Coraline - See This Movie!

Okay so there is one very odd, gross, and overall disturbing part in this movie which consists of a scantily clad (we're talking sequin-star covered nipples and a thong), big bosomed old lady repeatedly jumping up and down on a diving board -which goes on way too long - but putting that aside, this movie was awesome. I saw it in true 3-d (or whatever it's called) and it was an incredible visual feast from start to finish. I wanted it to keep going when it ended - and there are not a lot of movies I can say that about! I love gothic "film-scapes" (don't know if "film-scapes" is a legitimate phrase - "cinematography" is proabably a more correct word) and slightly dark, twisted stories, and this movie definately delivered both. It's definately not a true "kids" movie as it has some scary scenes and the aforementioned incident with the old lady, so don't count it out if that is the reason you are hesitating to see "Coraline."

Some kids may be scared by this movie (I felt apprehension at times I must admit). It reminds me of a movie I partially saw when I was a kid called "Witches," which scared the living daylights out of me - I was about 4 when I saw it. The part where the witches reveal their true faces caused me to have nightmares for weeks. I remember sleeping in my parents room for at least the weekend. The reason I share this with you is to express my opinion that this is not a movie neccesarily for children and I definitely do not think any kid under 10 should go and see it.

For any animation buff, this movie is a must. I cannot express to you the beauty of the movements and colors in this movie - it flat out blew my mind. I read that they actually created everything you see in this movie out of clay (in minature of course) and painstakingly filmed each scene with physical movement of the clay figures. I could go on forever, but the overall point is that this movie is incredible and I want you to see it!

...in hopes that this is not becoming a common blogger theme for me...

You see every marked area on the adjacent picture? Well I have spent the last eight bed-ridden days experiencing excruciating and disorienting pain in all of those sinus areas. It all started with my trip to Atlanta last weekend to see my sister and brother and, of course, the killers. Lack of sleep and cold weather aided me in picking up some nasty bug that eventually sent me to the ER at 4:00 Thursday morning. I haven't worked since last monday and today is, honestly, the first day I have been able to get out of bed for more that 5 min without throwing up. The sinus pressure has completely disoriented me and incapacitated me. Luckily, I have good insurance and the ER cost me nothing (as well as all the wonderful pain meds they pumped me full of). In about 2 hrs I am going to the ENT specialist. Hopefully he can make sense of the insanity that has been the last week. Following are some pro's and con's of my ailment.

Pros:
- Had the chance to revaluate my life and really appreciate the suffering of others
- Will definately be able to better emphathize with Chrisitina when ever she gets "morning sickness" - (she is not currently pregnant though)
- Watched a lot of stupid movies that made me appreciate the fact that I have a job that takes me places everyday. In other words, if I was homebound for a living I would go nuts.
- Couldn't eat for 5 of the 8 days so far - lost 5 pounds w/o even trying

Cons:
- Worst week of my life
- ERs suck
- laying on your back for 8 days is boring & depressing
- my lower back screams in revolt now everytime I bend over
- I still can't move around much without feeling disoriented and motion sick
- It is getting harder and harder to imagine life as a non-sick person. I am constantly looking at people on TV and wondering "I wonder how it feels for them to move around like that." "Does everybody feel that great and normal? What is it like?" - - - - - Pathetic isn't is?

The Killers in Atlanta

Two weekends ago I had the chance to go to see the Killers live in Atlanta. I wasn't sure what to expect as I had only seen youtube videos of the killers live, and they were really not that great. However, without being able to adequately put it into words, they put on one killer show. Not only was their sound and delivery absolutely incredible, their light show and stage presence made me want to be a rock star. They played some awesome variations of their hit songs (I particularly liked the more acoustic sounding version of "Sam's Town" which is found on their B-sides and rarities album "Sawdust").

I walked away from this show in a trance. All I wanted to do was go home and try to write music that would have the same effect on others as the Killers music did on me. It makes me depressed that I can't write music that good. I would honestly sell my soul for that kind of talent (ok, so maybe not that extreme, but you get my point).

If you have not given the killers a chance, please listen to my plea and go buy their first album "Hot Fuss," it will change your music-loving life.

Halloween - A Little on the Late Side

I love Halloween. As this is my second post concerning the dark, gothic, and - in the context of modern society - pointless holiday, I am sure that my affection is quite obvious. This year I decided to celebrate Halloween night as the Joker from Batman (as did millions of other males including Dwight, Kevin, and Creed). However, unlike the other copycats around the USA, I decided to show my respect for both of the amazing Jokers in the Batman Franchise - Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger - and create a costume that reflected both of those ingenious and engrossing performances.

In all truth though I just didn't have the time to recreate Jack Nicholson's joker or the materials to recreate Heath Ledger's, so I did my best and came out with an accidental inbetween look. It was a lot of fun though. I didn't let on to my family who I was dressing up as and as a result I was able to surprise a few of my family members as I snuck around a corner and let out a hyena-like laugh. When I took matthew (my little brother) trick or treating people kept stopping to stare at me and little 12 year old boys thought that it was hilarious (and surely impressive to the girls that were with them) to challenge me to a fight. I was also offered candy at virtually every house we stopped at as a sort of reward for the obvious effort that went into my face paint (the clothes are all courtesy of Hawaii and Florida thrift stores by the way - the thrift stores in Hawaii are awesome!)

The only downside to my get-up was that people at our church's trunk or treat avoided me because they were thinking "who is that wierd guy dressed up as The Joker and handing out candy?" People that I have known since I was in elementary school could not figure out who I was. The missionaries even approached me to thank me for coming and to find out more about me. These are missionaries I have talked to on several occasions!

Christina, I must say, did an even more impressive job with her costume and definitely got an equal amount of stares. I did not even recognize her when she walked up to me!! I was thinking "who is this weird geisha trying to get next to me, and why am I in Japan?!" Her kimono was given to her by the sweetest little old Japanese lady who we stayed with while visiting the big Island of Hawaii.

Anyway, Halloween is great, we are already talking about what we are going to be next year. I think next time we are going to avoid the copious amounts of white face paint though.

A Little Success

I have been working for my father for about 2 months now and though I feel I have added minute levels of value to the company by creating marketing tools and checking our service at the various facilities in which we operate, I finally feel like I have earned my keep somewhat. Today my dad's partner Bruce and I secured an account in Boca Raton, FL called Stratford Court. According to the Director of Nursing we sold her "hook, line, and sinker." Ahhh, I am no longer a useless oaf. Although I did not add much to the pitch (I feel) I was the only one who was able to secure an appointment with the DON after several attempts by Bruce and his marketer Anthony. A few weeks ago I was also able to get my Father and Bruce into a nursing home that is owned by one of my Dad's biggest competitors - Mobile X. That felt good, but unfortunately I was not able to participate in the actual presentation because of my strep throat. Still it is quite a coup to be servicing a nusing home owned by a competitor!!

My Favorite Halloween Film of All Time

Not only is Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein my favorite Halloween movie of all time, it is one of my favorite movies period. Christina and I have a tradition of watching this film every year on Halloween (we stole the tradition from my own family). I hated this movie when I was a kid simply because it was black and white and my sisters and I groaned whenever my parents sat us around for a family movie night in the month of October and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was the feature film. However, when I was on my own and I celebrated my first Halloween as a college freshman, I felt a big gaping hole in my annual Halloween experience. A little bit of introspection led me to the conclusion that this movie was the missing fabric. Every year I laugh harder and harder when I watch this movie (I've shed tears of laughter during the first 20 min of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein consistently for the past three years). I honestly believe that everyone must watch this movie at least once and no true Halloween lover should go without giving Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein its duly earned annual
screening.

Just for fun, here are my five favorite Halloween films of all time:

1. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
2. Young Frankenstein (Absolutely Hilarious)
3. Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride (Wonderfully Gothic)
4. Hocus Pocus (Cheesy, I know, but it reminds me of Halloween as a kid )
5. Beetlejuice - One of Michael Keaton's finest moments, with the exception of the first Batman.

Lacoste Fever!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Lacoste (seriously, or you really don't know me). Flip through any photo album containing pictures of me and I guarantee that, in the very least, I will be wearing a Lacoste shirt in 80% of the photos. My brother Steve made a comment when we visited him in Colorado not too long ago that every photo he has of me over the last few years feature me in either a black or blue Lacoste shirt (they were in fact variations of the same shirt, when one of the trusty black or blue gets too faded I just ask for another for christmas or my b-day).

The point I am trying to make here is that I love Lacoste, so you can imagine my surprise and glee when my mom handed me her awesome Lacoste glasses! I love these glasses, one, because they are Lacoste, and two, because they look different from almost every angle. They have alternating black and transparent stripes which are sometimes visible and sometimes not. The first day I wore them (after I had the lenses put in) I walked into the house to find Christina (my wife) and my dad talking. When they spotted me they immediately reacted - christina audibly and my dad visually. Christina commented that I looked like a metrosexual nerd and my dad's expression said everything. I told him not to worry, I did not go to see any of his nursing home clients with the glasses on - there was an audible sigh a relief at this revelation. No matter though, I love these glasses and my mom still dresses my dad so he can hardly be considered the fashion police.