DVD cover has pictures (in order) of stars Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Tommy Lee Jones and the actor names right below don't match that order.

That's it.
That's the most entertaining part of "No Country for Old Men." And the Oscar goes to...

"No Country for Old Men"... 1 bill-star. BORING! Go: boring plot, no interesting characters, every character uses that stupid faux-witty dialog you see so much these days (for which the Coen borthers and Quentin are probably largely responsible), not even that much action really. There isn't a genuine moment in the movie. I'll throw a bill-star on the pile for how beautiful the desert was.

It's so funny to compare this movie to another Oscar nominee like Juno. Juno was so entertaining and different. I mean Juno was an artistic risk. Are the Coen brothers risking anything by making some violent, brooding movie? I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when one of them excitedly interjects that the "bad guy" can carry some weird compressed air thingie instead of a gun. "Wow, great hook!" Yawn.
yow, bill

PS - The Coen brothers' best effort, "Big Lebowsky"... "That's right. Nobody fucks with the Jesus"

Labels: 1star, movies

QOTD.

"I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts."
- Ronald Reagan

Yeah. Money.

Hey Ronny, try and light a cigarette in a bar in Illinois, for crying out... how's that for expansion of government. The beauty part for me, not-a-smoker Bill, is that anyone, anywhere could have opened a non-smoking bar and collected the bags and bags of money that people were yearning to throw at them for the pleasure and privilege of drinking in a smoke-free environment. Or how about this, require each bar that has a smoking section to have a non-smoking section. Or how about this, set air quality standards for bars that they must meet. Or how about this... oh, forget it.

As my daughter once told me, "What makes you think this is about being rational?"
puff puff give... yow, bill

Labels: politics, qotd

"SuperBad" is the movie du jour.
I'm trying to remember where I saw positive reviews of this movie. Hmm, let's see:

• It's an 8/10 on IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/tt0829482
  
• Ebert gives it 3 1/2 stars, rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/REVIEWS/70817001
  

One of the stars is Bleeker from Juno. So, roll the dice, right?

Superbad: 0 bill-stars... one of the worst movies I've ever seen.
In a feat of unlikely stamina and optimism, I lasted an hour.
This movie sucks.


Happy Easter.
peeps... yow, bill

Labels: 0stars, movies

Wonderful QOTD:

"We have laughs together.
I care about you.
Your concerns are my concerns.
We have great sex."
- Tracy, "Manhattan"

The QOTD is Woody Allen's definition of love in "Manhattan", as proclaimed by the heroine (and Woody's 16 year-old girlfriend) Tracy.

Of course, this is sort of guy's definition of love, and I'll admit... "Manhattan" is pretty much a guy movie. Young girl (Mariel), older guy (Woody) is your first clue. I think Woody's simple philosophy in the movie is something more appealing to men in general as well.

Review: "Manhattan" by Woody Allen... 5 bill-stars and on my top ten list.
The movie itself is beyond beautiful: black and white, NYNY, Gershwin intro, dialog, characters, and a wonderful, lifting ending.

Oh yeah... an ending like this:

"Not everyone gets corrupted...
you have to have a little faith in people."
- Tracy

yow, bill

Labels: 5stars, movies, qotd

In honor of St. Patty's Day... here's my favorite quote from that newly famous politician, Barry O'Bama. QOTD:

"We are what we have been waiting for."
- Barack Obama

Now, I'm no politico, but I can't come up with a less qualified guy to run for president, let alone be president. Sure, it's not like the other candidates are knocking the cover off the ball, but at least Hillary was first lady, and McCain was in the army. Shit, even Michael Dukakis was a governor. Barry's claim to fame is that he wouldn't have voted for the Iraq war... had he been a flipping senator then. Jeez.

I am heartened, however, by our history. When did America last choose the wrong guy for President?

• 2004 - W over Kerry
• 2000 - W over nutty Al Gore
• 1996 - Bill Clinton over Bob Dole
• 1992 - Bill Clinton over old man Bush
• 1988 - George Bush over Michael Dukakis
• 1984 - Reagan over Mondale
• 1980 - Reagan over Carter
• 1976 - Carter over Ford
• 1972 - Nixon over McGovern
• 1968 - Nixon over Humphrey... this is a close call
• 1964 - Lyndon Johnson over Goldwater
• 1960 - JFK over Nixon

I guess Jimmy Carter was a pretty bad choice in 1976, but was Gerald Ford really any better? You could argue Humphrey over Nixon in 1968, as well.

Bottom line: I get the Hillary thing. She's been around, she's a chick, liberal, Bill Clinton, blah blah blah. That I get. I can relate.

I do not get voting for a guy who has less experience than the DuPage County dog catcher. Similarly, I do not get treating said guy like a rock star.

If Barry were serious about any/all of this, he could have fallen out of bed and won the governorship of Illinois. He could have built a 4-8 year record of actually running something well, and then run for president.

But no, Barry chose the "charisma" route... he can't be pinned down for much because he hasn't done anything. That type of shortcut approach seems pretty cynical to this humble voter.
barry... yow, bill

PS - More nonsense:

"I am an imperfect vessel for your hopes and dreams."
- Barry O'Bama

Sigh.

Labels: politics, qotd

Bill Buckley recently passed away.
A couple links:

• Wikipedia biography - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F_Buckley
• Buckley's creation, National Review - www.nationalreview.com
  

So, enough already... Buckley's QOTD:

"I believe that the duel between Christianity and atheism is the most important in the world. I further believe that the struggle between individualism and collectivism is the same struggle reproduced on another level."
- William F. Buckley

Please place me in the individualist camp. Amen! (oops)
Perhaps Buckley's connection between Christianity and individualism is why I'm not religious, yet I get along so well with various religious people: The Poap, JC, and all my friends at St Eth.

peace... yow, bill

PS - Outstanding op-ed in today's WSJ contrasting Barry O'Bama's negative rhetoric with the privileged attitudes of the college students who fawn over him:

Labels: politics, qotd

I'm struggling with my 4-star concept because of Yelp. I like yelp's 5 stars, so I'm considering a switch. A couple nice side effects:

1. Then 3/5 starts is the "worth it" barrier.
2. It's an easy translation to x/10, or percent, ala IMDB.

The only down side is my history of base 4 review computing. Nerd sigh. I'll give these 5 stars a go. Starting... now!

Anyway, "The Bank Job"... I think I was jobbed. 2 bill-stars (out of 5).
It was supposed to be a mindless, fun guy flick. Instead, it was was gender-neutral and boring. Boring plot. Boring characters. Little/no action. Who is that hot chick? Hold on... Saffron Burrows (???)... whatever. Skip it.

I should've gone to see 10,000 BC. Maybe.
later... yow, bill

PS - Two good previews: "Shutter" about pictures of ghosts and "The Ruins" which featured worms crawling int girls' bodies... so gross, Ty surely would have hurled. Blech.

PPS - Paxson's winner over Phoenix... was almost 15 years ago. Jeez. I think I'm going to hurl.

Labels: 2stars, movies