Kimputer's Weblog

V for Vendetta strikes back with a vengeance, as the first Wachowski brothers’ production after the Matrix trilogy gains the top spot with a $26.1 million opening.
Failure to Launch enters a lower orbit, one place lower at number 2 with $15.8 million. Tim Allen still barks loudly at number 3 with The Shaggy Dog, with $13.6 million. Teen comedy She’s the Man enters at number 4 with $11 million. Rounding out the top 5 is The Hills Have Eyes, almost dropping 50% to $8.1 million.

Zathura: Kid’s movie offers only limited fun in a constrained and repetitive way for nine-year old tops.5.
Sky High: Another kid movie that just can’t rise above the the usual coming-of-age cliches, enjoyable only for thirteen-year olds or less.5½.
Hostel: Can’t quite believe it why Quentin Tarantino wanted his name attached to this amateur project (besides the money, as most horror movie lately have a low budget/high return expectancy), as it fails on all levels of creativity.3.
The World’s Fastest Indian: A satisfactory indie drama, which really is an Anthony Hopkins one man road trip show.7+.

Rate 1 (FR#^&% MESS !) to 5 (how very tidy !). Only rate the latest picture, otherwise I can’t keep track of the average.

Total: 1317 out of 432 votes > Average is: 3.049

Tommy Lee Jones was received pretty well in the indie art circuit (nominations for Independent Spirit Award, winning at Cannes) for his first entry behind the camera (one earlier job was for a TV Movie), but I don’t actually see it. Three Burials tries to be a drama without depth (of character), and adds a bit of black humor, and that succeeds to a certain level, but in the end, it’s the lack of depth that will keep nagging. The acting is up to par, but the pace is mostly too slow (especially since it has many road trip like elements in it). Pretty much a disappointment after so much hype (still, it’s not a total waste though).7.

Rate 1 (sucks) to 5 (cool). Only rate the latest pictures, otherwise I can’t keep track of the average.

Total: 791 out of 244 votes > Average is: 3.242

How clean can it get ? (Just moved to another building (next door), so I had to anywayz)

It’s that time again. One by one, series will end their seasons, and since BSG got an early start, they will be the first to go on hiatus. And what another phenomenal season it has been. The writers always take a good look at what life is all about, instead of limiting themselves to some formulaic style of storytelling (that alone puts this show in the top 1 percentile range), and then complement it with the mysterious behaviour, of all things, machines. This conflict always leads to unexpected paths, and now that the time has come to unglue yourself from your seat, you can feel anything but sad (at least for a few months, till the series is back again). Wait, that’s what I said last time. And right now, it’s worse. Thinking of the long waiting time for the season 3 premiere actually gives me a fraggin’ and splitting headache.

No failure at all, for rom-com Failure to Launch (starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker) reached the top spot this week, with a healthy $24.6 million.
Meanwhile, Tim Allen starrer The Shaggy Dog opened at two with $16 million. Third is for horror flick The Hills Have Eyes (like The Shaggy Dog, also a remake), scaring up some $15.5 million. Horror movies are still a safe bet to go on, and like many before, this movie earns its budget back right at the premiere.
16 Blocks has to do it with half of the audience of last week, and drops to number 4 with $7.3 million, while Madea’s Family Reunion drops even steeper, rounding out the top 5 with $5.8 million.

Drama based on true events, with solid writing, making it a valid tear-jerker. In fact, enough tears are jerked to wash away the smudge that was Aeon Flux (a well earned Oscar nomination for Charlize Theron). Good allround acting and sensible direction of the camera makes it an engaging experience.8-.

As a responsible driver, who feels himself important enough to stay connected by phone, I bought myself a headset right after I got my driver’s license. But apparently, some jerk, yeah I know you’re out there, somewhere, cast a voodoo spell, probably called “the headset curse”, on me, and hence, within weeks, I’m already at the third set. First was an official Siemens, a simple one cord design. Connector somehow didn’t connect anymore. Second was a Vivanco, neck-strap design, with the connector failing, and while that was being taped, the PTT (push-to-talk) button got stuck and gave up on me. Now my third is a Logitech one cord design, two-part modularity. Let’s see if a good brand name can dispel this nasty curse hanging around my neck. Send some positive energy my way, if you have any spare. That seems to help a lot too.

That’s always the question. Who with a sane mind would brush teeth above the sink while fiddling with a new HP iPAQ hx2190 ? On top of that, who actually fiddle so badly, it would drop in the water. The answer is, of course, me. Astounded by my own stupidism, I actually watch its maiden voyage tumbling in the water, instead of my usual lightning-fast ninja-style retrieval reflexes.
Needless to say, *brzz* *kggg* *brzz* was the magic word, but luckily, the electronics employed by HP are quite sturdy (my previous iPAQ 3950 lasted a few years including a few drops on the street pavement). So, it resumed normal operation some 6 hours later (with a lot of blowing into the holes as to hasten the drying process. My general advice is still, don’t try this at home, though.

A pretty serious movie about not very much actually. The trailer makes it look like a deep intricate drama thriller, but when you’re in the movie theatre, it doesn’t feel that thrillery or dramary at all. The multiple story line converging style doesn’t seem to work either. With Magnolia clocking in at three hours, it made perfect sense. With this movie running at two hours, it feels too long (you’ll notice it already during the start and first half). Something as valuable as oil can drive whole goverments and big companies to the dark side, but this movie doesn’t display anything new or surprising, and only shows the few obvious and predictable moves everyone expects (in a slowmotion kind of way, that is).6-.

A very slow box office despite the Oscar night anticipation leaves Madea’s Family Reunion with no real competition. A steep drop (50+%) brings it down to $13, but still enough to remain the top spot holder.
Unable to reach the number one spot (must be the age, just like Harrison Ford couldn’t a few weeks earlier), Bruce Willis in 16 Blocks gets stuck at number 2 with a mere $11.7 million.
Another week of just a slight decline, Eight Below clings on to the number 3 spot, with $10.3 million.
Female actioner, Milla Jovovich starrer Ultraviolet and mermaid comedy drama Aquamarine barely made it in the top 5, resp. with $9 and $7.5 million.

This just in… Well, what special report might this be, you might ask yourself, as I’ve never done it before ? Is it an Oscar scoop ? Maybe an asteroid the size of New York is coming our way ?
Well, not really. But it’s pretty important nonetheless.

Let’s take a look at picture 1. Innocent looking right ? Makes your mouth water too. Beware though:

The top lid is quite a sturdy thing. It’s so tight, you have to use your thumb with all your power and push it upwards. Result ?

Wide open gap on my poor thumb (of which the main use is the thumb button on my Logitech cordless mouse, currently programmed for double click duty). Apparently, the described method to serve yourself a nice scoop of sorbet isn’t the correct one (as in both red circles, the plastic is quite sharp) (please let me know if you know a safer way). Precious red life water has been lost now, I’m already firing up the grill and putting on a big beef steak to replenish my red bloodcell count.

Incidentally, I just bought a new life saving gadget yesterday, it’s the Hansaplast Active Gel Strip. It’s as if fate wanted me to review it. I hate you, FATE !

Wow, the instruction leaflet says it regulates humidity and temperate, and includes an airflow control and bacterial defense system, while being waterproof and hypoallergenic.

Well, this is how it looks now (again, unfortunately, it’s near a joint again, so it’s still limiting my thumb dexterity by as much as 75%). If I’m not dead tomorrow, I’ll let you know if the wound heals faster and more natural than before (with traditional plaster).

Rate 1 (FR#^&% MESS !) to 5 (how very tidy !). Only rate the latest picture, otherwise I can’t keep track of the average.

Total: 1311 out of 429 votes > Average is: 3.056

to: service@interlanden.nl

Geachte Service,
wederom ben ik er weer om mijn beklag te doen over de bezorging. Dit maal
niet over de folder (helaas nog steeds niet opgelost, sommige emails
worden niet meer door jullie beantwoord), maar via de redactie van de
(Charlois) Havenloods heb ik te horen gekregen dat jullie deze ook
verspreiden.
En het lijkt wel of de bezorgers over mijn rug meelezen. Om reprimande te
voorkomen op herhaling van fouten, verzinnen ze telkens wat nieuws. Zo was
het rijtje:gewoon in de brievenbus, boven aan de trappenhuis bij elk
individueel deur, boven aan de trappenhuis als stapeltje, onder aan en
midden op de trappenhuis als stapeltje.
Vanavond was het een stapeltje opgerold tussen de trapleuning. Rechts.
(Een paar dagen eerder waren er op dezelfde wijze de reclamefolders
bezorgd. Links).
Ingenieus dus, maar nog steeds niet volgens de simpele regels van de
overduidelijke NEE/NEE stickers.

Mvg, KaNam.