Some Thoughts

I have never found the pineapple on an episode of Psych

If a man made of iron tried to do an Ironman, I think he'd have some trouble on the swimming portion... maybe the bike part too. Iron Man would probably do well in an Ironman though. However, like a man made of iron, he would probably be too heavy for a traditional tri bike. He would probably have to invent something special, but I think Tony Stark would be up to the challenge.

frogs are really cute. Also, adult frogs are cuter than tadpoles.

I just used the word 'cute'. That seemed so unnatural.

I've been trying to catch a fly in my apartment all week. I finally got it today, but seeing the squished fly body on my hand was nowhere near as satisfying as I imagined it to be.

I think I do to many things by myself (i.e. going to the movies, shopping, playing video games, watching television, etc.). As a result, I'm socially awkward when I do similar things with groups of people. I'm not saying that I'm utterly hopeless around other people or anything like that, but I'm definitely a little out of my element in group activities. If socializing was a class, I would probably get a C+... and I'm talking about a regular class, not a an AP class or an honors class.

My tea is warm, but not hot.

Why does that Kanye interview automatically play whenever I open my blog? I'm listening to him talk about how he can't put porn in his music videos as I type. I should un-embed the video and just post the link instead. I'll get around to that... eventually.

Carts of Darkness

"Every time that you put effort into work and you're making a little bit of money, you better have a very good plan of what you're going to do with that money because you're using up your life"

Basically, you shouldn't work out of greed and lust for money. Instead, you should work as a means to finance your specific goals and desires. Unless you are truly passionate about your work, the real substance of your life exists outside of the office and off the clock. Make this aspect of your life your first and highest priority.

The quote is from the documentary film, Carts of Darkness. It's advertised as (e.g. I interpreted the summary as) an inside look at extreme grocery cart riding in Vancouver. Although much of the film centers around this activity, it's really focuses on the lives of several can collectors and the relationship that develops between them and the author. Although it's more personal and less focused than most documentaries, it was deeply moving and insightful.

Here's a link so you can check it out for yourself: Carts of Darkness

p.s. even if you don't watch the movie, you should think about the quote. I agree with the overall message, but that's just my opinion. Do you think that this type of attitude should be encouraged? Do you think that western society is conducive or unconducive to this type of attitude?

Inglourious Basterds

Initially, I planned to watch a corny '80s movie with bad special effects on Friday night, but I had been wanting to see Inglourious Basterds ever since it came out so I happily changed plans when I saw that it was on TV. Based on all of the commercials and trailers I had seen, I expected Basterds to be three hours of nazi blood and guts spewing willy nilly. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find a compelling story with just the right amounts of violence, humor, sadness and fantasy. I really liked how Basterds took a well-known subject (WWII) and made it fresh and new without being tasteless.

Although Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and the members of his elite nazi-fighting crew do seem a bit bloodthirsty and lacking in emotional depth, I feel that more complex personalities and personal histories might have taken some of the fun out of the movie. Furthermore, the film more than makes up for the slightly cartoonish performances by the Basterds crew by providing very chilling and emotional moments elsewhere. One such instance is the opening sequence where a French dairy farmer is suspected of harboring Jews in his home. The mood and feelings in this scene are poignant and deeply affecting. Moments such as this help ground the film and explain some of the extreme actions. One thing that helps make this scene and others so great is Christoph Waltz's portrayal of Hans Landa (a.k.a. The Jew Hunter). Landa's combination of determination, cunning and sinister nature make for a terrifying and unforgettable character (he's like an evil nazi Sherlock Holmes).

My only real problem (and it's actually not that much of a problem depending on how you look at it) with Inglourious Basterds was the last ten minutes or so of the movie. Up until this point, the film had been very polished and restrained, but in the last ten minutes I feel like somebody cranked the volume up to the max; the drama, the violence, the blood and the departure from historical facts increased significantly. This wasn't necessarily bad, but it definitely surprised me, and I thought it had a different feel than the rest of the movie.

Overall, I think that Inglourious Basterds was a strange and interesting concept executed brilliantly. If you don't mind a little blood, violence and historical fiction, it's a great film that I definitely recommend watching.

p.s. apparently, Quentin Tarantino wrote the script for this movie a long time ago, but he struggled for many years with how to end it. Maybe that explains why the ending seems different than the rest of the film.

p.p.s. I guess Christoph Waltz won an Oscar for his role as Hans Landa... that shows how much I follow the Academy Awards. Good for him though; I obviously think he deserves it.