Some of the news that is fit to print

Monster-in-law... been there, done that

We went to see Monster-in-law last night. Actually, we went to see Crash, but there was some kind of emergency in Woodley Park that blocked Connecticut Avenue and wreaked havoc throughout the area. So the five minute trip to the movie theater took 20 minutes and we missed Crash and got to see Monster-in-law instead. And I was not all that thrilled about seeing it. The movie has not been well reviewed and just seemed... well, lame for lack of a better word. The movie just seemed like a star vehicle for Jane Fonda with a story that we have all seen many times before. And that is largely the case.

The story is about Charlie (Jennifer Lopez), who leads an eclectic life -- she walks dogs, is an artist, work as a temp in a doctors office... she's a free spirit. She isn't unhappy. But then she sees Dr. Kevin Fields (the very hot Michael Vartan) and falls in love and is eventually engaged. Her monster-in-law to-be Viola (Fonda), a recently fired television talk show diva, has a big problem with her doctor son marrying a "temp." And so the "fun" ensues. Much of the movie is a cat fight between these two. Parts of it are funny. Most of it you have seen before. It is fun to see Fonda on the screen again, but the work doesn't live up to her talent.

CJD's grade: C

Star Wars wedding

I know I said I was done with Star Wars posts, but yesterday's WSJ story was just irresistable. It featured a couple having a Star Wars wedding.

Jeff Yankey, a 32-year-old mutual-fund employee, has 200 Star Wars action figures in his Noblesville, Ind., home. His closet is full of Star Wars costumes, ranging from Royal Guard to Slave Leia. He met his wife through the 501st Legion, a Star Wars fan club, and their wedding featured groomsmen dressed as the movie's white-suited stormtroopers.

Again, this makes me feel much better about myself!

Star Wars: The Review

I know just about everybody is sick of me blogging on and on and on about it, but the end is in sight!

As a general rule, I don't say, "I'm too old for..." -- fill in the blank. I don't because I honestly believe that nobody is too old to do almost anything. I have been on bike trips before where there were people in there 70s riding faster and farther then me, so... I don't think I am too old to do many things. That being said, I may be too old to stay up until 4:14a only to have to get up and work in just a few hours. That is, until this kind of thing comes along again.

My own evolution came full circle last night. I went from a person who intensely disliked the fourth/first and fifth/second movies and I had even said I was not going to see the sixth/third movie at all. (That was a rule I successfully implemented with the Matrix movies -- the first one, good, but the second one convinced me that I must miss the third one... and that was a wise move.) But I got sucked in! After all, I remember seeing the first/fourth movie back in 1977 at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. My father told me it was like a Western in outer space. Even at 11, I was sceptically. But I was enthralled at that first scene where the Imperial cruiser flies over head.

And so I was there last night at 10:45p waiting in a line in Georgetown's movie megaplex waiting for a 12:15a movie. I'm often leery about midnight showings because the folks tend to be a tad bit impassioned. When I Star Wars two/five, the goofballs would applaud at every time Yoda comes on the screen. Give me a break! I'm there to watch the movie! The crowd last night, however, was generally cool -- they were clearly freaks and, of course, predominantly men -- after all, they are going to be up until 3a seeing a movie! -- but they were fun and they really wanted to see the movie. There was an added anticipation because of the generally favorable reviews. And it was a good group -- my "father-in-law," DMV's soon-to-be brother-in-law, my favorite uncle out from San Diego, and one of our dear friends.

The money moment, however, was Batman and Spider Man in a Jedi light-saber fight. Ahh! And don't forget the grown men dressed up like Darth Vader!

And the movie -- the movie really is quite good. This is not the last two movies. It is dark, but you leave with such a sense of satisfaction because it wraps up the series in a bow. I wanted to run home and watch the fourth/first one again!

This is by no means a perfect movie. My one realization -- George Lucas is much more comfortable with technology then he is with people. The movie really looks great... and it has a great overarching story. Lucas is great at the macro-writing, but when it comes to micro-writing. Some of the dialog can be tedious. You just hear some of this stuff and think, "Doesn't anybody edit this?" (The answer is probably no.)

This is not a really a spoiler, but if you don't want to know anything about the movie, skip the rest of this graph... Near the end of the movie, now Darth Vader and the Emperor are on an Imperial cruiser watching the building of the first Death Star. And they have an actor who looks similar to Peter Cushing, who played Grand Moff Tarkin, an Imperial governor who ran the Death Star in the first movie. Cushing, however, died in August 1994 and Wayne Pygram plays him in this movie.

A bonus: Hans Christian Anderson -- OK, Hayden Christensen -- is really hot and there is a bonus shirt-off scene.

And I'm not going to give anything away for those who have not seen it yet -- why weren't you out last night? -- but don't be discouraged by the last two. If you liked the first three movies, go -- I think you will enjoy it. And if you're not a Star Wars fan, Slate.com has pulled together a primer on the movies so you can get caught up.

So my grade... B... a thumb up... seven out of 10...

Star Wars... the early views

So some papers have already run their reviews of the newest Star Wars movie. According to MetaCritic.com, which uses some formula to tabulate reviews and puts it on a 1-100 scale, the movie gets a 69 -- generally favorable.

The WP.com's Sith Sense Star Wars blog has links to other reviews, including yesterday's pretty glowing NYT review from A.O. Scott.

This is by far the best film in the more recent trilogy, and also the best of the four episodes Mr. Lucas has directed. That's right (and my inner 11-year-old shudders as I type this): it's better than "Star Wars."

That, however, can be tempered by the must-read NYorker review from Anthony Lane, headlined "Space Case," which generally slams the movie.

The general opinion of 'Revenge of the Sith' seems to be that it marks a distinct improvement on the last two episodes, 'The Phantom Menace' and 'Attack of the Clones.' True, but only in the same way that dying from natural causes is preferable to crucifixion."

The all-important CJD review to be posted sometime on Thursday -- whenever I can actually pry my eyes open after being up most of the night Wednesday.

And at that point, I think it should just about conclude this seemingly never ending Star Wars tirade I have been on!

Almost Star Wars, but not quite...

So the Organic Trade Association has a fantastic movie on its Web site -- Grocery Store Wars -- a spoof of Star Wars, of course. But this five-minute online movie features the case of Cuke Skywalker, Princess Lettuce, Chewbroccoli and other organic rebels dressed as Star Wars characters -- battle it out with Darth Tader, the evil lord of the Dark Side of the Farm.

"These are dark times, young Cuke," says Obi Wan Cannoli. "An empire of pollution and pesticides has ruthlessly conquered the market, nearly wiping out our organic birthright." The site also lets you "learn the ways of the farm" and join the organic rebellion.

Meanwhile, Forbes.com talks about the feasibility of Star Wars technology and talk about Star Flops, such as the Star Wars holiday special.

And you just knew there was a political angle to the Star Wars hype -- yes, it is Gulf Wars!

I am humbled by the creativity!

Hidden Vaders

You may have heard of Hidden Mickeys? They are Mickeys hidden throughout the Disney theme parks. I mentioned that I was at the Washington National Cathedral yesterday and discovered that there is a hidden Vader -- Darth Vader, no less -- in the Washington National Cathedral in the form of a gargoyle on the northwest tower of the Cathedral. (Technically, they call it a grotesque.)  Here is a PDF from the Cathedral telling you exactly how you can find it. And here is a photo of it.

The Cathedral's Web site tells you why it is there -- as they were finishing the building, they held a contest hold for children to design decorative sculpture for the Cathedral.

Word of the competition was spread nationwide through National Geographic World Magazine. The third-place winner was Christopher Rader, with his drawing of that fearful villain, Darth Vader. The fierce head was sculpted by Jay Hall Carpenter, carved by Patrick J. Plunkett and placed high upon the northwest tower of the Cathedral.

So... a long time ago in a Cathedral not so far away...

 

Star Wars: I'm feeling better now

Yes! I'm feeling guilty about having failed to resist the Star Wars hype -- even proclaiming that I would not even see episode III because I was so disgusted with episode II. And I feel guilty that I am just too weak to resist. I'm so weak that I'm now seeing  midnight showing.

But that is why it is always good for there to be people out there who are even freakier then I am. (Thus explains the existence of Jerry Springer.)

This from the WP's Star Wars blog -- yes, you heard that right, a Star Wars blog, which they creatively named the 'Sith' Sense. What a great idea is that?

The line for "Star Wars" at Washington's Uptown Theater has begun. I spoke this morning with line organizer Adrienne Maul-Sari.  That's right, her last name used to be Maul until she got married and decided to hyphenate. She legally changed it after developing an attachment to Darth Maul from "The Phantom Menace."

Ahhh! I'm feeling much better about myself, thank you very much.

Star Wars: the tickets

I now officially have my tickets for new Star Wars movie. A group is going to the viewing at 12:15a on Wednesday night May 18/Thursday morning May 19. Given that the movie is 2:26, it means we'll get out at about 2:45a, which should make me a real peach for that Thursday.

Once again, I am not going to Washington's best theater, the Uptown, which is just up the street and also has a midnight showing. But I really didn't want to have to wait in a huge line.

Now, who did I loan my Chewabacca costume to?

StarWarsChicks.com reports that there are only 9 days 4 hours 51 minutes 50 seconds until Star Wars: Episode III!

I'll report back. Maybe not that night, but... quickly.

Catching 'Wars' fever

I am not a big fan of the latest round of Star Wars movies -- the fourth and fifth in the series, or the first and second... however you want to refer to it. In fact, the most recent movie, "Attack of the Clones," was downright horrible! Honestly, it was one of the worst movies I have seen! Painful! At first I thought it was horrible acting, but I since have seen Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman in other movies -- Christiansen's Shattered Glass quickly comes to mind -- I have concluded that it was not unbearable acting but horrible writing! Remember the love scenes between Anakin and Padme (Christiansen and Portman, respectively) that really leave you queasy.

So as the hype machine geared up for the final Star Wars movie, "Revenge of the Sith," I'm getting snookered into it! And unfortunately every time I buy into the hype, I am disappointed. But  Time Magazine this week has a package on the new movie in which they note that they have seen the movie and it is "darker, scarier, better." And USAToday has a fun timeline that follows the whole history of Anakin/Darth Vader. My magazine even did a page on the movie!

Now I'm not waiting in line for weeks for the movie! I won't even see it the first day. But I'll see it in the first week. And I'll probably whine about it here after for being snookered in!

Update: I may now actually go to a midnight showing!

Interpreting 'The Interpreter'

We saw "The Interpreter" last night -- the new thriller from Sydney Pollack starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Before I get to the movie... I understand why the mega-plex movie theaters are all the rage. They have been widely seen as saving the cash hemorrhaging movie theater companies because they allow them to show more movies to more people at less cost. We, however, generally like to go to some of the classy, older theaters, especially the theaters with the big screens. There aren't many of those around anymore. We have DC's grand daddy of theaters, the Uptown -- which regularly wins the WP's best of the best awards -- is located in walking distance from us. (Another bonus for an eco-freak!) Unfortunately, the single theaters are just not nearly as convenient. We got back from running around at about 6:30, and of course the movie started at 7p. That just doesn't leave enough time to walk the dog and do the stuff that needs to be done. So we end up seeing it at the Georgetown mega-plex. (It is also nice, however. They remade Georgetown's old incinerator. Part of the building is now a Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences, and the other are theaters.) Anyway...

So we went to see "The Interpreter" and we had fairly low expectations. Despite Metacritic's findings, the reviews I saw were not great -- Slate.com, NYT,   and the WSJ. So it was difficult to not beat my expectations. But this movie really did. As you know, I don't like to give away too much of the movie. Suffice it to say, this is a thriller of international intrigue set inside the United Nations and New York. It is not Penn's finest performance ever. That being said, a bad Penn performance is better than most other actors. There are too scenes where he is a bit over the top. But it is still a good performance. Kidman does an excellent job, as always.

There were a few things that just seemed implausible -- the final scene, for example. (I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just leave it at that.)

Overall, it was a very enjoyable movie.

Grade: B-... Thumb up... three stars... 6 out of 10... whatever grading system you are most comfortable with...