Movie Review: Avatar

Yeah, I know it's been like awhile.  I have a few plans for improvement of this here blog for 2010, but really what I need is more time. So, if anyone has any extra, feel free to email it to me.

But, back to business.  I saw Avatar last week, avoided reading any and all reviews and then broke it down for just for you, fair readers. We have never seen anything like Avatar before. James Cameron (Aliens, Titanic) delivers a seamless, rich and all-engrossing 3D experience with CGI that looks and feels completely authentic.  The uncanny valley has been conquered and yet Avatar is still just a bloated fantasy movie with a weak script and recycled devices. For once the digital effects are so good that one is left to only dwell on the art direction, story and characters.  Uh-oh.  Gratuitous use of phosphorescence, problematic otherness, plot holes and general cheesiness keep Avatar from being more than just a corny, uber-fantastical cartoon — a really elaborate, $400 million-plus (including marketing) cartoon that looks nothing like any film or animated feature that has come before it.  When a movie looks this good who needs a good story?

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Top Chef Finale! Who won? 'Cause I totally couldn't watch it.

I actually know who won Top Chef, I just didn't get to see. I'm not very happy with the result.

I'm just not feeling it lately, fair readers. My ideas are shit, I'm distracted by tinsel and cookies and I've lost the ability to half-watch crappy movies at random on cable whilst doing things around the house.  Yes, that's right we've canceled cable.  You will be the first to know that the moment I hung up with the very persistent Comcast representative after she confirmed that the technician would come by and shut off our cable from the outside at 9am the next morning, well, there were actual tears in my eyes.  I believe I uttered the words, "This sucks, " in my most self-pitying tone.  Two moments later I determined that this emotional response further justified our decision to cut the time sucking cord, not just for our bank account, but for my very soul.  Don't worry, fair readers, I did not suddenly become some born-again self-righteous holier-than-though too-good-for-TV jerk. You know those people at parties who declare without a hint of sadness that they, "don't even own a TV and don't even miss it."  Well, I miss my time suck dearly, mostly because last night I had to suffer through Glee since our HD antenna didn't really present any other options.  Please feel free to leave your reasons why you think Glee is good in the comments section, but know that I will totally hold it against you.  No, I'm kidding. No, I'm not. Maybe.

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Movie Review: Up In The Air

"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, 'as pretty as an airport.' Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort."*

It’s not often when an actor's third film of the season turns out to be a perfect culmination of personae and character, as it is for George Clooney in Jason Reitman's smart and slick “Up In The Air,” now in limited release, opening nationwide Christmas day.  “Up In The Air” is the Clooney vehicle and it's also a film that nearly everyone will like. But don't worry is has more than just Clooney’s charm and soothing car commercial voice.  This story of a middle aged traveling corporate downsizer (AKA “terminator”) and part-time motivational speaker is a crowd-pleasing feel good movie that still manages to address the current job crisis, a mid-life crisis and plenty of relationship drama.  But these doses of reality never ground “Up In The Air” and it beautifully balances the heavy issues with clever lessons on air travel and some very witty yet natural banter.  It also features two supporting female characters that are just as appealing and developed as Clooney's.  Really.

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Friday Fun!

OMG, it's here...The Weekend.  I couldn't be happier. This week blew for no reason in particular at all. I just didn't like the cut of its jib, you know?

So, here are some things you might have missed. You can thank me later for enlightening you.  Maybe get me something nice for Christmas, like alcohol.

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