Jarhead and Sin City

I spent most of yesterday finishing the installation of a new garage door opener and cleaning out the garage. I can now get two cars and my bike into the garage which is going to be nice when winter gets here. Once that was done, it was warm enough that I wanted to get the bike out for what I think will be one of the last rides of the season. I managed to get a couple of hours in and ran into Leavenworth to give Mom some help with a carpet cleaner that I'd loaned her. It turns out there was a loose nut on the handle, my mom.

Once I got home, I smelled like hell. No shower + working outside + 3 hours on the bike = stinky. I then realized that I hadn't eaten much that day and decided to go and get something to eat. On the way to the dinner, I stopped at the movie theater and saw Jarhead. I hadn't intended to see the movie, but I saw that it was playing at the Majestic and just hopped in. It was a pretty good movie, not anything groundbreaking, but it was certainly a good movie. It ended early and I got out of there at about nine. I didn't stop for dinner, because they served drinks and food at the theater. I got home by 9:30 and was bored shitless. Rather than get drunk and fall asleep on the couch I threw a movie into the dvd player. It was either Sin City or Hotel Rwanda. I didn't think my psyche could handle Hotel Rwanda, so I threw in Sin City in the player. Once again, not a classic, but certainly a good movie.

Good Night and Good Luck

Well, I just got back from seeing Good Night and Good Luck. For those of you who don't know, it's a look into the McCarthy era and the coverage given by Edward R. Murrow to the hearings given by McCarthy. Kudos to George Clooney. He does an excellent job with this film. On the whole, it isn't as good as Capote, but the subject matter is a bit more timely.

Books I Should Read

I've started keeping a list of books I should read. If you can think of something, tell me and I will add it. I will probably also write up something on the books I have read, once I'm done with them.

Capote

I got a call from the roomate last night asking that I make myself scarce for a couple of hours. Without much time to plan, I decided to catch a movie. Looking at the local independant theater, I saw that both Capote and Good night and Good luck were playing. I decided to go see Capote since it started sooner. By the time I got there I had 40 minutes to kill. I ran over to Matsu to have some dinner. I got out of there just in time to run back to the theater. I get there with enough time to hit the restroom, buy a drink and a cookie and find a seat before the previews were over. The theater was crowded. One of the benefits of seeing a movie by yourself is that you don't have to look for two seats together. I managed to find a seat near the back where I didn't have to player musical armrests with the people sitting next to me. After a couple of previews, the movie starts.

I just have to say that this is by far the best movie I've seen this year. I realize that we are entering oscar whoring season, but I think Philip Seymore Hoffman is amazing in this picture. You watch as Capote is sucked into the world of one of the killers. It happens very inocuously, but eventually leaves Capote seeing himself in the killer. You also see the enotional toll that it takes on him as he ultimately betrays the friendship of the killer in order to find his own peace. The movie sure doesn't paint Kansas as a pretty place. Scenes from Garden City and Lansing are both very bleak, but that may not be too far from the truth. In all this was an amazing movie. I could see Hoffman winning an Oscar for his role in this movie and the movie itself is ultimately Oscar worthy as well.

Commando or call in sick?

When faced with the possibility of going to work without underwear, is it better to go commando or to call in sick and do some laundry?