Kimputer's Weblog

A very unconventional war movie, definitely not the usual full force explosion type. It’s a bit on the tame side, probably because it’s based on a book, based on real life experiences. This means the drama probably has a creative license here and there, but it’s not a full story where they can go deep into the characters. It’s not really heading to a message either, it’s just a view of a particular deployment in Kuweit during Desert Shield & Storm. But at least the acting is of high standard, and there are some unusual visual styles (a la American Beauty Sam Mendes).6½.

Slow week at the box office, so Glory Road ends up at the top with just $13.5 million. This Jerry Bruckheimer produced college basketball drama movie is based on a real story.
Close behind are Queen Latifah starrer Last Holiday, with $13.0 million, and the first animated movie of the newly formed The Weinstein Company Hoodwinked with $12.2 million.
Narnia is finally buckling under the strain of the new movie releases, taking in only $10.1 million at number four. Last week’s number one, Hostel drops all the way to nr 5 with $9.6 million. The 50+ % drop is probably due to people finding out it’s actually a Tarantino introduced (and produced) movie, and not a Tarantino directed movie.

Ratings may be up (effectively since the move to Thursday), and the series is still good, but it definitely lost its edge. Some episodes are good, but mostly, you have this feeling the characters are going around in circles. Development involves around topics that have been around already. In essence, it dropped from my MUST SEE list down to the VERY GOOD list. A slight drop, but still significant. Let’s see how it rounds off the rest of the season.

Typical small budget murder mystery with comedy twists. That means, it relies more on story (though leaning a bit too much to the usual coincidents and happenstances side) and wacky dialogue than on action scenes. With the narrative style and how the story untwists, it plays out more like a surreal fantasy than a regular movie, but at least it’s something new. Being special though, doesn’t necessary mean it’s definitely good.7-.

Horror flicks still have the ability to enter at the top spot this year (continuing the streak which began some 2 years ago), and combined with the faith in Quentin Tarantino’s exec producing abilities, lands Hostel at number one with $20.1 million (already more than four times the budget).
That leaves the big ones trailing at number 2 and 3, Narnia takes in $15.4 million while King Kong swings in $12.5 million.
The rest leaves the top 5 with a faint smile, Fun with Dick & Jane takes in $12.2 million and Cheaper By the Dozen 2 $8.3 million.

The first of the midseason replacement roll-out, it airs on ABC. Last year, similarly titled Blind Justice failed, and this year, a similar fate might await this series (with ratings plummeting after the pilot).
No surprise, it’s another procedural (and less of a legal drama, what the title might suggest), focusing on The Justice Project, which appeals cases where they think someone innocent has been put behind bars. While highly predictable, it’s slightly entertaining for now. A few more episodes following the same formula though, and I just might see what more fits in the recycle bin (just like the even more predictable Close to Home is already in there).

Serenity: Tiresome.
Edison: Bullocks.
Nine Lives: Pointless.

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

Total: 786 out of 242 votes > Average is: 3.248

Click on the pic for a bigger picture !

This is the future PC of Bern, the guy who also bought a (stripped down) PC 2 years ago (click here for that post). This time, I didn’t even have to pull out my whole black mail arsenal, and I only twisted his arm half way to his back. Either my sales pitch got better, or he got smarter. Even better, it’s a FULL system now, up to today’s standards (though not the top range).
So, what do you see on the picture ? Well, while he never returned with the earlier system, you can never be too careful, so as usual, warranty void if any sticker is removed. But also added besides the usual chassis intrusion alarm are candle wax (even more reliable than the electronic chassis intrusion detection !) and a nicotine sensor, as smoking not only kills the person smoking it, but quickly downgrades even the most advance technology to its junkyard equivalent.
Also note the handwritten signature on the side panel. The value of this beast has now tripled (in case of selling it on eBay).Have fun Bern !

You know, rumor has it that this movie was pretty boring. Turns out it’s more fact than rumor. It’s too bad really, Rob Reiner built up a career by carefully selecting a whole variety of well crafted movies. Who didn’t feel along with Stand By Me ? Who didn’t laugh his guts out with The Princess Bride. Who didn’t jolt back a few steps back when Nicholson shouted we couldn’t handle it in A Few Good Men ? Who didn’t bite his fingers off watching Misery ?
Sadly, the next question is, who didn’t yawn along while watching Rumor Has it… ? To keep the enumeration theme going on, I’ll close with: If you wanna see Jennifer Aniston, you’d better pick a Friends episode (preferably something from season 3 till 6). If you wanna see Kevin Costner, you’re better off with The Upside of Anger. If you wanna see Mark Ruffalo, re-watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And if you wanna see Shirley MacLaine, whaaaat has gotten in to you ? Actually, _then_ you deserve to be bored out of your skull.4½.

After two weeks, the reigning King Kong has to relinquish his role at the top to, not a new entry, but a previous combatant. The family oriented Christmas weekend made kiddy movie Narnia move back to the top with $32.8 million. Close behind was the ape with $31.6 million. At three, Jim Carrey held steady with Fun with Dick & Jane with $21 million.
Rounding out the top five are also steady-goers Cheaper by the Dozen 2 with $19.3 million and Rumor Has It … with $11.6 million.

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

Total: 1306 out of 426 votes > Average is: 3.066

First one for this year. Motif is more in the line of “Why change a winning team” ? If you get my drift.

Yeah, you probably didn’t even notice. It’s already Worpress 2.0 you’re looking at right now ! Upgrade, as usual, went without a hitch, and it’s the engine and backend gui that had the most changes. Just know I’m blogging behind a pretty advanced interface right now in this new year.

What a way to start a new year. Again, I didn’t win the grand prize in the lottery (€20 million), and the backup prize (€8 million) went by me as well. I think this is a setup. I’m pretty sure it is.

Anywayz, some words of wisdom for all of you to make a successful 2006:

Don’t depend on luck, depend on your skills.

You have those movies, that are pushed back somehow, or shoved into the back room. Or maybe I didn’t have time to get around to it till it got on DVD, or maybe it was released directly to DVD. Usually there’s a reason for that, so I won’t spend the usual 1000 words on it, instead opting for just one word. This way, you won’t think I didn’t see all the movies that are out there. So here goes (what I’ve in the past mandatory vacation week off):

Seven Swords: Mediocre.
The Longest Yard: Medium.
Saw: Sharp.
Saw II: Sharptoo.
Wolf Creek: Riiihiiiiight.
The Aristocrats: Hmmm…
Into the Blue: Shallow. (Got to see Jessica Alba’s right nipple exposed though, or rather, her body double, as the producers wants us to believe)
Tom yum goong: Haha. (And that’s not meant in a good way)

Wow, these one-word reviews are harder than I thought it would be, keeping it to just one word and all.

King Kong still roars at the top of the box office, but the roar isn’t that loud. With $31.4 million, it’s only a fraction more than the number 2, as Narnia takes in $30.1 million.
New openers at 3 and 4, Jim Carrey starrer Fun with Dick & Jane with $23.5 million and Steve Martin starrer (with the rest of the original cast) Cheaper by the Dozen 2 with $14.8 million. The Family Stone rounds out the top five with $10.9 million in its second week.