You should see this. It's really cute and sweet and has good music, and it's hilarious, just like that little video above.

  Down to Earth, Peter Gabriel, Wall-e soundtrack

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 9:47 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Today is a very good day. Pirates 3 comes out on dvd, Jim Butcher's latest Codex Alera book, Captain's Fury, comes out today, AND I had a 40% coupon for a dvd box set, so I am up to Season 5 of Buffy.

Jen is a happy girl. If only work wasn't in the way. I'll still probably finish Captain's Fury before the day is over, regardless.

And maybe Saturday, a Pirates marathon at Mike-of-NaNo's apartment. Whoo!

  Captain's Fury, Jim Butcher
file under: books , celebration , movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 10:06 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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What do you think? (x-posted at LJ, because that's what I had open first...) You've got 12 days to decide if this is me (that gives you to the 26th, btw). Click and see it change, I guess.

One of these days I've got to read the books. Annoyingly enough, neither of the libraries in town have the series in one volume. Since I've already got a backlog of library books to read, I'll have to wait and request each separately.

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 10:27 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Whew! Another fandom midnight movie premiere. Saw HP and the OotP last night (with friends! finally!) and enjoyed it. The Post-Dispatch reviewer gave it a B+, and that's probably what I'd give it too...there was an awful lot missing (when you have to distill 820 pages into a 2:18 movie, of course there will be) but I think they did a good job at editing.

Daniel Radcliffe is still too cute for his age. His acting is better in this film than the others, though he was pretty good in Goblet of Fire. However, his acting is almost all we get to see. The other characters have been pretty much cut to secondary roles. Usually the most is made of any role, however small.

There are some tough scenes in the movie (as they were in the book, and if you haven't read it, I won't spoil you) but they're done well. One of my friends remarked that this one was the first she'd seen where she'd read the book first, and it is a little odd to see it, knowing what happens. I think this one did a good job at keeping the suspense up even if you knew how it would end. Of course, I don't think I've read OotP since the last book came out, so it's been a while, and things had sort of faded into the fogginess of my mind.

I liked the ending (in the sense that it was well done, not the it's-a-happy-ending way), though I wish it could have explored the book storyline a little more. There were some slow parts, and I wonder that they chose not to expand on the conclusion. People would watch it no matter how long it was. It's the shortest movie of the five that are made, yet the longest book. It could be longer.

The music wasn't wonderful. Nicholas Hooper composed it, and while there were a few times of hearing Hedwig's theme reworked, most of it was new. It was very unobtrusive except when there were establishing shots, which I've never understood. Yes, let's have sweeping orchestrals while showing you castle turrets. I'll probably buy it anyway. I miss John William's score, though.

This one won't make me rush out and see it again immediately, unlike Pirates 3, but I'll be happy to go with my parents or other friends.

PS about the car...cross your fingers that a) I can get it in for painting and alignment today (things that they would do anyway, but I bought it from them too fast) b) I can get a hold of my salesman so i) I can get a rental car for the few days it will take to paint and ii) they'll agree to fix the cupholder that they *should* fix, but we didn't notice at the beginning and c) that I really can afford this car...

file under: fantasy , movies , reviews Posted by Jen at 9:44 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Well, I've seen Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and I've had a few hours to think about it (after a dream involving Orlando, natch), and I've decided I liked it. There were quite a few funny bits, and lots of clever references to previous movies in the series, and romance (and you all know how much I like that), and some jaw-dropping moments when I could not believe what I saw on screen could possibly be how the movie would go. Yet, it all wraps up quite nicely, even though I didn't get to stay to the end (you should...I will for certain when I see it again), if in some slightly creepy ways. I'm not completely satisfied, and there are certainly some clunker storylines in there that could easily be trimmed. But I only checked my watch once. And I can't wait to see it again. Perhaps not at the Moolah, for while they did have drink specials and I was able to have a Will Turner (vodka or rum, blue curacao, and lemonade), they're expensive and I dunno if the couches are worth it.

Read on for spoilery talk...

First off: Oh, Will. Oh my God. Yes, I am a fangirl and I'm not afraid to say it. But damn he's fine in this movie. I really like Orlando as Pirate!Will. That being said, I just keep finding out that Jack is handsome, odd habits and all. He's certainly not my favorite, but I can't help but like him.

There's a whole romantic scene at the end that had me very disbelievingly staring at the screen, wondering if I had perhaps wandered into a non-Disney movie. Yes, I was happy with it. Sue me.

The "Calypso" storyline wasn't so hot. Nice to know backstory for Davy Jones, though. There are things that I wish I could have chatted with folks on the OB boards, but being without a computer I could not. I eventually found the answers today, but man I wish there was some way of being online last night at 1:30 in the morning...

There's quite a body count in this movie, which isn't so strange, considering that it's supposed to be the end (or so they say, it's definitely open for interpretation). But there are some key figures that head into the blue in this one, and I'll miss them.

Several key points didn't get made in the movie itself, but I've learned through various boards and such, and I'm glad for that. It makes things a little clearer. I wish there was a way to go back in and say, "You should tell people what happens when someone stabs the heart..."

It rains a lot on the sea, apparently. Everyone's drenched, all the time. Of course a wet Orlando is not a bad thing...for me, anyway.

Here's a bunch of randomness that doesn't really deserve full sentences: Poor Norry. Daddy Swann! Daddy Turner! Captain Turner! Will's chest! Marriage in the rain! And that kiss...

I'm going to head home and see if I can pack quick enough to see it again tonight. Yes, I obsess much.

  I Don't Think Now Is the Best Time, PotC: AWE soundtrack
  Sabriel, Garth Nix
file under: movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 4:56 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Here there be monsters...

So here you go. After nearly a year, a new layout. Pirates, again. Sorry for the long wait. Things in RL decided to be more important. Besides, I really liked the old layout. This one isn't so fancy, but I had fun with it.

Tonight I get to see PotC 3 with Leah at 9:30. Yay for advance showings! Will let you know all about it tomorrow.

Boo for my poor little iBook which is currently (hoepfully) on its way to the Apple Depot to get a new logic board. Maybe. It has been acting really funny, but of course it acts fine for the people at the Apple Store. I actually stopped in twice, and neither time did the laptop go wonky. I made them take it anyway. It's still under warranty, after all. Here's hoping it doesn't get erased. At least I have my story file.

  "Singapore," from the At World's End soundtrack

file under: celebration , movies , orlando , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 11:15 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I saw 300 a few hours ago. I have to say, wow. That movie is gorgeous. Gritty, gory, really dirty and totally unbelievable, but gorgeous.

And good God, the abs. I am in awe of the abdominal muscles of the Spartans. Most likely computer-enhanced, but anyway. Almost enough to get me out there working out

It was rousing in a blood-soaked way. As long as I didn't think about the masses of blood being shed, it was beautiful. It was a dance, almost, to watch the battle, to see the parry and recovery of an artist of war.

I saw it for purely research purposes, of course. I can't quite figure out how to plan a war for my novel, so I need all the help I can get.

Two people I did not expect in this movie: David Wenham and Rodrigo Santoro. I like both of these actors, but I couldn't get over seeing David aka Faramir bare-chested and blond in a sea of dark-haired Spartans, even if he did a great job as the storyteller. Considering the other roles I've seen him in (Moulin Rouge and Van Helsing) he's not my first thought when someone says, hey! I need a Spartan! And as for Rodrigo, I've only seen him in Love Actually and those Chanel ads, but he is hardly recognizable.

Gerard Butler is very much recognizable, and does well. Though apparently Spartans were part Scottish...

I'm glad I saw it. It was visually stunning. See it if you can stand the gore.

  Attack, 30 Seconds to Mars

file under: movies , reviews Posted by Jen at 12:15 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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ye gods, am I tired.

But happy. And I haven't crashed yet, so let's see how I get through the upcoming happy hour/farewell to a coworker who's off to (Wash U) med school. Lucky girl.

Anyway, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was all that and a barrel of monkeys. Well, one undead one, anyway. I liked it, perhaps not quite as much as the first, but well enough that I won't be sorry to see it again. The ending is one heck of a cliffhanger that NO ONE in the theater saw coming. Orlando looked fine, though his dialogue wasn't as good as it could have been. Johnny Depp was superb, again, even when he was being wacky.

It definitely suffers from middle-child syndrome, but so much less so than, say, Episode II. It has a beginning, middle, and end, but there are quite a few story threads and it can be difficult to keep track of everyone's shifting alliances. Well, it was difficult for me, but that could just be because I was doing it on very little sleep and between 12 and 2 am...

I brought my hat, but decided I didn't really want to tote it into the theater and risk having to put it on the floor. I should have done, though. There were quite a few other people dressed up. I almost did, but I wasn't thinking clearly enough before I left for the theater to get one together. We lost the softball game (drat, again, and through some errors of mine, sigh) and it was a late game, too, so I didn't have a lot of time to shower, eat and change. Oh well.

Okay, it's time to get happy. Enjoy the weekend!

  Superman Returns: Main Titles

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 5:02 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Some of you out there will say I told you so, but I did end up deciding to see the midnight premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest tonight. I bought a ticket yesterday when I bought milk. Ah, the joys of having a theater right next to the grocery store. There's a possibility that my new roommie will come too, but I don't count on it. She's a little flighty.

In case you're somehow reading this on a feed and don't realize the pretty pictures surrounding the entry, I put up a new layout for Pirates. I enjoy it. It's not quite unkinked yet, unfortunately, but that's partly because I got the thing uploaded during the course of several late-night coding sessions. And as much as I know I'm a night owl, I was not thinking all that clearly...

I had a subject not show up today due to sickness, so I got to work early for no reason. At least the subject didn't get lost like the last one did. And there's a softball game tonight, so we'll see how well I do tomorrow, being horribly sleep deprived. Though that's not unusual for me

It'll be a long day...strange to think that the movie is only twelve hours away, but on the other hand, egad. Twelve hours! I think I will at least wear my hat. Perhaps my renaissance shirt, but then I'd have to wear the bodice...not sure if I could stand waiting in that thing! It's supposed to be relatively cool tonight as well. Go figure.

I'll let you know what I think tomorrow Wish me luck at softball tonight!

file under: movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 12:13 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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This time last night I was sitting in a movie theater, watching the premiere of Superman Returns on an IMAX screen in 3D. It was pretty cool.

First off, let me just say that I think Brandon Routh is quite good looking, and it would be worth it to see the movie again just for him. Of course, I say that now, while Pirates 2 is still a week and a half away.

So, about the movie. I liked it, quite a bit. It was probably better than X3, if we're comparing superhero/comic book movies, on par with X2, possibly better than Spidey 2. Eh. Maybe not. I really liked Spidey 2.

I'm trying to remember what I said for the Fanboy Smackdown podcast, but as it's rather late and I've still got a few chapters of the new Anita Blake book to read, so you will just have to listen to the podcast and find out what we (me and the writing buddies who saw the show) chatted about.

It was a visually pleasing show to watch. Lots of interesting ideas and a fair bit of plot for a comic movie. I liked that they managed to make Superman seem human even in his super-ness. I didn't like how the CG artists couldn't quite figure out how to render the superCape, but perhaps that's just me and my odd aesthetics.

The 3D aspect of it was fun (especially the fact that all three trailers--that has to have been the shortest preview section I've ever watched--were in 3D too) but didn't really do much for me. Part of that could have been because we were sitting in the third row from the screen, hence much neck-craning went on. The price you pay, I guess.

Speaking of price, it's finally happened: I paid double digits for a movie ticket. I remember thinking back in 2003 when Pirates came out and I was in CA for Comic-Con. I saw Pirates out there, and paid 9.45 and was appalled. Well, these tix were $11. Sigh. Young, prices were reasonable, nostalgia, etc.

I'll gladly see it again, most likely with the 'rents, since that's the way things go. However, tonight was special, since my parents decided at the last minute that they wanted to see Aida at the Muny. We were actually planning on just sitting outside and listening to the music or seeing if there were any free seats. So we go to check out the free seat availability, and my mom asks an usher if there are any left. He calls this woman over, and she consults a fistful of tickets, they debate, gave us three tickets, two of which were in the same row, another that was just behind.

We start walking towards the free seats, then look at the tickets. Lo and behold they are actually in the paying section of the theater! Sweet! We got good, comp tickets, and it turned out that we could sit together anyway because no one claimed the seat next to my parents.

Aida was good; I wasn't expecting it to be spectacular, since I sort of mistrust anything that advertises itself as coming from Elton John. But it's good. I like the songs and I guess one day I'll get the soundtrack. It was pretty professional as Muny shows go; last year (I think...could have been before that, can't remember) we saw Beauty and the Beast there, and it wasn't nearly as good as it should have been. Yet another movie I'd like to see on Broadway. or at least at the Fox

So who wants to see Superman again before Pirates comes along and knocks it out of #1? *fangirl giggle* There are other things I'd like to chat about for Superman, but not now. It's definitely time for bed. If I'm ambitious, I'll remember what it is that I wanted to say. If I'm lucky, I'll see it again this weekend and have a better angle to present. Go see it and tell me what you think.

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 11:54 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Yesterday I bought my ticket to see the fourth Harry Potter movie on Friday. I'm begging off work early and will have to leave literally as soon as we finish the second part of the study. Hopefully it will be good, and people will appreciate my costume (I actually like costuming better in the winter...usually costumes are so hot, it's nice to have a reason to wear all the paraphenalia and not look like you just jumped in a pool), and I will get some writing done while I wait for entry. Here's hoping that I can make it in time to get a decent seat. Alas that I couldn't make it to the midnight premiere, as much as I would like to, since I'm being practical and giving myself a few more hours of sleep. And woe that I couldn't make it to an IMAX showing (since when did the theater I'm going to get IMAX?) since it would be cool to see this one in IMAX like I did with the 3rd movie. Though I recall that I said I wouldn't have wanted to see it for the first time on that big screen...too much to take in with such a huge surround screen.

This weekend will be hectic, starting with the fact that the very moment I get out of the movie I'll have to rush over to Parkway South to help my mother set up for her show. (You should come visit us.) Then two, count 'em, two shows on Saturday. And Sunday, right after the writer's meeting for NaNo, I'll have to rush off to P'Way S. again and help with take-down. Joy.

Of course, that's not even counting the sleep-deprivation I'm in for this week, as there are three studies this week (again) and wednesday's will be particularly brutal, given that it starts at 6:45 am. *shrieks* My poor little not-a-morning-person-self. Boo hoo. And the writing. Oh ho, the writing. I'm still about 3k behind where I *should* be, but I ought to be able to make it up. I'm ahead of where I was last year, anyway. Whoo!

Here's a reason to stay up late, though. Lord knows I did. I rejoice in fast, but good, reads, and this fit the bill. It's an inspiration for NaNo, I tell you *sighs at feeling the need to justify staying up too late to finish a book*

Happy Monday.

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 2:49 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So I saw Elizabethtown friday night, and liked it. I went with friends who didn't see it because of Orlando Bloom and had heard it reamed on NPR's movie review just prior to arriving at the theater, and liked it anyway. It was funnier than I expected. It was glorious seeing Orli's face up close like that (and we were close. The Moolah's couches are very close to the screen, and it's a big screen, and we were in the second row. I think my neck is still a little sore, lol) and overall I was happy with the movie. It's no Almost Famous, but it's a worthy effort by director Cameron Crowe. I'm not sure it deserved all the drubbings it got from the critics. I can see some of what they're talking about, some slow moments and a little bit of weird editing, but shoot, Return of the King had that too, and look how that turned out. I wonder what the cut was like at the Toronto Film Festival, where ETown premiered, since apparently it was so bad that CC was forced to recut it.

There were lots of funny bits. There were definitely things I could relate to, like the scene where Drew (Orlando's character) first meets his country cousins. I've had that happen to me before; there's this room full of people who know me, and know me well, somehow, even though they haven't seen me since I was yea-high to a grasshopper (aka a very long time ago), and they LOVE that you're there! It's weird and offputting and strangely gratifying. Seemed like there was a lot of reality in this movie, for all that it's larger than life.

I suppose I can see where some of the complaints came from. Some parts are a little long, true, and some of the scenes didn't quite flow. There were technical questions, like why on earth wasn't test-marketing done on this shoe (Drew is a shoe designer who spent eight years designing this one shoe which turns out, as the movie calls it, to be a total fiasco), and honestly, whose cell phone battery lasts all night? And how exactly did they have Drew getting lost on the way to Elizabethtown (which is on exit 60B, in case you were wondering about the title) when it looks like a straight shot from the airport to the town? But those don't seem like reasons to pan the movie. Just observations.

I kept noticing little moments that reminded me of Orli in other parts...I guess I've seen him so much in his other movies that everything he's done now is overlaid with Will or Legolas or Balian. Which isn't a bad thing. I like him in those movies. I guess it's just that I don't want him stereotyped in my mind. It's a good thing this was a comedy. I laughed quite a bit, and so did the rest of the theater. It was mostly girls (no surprise there) or couples, though there were two older men sitting on the couch next to us, and all of us wondered why exactly old men were going to see an Orlando Bloom movie. Maybe they were just going because they had nothing better to do. Maybe they like Cameron Crowe's movies. Maybe they like Cameron Crowe. Whatever. Regardless, the couches were full and there were people upstairs in the balcony as well. Good. And box-office wise, it came in third behind The Fog and Wallace & Gromitt, which I consider a good showing because ETown was on fewer screens and wasn't rated G.

I wore my only western-style buttondown shirt, because Orli wears one in the scene at the end of the movie. Doubt anyone noticed, but it made me happy. Also making me happy was the toasted ravioli that I had during the movie, even though it was expensive and I had to leave the theater for about 30 seconds to get it. The Moolah is a nice place, and I hope I get to go back soon. This time I'm going to remember to ask for the student discount and get my parking pass validated so I can get a discount on consessions. Ah well. You live, you learn.

On another movie related note, I saw Domino (starring Kiera Knightly and opening wide the same day as ETown) a couple of weeks ago as a free screening from Glamour magazine. It was good, fast-pasted, frenetic. Visually engaging. Not so much gory as gritty. Very in your face and if you don't like it I'll punch you in the nose (which occurred several times). Unexpectedly funny at times. Made you wonder how much of the story was true. I'd recommend it, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.

I wonder if an envelope from AAMC will be waiting for me when I get home...it's the middle of October, after all, and the MCAT scores are supposed to be coming out about now...Friday and Saturday when I checked the mail there were important looking envelopes that at first glance looked like they could be score-containing, but I was disappointed. Even now I'm nervous thinking about it. Damn stupid college GPA. Why didn't I study harder? Because if these scores are crappy, not only will I have to take the MCAT again, I'll have to take graduate courses, because there's no way med schools will look at my app once they see the GPA. Sigh. Hindsight sucks.

Just a little more work, then I'll be on my way. Go Cards!

  Wicked, Gregory Maguire. Borrowed from Cece in hopes that I'll finish it before seeing the eponymous musical when it comes to the Fox...
file under: movies Posted by Jen at 4:21 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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In honor of the new movie Elizabethtown coming out today, you have a new layout. Lots of new things tried in this design, and it's not finished yet. I hope you like it...it took me a long time to learn the CSS. Please forgive the odd placement while I try to figure out which stupid DIV tag isn't closed. Everything that you remember should be here, it just might be in an odd place. If you see something that you know absolutely cannot be right, comment, and I'll see if I can fix it. And if you notice it, it's most likely that I noticed it too, since it's still being updated. I hope to have an archive page redesign up soon, but it might be a while. I've got a list that's slowly but surely being checked off. If the colors are screamingly annoying, comment, and tell me what colors would be better. I like having my (ahem) fans' input.

Tonight not only do I get to see a movie with Orli, I get to see it at the Moolah Shrine Theater which has couches in the first five rows. Hopefully we'll snag one of those, but it's first come, first served, so who knows?

And it's official...I've got my tickets to Vegas. Now all I have to do is not spend any money from now until then, and I'll be ok...though I really want an iPod Nano for the trip. Wouldn't that be grand.

file under: movies , orlando , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 12:25 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum. --Frances Willard

Kingdom of Heaven, the Etown score, and Lifefrom Ricky Martin (yes, that Ricky Martin) all come out today. I'm excited. I'll have time tonight to head to the store (there's even rebates at FYE! Score!) after I talk to one of the deans from WU Arts & Sciences about med school. I feel like such a n00b about it. I don't even really know the proper progression of what happens once you're in it. That and I have to write essays. And find science teachers for evaluation purposes. Natch. But anyway, once I've spent they very little money I can this week, I'll be a happy camper since I will have Orlando goodness to watch. Whee! Maybe I can remember to pick up a new notebook at the campus bookstore, as it seems I've lost mine. *tear* all those ideas. Hopefully I'll find it, but it's not looking good.

Happier note, I found out that I did in fact get 100 on my A&P test, which just rocks my socks. I hope that the next one can be so high. I have a lab practical exam this week, which I suppose I should prepare for...I've probably mentioned it before, but usually I do better in labs than I do in the lecture. Here it's the opposite. Oh well. Study harder. Why oh why didn't I do that when I was actually in college? Ah, hindsight.

Still waiting on those MCAT scores. Oh, and the contents pages (linked above) have been migrated to MT. So there's nothing new, just makes it easier on me to put something new there when I finally do get a chance. Best be off to work.

file under: movies , muses , music , orlando Posted by Jen at 12:11 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So how about that $50-million first day Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith posted? I admit I did help that out in my small way. I took off a little early from work hoping that there would still be some space at the theater near my house, and lo and behold, there was. So I waited in line behind this nice couple and their two kids and read my Narnia books for an hour. Well, half-hour, really, since they let us in with 30 minutes to go. And apparently the theater got all fancy and had moving ads on the screen while we waited as opposed to your standard slides, which was cool. It was funny, took a little while to realize what was different.

And they started the trailers early. Which is good, I guess, and I know I've complained about 20 minutes of trailers before, but still, I now have to break the habit of feeling safe when I'm just a few minutes late because the trailers no longer start at the movie time, the movie starts at the movie time. Imagine that. Hey, what can I say, I like trailers. Especially the Narnia teaser trailer. It was great to see it on the computer, but it's even better in a theater with surround sound and a huge screen. Sigh: to have a home theater.

So yeah. The movie. It was good, I liked it, and if asked by someone I would probably see it again. The StL Post gave it two out of four stars, while I would probably give it 2 1/2 stars. The special effects redeem the (still) pretty poor acting, and the story has some flaws. I guess what bothered me the most is they just didn't quite make it believeable that Anakin would surrender so easily to the Dark Side. It happened too quickly. And while he had a valid reason, it wouldn't be what pushed me over the edge, I guess. Whatever. It was a good way to end the series, and I'm sure it's going to last all summer long. Bully for George Lucas.

So the next thing on my list is to learn GarageBand because I really want to write some songs of my own. I have to admit, as much as I want a PowerBook, the fact that an iBook comes with iLife (which includes GarageBand) made the iBook the only choice. Let's hope there are no exploding power adaptors associated with this computer, eh? So I finally got myself a book to help me out, and I've found a couple of places online that look great, like iComposition and MacJams so hopefully one day you too can hear my sweeping soundtrack-like songs. Er. Yeah.

That is, when I'm not studying for the MCAT. The closest I've come to that so far is looking at the instructions for signing up, which I suppose I ought to do soon. Why on earth is a stupid test like that $200? I don't understand why it costs so much when so many people are taking it. Bugger. Maybe the 'rents will help out. It's scary, that your future can sort of rest on how well you perform on an eight-hour test. Oy.

On the upside, Writer's Meetup tonight, and I AM going to go, and hopefully my friend who is Sexier Than A Duck will be there too, so yay. I have to figure out what bit of writing I would present. Eek! Some of the old Moonstone stuff is just crap. I know this, you know this if you read it, but really, I have to get to the end before I can fix the beginning. Seems odd to put it that way but I must move forward. I want to send off a query letter like STAD did And another upside is that even though Kate doesn't really know if she'll like the renfest, she's going with me next weekend. Yay! Perhaps I'll wear my newly-completed skirt. Or not, depending on whether or not I can stand to wear the bodice for a day. We'll see. I really need to start doing crunches.

Here's to making beautiful music. Or maybe just lunch.

  GarageBand 2: Create and Record Music on a Mac
file under: movies Posted by Jen at 9:40 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Well, today's the day. Kingdom of Heaven comes out. Due to scheduling conflicts I won't be able to see it until rather late (you know I would be out of here in a flash to see it right now, if I could), but at least I'm seeing it, and seeing it with other people, which is a big bonus. And it's going to be at a cool theater (as long as it's not sold out, which would be my luck) that I've never been to. So, yay.

And, how do you like the new layout? It didn't take me very long, more because of lack of time to do it than it was easy. Luckily I've got most of the kinks out of updating MT so that part goes relatively smoothly. Don't forget to check out the archives, which also has a neat new layout, if I do say so myself.

In case you're curious: reviews of KOH from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Riverfront Times. It got three out of four stars from the PD. Yay! I have a feeling this will either be a movie that critics hate but the general public loves, or everybody hates/loves it. Kind of like National Treasure. Critics thought it was horribly formulaic but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Hopefully this will be the same way. I have high hopes.

[edit: for those of you who came by and saw absolutely nothing aside from pretty pictures on this blog, it was purely an error on my part, but somehow a) two of the same entry were posted and b) there was an incorrect tag in at least one of the entries so it crucked up all the actual blog content. Fixed now. Yay. And at least one person likes the layout...you should have your say too. /edit]

  Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack

file under: movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 1:12 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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HP Fan Trips || Where Magic Travels Together
Remember how I said I wanted to go to London? Yeah. Wouldn't this be a great way to do it? lol. Of course I'd like to do the Scotland part as well...bah. what happens to all my money? Boo. Because I am really needing a new laptop now. I've noticed that my faithful little iBook is dropping pixels on the monitor...doesn't bode well for future graphics...and I want a keyboard. The Mesnier (elementary) school music teacher wrote a song for her kids and the high school choir and us alumni in the show (tonight! Tonight is the show! eek!) and she has one of those huge concert-type keyboards with all sorts of neat synth sounds. Of course I realize I won't get one of those, but man, it's neat to hear.

I'll probably head out shortly...I'm so tired from this week and I have to get to the high school early for call. I heard that it's supposed to be a full house, so get there early if you're coming wish me luck! *shoos away sore throat*

  The Knight, Gene Wolfe
file under: movies Posted by Jen at 2:39 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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If you go to the official site you can get notes from the Opera Ghost and see a clip from the film I absolutely adore the opening sequence from this movie. And if I can make it to the MEGA SCREEN (Wehrenberg Theater's line, not mine) at the Chesterfield Galaxy 14, then hey, all the better. Hopefully the screensaver from the site will work on my comp at home after being transferred from a PC to a mac. Silly file exchange.

Perhaps tomorrow, I WILL KNIT! Take that, non-craftyness-persons! Er. Yeah.

(Side note: I can now embed FLASH MOVIES! *confetti*)

  Phantom OST: Angel of Music

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 4:28 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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m15m: Hidalgo in Fifteen Minutes. Noticed that King Arthur has a parody too. These things are great, nearly better than the movies. And she gets to write a book. *is jealous* I know, I know. I simply have to actually *WRITE*. Meh. At least now I have a desk for to be productive on.

Have headache. *aches*

Why am I hungry? I had lunch. *wonders*

*thinks about going to Borders after work* *brightens*

*shuts up*

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 4:20 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Yay! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix comes out in paperback today! As soon as I'm done voting I think I'll head over to Waldenbooks and get my copy (There's a fun little Lego game here, although it seems to go pretty slowly on my computer. Maybe it's just me.

And if you go here you can read a spoiler from the Goblet of Fire script...exciting! GoF was always one of my favorites of the series. I can't wait to see it onscreen. Yay Harry Potter!

Don't forget to vote for me in the website competitions today...the links are below the post! I really need your help this week!

file under: books , movies Posted by Jen at 4:29 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Dan Radcliffe...aka Harry Potter, turns 15 today. Ahh, jailbait. Course, he's the second or maybe even most rich kid in England, so I don't think he'll have a bad one. Just browsing MuggleNet.com - The Ultimate Harry Potter Site...need more HP desktops. Silly, I know. It's been a while since I've surfed on my laptop so it's sadly out of date.

Sounds like the Calcium Kid and Troy will both come out on dvd around October sometime.

Am I horrible if I really want to see Spidey 2 and HP 3 again? And again? Egad I need a life. Of course, JK Rowling needs to write quicker so we can have a book 6...and I need to wait until August 10 to actually spend money so I can do that silly thing called 'saving'...

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 12:04 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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You must click to watch this 4 minute Spidey vs Doc Ock video, with all 'actors' scenes, props etc, made out of Lego blocks! It's well done and quite funny. Yay childhood toys put to good use

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 6:00 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Saw King Arthur last night. Saw it alone because once again I've run into the 'need more offline friends' brick wall. Sometimes I hate being a loner. I don't mind that I saw it alone, although it was damn cold in the theater and quite empty for an opening night...thank goodness I brought an extra shirt and a book. Lots of fun imagery, but awkwardly edited. I enjoyed it, but it seemed like there were some parts missing. Had a good score though. Hans Zimmer may be derivitive sometimes but he still writes good music.

Seemed like there were some strange cuts from one scene to another...here's a shot of Woads getting ready for battle, here's a nice domestic scene...or here's the night before battle and then it's dark and suddenly Guenivere is sneaking into Arthur's room...and even though I knew they were separate groups, for quite a while it was hard to figure out who was Saxon and who was native Briton. Guess that's why they went with the super-blue people. Poor Merlin hardly got a mention.

Kiera Knightly is entirely too pretty for words. She looks good even when she's blue. Perhaps not the right accent for her acting region, but at least I was convinced she could be both queen and warrior. sometimes. Clive Owen, now, I could live without him. He's just not my type. Although I did start to like him better towards the end of the movie. He does seem like a Roman officer. I liked most of the knights of the Round Table...Gawain and Galahad were familiar, I knew I'd seen them before, but couldn't place them with all that hair! Gawain's actor also appeared in Ned Kelly (with your favorite and mine, Orlando Bloom) and Galahad was in some period drama that I'm not sure of but I know I've seen.

Ioan Gruffud is a good looking man, and he uses two swords as Launcelot...kinda like Legolas' white knives. Yay! Unfortunately the friendship between Arthur and Launcelot isn't really developed and there is nonexistent romance between Launcelot and Guenivere. I heard that Jerry Bruckheimer (producer) was pushing for an R but this ended up with PG-13, so I bet a lot of the romance got cut so there could be more 'violent' fighting sequences.

Warning: there's a spoiler ahead.

Launcelot dies! Damn them! Stop killing off the cute ones!

Silly reason, I know, but I really wanted to see a movie that opened on 7-7. Being that 7 is my favorite number, how could I refuse? Eh. I guess I should be used to going to work tired after movies by now.

Still wanna be an actor. Medieval costume drama anyone? I need a sewing machine so I can start working on all those patterns I bought last year. Merph.

Found out yesterday that Troy is no longer in theaters around the StL area. How sad! I wonder how long it will take to get to dvd.

Kareoke with Josh Groban I'm amused that I got my (single) ticket to the Josh Groban concert later this month probably about a month ago, but I'm just now getting my John Mayer tickets (for a concert just a few days later). And the greatly frustrating thing is that the JM tix are sent UPS...which means they can't deliver unless someon's home. Damn the inner-lobby mailbox! I really don't want to take off early to try can catch the deliveryman, but I guess I will. I can only hope that he comes around the same time he did yesterday, cause I'm not going to take off a half day the day before I go on vacation! Ah well. I guess it gives me more time to pack.

Softball tonight!

  Billy Joel: The Ballad of Billy the Kid

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 12:27 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging to let you know that fictionary is up. Go read and comment. And submit something of your own!

Now back to your blogging, already in progress.

Ok...saw Spider-man 2 last night at midnight. Yay! Good stuff. I don't know if it surpasses the first one overall, but it was quite fun and I came out smiling so that is definitely worth two thumbs up. Following are the random thoughts that I came up with around 3:17 am last night so I would remember something to write today

CAUTION! There will be spoilers. Go see it! Then discuss.

*Peter gets the girl this time! Although wtf with the last image of the movie being MJ's depressed face?
*Gooood kiss at the end. Aha! Requited love! and blast, police sirens...
*Re: ripping fabric during the train-stop scene...wouldn't shoulder joints tear first? Eh. Silly biology. Love that the gloves are still pristene after holding onto all those webs under such pressure.
*So does John Jameson's leap there at the end mean anything? I've heard rumors about ManWolf...
*Squee! Shirtless!Tobey! haha.
*Poor Harry. He spent the movie getting drunk and pissed off at Spidey. Understandable I guess, but there's only so much emoting you can do while drunk...and wtf hearing voices now? I've heard he takes up the Green Goblin mantle which is clearly forshadowed here, but let's face it, even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign. Ha. And thank goodness the movie didn't end with him picking up one of the performance enhancer tubes! And eek! re: Murderous!Harry. Not so keen on killing your best bud, are ya?
*MJ's wedding dress...fluff much? She looked a little like meringe.
*Tobey Maguire is good at earnest faces. I can't quite decide if I think he's cute or just good with emotions.
*"Hi."
"Hi."

(Spidey holds up an wall made entirely of I-beams and other random metal objects, thereby saving MJ from a particularly nasty death by squishing.)

"This is kinda heavy."

MERF! Hah. Not really a time for small talk, eh?

*I'm glad I watched the Today show interview with Tobey yesterday because Matt Lauer explicitly said Spidey would lose his powers, and Tobey said why...he was stressed out and not sleeping/eating enough, etc. I guess I could have missed it but I didn't really feel like they explained why he was suddenly webless.
*It's painful to watch Spidey/Peter fall, get punched, sliced up, etc. Or at least it was for me. I think this is good because it means you're really relating to the characters!
*Doc Ock's "I don't want to die a monster." But...he did, didn't he? Still had those arms at the end...
*Peter's reveal as Spidey. Good stuff! Each character/group that saw it reacted differently but appropriately. I love how he got his mask back. Amazingly resilient stuff, that spandex...apparently capable of sealing itself around his neck. It's the amazing invisible seam! And the I-can't-see-so-I'm-taking-off-my-mask works until he puts it back on and the eyeshields are magically clean again. Maybe the kids cleaned them off.
*Yay for telling the truth to Aunt May about Uncle Ben's death. Well-acted scene.
*So Peter's behind in his rent for the whole first part of the movie and then it never comes up again. He hasn't been making any money, so...? Ah well. Continuity sucks sometimes.
*Er, Russian Rent Girl...sorry, but there's nothing there. Thanks for the cake, though.
*The big-lips girlfriend from "24" was one of MJ's friends.
*Lovely look with the sliced up spidersuit. If he had to take that one back from JJ Jameson, what's he gonna do now? And where does he get all that spandex and rubber from anyway?
*Evil Dead moment, anyone? Per se, the hospital?
*Yay PissedOff!Peter after the deli scene. Good imagery with the fisting hand.
*Definitely some adrenaline rushes and startling moments. yay!
*Will Peter ever finish college? Will he ever get a job that pays him to websling? Will he ever write his paper on fusion, now that his subject is at the bottom of a lake?
*Poor Jilted!John, actually left at the altar by Meringe!MJ! haha.
*Eeek! Barbed Wire! Ha! I laugh at you, Barbed Wire, you mean nothing to me. I shall break these bonds in front of Harry because I can!
*Hah. J Jonah Jameson: "Call the caterer. Tell her not to open the caviar."
*I loved the reverent catching of Spidey when he's about to fall off the train after saving it. Awww! NY'ers really do care!
*Giant-web-spinning!Spidey...guess it's easier to set up than a hammock, but wtf anyway? It just looked a little silly. But Tobey did look good up there.

The characters seemed real, relatable, reasonable in their decisions, even if they were awkward or hard or strange. People you'd be friends with, as long as they weren't madmen. Peter does seem to make enemies easily. Good thing there's going to be another one. I adore the gymnastic poses Spidey has when he's (momentarily) stopped. I find it somewhat ironic that the good-evil struggle was between Spider-man, who it would make sense to have eight limbs but only has four, and Doc Ock, who is supposed to have only four limbs and ends up with eight, and whose name is ingeniously poised to accept that. Whatever.

I loved the opening credits. They essentially recapped the first movie in a series of great watercolors, except for a few headshots of MJ, until the last scene where a painting morphs into a billboard with her face on it. Man I wish I could paint like that.

  Spider-man 2 soundtrack: Spidey Suite

file under: movies Posted by Jen at 12:56 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|