April 2009 Archives

i have been given a number to call for an interview with the society of experimental test pilots. at 10 am i dial the number. i am greeted with a highly chipper recorded voice.

"congratulations! you have reached the rewards center! chances are you dialed this number by mistake but luckily for you this will be the most exciting and rewarding phone call you make all day! in these tough economic times, we offer significant value in the deals we will make with you today, press one to hear more! and remember, only one deal per household!"

seriously?

looking for some movies to watch and someone to see them with? look no further! let me know if you want to see any of the following with me.

Bluebeard

Breillat (the director) brings forward and mingles in a deliberately jarring fashion the palpable sensuousness of two worlds--the fairytale and childhood--to capture provocatively, and with more than a little silent laughter, a seminal moment at work in the terror of children's stories: enough for a lifetime of fantasies; a lifetime to murder and create.
Fri, Apr 24 / 7:15 / Kabuki
Sat, Apr 25 / 9:30 / Kabuki
Wed, Apr 29 / 4:15 / Kabuki

Hansel and Gretel

With eye-popping art direction, a trio of terrific child actors and a passel of disquieting moments, Hansel and Gretel is a Grimm delight.
Fri, Apr 24 / 11:15 / Kabuki
Mon, Apr 27 / 3:15 / Kabuki
Thu, Apr 30 / 7:00 / ROXIE

Kimjongilia

Through a series of extraordinary interviews with North Korean refugees, N.C. Heikin's stylistically inventive documentary presents a devastating indictment of Kim Jong-Il, one of the world's most elusive dictators.
Mon, May 4 / 6:30 / PFA

Moon

A lone astronaut on the moon, only weeks away from returning to earth, is shaken to the core when he regains consciousness after an accident to discover he is no longer alone.
Sun, May 3 / 9:00 / Castro

The Paranoids

In this wry comedy of errors from Argentina, an unaccomplished screenwriter who works children's birthday parties for a living tries not to sleep with his best friend's girlfriend, but fails at that, too.
Sun, May 3 / 12:15 / Kabuki

Small Crime

An earnest young policeman assigned to a small island is bored until he investigates a suspicious death, gets to know the residents and falls in love. Spectacular Greek island locations and authentic details root this delightful romantic comedy.
Wed, Apr 29 / 9:45 / Kabuki
Tue, May 5 / 3:15 / Kabuki

Still Walking

The acclaimed director of Nobody Knows and After Life (SFIFF 1998) once again triumphs as a nuanced chronicler of contemporary Japan with this multigenerational portrait in which family ties are tested by loss and strengthened through humor and perfectly prepared tempura.
Sun, May 3 / 8:45 / Kabuki /
NOTE: After Life is a fantastic movie. So good if you've never seen it.

Unmistaken Child

Tenzin Zopa is a 28-year-old Buddhist disciple who journeys through the Tsum Valley of Nepal in order to locate the reincarnation of his recently deceased Tibetan master in this intimate, emotionally enthralling and visually splendid documentary.
Sun, May 3 / 3:15 / Kabuki

last week at rock city with excitable 5 and 2 year olds, i learned many things:

1. if you accidentally give a kid a boost causing him to ram face first into a rock, well, he's probably OK. i mean. he's not bleeding or anything. totally fine.

2. if you're helping a kid get a pretzel and accidentally sweep him off the picnic table bench and face first onto the dirty ground, well, he picks himself back up again. kids! they're resilient. bounce back like jiggly jell-o. no problem-o.

3. it is amazing the things kids can quote. tyler can do some excellent bolt impressions.

"are you hungry?!" he hollers at me.

and before i can answer he yells "starving!" in a psychotic serial killer hamster in a ball sort of way. then we eat lunch (see #4).

later on he sings 'iron man' by black sabbath. have you ever heard a child sing heavy metal? it's kind of awesomely creepy.

"Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl

Now the time is here
For Iron Man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved"

4. before the trip to rock city i mentioned to ellie how great it was that she was always feeding me. it's like a complete abdication of responsibility sometimes, being around her and the boys. i can be just the third kid. fed and reprimanded to behave appropriately. i'm pretty sure after the multiple accidents i was directly responsible for my appropriate behavior points had shot way down and yet she still gave me a ham and cheese sandwich. she also offered to burp me. i turned her down.

5. kids are gullible. you tell them the fire ants will eat them and they think every ant is a fire ant capable of devouring them in one bite. tyler was all, "ant! ant!" and i'm like, "dude, it's black not red. calm down. it won't eat you." and then i accidentally tripped him and he fell into a mass of poison oak.

no, not really.

"seriously michele, there's an ant over there."

"it's not going to eat you. i'm sorry i ever lied to you."

"liars never prosper. 'I. Am. Iron. Man...do duh do do do do duh duh do.'"

more pictures here.

the end of our trip has come and the rest of the photos are viewable here.

In which we drive the relatively short distance between Aberdeen, WA and Cannon Beach, OR even though it takes us almost 7 hours. Many of which were spent in bookstores. Only 2 different bookstores though. Man, that is technically a 3 hour drive (we took an hour detour to see some WA beaches). Bookstores are time sucks. I love them.

See the pictures here.

click on the picture for even more pictures of the trip so far.