I used to use peerflix.com to get DVDs, but I got busy at one point, and didn’t have time to watch the movies I was receiving. So, I let the account go stagnant. They threatened to remove my account for inactivity, and though I can still login, the account page is all wonky.
When I emptied out my 300 carousel DVD player after it broke, I re-discovered all the forgotten movies. The trick is none of them have containers for me to put them in (unlike the CDs which I had in four 100 CD albums).
Watched - If you want to borrow, let me know.
- The Girl in Lovers Lane - 1959, black and white, almost watchable
- The Manchurian Candidate - wide screen and “standard” - 1962, Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, classic
- Paycheck - Ben Afflec, Uma Thurman
- Die Another Day - Pierce Brosnan Bond, 2 discs
- Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - excellent, I really need to see the second one
- Anchorman
- Free Enterprise - an indie geek romantic comedy about two trekkies who meet a messed up William Shatner, funny, with an insane number of sci-fi, comic book, and movie culture references
Unwatched - When will I find the time? Tell me which ones to watch first.
- Y Tu Mamá También
- Everything is Illumated
- Se7en - 2 discs
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- A History of Violence
- Spanglish
- Yes
- Syriana
- Paradise Now
- Nine Lives
- True Romance - unrated directors cut, 2 discs, started to watch and didn’t like
- Capote
I had also received a copy of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King via swaptree.com but it didn’t play on my old DVD player, it’s quite scratched up. When I was re-boxing all of the other DVDs, I put it in the new player on a whim figuring it might have better oversampling/correction. Indeed, the $50 player had no problem at all with the disc!
Unfortunately, I put this classically epic movie in after 10 pm on a week night and at 1 am had to turn it off with over an hour left.
June 11th, 2008
Posted by
bshirley |
725, movie, tech |
8 comments
So, I finally took the time to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005). I reread it when it was about to be released as a movie and enjoyed it. I remember recalling that the battle “scenes” only lasted a few paragraphs and thinking they would certainly take many minutes of the finale of the movie. They did.
A lot of the effects were nice, but what really distracted me was the obvious green screen in many scenes. Many that could have been done on location or with nice sets or props. It took away from what could have been. Or Lord of the Rings has raised my expectations.
I also finished Seventh Son (1987) by Orson Scott Card. The first of a series of books centering on Alvin Maker and set in a different post-Colonial America. One that includes magic (though I’m not sure the word is ever used) and a different peace with natives (or so it seems - this gets expressed more in the next book that I haven’t read).
In the intro he is a young boy and his family are struggling pioneers. There are interesting back-stories with actual historical figures who are a bit different in this world. Not to mention the 7 colonies. It was a quite enjoyable read and with summer time coming I may have to get a few more
in the series.
As the title of this post hints, The Witch is the antagonist in the first book/movie and The Unmaker is the antagonist in the second.
May 25th, 2007
Posted by
bshirley |
literature, movie |
no comments
Just watched this movie.
In college I used to meet weekly with some new friends to play bridge. Before we got into the card playing, we watched Twin Peaks as it was first coming out, giving backstory to those who were new to it.
It was bizarre and intriguing like nothing else before or since on TV. We would have interesting conversation over cards on the symbolology of various aspects of it. Most of those involved were Plan II majors and thus too smart for their own good - my kinda people.
It struck me as I was watching this prequel that David Lynch as Gordon Cole reminded me of Greg Henkle.
May 17th, 2007
Posted by
bshirley |
friends, movie, random |
one comment
“Every morning she said, ‘I despise you, Mr. Trier,’ and spit on the ground. That is unpleasant. She could have quit. I don’t know why she didn’t.” -Director Lars Von Trier, on working with singer Bjork.
This was a painful and beautiful movie to watch. I highly suggest it, but you have to be ready for it.
-b
March 29th, 2004
Posted by
bshirley |
movie |
no comments
Given $100 at amazon, What Would Bill Buy?
2 books:
“Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means”, Albert-Laszlo Barabasi
Emergence: The connected lives of ants, brains, cities, and software.
6 DVDs:
“The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)”
“Koyaanisqatsi” (1983) life out of balance
“Powaqqatsi” (1988) life in transition
“Naqoyqatsi” (2002) war as a way of life
“Waking Life”, Richard Linklater [Ebert]
“Amelie”, Jean-Pierre Jeunet [Ebert]
-b
December 27th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
literature, movie |
no comments
I really need to get a copy of Waking Life on DVD. I rented it and watched it several times a while back. It’s great. (FWIW, Ebert raved on it) Also, if you’ve seen it, the string quartet, Tosca which appeared in it will be playing with Glover Gill on Sunday, July 13 at The Continental Club (in Houston). Glover plays piano every monday at 8pm. He’s excellent. If you haven’t seen him, give it a try. He scored Waking Life, which brings me back to that. I really need to get a copy!
July 4th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
movie, music |
no comments
