Aloha Daze

Stop what you’re doing, take about 45 minutes, and go watch a really cool and fun show.

But hurry! Free, but only until July 20 2008!

RLR

In 1969, an unknown author wrote a book that would later be made into a movie. That author had previously written other novels under pen names, but Andromeda Strain would be Michael Crichton’s first novel released under his real name.

If you haven’t read a Crichton novel, then you’ve probably seen a Crichton movie. Probably the most famous of all Crichton novels to be made into a movie is “Jurassic Park.” That movie did particularly well because Crichton also wrote the screenplay. Purists will realize that the book and movie differed in several regards, and that the movie version of “JP” was made a great deal more “family friendly” compared to the graphic details of the novel.

Memorial Day, A&E’s “The Andromeda Strain” makes it’s debut. It is a two-night event, so it may be more detailed than the original 1971 movie. However, the original movie was very true to the original novel, straying only - as I remember - in the sex of one of the characters. (A male in the novel, was female in the movie.)

I’m looking forward to the movie, although Crichton didn’t write the screenplay, so this may be more in the vein of “Based On The Novel.” In other words, it would resemble the novel, but not be exactly the same. We shall see.

As long as it’s not a disaster of a movie like “Rising Sun.” A disaster so bad, that Crichton actually walked out on the movie when it was being previewed to him.

Links of interest:

MichaelCrichton.com
A&E’s The Andromeda Strain

RLR

Welcome to the day that superstitious people throughout the land will be hiding in their homes, under their beds, one hand over their eyes and the other on a rabbit’s foot.

Welcome to the sixth month, the sixth day, in the sixth year of the 2000s. Welcome to 06/06/06.

There are any number of things you could do today to make it memorable. To counterbalance the evil of the day, I offer you three:

1. Go to Hell.
   Hell, Michigan, that is. Can’t make the drive? Visit their online site: Hell2U.com.
2. See a movie.
   A new version of an old classic, The Omen comes out in theaters today.
3. Buy a book.
   Ann Coulter’s Godless: The Church of Liberalism comes out in bookstores today. All about how the liberals on the left are working mighty hard to remove God from everyday life in the United States.

There you go. Three things to make your little slice of.. Michigan.. a fun and memorable day.

RLR

In a previous post, I visited the Paramount Pictures website.

While there, I watched the preview trailer for the Nickelodeon Movie “Barnyard.”

A computer animated feature, it’s rated PG for “mild peril and rude humor.” Just the sort of thing that should make young children - Nick’s target audience - happy. Hey, I got a couple of chuckles out of the trailer. Looks like good family fare to me. Set to release around October 2006.

But I also noted that the animators were detailed enough to include cow utters on their characters. Ok. That’s fine. Should provide no end of humor in the movie.

Except all the voices were male?

Huh? What?

I realize I’m slow on the uptake most of the time.. but this, I just don’t get.

RLR

Just saw this over on Craigslist:

Paramount Pictures Seeking Identical Twins for Feature Film
—
Reply to: twinscasting@yahoo.com
Date: 2006-03-24, 4:02PM HST

Paramount Pictures is seeking identical twin boys ages 9-11 to play THE LEADS in “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” a new fantasy film based on the bestselling series of books to be directed by Mark Waters (”Mean Girls”, Freaky Friday”). No acting experience is necessary. Please send an email A.S.A.P to twinscasting@yahoo.com and we will send you all the information you need to submit an audition tape…. or you can visit our website www.spiderwickcasting.com which will launch the week of March 27th.

Well, apparently the website isn’t up yet. Instead of info about casting, it sent me to Paramount’s website.

While there, I checked out a couple of other sites for movies that are coming out soon. Jack Black’s Nacho Libre looks like silly fun. It should make about $13.72 before being shuffled off to DVD. (Having said that, it’ll probably be the hidden blockbuster of Summer 2006.)

Then there was this other movie…

RLR

Alright. I admit it. For the first time in years I sat down and watched the Oscars. Why? One reason, really.

I’m a conservative that posts his political opinions in a column read by who knows how many hundreds [of search engines]. With a chance for the Democratic party [cleverly disguised as Hollywood] to make a political statement, I feel it’s important I watch for that. (Gee, where is Michael Moore when you need him?)

As a result, though, I did expect to see some politics involved in the choices for winners. Happily, when real talent was on the line, most of the time it was rewarded.

Until… they got to the category “Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song).”

They’d had musical numbers from the nominees all night. Dolly Parton for “Travelin’ Thru.” Kathleen “Bird” York for “In The Deep.” (Which I thought was a fantastic song. Good stuff. Great vocal talent!) And then there was the last nominee… and the winner.

Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard for “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp.”

First, I think the song stinks. The production number they had for it was just horrible compared to the other two nominees that sang earlier in the show. This song was just terrible.

Jon Stewart, host of the Oscars this year, mentioned how excited that the winners were to have won. Well no kidding. Really? I’d be excited too, if my dredge of a song won against real singers that had real talent. I’d be giddy, too.

I mean, c’mon people. Tell me that this wasn’t polically motivated somehow. All I can figure is that, because the movie that the song is from is about a pimp that makes it as a rap singer, we must be polically correct and agree with it. Here’s to the pimp that makes it as a singer! Yeah! Gimme a friggin’ break.

On the other hand, it looks like an upset for best picture. “Brokeback Mountain” lost to winner “Crash.” No, I don’t have a problem with a gay movie. It’s not on my watch list [and likely never will be]. So what is my problem?

You can’t sit there and tell me that, because of the two- or three-hundred people that went and watched “Mountain,” it should receive such acclaim. I think it’s more politics than genuine quality or interest that drives the Oscars. I always have believed that, and I still do.

However, overall I saw movies that were deserving of awards actually receive them. “Wallace and Gromit” winning Best Animated Feature Film of the Year. “March of the Penguins” for Best Documentary Feature. Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” for Achievement in Visual Effects.

As for politics… there was a quick quip from Jon Stewart in the beginning about Bjork putting on a dress, and VP Dick Cheney accidently shooting her. But that was pretty much all the quips in regards to partisan politics from Stewart.

Not wanting to miss a chance to prove just how much better they are than everyone else, George “Looney” Clooney said, in his acceptance speech:

“I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. I think it’s probably a good thing. We’re the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered, and we talked about civil rights when it wasn’t really popular. And we, you know, we bring up subjects. This Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I’m proud to be a part of this Academy. Proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch.”

So, he’s really proud to part of a group that did great things back in the day. ?? So? What has that got to do with current events? That and $2 gets you a bag of chips and a cup of coffee. I guess it’s because Hollywood is always fighting for the little guy. Yep. That’s Hollywood.

I did think it was a nifty idea to have Chicken Little deliver the nominee presentation for animated picture. That was good.

On the other hand, Ben Stiller putting on a green suit (leotard, really) was a one-off joke that was old almost the moment he did it. (For those that missed it, Stiller believed he was a floating head via green-screen special effects, when in fact there were no effects and he was simply dressed in a green leotard.) That joke was old immediately, but was salvaged best when Stiller said “this is blowing Spielberg’s mind!”… and the camera cut to Steven Spielberg who - even without a microphone - clearly said “No, it’s not.”

Overall, it was a big waste of time. Which means it was business as usual at the Oscars.

RLR

My Ranking: 4 out of 5.

Terry Gilliam brings to life another world of fantasy: The Brothers Grimm.

I like most any film that this Monty Python man brings to life. Some, more than others. This one is likeable, fun, and worth renting.

It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but does bring to life a world that only previously existed in the mind of Gilliam.

If you want some serious drama, or are expecting this film to be all about the stories from Grimm Fairytales… then this isn’t your movie.

However, I found it fun to catch all the various instances of those fairytales placed within the movie. Red Riding Hood. Hansel and Gretel. Rapunzel. Sleeping Beauty. Others spread throughout the movie.

Like the original Grimm Fairytales, I recommend this movie to an older audience because of the subject matter. For those that are thinking about Disney styled versions of these tales, I recommend you revisit the original Grimm tales that the Disney movies were based upon. If you’ve never read them, you’ll find them to be a bit more gritty than the Disney-ized versions you’re familiar with.

RLR