Monthly Archives: November 2008

Twilight at Midnight

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(no spoilers)

Amy and I saw the midnight premier of Twilight.  The theater was packed and guys were definitely in the minority.  But we were there early and I walked in, proudly sporting my t-shirt (Tease me all you want, but the story is engrossing and I’m into it.).  Here are my first impressions of the film:

* The acting was quite reserved, especially on Kristen Stewart’s part.  That’s not a criticism, just an observation.  It was a curious directorial choice given that Bella goes through such an emotional roller coaster in the novel.  There was a brief moment in the film where Stewart gets a chance to let loose, but it comes near the end.  I realize that it’s especially difficult to capture internal monologues and private emotional experiences on film without expressly narrating it or spending precious second and minutes on character minutiae, especially the amount of exposition that was needed.  That being said, I would have liked to see more of that emotional spectrum throughout.

* The special effects were interesting.  Some parts were used well, such as the portrayal of the vampires’ speed.  Others, however, were a little cheesy and probably could have used some ILM magic.

* Being an adaption of a novel, there were bound to be details left out, and as a result, some of the plot and character development seems glossed over in the movie.  I’d be interested to find out just how much was filmed and how much was cut from the original version and also from the theatrical release, and the reasoning behind those omissions.  It definitely helps to have read the book first before venturing to theater.  There are some inside jokes that may be lost on those previously unfamiliar with the story.  Plus, prior knowledge of plot helps fill in some of the apparent shallowness of the film.

* The casting was great.  I thought Kristen Stewart was a perfect Bella Swan, physically.  She was pretty close to the Bella I imagined while reading the book.  Robert Pattison as Edward Cullen was spot on.  In fact, all the Cullens were cast very well.  Alice on screen was a little different from the Alice I pictured in my head, but in a good way.

* Comparisons to Harry Potter are inevitable.  I just hope people remember that there are vast difference between the two series, beside the plots and characters of course.  Harry Potter starts when Harry is 11; Bella is 17, so the emotional state of the two characters and their subsequent development are radically different.  Also, Harry Potter is a coming-of-age/fulfilling-a-destiny story.  Twilight, essentially, is a love story, with a supernatural twist (OK, several supernatural twists.).  Harry’s story is told from the outside perspective of third person; Bella narrates her own story, which adds to the difficulty of adapting it for the big screen.

I left Twilight like I left the first Harry Potter film.  The way I see it, it was solid first effort with room for improvement.  Overall, I liked the movie; it’s nice to have a visual analogue to the story that has captured the imagination of millions, including yours truly.

If I had a million dollars

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A few days ago, CNET.com posted an editorial about the founder of WordPerfect and his donation of a million dollars to support California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage.  I couldn’t help but think of the Barenaked Ladies’ song “If I Had A Million Dollars,” in which the Canadian ban muse about what they would buy or do with that large sum of money.  While I don’t think I’d be as carefree with a million bucks as BNL, I sure as heck wouldn’t spend it trying to deny people the right to get married.  The way I see, Joe and Tim or Lisa and Anna wanting to get married has no bearing on my life whatsoever.  In fact, I’d probably congratulate them for finding someone with whom they want to live for the rest of their lives. It saddened me to think that someone with a million dollars to spare donated that money to a deny people a chance at (legally) being together, which, if you think about it, is a ridiculous “proposition” in the first place.  What right does the government (or anyone, for that matter) have to tell me or anyone else who they can and can’t love?  Now, religious institutions are a different story.  But marriage, in the eyes of the law, shouldn’t be about sex or gender.  It’s about paperwork and taxes and insurance.  So what if it’s Michael or Michelle?  Alex or Alexis?  On paper, “Chris” marrying “Chris” could be a man and woman, two men, or two women.  On paper, does it really matter?

Reading that article also got me thinking about what could have been done with that wasted (yup, I think it was wasted) million dollars.  Instead of promoting a silly ban on something the government shouldn’t be allowed to regulate in the first place, that money could have (among other ideas):

– funded more cancer and AIDS research;

– given many underprivileged high school students a chance to attend college;

– fed hundreds of families in third world countries;

– helped out some homeless in this very country;

– helped get some struggling citizens out of a financial bog;

– funded research toward alternative and/or renewable energy sources;

– pumped back into the economy to help the US get back on its feet;

– helped me buy a house, settle my debts, treat my parents to something nice, and put a little away for a rainy day.

But all those ideas are hypothetical, of course.  It was Alan Ashton’s money to do with as he saw fit.  He and I have very different views…and even more vastly different bankrolls (that he even has a bankroll is the primary difference.  I just with he would have used that money for a more constructive cause.

(Oh yeah…and WordPerfect?  Who uses that program any more?  Can’t say I miss having those little templates over my keyboard telling me what Shift-F7, Ctrl-F4, or Alt-F11 did.)

Embarrassing

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It’s never fun for me when teams I cheer for lose.  The Cubs’ early playoff exit was brutal (I was going to write a blog or seven about the lack of heart the team showed, but I just couldn’t bring myself to relive it).  FSU’s homecoming loss to Boston College was disheartening.  But yesterday’s Bears loss to the rival Packers was embarrassing.  I realize that many fans play “Monday morning quarterback.”  My thing is, why doesn’t the Bears coaching staff do that?  The Bears’ defensive scheme has come under fire this season for losing late leads or allowing mediocre quarterbacks to have careers days.  The following are mini-letters to members of the Bears team, coaching staff, and front office.  I apologize in advance if I sound bitter, but in light of getting whipped 37-3 and Fox turning to another game with over nine minutes left because “the game [was] no longer competitive,” you guys had to see some of this stuff coming.  (For once, I don’t blame Fox for broadcasting another game.  I felt bad that their “A” team had to call such a pathetic contest.)

* To Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich…your defensive scheme does, in fact, stink.  And here’s why: it doesn’t utilize the players’ skills.  The cornerbacks are ballhawks, yes, but they can’t make plays on the ball when they’re nowhere near it.  Enough of this soft zone coverage with zero bumping at the line of scrimmage.  And please please please please please take Brian Urlacher out of the void between the line of scrimmage and the middle zone, when he gets clogged and taken out of plays.  He’s an athletic freak, blessed with size and speed.  Use him either like an underneath free safety, roaming and waiting, or as another lineman crashing through the line ready to take out the QB.  Is it any wonder that the lone defensive highlight yesterday was his check at the line, followed by his drop back into coverage and subsequent interception?  Briggs and Hillenmeyer and doing fine up front, backing the line.  Use Urlacher’s speed to its potential.  Without someone patrolling the middle, opposing offenses will pick apart that section of the field all game long.

* To the Bears cornerbacks…any time you want to tackle some, it would be greatly appreciated.

* To Head Coach Lovie Smith…please stop babying the staff and the team.  There are problems.  Lots of them.  It does no good to deny that fact.  Say it public, then make some changes.  Big ones.

* To the defensive line…wait, I forgot your names, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you guys.

* To Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner…Don’t forget about Matt Forte and the running game.  Only handing it to him 16 times yesterday was a huge mistake.  Offensive balance is key, but it’s also a matter of calling the right plays at the right time.  The sequence at the end of the second quarter was horrendous, and set the tone for the rest of the game.  The way I see it, Forte has proven he’s workhorse who’s capable of shouldering more than a few carries, despite his rookie status.  Let him do it.  Orton’s bum ankle will thank you, and it’ll open things up for the passing game.  You know this.  Everyone knows this.  So DO IT.  Oh, and use Greg Olsen more.  Lots more.  He’s big, strong, fast, and has great hands.  And another thing: the Devin-Hester-as-wide-receiver experiment isn’t working.  Either make him the centerpiece of the receiving corps or use him primarily on special teams.  Much like Urlacher’s speed isn’t being utilized on defense, Hester’s speed and agility aren’t being taken advantage of on offense.

* To General Manager Jerry Angelo…Talk to Lovie.  And I mean TALK to him.  Like, ultimatum talk.  And draft or sign a strong, fast, big-play wideout.  (By the way, I still haven’t forgiven you for the whole Thomas Jones/Cedric Benson debacle.)

* To President and CEO Ted Phillips…Talk to Jerry.  And I mean TALK to him.  Like, ultimatum talk.

* To Devin Hester…I miss the old Devin Hester.  Please come back.

Six games, three-way tie atop the NFC North division.  There’s still time, but not much.  The margin for error is about as skinny as I am (which is, sadly, very very skinny).

November 12 of 12 (belated)

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Better late than never, I guess.

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11:32am – I’ve been sleeping like crap lately, so I decided to sleep in this morning.  During my morning internet routine, I came across Mike’s 12 of 12 and though, “Damn!  I forgot yesterday was the 12th.”  So I start taking pics.

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11:33am – Making my Pick ‘Em picks.  Not that it matters, ’cause I suck at this game.

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11:47am – My floor is littered with bits of rope, from one of Oreo’s toys.

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12:20pm – There’s Oreo, with said toy.

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12:37pm – Lunch in my office at school: pasta leftovers and POWERade.

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1:21pm – Lesson planning for Theory 3.  We’re studying Rondo form.

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2:02pm – The view from my office window.  It was a grey day in New England.

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4:08pm – Walking to the duplication room, I pass a break in the buildings with a lovely view of the Merrimack River.  The white building in the distance is my apartment building.

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4:10pm – The lady who works in the duplication room STILL can’t spell my last name correctly.

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4:24pm – On my way out of my office, I grab some Whoppers that were left over from the Halloween candy I gave out to my students.  Mmm, Whoppers.

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6:10pm – I decide to relax a bit with a big Milky Way hot chocolate from Dunkin’ Donuts and some Scrubs.  I’ve started to re-watch the series; I’m on Season 2.

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7:45pm – Grading some Theory 3 homework.  Times sure have changed: I never would have turned in a form chart that looked that sloppy.  Note my comment on the far left side: “Rulers are good.”

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BONUS: I’ve made it to Book 2 of the Stephanie Meyer Twilight series, New Moon.  I’ll read some more when I crawl into bed.

U2 Conference

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It’s been a while since I last updated, so why not add to the entry list with a blurb about U2.

As you readers (all 3 of you) know, about a year and a half of my life was dedicated to the boys from Dublin, presenting my Interverse paper all over the country and writing/defending my dissertation at FSU.  Well, wouldn’t you know it, but this coming May, in New York City, there’s going to be an academic U2 conference (right now Mike is throwing up in his mouth a little.)  Here’s a banner to prove it:Print

I’m hoping to present at this conference and meet some U2 fans, scholars, and journalists.  I know it’s a far-fetched fantasy, but I’m not-so-secretly hoping some or all of the band will be there.  It’s not that far out of the realm of possibility; I mean, it’s a conference on them, so the way I see it, it would make sense form them to attend, right?  I guess they’ll be busy promoting the new album and planning another groundbreaking world tour, but it’s in NYC, so I’m going to keep hoping.

I know that there are some out there who are not all that enamoured with U2, be it their disdain for the band’s music or a lack of understanding of Bono’s intentions.  First of all, I think their music is fantastic.  Their hits stack up as some of the greatest songs of all time: “With Or Without You,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “New Year’s Day,” “One,” “Mysterious Ways,” “Please,” “Gone,” “Beautiful Day,” “Walk On” “City Of Blinding Lights,” and “I Will Follow” to name but a few.  I realize taste in music extremely subjective, and each person is entitled to an opinion.  But if Radiohead, who haven’t been on the music scene even half as long as U2, have a book out on their music (I saw it at the SMT conference this past weekend), then U2 deserves a conference, at the very least.  (That is not to say I have anything against Radiohead or think they’re not worthy of research or discussion.  I’m merely trying to make the point that U2’s longevity, if nothing else, warrants discussion and study of the band).  (As another aside, I hope to turn my dissertation into a book, so if there are any publishers out there who are willing to give me a chance, I won’t disappoint!)

And as I wrote back in a July entry, those who think Bono’s political work is for self-promotion are not getting all the facts or are simply jealous.  He’s got a lot of money, yes, but at least he’s using his cache and financial resources to try to raise awareness for some of the social and economic injustices happening across the globe.  SOMEone’s got to do it…why not Bono?