We just got back from seeing Pixar's latest - WALL-E.

Wow. Awesome. Incredible.

Go see this movie. See it on a big screen.

You will love it.

Pixar has done it again. *grin*

Rating: 5 stars!

This was a weekend for unusual movie viewing experiences. First, on Saturday night we saw Animal House for free on the big screen at Cinemaworld.

And then Sunday night, we watched Across the Universe while floating in a hot tub.

As often happens - good things come from "embracing the power of and". While debating with our visiting friend Martin whether to watch a movie or hang out in the hot tub, we decided - why not both? Soon we had a laptop screen and speakers set up, and Martin provided the movie.

I had never heard of Across the Universe, but it was an amazing and offbeat treat. The movie uses the music of The Beatles (33 songs!) to tell the stories of a young artist from Liverpool (Jude), his best friend and soon-to-be-draftee Max, his activist love Lucy, and a swirl of other characters surrounding them in the turbulent late 60's setting.

The visuals of the movie get rather trippy at times - particularly during the psychedilic bus trip sequence with Dr. Robert (U2's Bono) singing "I Am The Walrus" as they road-trip across the country. Then the outrageous Eddie Izzard makes an appearance singing "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" with a chorus of dancing Blue Meanies.

When Max gets drafted, things get even weirder as an Uncle Sam poster comes to life to sing "I Want You So Bad" to him while he is marched through his indoctrination physical.

The music is great. The visuals are stunning. The characters are engaging. The entire 1960's NYC world feels brought to life. Ever step of the way the movie feels unpredictable and imaginatively engaging.

I loved it. This is what movie magic is all about!

Rating: 5 stars!

Saturday night we decided to get out of the house for a while, and serolynne and I met up with mladypain for the Free Midnight Movie at Cinemaworld in Melbourne.

This week's feature - the 1978 comedy classic Animal House.

I always worry when I watch older "classic" comedies. So many of them have failed to age well, and many are now downright painful to watch.

But Animal House has held up to the test of time. It is a delight, and often downright laugh-out-loud hilarious. The plot is simplistic, the humor crude and outrageous, and that is exactly the point.

John Belushi in particular demonstrates his mastery of physical comedy and facial expressions. He is a comedic genius indeed.

Animal House gets extra points from me for being such an original movie that has inspired countless imitators.

All in all, a great night out. And you can't beat the price - free!

Rating: 5 stars!

I never would have imagined this.

A documentary about the quest to be the world's best Donkey Kong player you would expect to appeal to a rather limited audience. I mean, just how fascinating can it be to watch a bunch of geeks obsessing over insanely high scores in a 25 year old video game???

But to my surprise - The King of Kong ended up being one of the funniest and most entertaining documentaries I have ever seen. Even if you could care less about video games, the personalities that the filmmakers capture are beyond fascinating. This is such an incredibly well made movie revolving around such an engrossing story that it is impossible not the be entranced.

swdev and his wife invisibleink151 joined serolynne and I for lunch and a movie this afternoon. Based upon a good review I had stumbled across online, Kong was in our NetFlix stack, and became our lunchtime entertainment.

We were all floored, laughing out loud, and constantly staring at each other with jaws on the floor. None of us expected The King of Kong to be so amazingly good.

The rivalry between reigning champion and "Gamer of the Century" Billy Mitchell and out-of-nowhere upstart Steve Wiebe is as gripping as any rivalry in the history of sports. Billy has seemingly based his entire life around his reputation as the best, and his 1982 record had never been challenged - until Steve came along.

Steve's wife and kids are bemusingly supportive of their father's sudden fame and glory. But the family dynamics make for some of the best parts of the film. Here is Steve talking with his daughter:

Jillian: I never knew that the Guinness World Record Book was so... I never knew it was so important.
Steve: I guess a lot of people are... yeah, a lot of people read that book.
Jillian: [while directly looking at Steve, her father] Some people sort of ruin their lives to be in there.

*ouch*

And then there is Steve's toddler son, demanding that his father "Stop playing Donkey Kong and wipe my butt!" while his father tries to stall him as he is just at that very moment within striking distance of the record. Talk about bad timing!!

A scripted comedy could never generate such perfectly funny and real moments.

As Kong progresses, you find yourself cheering on the underdog Steve, and hating the cowardly Billy as squirms every which way to avoid having his record stripped from him.

The cast of supporting characters is just as fascinating. There is even a Q-Bert playing grandma mixed into the pot.

I haven't seen something this solidly entertaining in ages. If you get a chance, watch this movie!

Rating: 5 stars!

Note: Billy claims that the movie unfairly portrays him, and distorts the truth for dramatic effect. His claim is potentially true, but then again - he is pouting and has refused to even watch the film since its release. For a fascinating interview with him, including several video clips, look here.

This afternoon serolynne and I went and saw the U23D concert film.

Wow.

No fluff, no filler, no backstage shots... Just 80 minutes of U2 rocking out while on the Vertigo tour.

The high definition cameras combined with the 3D effect is stunning. You really feel like you are there, zooming above the audience and around the stage. The lights, the sounds, the energy of the crowd... It was amazing.

It is so immersive that at times it feels less like a film than a concert. I could hardly keep myself sitting still - you can't help but want to stand up and move, shout, and sing. Several of the songs were so emotionally powerfully they brought tears to my eyes.

It was an amazing experience. Almost as good as being there. A bit less energy than live, but you get a much better view...

U2 is the most amazing band I have ever seen perform. If you have never had the chance to see U2 live, now is your chance. Spend the $10 and see this film. You will be blown away.

Rating: 5-stars!

New Years Day was a good day for movies.

First we spent the afternoon watching Ratatouille on DVD, and I was once again blown away by it.

Then a bunch of us drove in to Orlando to see the 25th anniversary theatrical release of Blade Runner on the big screen at the Enzion.

What a stunningly beautiful movie.

Ridley Scott creates an immersive future world that is dystopian and bleak, yet not empty. His future LA is run down, but bustling. The city skyline is monumental (the pyramids are amazing!), but much of the city is also a wasteland. The contrasts and the extremes are what draw you in, and are what make it seem so real.

The visual styling is incredibly lush. Scott paints the world with shadows, smoke, rain and bright neon. The future noir visual style of Blade Runner has been an inspiration for countless sci-fi movies since, and it is easy to see why.

The slow and deliberate pacing in Blade Runner really blows me away. This is the exact opposite of the typical quick-cut action movie. And when the violence does come, the camera does not flinch away. The Vangelis soundtrack sets the mood perfectly - creating a feast for your ears as well as your eyes.

And the plot? There is no simple "good guy saving the world" story here. Rather, the movie explores what it means to be human, and what it means to be free. Do slaves have the right to rebel against their masters?

Blade Runner leaves you with no easy answers, and lots of delicious food for thought.

Rating: 5+ stars.

After being reminded how incredible Brad Bird is as a director a few days ago, I knew I needed to see Ratatouille ASAP. So serolynne cashed in some Fandango bux last night, and we went to see it with Lindsay and Sean.

WOW!

I haven't had so much fun going to a movie in ages. We were all four laughing out loud throughout the entire film. The attention to detail Pixar puts into character development and sets is incredible. Even the smallest details are lovingly crafted. The voices (no big names) are perfectly done. The story is fun and thoroughly engaging for all ages. And the animation quality takes the state of the art further than I have ever seen.

I give Ratatouille my highest possible rating - it is as good as anything Pixar has ever done. Go see this one on the big screen while you have the chance!

Rating: 5 stars!

Last night serolynne picked out a movie to watch - a nice break from slowly working our way through season two of Battlestar Galactica. Her choice was The Iron Giant, one of my all time favorite animated films.

This is probably my third time watching it, and I still love it.

The Iron Giant is one of those rare classics that works on multiple levels so that it can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It doesn't resort to cheap humor, or cheesy pop-culture references. The story revolves around a giant metal robot that falls to earth and befriends a boy in the 1950's Cold War era of Sputnik and "Duck and Cover".

The story is well told, and the animation and attention to detail is stunning. This is a beautiful movie, clearly made with intense love. It reminds me of the animated works of Miyazaki.

Director Brad Bird went on to direct The Incredibles, also an amazing movie. And his newest movie is just now out -- Ratatouille. I think I need to see that ASAP.

Rating: 5 stars...

Rachael introduced me to the Arete Experience three years ago. It was my first taste of personal development and transformational work, and it changed my life. I still feel the ripples of that weekend daily. Thanks to my Arete Experience I found and joined my Men's Circle, and I was introduced to the practice of meditation. My Arete weekend sunk me deeper into myself and my being than I had ever been before, and it opened the door to a process of growth that continues within me.

Yes - it was great.

Ever since I did Arete, I have wanted to volunteer to be on the production team helping put on a weekend for a new crop of attendees. But for various reasons, I never managed to fit it into my schedule.

But two weeks ago over dinner my friends Karin and Thomas told me they were leading the Source Team for the October Arete, and they invited me to join them.

That Arete Experience happened this past weekend.

I had been a bit worried about whether the Arete Experience would still have the same magic that it did three years ago. Arete has gone through a lot of changes as it has started to grow as an organization (they even offer the Arete Experience in NYC now!), and in particular I was concerned that the weekends are no longer residential retreats away from SF, but they are now held at Arete's own building in San Francisco. I worried that the loss of intensity by sending the participants home each night might diminish the cauldron they would be cooking in.

My fears were put to rest. The Arete magic is still there in FULL force.

This past weekend I held space and witnessed ten people blown wide open, and taken deeper then they have ever been. It is hard to believe so much can change in a person in just three days. Posture, energy, tone of voice.... The participants who left on Sunday night were visibly and energetically different then those who walked in the door Friday morning.

It is amazing to see - and being on the Source Team was an incredible experience. I definitely intend to do it again someday.

Since Arete I've done other transformational and personal growth work. In particular, HAI and Landmark Education both have great things to offer, but I can only recommend Landmark in particular with big caveats. Landmark is big and impersonal and wrapped up with an icky hard-sell to take more courses. HAI has no hard sell, but it is very touchy and lovey and probably too big of a stretch for people not already comfortable hanging out at a place like Harbin (where HAI holds workshops).

But Arete has no hard sell - and it is something that I can recommend without any reservations or warnings to anyone.

It is powerful good stuff. And if you want to know more, please ask me.

Rating: 5+ stars!

PS: I would never encourage anyone to do Arete before they felt ready for it. Arete is not like Landmark - there is no push or hard sell. I'd recommend it to anyone - but I would not want to push anyone into doing it before they felt called to. That being said - the cost of the Arete Experience is going up by $100 for registrations that occur after November 1st. So if you are interested, acting soon even if you are registering for a weekend next year could end up saving you some money.

This past Monday night Jeannie and I got dressed up and drove down to Seattle to see the Wet Spots in concert, at a club ironically enough called The Wet Spot. (Steve had other plans and we could not talk him into joining us...)

What a fun night!

The Wet Spots are a "musical sex comedy duo" that have gained some fame and notoriety lately thanks to the hilarious widely shared Internet music-video "Do You Take It?" that has been making the rounds the past few months.

Cass King has a sultry lounge singers voice and playful spirit that is extremely engaging. Her partner John Woods provided the guitar and additional vocals. Both of them were a joy to watch perform. By the time intermission rolled around, I had a well developed crush on Cass - she is amazing.

The style of The Wet Spots music ranges from swanky lounge to silly sing-alongs. But the one common theme is that all the songs have something to do with sex. If you ever wanted to sing along with a room full of folks about porcupine masturbation - the Wet Spots are for you. Other great songs explore the horrors of toe sucking, or the ponderings of "Bi-Curious George." Hilarious!

The Wet Spots songs were intermixed with performances by The Von Foxies - an awesome Seattle burlesque troupe. In particular I loved the Seattle strip-tease that started off with yuppie cell phones and Starbucks, and ended up several layers of flannel later with dancers wearing sequined waffle-fabric long-underware stockings held up by garters. Brilliant!

SF Folk - the Wet Spots are coming on July 21st! Don't miss the show - it is a great time. The rest of the summer tour schedule is here.

Rating: 5 stars!

I've probably watched the documentary "Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock" a dozen times in the past year and a half since I first got the DVD. Every time it leaves me pumped up, inspired, and even in tears. I love to share this movie, and it is one of the few DVD's I have along with me as I travel.

Tonight I showed it to Steve and Jeannie. I think they were impressed. *grin*

Beyond Black Rock starts with a brief glimpse of Burning Man 2002, and then follows several artists and the Burning Man organization as the energy builds towards Burning Man 2003. The pacing, directing, editing, and score of this documentary are amazingly well done. The music and energy just keep building as the days count down towards the burn - with glimpses of the city coming together in the dessert interspersed with interviews of the artists and participants.

I was part of Black Rock City in 2003 (also '99, '00, '04, and '05) and I love catching glimpses of some of the art that moved me.

The segments on Peter Best and the massive temples he builds (and burns) in particular leave me in tears every time. It is probably impossible to explain if you haven't been there - but his temples are as spiritually powerful and genuine as even the greatest gothic cathedrals.

If you have never been to Burning Man - nothing else comes as close as Beyond Black Rock in capturing its spirit and explaining just what it is all about. And if you have been - you'll find yourself itching to get back and taste the playa after seeing this.

Never before in the history of humanity has so much creative energy been unleashed in such a short span of time by such a large number of people as happens every year at Burning Man. I can hardly imagine ever missing it - and I can't wait for Burning Man 2006!

Rating: 5+ Stars!

Lindsay took me out to see the Al Gore environmental documentary An Inconvenient Truth tonight.

Go see this movie. Right now.

Al Gore is clearly passionate, articulate, and knowledgeable about the subject of global warming - and it is not an "issue of the day" for him. He has been giving essentially the same powerpoint presentation for 20 years now - and he has made raising awareness his full-time crusade since losing the election in 2000.

And that's what this movie essentially is - a 90 minute presentation given by Al Gore on the evidence pointing towards global warming and the resulting imminent environmental catastrophe.

And he makes a very compelling case.

I tend not to be much of an alarmist - and I do think that we as a human raise can and will prove ourselves worthy caretakers of this planet before things get too out of hand. But - time is of essence. And this movie is a powerful nudge to get us all moving in the right direction.

Really - go see this movie. And tell everyone you know to go see this movie.
It will give you more to contemplate than most anything else you will see this year. These changes are coming in our lifetimes, and this will be our fight to win or lose.

Rating: 5 stars. One earth.

I got an email a few days ago from Michael Mace telling me to be sure and check out Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood for the best burgers (and chili) in all of LA. Michael has rarely steered me wrong in all the years that I've known him, and indeed - this recommendation was spot on.

What a great place!

The food was fabulous, the atmosphere is cool and funky, the music playing rocks, and the service was great! And - they even have free WiFi! *grin*

The menu actually comes as a 12 page newspaper with over 1000 items and combinations to choose from, and so much of it looks good I could probably dine here for a month straight. You gotta love a place with items like this on the menu:

"Barney's Champagne Breakfast: A Giant Chili Cheese Dog and a Bottle of Dom Perignon - $175"

and

"Double BBQ, Cheese, Cheddar, Swiss, Bacon, Pickle, Chili, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Egg, Garlic, Gravy, Mushroom, Spinach, Onion, Parmesan, Nut, Sausage, Tomato, Hot Pepper, Veal and Wine Burger - $10,000.60 (please pay in advance)"

Rating: 5 stars!


Good food. Good beer. Good service. Good stuff.

Rebekah and David left for a Costco run on May 24th (while I was camped in their driveway), and came back with a stack of movies including The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I had been bummed to have missed this one in theaters, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it out on DVD so soon. Based on the things I had heard, I expected it to be good.

I did not expect it to be great.

Wow!

Though it may be emotionally toned down from where it could have been (it is a kids movie after all), I was continually impressed by the quality of the storytelling. And in particular, I was blown away by the actress (Georgie Henley) playing Lucy, the youngest of the four siblings to stumble through a magic wardrobe into a mysterious frozen land ruled over by the evil White Witch. Lucy was amazingly expressive and alive, and her sense of wonder at the magical world she found herself in was so contagious you couldn't help but feel swept up.

The special effects were really impressive too. The talking animals that populate Narnia manage to come across as "real", and the climactic battle is worthy of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. I only wish they hadn't needed to get a PG rating for the young audience, so that the battle and sacrifice scenes could have been even more violent, emotionally engaging, and intense.

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe ended up being hands-down one of the best movies I have seen so far this year. I can't wait to see what they do with the other six books in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

Rating: 5 stars!

Continuing to catch up on my movie review posts...

The final "Monday Night Movies" was Gladiator on March 20th - a suitably "loud" movie to say farewell to my surround sound and HDTV setup.

I first saw Gladiator a few years ago, and it really holds up well to multiple viewings. The recreation of the Roman Colosseum is magnificent - it really does feel like 10's of thousands of people are rocking the house in the stands.

And by appealing to this mob - the Gladiator (Russell Crowe - playing a now enslaved former general) shows how "a slave can become more powerful than an emperor".

Then as now, public relations and popularity are they key to an emperors power, and to his downfall.

The fight sequences are great. Russell Crowe is great. The directing (Ridley Scott) is great. The sets are great. The story is great.

This movie thoroughly rocks.

It is deservedly a classic.

Rating: 5 stars!

I've fallen WAY behind in my movie review postings. Rebekah and I actually went to see this on opening weekend - March 18th!

V for Vendetta is an awesome movie in so many ways. The Wachowski brothers (of The Matrix fame) are back in top form - and they have done an excellent job in crafting a complex and timely story.

A masked man (known only as V) uses terrorist tactics to undermining the totalitarian government that is running the UK. Freedom has been sacrificed for security and stability. Morality is being legislated. Homosexuality and other unwelcome behaviors have been driven underground.

V is out to topple this government - and to wake up the complacent populace.

And he is going about doing it in as loud and as violent of a way as possible. Beautifully and brilliantly choreographed and orchestrated too.

Is the sacrifice of freedom for security worth it? Is it ever worth it?
(Feels very timely, considering the stance of the current US administration...)

Is the loss of innocent life making a political statement ever justified?

When is violence the right response to an oppressive government?

Who is the good guy here?

V for Vendetta doesn't give you any easy answers. The story that the movie was based upon (written by Alan Moore in the 80's) feels like it could have been written yesterday. And even though there are way too many disturbing parallels between the totalitarian government in the movie and our own, I actually find myself reassured to see a movie with a terrorist as a hero as a major release from a major studio in today's America. That freedom of expression says a lot about how good we have it, even as we do begin to slide down a rather scary slippery slope.

Hugo Weaving does an amazing job bringing the always masked V to life. I don't think I have ever before seen a movie where a main character remains so hidden, and yet is so expressive and alive.

This is a stunning, thought provoking movie. Go see it.

Rating: 5 stars!

I first saw Cinema Paradiso a dozen years ago while I was in college, and I fell in love. Ever since then I have listed it as one of my all-time favorite movies, though it has been years since I've seen it.

In my very first online conversation with Rebekah last November, she asked me to name my favorite movie. When I told her Cinema Paradiso, she was shocked - it is her favorite as well. We made plans to get together to see the extended "new version", and she got me the DVD as a Christmas present.

We finally made good on that movie date last night.

The movie is still just as magical as it ever was. Winner of the best Foreign Film Oscar, this Italian movie by Giuseppe Tornatore has a sweet essence and epic yet personal scope that sweeps you away.

It is the story of a boy Toto growing up in a small Sicilian town. The local projectionist Alfredo at the Cinema Paradiso is like a father to him, and the movies are the love of his life.

The movie chronicles the changes in the boy and the town as time flows from the 40's to the 80's.

The music, the scenery, the acting, the story... All of it is magic.

If you love movies - you will love Cinema Paradiso. It is one of the best ever.

Thank you Rebekah! *love*

Rating: 5 stars!

Some random LJ comments about Geocaching with cortneyofeden lead to an IM chat about weekend plans, which lead to Cortney inviting me to join her and her husband Ethan going to see Japanese Ukulele maestro Jake Shimabukuro playing at the Hotel Utah in SF on Sunday afternoon. After hearing her rave reviews and learning that he stole the show from Bella Fleck and the Flecktones while on tour last year - how could I say no.

Further LJ comment threads extended the plans so that Cortney and Ethan would come up early to watch the Steelers game. And then the two of them and Rebekah and I would go see Jake play.

Cortney wrote about the day and the concert here.

All I can say is WOW!

Jake is amazing.

No singing. No band. Just him rocking out on the Ukulele like you can't even imagine. His playing was beautiful and precise, and he ROCKED the packed house.

There were times when his hand was moving so fast that literally all you could see was a blur. It is amazing he could play that fast and that precisely. His energy and enthusiasm lit up the whole room.

I am a huge Jake fan now. *grin*

What a fun day. I love when random events converge in such a cool way. Thank you Cortney!!!!

Rating: 5 stars!!!!

Rachael gave me this book on my 31st birthday. I finally read it on my flight home from St. Louis this past Wednesday.

Wow. Why did I wait so long?

This is a short (115 pages) book of spiritual wisdom, conveyed as brief poetic answers to questions posed to a prophet about to depart across the sea for his homeland.

This is as divinely inspired of a book as any I have ever read. The words flow like music, the imagery is beautiful, and the wisdom is timeless and true. There is nothing in this book I found myself disagreeing with.

If this book had been written 1500 years sooner, it would have surely been worthy of incorporating into the bible. Reading this - you definitely feel closer to the deeper wisdom of the universe.

It actually makes me sad that Christianity has stopped growing to incorporate new wisdom, and new ways of sharing old truths. I could easily imagine some of the sections of The Prophet being read in church.

Divinely inspired books are still being written. This is one of them.

The entire text of The Prophet and most of Gibran's other works can be found here:
http://www.kahlil.org/prophet.html

Some of my favorite sections:

( On Love )
.......

( On Marriage )
......

( On Children )
......

And now at last I know the source of one of my favorite quotes and bits of wisdom:

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."


This book is definitely a truth - and one worth sharing.

I don't know if she ever reads this journal - but thank you Rachael, wherever you are. *love*

Rating: 5+ Stars.

Saturday night hanging out with Lindsay - watched O Brother, Where Art Thou.

What an amazingly cool and fun movie.

From IMDB:
Plot Outline: Three stumblebum convicts escape to go on a quest for treasure and meet various characters while learning where their real fortune lies set in 1930s Deep South.

Yeah - but map that simple story to Homer's Odyssey (for real!) and things really start to get interesting. Sirens and a Cyclops even. The Coen brothers have outdone themselves.

What great music. What great styling. What great characters. What great acting. This movie is potentially a classic - and certainly not one to be missed. I can't believe I waited so long to see it.

I think I need to get the soundtrack CD too. The Soggy Bottom Boys rock the house.

Rating: 5 stars.