10 Thoughts on X-Men: The Last Stand (Spoilers)

1. Digital make-up is just creepy. Creepy when they used it to make Tobey Maguire look lethargic in Spider-Man, still creepy now when they de-aged Prof. X and Magneto.
2. Now everyone's going to equate floating objects and gravity-defying water as residual TK energy...
   
3. So much death, so little blood. Seems adamantium claws are hemoglobin resistant, and molecular disintegration is a more hygienic way to snuff someone. "It's for the kids..."
4. Interesting to note that while we're supposed to see mutant henchmen, all I see are minorities playing the cannon fodder. Just goes to show that even as mutants, Latino and Asian characters can't catch a break in Hollywood.
   
5. I think they had Prof. X act like a dick so when Jean Grey killed him you wouldn't feel too bad about it. Not that it was a problem in the end (credits)...
6. Well, Angel's role was a waste of time. And to think he got so much face time in the marketing of this film. Kitty Pryde gets a nod for swearing in the film, unlike Logan (a first, I think). Storm loses the South African accent and just went for the Halle "all lightning and fog but for some reason no hailstorm to f**k things up" Berry accent.
   
7. Maybe it's just me, but any school with it's own cemetary for anything other than pets or strays is just f**ked up. When my friend mentioned that the school was acutally a private residence, well, that's just even more f**ked up! "Hey, what happened to Bobby?" "Oh, he's in the backyard..."
8. Cliches and more cliches! I'm not sure what I hate more, dumb dialogue used to fill up a scence or cliches that think they're clever when spoken out loud.
9. Homages (or swipes) up the wazzoo, indicating either director Brett Ratner's love of cinema or lack of originality. The Matrix, Star Trek III, The Exorcist, Lawnmower Man, Gone with the Wind(!), and even Osama bin Laden videos.
   
10. It wasn't that bad. Sure, the movie had some bumps, but no more than the last one, as in the let's get Professor X and Cyclops outta the way YET AGAIN routine.

Ooh, and remind me to make a "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!" T-shirt.

Dog Dale Afternoon

I'm halfway thru 6-week Dale Carnegie course, and already I've gotten both Breakthrough and Outstanding Performance awards (w/ matching pens), as well as been made president of the class. Amazing what a good command of the English language can do for you, particulary if you feel you're the most English-articulate student in the class.

(I must mention that my equal opportunity class will eventually award every student one B and OP award each; it's just that I was the second one to get it so quickly. Wonder if this means I shouldn't try harder in the next few sessions? Heheheheh...)

(Also, I think my winning the last name had more to do w/ my being the second to the last to perform, as, psychologically speaking, people tend for remember the first few and last few things they see when watching something in sequence.)

After class I watched X-Men: The Final Stand in Greenhills w/ DJ and her friend Yvette/Betsy. Also saw Katherine Siao while I parking and ran into Diane, Jeff and Cathy at Bizu. After a roast beef sandwich dinner at Tender Bob's (while braving the heavy wind and rain outside), I met w/my movie companions at Fuzion. DJ lent me her copy of season 2 of Battlestar Galatica while I lent Yvette/Betsy the comic CDs DJ returned to me.

My thoughts on the movie later.

PC TV Time

Got the house to myself last night (everybody else in Baguio while I stayed to attend the Dale Carnegie class), so I planned a little dinner party. Tacos (later burritos). I don't know whether it was the sudden downpour, invited guests forgetting or simple lack of courtesy that caused the no-shows, but only 2 people showed up.

My friend Wella said she also has a friend that acts an official gimik planner for their circle of friends, and she wouldn't think of doing it herself because of endless worrying and resentment for those that said would show up but don't. Boy, she hit the bullseye on that one.

If you say you're coming but don't, fine; but have the decency to try and contact me and tell me so. Maybe call/text the next day and apologize. Just don't leave me hanging.

* * *

Just finished watching the season finale of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, w/c unofficially ends my downloaded regular TV series viewing for 2005-06 season. And that's a lotta shows. The show(s) listed in red indicate my favorite of the lot--

1 Hour shows (or 44 mins w/o commmericals):

• 24
• CSI
• CSI: Miami
• CSI: New York
• Desperate Housewives
• Heist (cancelled early)
• House
• Law & Order
• Law & Order: SVU
• Law & Order: CI
• Nightstalker (cancelled early)
• Threshold (cancelled early)
• The Unit

Half-hour shows (or 22 mins w/o commericals):

• Arrested Development
• Everybody Hates Chris
• King of the Hill
• Kitchen Confidential (cancelled)
• The Loop (cancelled?)
• Malcolm in the Middle
• My Name is Earl
• The Office
• Scrubs
• The Simpsons
• Teachers (cancelled early)
  

And I haven't even counted the cable shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, Penn & Teller's Bullsh*t! and Thief.

I calculated it to about 247 hours of TV. How I manage to get any work done is beyond me.

If You Didn't Like The DaVinci Code Movie...

...just so you know, the screenwriter, Akiva Goldsman, wrote Batman & Robin.

BATMAN. AND. ROBIN.

Well, Soylent Green It Ain't

Sold at the SM Mall of Asia food court:

At least we're affordable.

Pix for 2-Day(s)

SuNdAy: Attended a relative's(?) engagement lunch and, as these typical Tsinoy ceremonies go, was very G.I. and filled with cigarette smoke. The only things that kept me from going insanely bored was texting and checking out the children's party on the ground floor of the restaurant.

Three fashion faux pax. Either he's in anchorman mode (only dressed up from the waist up) or just doesn't care. Faces blurred to avoid further humiliation.

Get it? Mommies for the mummy wrap game. Brilliant.

Another game, "The Longest Line." More ingenuity. Before the game started I was already thinking, wouldn't it be funny if the kids started taking off their shirts as well as their socks...?

TODAY: It felt... karmic today. Actually got down to the office at 8:30, or half an hour earlier than usual, an later I got a salary raise. At the bank and gave smiles and greeted the tellers, and got great service in return.

But Bitey still won't reply to any of my messages. Not sure what I did to deserve the silent treatment, if it's intentional.

* * *

Checked out the new SM Mall of Asia w/ the 'rents. Place is vast. Parking was an adventure in itself. Surprised to spot a few familiar faces (like Rex, 'Don and Catchu and one girl who was managing the GWrap booth but couldn't remember from where I know her).

Stopped by the newest branch of Ideal Vision Center, owned by high school classmate Rachel Joy Go and her family. This is her sister Nel, who helped me choose (and buy) a new pair of sunglasses (not the ones in this pic, though).

Store window display. Ah, Georgina. If only I was younger, taller (the girl's 5'9"!) and actually knew you in person...my life would STILL be same.

Saturday with The Office

Went to Robinson's Ermita (ran into Ajin & Edison) and caught Over the Hedge (w/c, IMO, is money better spent than watching the hype-and-hoopla all this and the next few weeks that is The Da Vinci Code) with Eileen. Afterwards we went to Popeye's for Lynette's son Riley's birthday. Cool group canvas of the cast (there's a Castor Oyl for Olive Oyl), and of course Popeye and Olive Oyl the mascots were a hit. Got my godson a Guess shirt.

Another interesting find was the reopened Comics Odyssey, with P20-an-issue (or $0.38) comics in boxes outside the shop, as well as a Buy 5 Get 1 Free offer. Boy, my legs and feet were killing me from crouching and sifting, but I missed the "thrill of the hunt" for back issues, seeing as how most of my comics reading is lately done on PC. Ironically the issues I reallly wanted to find were in the "regular" back-issue bins in the shop (Peter David's and John Ostrander's runs on Supergirl and The Spectre, respectively).

* * *

Just finished with the 2nd season of the UK version of The Office, w/c is one of the hardest comedies for me to watch. Don't get me wrong: Ricky Gervais, et al is brilliant. It's just that personally I hate watching awkward moments I know are forthcoming. Again, not "slagging" the show, as they'd say. I literally fast foward those scenes, but sheepishly go back so I don't miss the joke.

Unlike The Office US (w/ the equally brillant Steve Carell) they don't pull any punches. Awkward silences are the norm, but they don't alway go for the happy ending, the way TOUS does. And there's definitely more drama. They were right to stop with 12 episodes (and 1 special). Leave on a high (and awkwardly silent) note.

* * *

Finally: attempted to finished a mug of oatmeal sprinkled with raisins.

Last time I did something like this it was with diced fresh mango.

Never. Again.

Gross Posts

WARNING: Avert your gaze now if the mention of fecal matter (and other rectally related items) makes you cringe.

INCIDENT ONE: It's been awhile since I cooked pasta (recent health craze on my part had me avoiding that and white bread as much as possible), so when Ma requested spaghetti for dinner I didn't object.

There was an open bag of Royal spaghetti with enough left over for about 3-4 servings. Got the water boiling, added some oil and salt, grabbed the remaining handfull of uncooked spaghetti, broke them in half and put it in the pot. Hmm, some strands left over in the bag, I thought, so I poured them in, as well.

Along with-- to my horror -- a dozen or so little black pellets.

Crap! (Specifically, cockroach crap.)

After unsuccessful attemps to fish out all the roach pellets with a ladle I opted to just dump the water, wash the 1-minute cooked pasta thoroughly and start over.

Well, at least it didn't affect the flavor.

INCIDENT TWO: While clearing the office desk I saw a folded sheet of Kleenex on the opposite shelf. When I took the napkin to toss it out I felt something inside, so I unfolded it.

It looked like a transluscent golf tee, or a glue gun stick that was almost used up.

Ugh, it's wet. Ma, what's this?

Ma pondered for a second.

Ah, it's a suppository.

Then I remembered: earlier today my neice Jasmine was constipated.

Why. Am. I. Still. Holding. This?

Good Day, Dale

It was a good day. Attended my first all-day Dale Carnegie class. Had dinner and went shopping w/ Wella. The only surreal moment was at Powerbooks (Megamall) when, while waiting for Wella, I was unwillingly subjected to a DVD menu loop of Paul Anka singing Smells Like Teen Spirit, 1950s big band style.

Lastly, I found out that the stupid Bitlord program and set at 20kbps max download, w/c was why the damn thing was slow when it shouldn't have been. ANYhoo, I'm now up to a top dl speed of 60kpbs. Wonder if PLDT is doing this so I won't ask for a rebate for the lousy connection speed the past month?

Friday, Rainy Friday

First rainy morning of the summer. First time inna while I woke up to dark skies.

Oh, and on a weird note: I woke in the middle of the night and found my boxers next to me instead of on me. Great. Now I sleep-strip.