Flashback Friday: Armageddon

Flashback Friday…..Which may or may not be a regular thing. We’ll see.

I turned on the TV the other day and Armageddon was playing. Solidly more than half way thru  cuz they were already on the moon and starting to lose faith because the second team was lost and the first team was running out of supplies to accomplish the drilling task, but I still had to stop and watch it to the end. Cuz there are movies that are so much fun or so engrossing that you can’t not watch .

Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thorton, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, Will Patton, Owen Wilson, William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Stormare… wha??? Yes, this is a freaking stellar cast. And a fun, funny, action, adventure that partially takes place on an asteroid in space. What is NOT to love about that?

There’s the romance between Affleck and Tyler. The parental – child over-protectiveness/rebellion of Willis and Tyler. The crazy dysfunction of Buscemi who goes into debt partying because he’s certain they’re not coming back from this mission. The heartbreak of an MIA father who doesn’t know how to undo the lack of relationship his has with his little boy and ex-wife.  The poignancy of Willis and Affleck who have a father-son relationship but struggle to admit it. The patriotism of everyone because they’re trying to save the world from a big-ass asteroid even though they may die for their efforts.  The excitement of will they/won’t they succeed.

Good grief. There is so much to love about this movie. If you haven’t watched it in a while…. Grab some popcorn and your sweetie, curl up on the couch and enjoy a summer blockbuster. You’re welcome.

The Oscars

So, The Oscars were a couple days ago and I thought it was pretty darn good. No awards I thought were out of left field. No dresses that were crazy, crazy ugly, although there were some that I found unattractive or unflattering. No bad jokes, just good solid hosting from Neil Patrick Harris. No bizarre thank you messages, although some were non-thank youish in nature but still tasteful and worth hearing. So, all in all... a good Oscar night.

During the memorial part, there were so many names I'd either forgotten or didn't know we'd lost and so that was sad. As it always is.

I thought the tribute to The Sound of Music was terrific and Lady Gaga never looked prettier and she has a beautiful voice that may sometimes be overlooked when most of what we hear her sing is pop music. Not that I don't love pop music or think you can sing bad there - I don't. Just trying to say (very poorly) that she sang with beauty and grace and did Julie Andrews proud. And seriously, she looked great!

Glory which won Best Song so totally deserved it. It was the only song that got a standing ovation and rightfully so to my mind. I had goosebumps listening to it.

Kudos to Reese Witherspoon for her #askhermore campaign that brought light to the fact that actresses are more than their dresses and encouraged the press to ask them about more than who they were wearing.

Kudos to Patricia Arquette (Best Supporting Actress in Boyhood) who advocated for equal pay for women in her speech.

And finally loads of kudos to Graham Moore (Best Adapted Screenplay - The Imitation Game) who told how he had tried to commit suicide as a youth because he felt different and weird. He encouraged all who feel that way to "stay weird, stay different' because eventually they will find their place in the world like he did. Awesome!

And why the whole night happened - the movies. I thought there were so many great movies this year and they were all represented. I would have found it hard to choose between the movies and the amazing actors who starred in them and all the brains and talent that bring them to life in every other way. And that they were so amazing and so hard to choose between - I say good job, Academy, for making those tough calls.

The Imitation Game and my geeky fan-girl moment of the week

Totally geeky moment. Last week when I wrote about Backstrom, one of the stars (Kristoffer Polaha) favorited and retweeted my tweet which was wicked cool because he played John Galt in the 3^rd Atlas Shrugged movie. And as ya’ll know, Atlas Shrugged is my favorite book of all time. So, that was my geek fan moment of the week. And by the way – if you haven’t yet – really – go watch Backstrom. So good.

Now for today’s topic – The Imitation Game. I have no idea how accurate the movie is as far as giving credit to those due for creating the machine that allowed Britain to break the code of the German’s Enigma machine. No clue at all.

What I do know is how great the film was in my humble opinion. It was even better than that if you ask my guy because he’s British and all the stuff that was taking place in the film was reminiscent of his childhood. The film resonated with him on far more levels than it might for an American. But, I thought it was a really good movie. Benedict Cumberbatch was great (as always) and Keira Knightly did a very good job as well. Actually, it was pretty much a stellar cast from start to finish. I’d name all the actors, but it’s a fair list, so I’ll just suggest you see the film instead.  

It’s about a team of British smarty-pants trying to come up with a way to break the Enigma machine  codes so they can win the war. (And please try to imagine if they’d failed and WWII was lost. Actually, Amazon has one episode of an original series they may greenlight called The Man in the High Castle which is based on a Philip K Dick novel and is an alternate history imagining if the Allied powers had lost WWII. It’s disturbing.) So, anywho, the movie is about the trials, triumphs and relationships of this team as they struggle with the problem and even what direction they should invest their time. Very worth the watch.

And now we’re at the part where I have a SPOILER ALERT.

The thing that struck me most was how hard it must have been for this group of people to know all of Germany’s movements and have to make hard choices about which ones they could or could not stop without giving away the fact that they’d broken the code.

Think about that for a moment. Really. We’re at war and the opposing country thinks their coded messages are all secret-like, but we don’t want them to know we know, so we let them blow up a ship that will kill hundreds or thousands so that we can act as though we just got lucky when we stop them in another attack that will save thousands or more or just a really strategic location. So, daily we have to make the decision of who lives and who dies so that we can end a war sooner than later. Tough stuff.

I don’t know how I would live with that kind of burden and responsibility pressing down on me.  I think it would take incredibly strong people with a big picture view to handle that. Which makes me think of that Jack Nicholson scene in A Few Good Men where he shouts , “You can’t handle the truth!” Could the majority of us handle the truth of what is done in the name of our freedom? Something to think about.

The other thing that stayed with me was how horrible homosexuals were treated back then. How awful that we ever came up with chemical castration – just for being gay. Like slavery, sexism and racism (and more), I find the past a hard pill to swallow sometimes. Hard indeed to take how inhumane we can be to one other.  Cruel and sad.  Just saying.

My Hair and more Game of Thrones

So, I told you about my trip to Nashville. The humidity out there is crazy and kept putting this heinous wave into my hair, so then I got a bug up my butt about hating my current hairstyle, so I came home with that in my head and decided to get it cut.

My usual girl was scheduled for when I went in but then was sick so she wasn't in when I went in but I was hating my hair, so I let someone else cut it. I'm a dumbass.

First, I shouldn't have been hating my hair just cuz humidity was screwing with it. Also, I should have come back when my regular girl was healthy cuz now I'm in permanent hat wearing mode for a few months cuz the non-regular girl hosed it up - Bad (yes... Capital B Bad). It's already been several weeks and it still looks like shit. So, my poor man has to look at me looking like I stuck my finger in a light socket 24/7 and I have to try to figure out how to dress up while wearing a ballcap (I look dumb in any other hat styles - don't go there) at the hand-fasting I'm attending tomorrow. Sigh....

Fortunately, hair grows so I'm not completely crushed by this turn of events but I do have to wait for it to get long enough to let my regular gal fix it. I'm having a wicked bad hair day every day for way too long. Go ahead and laugh... it's ok. I'd be laughing it it were you. :)

And update (SPOILER ALERT on Game of Thrones Season 4):

I started watching season four the minute it arrived. Yes, yes..I'm totally gonna run out of episodes before April. I think I'll go back to Season one and start watching all the bonus feature stuff while I'm waiting. Anywho... I started watching season four and Yay! Joffrey dies a painful death in episode 2. He could have suffered more but at least he's gone.

I had other stuff here but now that I've finished the fourth season, I have to change even that.  The Hound and Arya are a great pair and I love all their scenes, so you can imagine how sad I was with the Hound's death. Arya is turning into a real badass.  Breanne and Jamie are another great pair so I'm glad he sends her off to protect Sansa but I'm sad I won't see them together any more.  But Breanne and Pod work well too. Jamie is definitely redeeming himself and I'm liking him a ton. But he really needs to get over his sister (what a bitch!).

And Bron/Tyrion and Shae/Tyrion are more pairs I like so much so wow was I disappointed in Shae by the end of the season and not feeling so sad at her tragic end or Tywin's. Although I am feeling really bad for Tyrion. But I think I can look forward to a Tyrion/Varys pair to like. And I can't blame Bron, and neither did Tyrion, with his change of events.

And Sansa and Baelish are shaping up to be a strange pair but I can't mourn that crazy-ass Lysa Arryn and I can only hope something happens to her creepy son. Robin.

So I'm sad about some stuff in season four, but overall there were some excellent moments when loads of shitty people got killed most gruesome and there was much cheering from my couch. I think my guy thinks I'm a little blood-thirsty. Could be....

Game of Thrones

So, I was watching Game of Thrones on disc thru Netflix last year and it was slow going and the continuity was a challenge at times but I was hooked none the less. Then, for Christmas that was the only thing on my list. That's it. All of Game of Thrones. 

Season Four should arrive in my mailbox any day now (it released yesterday on Feb 17) so I'm trying to pace myself. But, I'm working my way thru them a tad too fast I'm thinking cuz I'm going to run out of episodes in March and the new season doesn't start until mid April, I think. Did I mention that I just added HBO to my DirecTV for the sole reason of being able to watch Season Five as it rolls out?

I think I may have a bit of addiction going on here. Not that I have a problem with that since I am a self-confessed junkie for TV and movies, but others in my household may be raising their eyebrows at me. Other others are right there with me!

I'm catching so much more this time around. There were whole scenes and episodes I have no memory of at all. This show is so well done that I think I'll catch something new every time I watch it. But, that could be me rationalizing why to watch it more than a few times. I dunno.

Spoiler Alert! There are some comments below that if you aren't caught up, may give you more than you want to know at this point. Beware...

I haven't even seen Season Four - at all.  I can't wait!  I know Joffrey dies. Looking forward to that. I knew about the Red Wedding before I watched Season Three and it didn't slow me down one iota when it actually happened. Anywho. I only learned Joffrey was dead because I was at the SLC Comic Fan Xperience and saw Lena Headey (Cersei) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime), the infamous, incestuous Lannister twins, and there was a question about them having sex right after Joffrey dies (and in the same room with his body?). Anyway... I learned Joffrey dies and I'm good with that. He's an evil little shit. This is why incest is good for no one.

Can I just say how very, very pretty Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is! I mean - wow. And Lena Headey is so pretty and nothing like Cersei. I can imagine it's fun to play someone so mean and calculating though. She said she's a fan of the show and watches it as it's playing so when she gets a script, she first checks to see if she gets killed off and then only reads her parts so she can enjoy seeing the plot unfold with the audience. I thought that was cool.

Now - I'm going to say something that may rile a few people, but stay with me and I'll explain. I have not read the books. I'm not sure I will ever read the books. Calm down, purists. I  love the show so much and I know they are different beasts and diverging some (or more and more) as time goes on. The books' fans may have issues when the show changes things and I'm thinking I may have issues with the books since I'm entrenched in the show. Also, I think I'd rather read the books (if I read them) when I can read them all back to back. I would get frustrated waiting while George R.R. Martin finishes writing the series.

Okay... favorite characters and villains:

The Hound - he's got a great mix of complexity that has good and bad layers. Overall I think he is a great anti-hero, cuz his goodness comes out in very un-heroic ways at times.

Tyrion Lannister - Not just because I think Peter Dinklage is the bomb (and a sexy one at that), but because Tyrion is smart (nothing is sexier than smart) and he's another layered good anti-hero and he's funny too. Like every time he smacks Joffrey down and puts him in his place, I laugh myself silly. He's got heart and depth. And a perfect dose of irreverence.

Brienne of Tarth - What's not to love about a 6'3" Amazonian warrior who is tough as nails and loyal to a fault. Seriously, she is awesome. So awesome in fact that she wins over her prisoner, Jaime, and they form a wary sort of friendship.

Arya Stark - I would have been her as a kid. She's smart, tough, skilled, loyal and honest. She's just all out there and confused by the politics and maneuvering of everyone else. I get her. I like her. I hope her and Gendry hook up. Just saying. ( I like Gendry a lot too.)

Daenerys Targaryen - She's gonna get the gold ring eventually - that's my prognosis. And worthy of it too. Like Jorah says, she's tough and smart but also soft and caring about her people. She'll win the Iron Throne because she's the only one of all the wanna-be kings/queens that would really do the job credit. And she has dragons. Harder to lose with dragons. And wasn't her brother just a weasel-dick? I was so happy when Khal Drogo poured gold on his petulant, dumbass head.

Khal Drogo - I wanted to cry when Khal Drogo died. Not only only was he just the yummiest, sexiest guy on the show but he adored Daenerys and any guy that refers to his lady as 'The Moon of his life' is worth mooning over (haha ... see what I did there... with moon and mooning...lol). And he gets bonus points and gold stars for killing her brother. I laughed out loud when he gave him a gold crown. Really I did.

Lord Varys - He's another one of these great complicated good/bad guys. Not too much of either the good or the bad and totally self-serving (aren't we all, really?) but I do believe him when he says he is on the side of the realm.

I love hating Cersei. I just hate Joffrey. I like Jaime and think he's improved a lot since hanging with Brienne. Sansa is winning me over slowly. Tywin is strong and I respect him. Theon Greyjoy is dickless little crud and I don't feel bad about anything that happens to him. Sam is a cutie-pie. Shae is feisty and a good match for Tyrion.

There's a host of other characters that weren't around long enough for me, but there you are. Anyone ya'll love or love to hate?

Backstrom

Backstrom is a new TV show starring Rainn Wilson. I love this!!!

It's based on a character from a series of books in Sweden by author, Leif GW Persson.  Since I haven't read these books, I will address the Americanized television show that I am crazy about (but that inspires me to find said books and read immediately).

We're only three episodes in but I think Everett Backstrom is a great character, He's an equal opportunity-insulter of everyone. He is overweight, drinks too much, sleeps too little, is crass, offensive, slovenly, and crude. Basically your run-of-the-mill genius jackass who happens to also be a cop... and a really good one at that. He's quirky and Rainn Wilson is so perfect for the role I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't read one of the books and say, "I want to play him!" And then go out and make that happen.

All of the side characters are great too but some standouts for me are his gay roommate who 'gets' Backstrom more than anyone else and sometimes facilitates between Backstrom and the world at large. And his Indian doctor, Dr. Deb, who is a grounding force in Backstrom's life. By being able to pass or not pass Backstrom's medical clearance, Dr Deb has leverage to force Backstrom into working towards being healthier than not. He prescribes that Backstrom get a friend or journal every lie he tells. It's so cool. Totally makes me laugh.

And Backstrom says and does the funniest shit. I find myself just laughing out loud throughout the show. I will pray to whatever TV gods I need to in order to keep this show going.  If irreverent dark humor is your thing, join me in loving this show.

The Hobbit Trilogy

So, The Hobbit. Some more - maybe. I can't remember if I discussed my feelings on The Hobbit parts 1 or 2 so I'll discuss all three now that I've seen them all.

The first one was a train wreck in my opinion. I don't care that there was a fuck-ton of singing in the book. The singing in the movie should have been cut to maybe two snippets (really short snippets)  - like after dinner in Bag End and maybe when they're out camping on their travels. That's it. Two tiny snippets that show their love of music and no more. The singing that they put in the first movie was ridiculous and made the entire film difficult to watch. I really can't view it without fast-forwarding thru all that nonsense. And let's not get me started on the Goblins and that painful half hour of film-making. (It's not a half hour? Really? It felt like an eternity!) It isn't as though they didn't take some license to veer from the written word of Tolkien (one word - Tauriel), so they really could have forgone the painful singing moments. Really. Really, really.

In parts one and two, I'd like to say how much Thorin is an asshat (King Asshat - if you will) and how little the dwarves deserve all the many, many, many, many, many times their asses are saved miraculously by Gandalf and/or Bilbo. Seriously. How many deus ex machina plot devices are we to be subjected to? (Most people only get one, that's it, one miracle-hand-of-god type saving of the plot.) Yes, yes. J.R.R. Tolkien is a genius, yada, yada, yada. Even genius falls down once in a while (or too many times to count) is all I'm saying. And by any fair and just measure, the dwarves would have failed and died en route to the Lonely Mountain. And Smaug would have continued his long-ass dragon nap and Laketown would have continued under the idiotic reign of the Master. And... well you get the idea.

I still liked part two well enough. And part three was even better. The best of the three, in my humble opinion. Thorin eventually redeems himself from the asshattery he wore through the majority of the trilogy. Smaug does what dragons do. Bilbo is the true hero of the day - as is fitting since the title isn't The Dwarves. Costumes and setting and music (not singing) are all excellent as one would expect. Martin Freeman is so good as Bilbo and we already knew how genius Ian McKellan is as Gandalf.

Other notables:
Lee Pace as Thranduil - he's so cold and sexy at the same time. Bad dad, dubious ruler, but yummy yummy elf. Not at all like the wackadoodle he plays in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Aidin Turner as Kili - a dwarf in love with an elf and so hotsy-totsy himself, he gets the elf to love him back. Kili is a heart-throb despite his diminutive size. And Aiden Turner? Well, sign me up! Where I can get more of that? Don't think for one moment that I'm not above binge-watching anything I can find him in on Netflicks. I'm not. I will.

Smaug and Benedict Cumberbatch. I think that says it all. Words aren't needed here are they?

Evangeline Lilly  as Tauriel - Okay - I'm not a purist. I like her addition as a character. I like that she falls for Kili (who wouldn't) and that she's a fighter and tough and loyal and willing to be banished for doing what she knows is right. She's a great character.

Stephen Fry as the Master - so yucky in all the best ways. :)
Orlando Bloom as Legolas - he's still got it but it's hard to notice next to Thranduil and Kili.
Hugo Weaving as Elrond... or anything... yes, please. I have a mad, mad crush on Hugo Weaving.
Manu Bennett (Azog, the lead Orc) - how, HOW? How do they make someone this handsome look that ugly? Congrats to Makeup and costuming.
Luke Evans (Bard) - I believe him. I believe he could save the day and lead that group. Good actor, good guy, good character.
Billy Connelly (Dain) - No way to hide that very singular, very awesome voice.

So, in conclusion, I have to fast forward thru the stupid parts of part one or skip it altogether. Two is mostly good, if you ignore all the times that an eleventh hour miracle saves the dwarves. Smaug is just cool as dragons go. And part three is the best of them and makes up for all the foolishness of the first. Way to end a series. I wish they had just made two films, cut out all the useless crap, tightened up the plot line and not tried to stretch it out so much. But there you are.