I haven't written a real update in a while. I can't say that I've been busy. I've just been frustrated and feeling uncommunicative. I'll feel better on Friday, when I get paid. I bought my plane ticket for the trip to Phoenix, but then a few unexpected expenses used up my available cash.

I just read about "The Wave" at North Coyote Buttes in the Vermillion Cliffs-Paria Canyon Wilderness. You can see The Wave as a day hike, but access is limited to 20 people per day. I wish I'd known about this in April, since you have to apply months in advance to get the necessary permits.

On the upside, I've watched lots of movies lately. Here are some reviews:

Shoot 'Em Up
I've become a big fan of Clive Owen since Sin City and Children of Men. This movie has the violence and stylish camera work of Sin City with several great lines and a few bad jokes thrown in. I didn't realize this is the film version of the Postal video game, which made perfect sense afterward. Paul Giamatti plays a great bad guy -- creepy, funny, and plagued by phone calls from his nagging wife. I went to the theater expecting to suspend disbelief, so I didn't mind the over-the-top violence and some of the truly impossible sequences.

China Dragon
The horror! The absolute bad 80's fight scene, terrible film quality & no storyline whatsoever HORROR! This film isn't even worth mocking, it's so bad.

Running Out of Time
I'd watch this again. The story was much better than I expect out of a kung fu/gun fu movie, and it was well-filmed. Andy Lau and Lau Ching Wan do a good job of creating the cat & mouse game between their characters that really drives the movie. This particular DVD conversion lost a little in the quality department, but it's still great.

Kill Zone
OMG! OMG, this movie is so good I'll actually say "OMG!" It's corny as a truly good kung fu movie should be, but Donnie Yen plays a superbly-skilled cop going up against the A-list of bad guys. It culminates with a showdown against Sammo Hung. Admittedly, that face-off was my reason for renting this movie. I'd seen previews with a few snippets from that fight, but I have to say that the best fights were against the younger, lesser-known martial artists playing the henchmen. Very good movie. Nice story, fantastic fights, and well-filmed. It's not Shakespeare, but it's a lot of fun.

The Thin Blue Line
This one's a TV series starring Rowan Atkinson as a bumbling inspector. It's definitely not high-brow comedy, but it's certainly more accessible to Americans than Mr. Bean. I'm an Atkinson fan, aside from Mr. Bean, so I knew I'd like it. I didn't expect all of the other characters to shine through so well. Great show. I highly recommend it. It's like The Office with a badge.

Dead Reckoning
Humphrey Bogart stars as Rip Murdock, a WWII vet trying to unravel the mystery around his friend's disappearance and death. Everyone knows I'm a Bogart fan, so of course I loved this movie. Some people say it's an unoriginal addition to the film noir genre, but I still call it a classic.

Panic
William H. Macy in an unconventional role. He plays Alex, a seemingly normal guy with a typical life. Not even his wife & son know that he's really a contract killer -- a family business he inherited from his father (Donald Sutherland). Macy's dismay at his profession becomes a full mid-life crisis when he's hired to kill the therapist (John Ritter) who's been helping him. Throw in Neve Campbell as a love interest, and you've got one unusual but excellent movie.

Central Station
I was reminded of this film while discussing movies with a Brazilian co-worker. I saw it 3 or 4 years ago and loved it, but I had forgotten the title. It's in Portuguese, so beware of subtitles. Fernanda Montenegro stars as a woman who writes letters for a living, but who is so jaded that she often doesn't even mail them. Against her wishes, she finds herself responsible for the welfare of a young boy whose mother is killed. The movie follows them as they travel in search of the boy's father.

Kinky Boots
Based on a true story, this movie chronicles the humorous and touching efforts of Charlie Price as he struggles to find a niche market for the failing shoe factory he inherited from his father. Charlie wants to remain loyal to his father's memory and the villagers who depend on the factory for employment, but his London high-life fiancÈe wants him to sell the place and return to her lifestyle. Enter Lola, the drag queen who inspires Charlie to make sexy women's boots for men and turn his fortunes around. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a surprising and stunning performance as the female impersonator. I'd seen him in Serenity and Children of Men, but I never expected him to turn up in this kind of role.

Tags: movies, reviews, travel, tv shows