Moving Pictures

New video camera + bicycle =

So, my mostly-spontaneous irresponsible purchase of the day was a basic point-and-shoot digital video camera at Target. This is because sometimes I want to make fun videos, but have no way to do so (other than the LCDless, soundless digital camera). Now I am a camera-armed menace.

Anyway, I want to play around with it some this weekend, but the world, her canvas is too large. You’d just end up with a video of the dogs. So I want a theme, a topic, a word, a concept, a suggestion around which to organize this first, exploratory video. And, well, yeah, the dogs will be in it anyway, I’m sure. So, ideas? Something simple, flexible and fun is preferable.

One of our first little videos, I’m happy to report, featured Christopher flipping off a Hummer — already with the Brotherhood 2.0 homage.

(Also, on a more technical note, there’s the software that came with the thing and iMovie — I’ve never been able to figure out how to save iMovie vids so they are exportable to YouTube. Possible/impossible and how?)

The Host is the best movie I’ve seen in AGES. I can’t even remember the last time that I went into a theater with expectations so high and they were exceeded and then some.

Don’t hesitate: see this movie.

West Bank Story — I so want to see this based on that clip.

Pssst. We’re all over here. I’m not sure why I’m still up.

Jeff Ford went to see Apocalypto, and offers his take (undoubtedly better than the movie*). The bottom line is probably this:

If you’re not partial to the sight of hearts being ripped out while still beating and being shown to their previous owners, you might not want to check this out.

*Which I will see, absolutely, not because I particularly think I’ll like it or it’ll be good**, but because I’ve been reading a lot about that part of the world during that period and I want to admire the make-up and costuming and spectacle of it.

**Actually, it sounds like it probably is good in the way you go see a "good movie," but not in the way I necessarily mean here.

Wow, two winners in a row — my faith in Hollywood’s about to be restored or something. Definitely go see this movie. The cast is uniformly great and understated (and this includes Dustin Hoffman!). It’s smart and plays against expectation and especially traditional Hollywood movie expectation. It is not, I repeat NOT, a comedy; that’s some bait and switch they’re trying with the trailer. Although, maybe it ultimately is a comedy, in the larger sense. I’m still thinking about it, but it does a goodly number of things right. And, as C said, it feels like the people making it cared.

Plus, beautiful ’70s homage eye candy set dressing.

I thought The Prestige was wonderful — meticulous in detail and technique and sophisticated in its con game. (C and I both saw through the major plot points — neither of us having read Priest’s book — early on, but the beauty of a trick, like so many things, is in the process, so long as the end holds together. Here it mostly does.) Plus: Hugh Jackman. It’s so nice to see him in a role where you can tell just how good he is. Bale acquits himself fine, but Jackman manages to define each different version of himself subtly, most markedly with his double. And he seems effortless, a rare natural actor who can perform equally well on film and on stage. I’ll say no more to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t seen the movie. But, as someone who loves, loves, loves magic, I tell you to go see this, without reservation. Tesla!

It was one of the most enjoyable two hours at the movies I’ve had in a long time and made me want to see more of them in the theater (and in general). It made me want to see a movie every week. Even the previews we had were interesting (especially the Emma Thompson/Will Ferrell movie — I will SO see Stranger Than Fiction). Next up are probably The Illusionist and Renaissance (looks beautiful), not necessarily in that order. Other recommendations? (No war movies, please; just a preference, don’t try to change it.)