Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Cambodia
Cambodia, Pakistan, close enough to make the whole song title theme work!
Sometimes Jon Stewart just rocks my world.
Tonight he had on as his guest, Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan. How cool is that!?!
I really want to know (and yet, I also want to think this was a coup!!!), how many other shows this prestigious guest appeared on, before or after, The Daily Show.
X
Sometimes Jon Stewart just rocks my world.
Tonight he had on as his guest, Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan. How cool is that!?!
I really want to know (and yet, I also want to think this was a coup!!!), how many other shows this prestigious guest appeared on, before or after, The Daily Show.
X
Hero.(es)
I watched two new shows last night. Smith and Heroes, and both of them left me wanting--a little.
Smith. Okay I missed the pilot episode, but I have to say I was a little disappointed in the angle the show chose to take. For some reason I thought the show would be kind of cool--about a master thief ala Thomas Crowne meets the Italian Job, and every episode would be the planning and execution of a heist. I think I can be forgiven based on the previews I managed to catch. Very well dressed people, going over plans and organisation and then slick execution (with some hi-tech help) of the 'job'.(At least this is what I surmized from the previews). Man was I wrong. These guys are not exactly heroes of their own story. He (and his team) are just criminals with little or no redeeming qualities and I can't see how the show can survive if they continue to botch jobs and shoot it out and give the viewer nothing to connect with. Frankly, the characterisation alone isn't enough to hold my interest enough to continue watching.
On to a show I knew even less about,
Heroes. What was I expecting? A six degrees of separation thing with ordinary people doing (not even heroic) uplifting acts that change lives/a life. A feel good show. Again, couldn't be more wrong. We got us real live super heroes. Which, okay, kinda cool. Quite enjoyed the first half of the pilot introducing the characters and an over view of their stories. I enjoyed how some of the characters were aware yet unaware that they had super powers, like web cam stripper mom seeing another her in the mirror, a reflection out of sync. Disturbing her (and me). A big, 'What's this all about' storyline. Cheerleader chick, same thing. Look I can't die! Not for a moment seeing this as a super power. Dude who paints the future and it pains him. But then on the flip side we have Hiro. A Japanese uber geek. An adorably exuberant character who not only KNOWS what his power is but embraces it and actively seeks recognition from his friend. Everything about him was likable. I also liked seeing the little connections as the show progressed. Er, web-cam stripper's kid reading a comic that later we see Japanese uber-geek reading. And then later, uber geek's friend watching web cam stripper. 'I think I can fly', guy getting into the cab driven by, way hot, (and has the accent to prove it) dude who is looking for clues as to the death/murder of his father--a brilliant geneticist who wound up in NYC looking for... what?... patient zero??? Intriguing storyline there. So I settled in to discover what the scoop was, what everyone's super power was, and how these seemingly random storylines/characters connected.
What didn't I like about the show. I did not like the bad guy storyline. I was fine with it when he was simply the guy who murdered the scientist father (for reasons as yet unknown), but when he showed up as cheerleader chicks Dad, well there were way too many X-files, cigarette smoking man, overtones for me to be comfortable with. I just felt like the show was going so well. The character conflicts, their struggle as they explore their super powers, and what their purpose is, is enough to go on with without throwing in a government (secret cult?) conspiricist already.
I'll watch this show again to see the second half of the pilot, and probably the first episode after the pilot, but if conspiracy guy is given too much foreshadowing I think I'll have to pass on this show.
X
Smith. Okay I missed the pilot episode, but I have to say I was a little disappointed in the angle the show chose to take. For some reason I thought the show would be kind of cool--about a master thief ala Thomas Crowne meets the Italian Job, and every episode would be the planning and execution of a heist. I think I can be forgiven based on the previews I managed to catch. Very well dressed people, going over plans and organisation and then slick execution (with some hi-tech help) of the 'job'.(At least this is what I surmized from the previews). Man was I wrong. These guys are not exactly heroes of their own story. He (and his team) are just criminals with little or no redeeming qualities and I can't see how the show can survive if they continue to botch jobs and shoot it out and give the viewer nothing to connect with. Frankly, the characterisation alone isn't enough to hold my interest enough to continue watching.
On to a show I knew even less about,
Heroes. What was I expecting? A six degrees of separation thing with ordinary people doing (not even heroic) uplifting acts that change lives/a life. A feel good show. Again, couldn't be more wrong. We got us real live super heroes. Which, okay, kinda cool. Quite enjoyed the first half of the pilot introducing the characters and an over view of their stories. I enjoyed how some of the characters were aware yet unaware that they had super powers, like web cam stripper mom seeing another her in the mirror, a reflection out of sync. Disturbing her (and me). A big, 'What's this all about' storyline. Cheerleader chick, same thing. Look I can't die! Not for a moment seeing this as a super power. Dude who paints the future and it pains him. But then on the flip side we have Hiro. A Japanese uber geek. An adorably exuberant character who not only KNOWS what his power is but embraces it and actively seeks recognition from his friend. Everything about him was likable. I also liked seeing the little connections as the show progressed. Er, web-cam stripper's kid reading a comic that later we see Japanese uber-geek reading. And then later, uber geek's friend watching web cam stripper. 'I think I can fly', guy getting into the cab driven by, way hot, (and has the accent to prove it) dude who is looking for clues as to the death/murder of his father--a brilliant geneticist who wound up in NYC looking for... what?... patient zero??? Intriguing storyline there. So I settled in to discover what the scoop was, what everyone's super power was, and how these seemingly random storylines/characters connected.
What didn't I like about the show. I did not like the bad guy storyline. I was fine with it when he was simply the guy who murdered the scientist father (for reasons as yet unknown), but when he showed up as cheerleader chicks Dad, well there were way too many X-files, cigarette smoking man, overtones for me to be comfortable with. I just felt like the show was going so well. The character conflicts, their struggle as they explore their super powers, and what their purpose is, is enough to go on with without throwing in a government (secret cult?) conspiricist already.
I'll watch this show again to see the second half of the pilot, and probably the first episode after the pilot, but if conspiracy guy is given too much foreshadowing I think I'll have to pass on this show.
X
Saturday, September 09, 2006
I'd Rather...
Thank goodness there's a song with this title.
So we're sitting around drinking some wine (yes, shocking I know), and we start laughing about our favourite I'd rather sayings that friends have said over the years. Like...
I'd rather be sodomized.
I'd rather get my nails clipped with a quisinart.
(my personal favourite) I'd rather suck the juice out of the bottom of the garbage bag.
K if you still have your lunch, what are some of your memorable, 'I'd Rather' sayings?
X
So we're sitting around drinking some wine (yes, shocking I know), and we start laughing about our favourite I'd rather sayings that friends have said over the years. Like...
I'd rather be sodomized.
I'd rather get my nails clipped with a quisinart.
(my personal favourite) I'd rather suck the juice out of the bottom of the garbage bag.
K if you still have your lunch, what are some of your memorable, 'I'd Rather' sayings?
X
I am Alive
Yes, yes. I'm back from yet another trip. (I refuse to call them vacations because if it doesn't last longer than 3 weeks it doesn't count). This one was a visit to a friend's lake house just outside Yellowknife. We spent the long weekend there and unbeknownst to me there were two other couples present. people we'd known from years ago here... even better, they both had teenage boys so, The Spawn, had someone to entertain him instead of badgering me like I'm frickin Julie from the love boat.
Needless to say, when the young'uns are occupied a great many more drinks are consumed. A great time was had by me in any case.
So I got back on Wednesday, sans DHM, and on Thursday I was back out at the airport to pick up two guests who were up for the DHM's annual fishing camp trip. Did I mention that DHM wasn't here? Not a huge problem, one of the guests was a dear friend from years ago (well he's still a dear friend, he just doesn't live here anymore). The other guest a friend of his. Okay fishermen here. check. pilot to fly them out to camp. not check.
The story gets better. This fishing trip has been going on for over 9 years. different people in different numbers, but always the first or second weekend in September. It's DHM's bond-with-the-boys weekend. Grunt, make fire, catch own food, primal roots sort of weekend. To be fair, DHM has been extremely busy with his business this year, but jayz, he could have told them he didn't insure the plane. The plane isn't even in the water yet (and won't be this season, not this late)... so these guys have been looking forward to this trip for months, and it aint happening. Happily they quickly found alternative options and are now at a cabin on Ya Ya lakes (above the treeline.. which is freaky weird).
Okay that's my lament for the night. In other news I just finished watching V for Vendetta. I knew it would disturb me, and I was right (as always). I'm torn between making the obvious parallel between the Bush govts. rule of fear, and the perspective of life in a society from the dissident's point of view. I still haven't decided which I'm more comfortable with.
What else is new? Umm my house was once again used as cookout central whilst I was away. I can't really complain as they leave the kitchen cleaner than I do... but the left overs are always suspect, ya know?
K that's it for me, for now.
X
Needless to say, when the young'uns are occupied a great many more drinks are consumed. A great time was had by me in any case.
So I got back on Wednesday, sans DHM, and on Thursday I was back out at the airport to pick up two guests who were up for the DHM's annual fishing camp trip. Did I mention that DHM wasn't here? Not a huge problem, one of the guests was a dear friend from years ago (well he's still a dear friend, he just doesn't live here anymore). The other guest a friend of his. Okay fishermen here. check. pilot to fly them out to camp. not check.
The story gets better. This fishing trip has been going on for over 9 years. different people in different numbers, but always the first or second weekend in September. It's DHM's bond-with-the-boys weekend. Grunt, make fire, catch own food, primal roots sort of weekend. To be fair, DHM has been extremely busy with his business this year, but jayz, he could have told them he didn't insure the plane. The plane isn't even in the water yet (and won't be this season, not this late)... so these guys have been looking forward to this trip for months, and it aint happening. Happily they quickly found alternative options and are now at a cabin on Ya Ya lakes (above the treeline.. which is freaky weird).
Okay that's my lament for the night. In other news I just finished watching V for Vendetta. I knew it would disturb me, and I was right (as always). I'm torn between making the obvious parallel between the Bush govts. rule of fear, and the perspective of life in a society from the dissident's point of view. I still haven't decided which I'm more comfortable with.
What else is new? Umm my house was once again used as cookout central whilst I was away. I can't really complain as they leave the kitchen cleaner than I do... but the left overs are always suspect, ya know?
K that's it for me, for now.
X
