Spider-Man 3

Okay...now, I realize I haven't posted on here since last year. But I think it's high time to utilize this space, for whatever discussion takes place. So, here is the first new entry:

I saw Spider-Man 3 on Saturday and was for the most part impressed. Some of the effects could've looked better, and I'm still not all that sold on Kirsten Dunst (she always looks like the girl from Interview With The Vampire to me, no matter how much she ages), but other than that, I liked the movie. Sure, Peter's attempts to have a dark side, a more "wild" side, were pretty ridiculous, but he's a nerd who doesn't know any better. Venom and the Sandman looked really good. Topher Grace played his role with enough cockiness to pull it off. Thomas Hayden Church definitely looked the part of the Sandman, even if some of his lines were delivered with a little too much stiffness. It's nice to see one villain who becomes just an evil thing, and also see one who had desparate reasons to do what he did, and can sort of redeeem himself. Anyway, that's my two cents about it.

Nostalgia

I met some old classmates on Saturday night for a small (too small) reunion. 15 years it's been now. I am feeling a little nostalgic about high school and all that. Most of the people that were at dinner were people I was friendly towards, but never in the same social circle with them. As I was thinking there could have been any variety of people that might come to this, and it ends up being members of one clique and a few others, like me, who weren't. So there's still so many people I'm wondering about...where they're at, what they're doing, married, kids, etc. I would've wanted to tell people about my returning to school, but most of those who were there will forget what I told them anyway. I'll have to wait until the 20th reunion, which more people will deem important enough to attend. We couldn't get a large enough turnout for this one. Where are you, anyway, Class of '91? I'm dyin' to know...

City of Evil

No, I'm not referring to Reading. This is the title of an album by Avenged Sevenfold. Based on the strength of one song, I decided to buy this one, and I'm not disappointed. At times blitzkrieg metal, at other times melodic mood metal/rock, the songs vary. The singer is decent, sometimes gritty, sometimes clear. I still can't get into too many of the new metal acts, although I like to give any of them a chance before passing final judgment on them. This one's good, though. I recommend it to any of you metal listeners out there.

The Descent

I think this movie is good. Not great, but good enough. A group of women go cave-jumping in the Appalachians and get stuck underground. One of the women had previously suffered a personal tragedy and this affects her as she makes the journey through the caves. Hence, the double entendre of "The Descent" is clear. Some of the characters seem to fall into a particular category, ones you might say are obligatory for a horror movie (or any other type of movie involving a group of people all stuck in the same situation and trying to get out). There's a strong leader, a risk-taker (moreso than the other cave-jumpers, that is), a panicker, etc. There were one or two CGI scenes in the film, or more to the point, I believe they were two scene parts put together as one, and they didn't look right. Other than that, it's visually stimulating and gory. They eventually are attacked by some underground creatures. I have a problem with one thing, though. After one of these creatures is killed, they examine it (one of the women is in her last year of medical school...how convenient). They are calm while they study the thing, and she's spouting off how it hunts by sound and has adapted to live underground. No one seems to be troubled by the fact that these things even exist. Not enough, anyway. I know, the urgency of their situation may allow them to focus on the creature and not on why it is here, but I think that latter fact would make at least one of them really nervous.

There were definitely some moments of fright. Even when someone was creeping around a corner and you just knew something was going to be there, it still makes you jump when it happens. Probably because these creatures are always screaming at the women. I would not recommend waiting until this comes out on video, unless you're going to watch it late at night or in a room with no light and no windows...the scare factor wouldn't make us much sense in the daylight. The very last scene was unnecessary...if you see it, I think you'll know why.

Informants

I got a lead for you, Crockett, my mang...this is primo info...you and Tudds oughtta be tanking me mang...

Song of the Week

Totally random jukebox selection, and it turns out to be this one:

"Shake, Shake, Shake (Shake Your Booty)" by KC & The Sunshine Band

Aw, come on, people! Everybody's got at least one song that makes them want to shake some part of their booty, even if they would never do it in public. No, this song doesn't do it for me, it's just what came up on the list. So go ahead, get up and shake it! Nobody's looking! Really!

Catch a wave...

I got to spend some time in Wildwood last week with my family. I don't get to the shore much anymore, and don't go on vacation with family much either, so this was all good. I got burned, but still managed to play frisbee, football, and soccer with my nephew Richie, and on Friday we played kickball with some nice high schoolers from upstate NY. My nephew Jake and I sat at the edge of the water and watched all the tiny hermit crabs try to burrow back into the sand before the next wave hit. Cold, rough water last week, I guess because of all the extra storm activity. Wildwood's changed a bit over the last several years. Uncle B probably wouldn't recognize some of it if he were still here. He seemed to enjoy it the most. Now that I'm older, it doesn't have the same appeal it used to (and everything's more expensive), but it's still nice to be at the shore. Maybe I'll try Ocean City MD next year. Who knows.

Thanks Kimballs!

Just a "shout-out" to Ray, Mindi, Daniel, and even canine Ike for having me up for a weekend this summer and showing me a good time. I enjoyed the tour of the West Point campus and the polka music atmosphere of that Bavarian/German restaurant we ate at Saturday night. Maybe do it again sometime!