I hate shopping for clothes. More specifically, I hate directed shopping for clothes, where I go in with a specific goal in mind and aim to fulfill it in short order. Maybe some people can go into a store needing pants and come out again half an hour later with a few well-fitted pairs-- I am not such a person, and attempting such a thing is becomes a trial by ordeal. In any case, I needed a new suit for this weekend so off my lovely girlfriend and I went to the snooty outlet mall. Yes, I voluntarily went to an outlet mall on a weekend. I braced myself for pushy shoppers and screaming kids.
I wanted something in summer material so I wouldn't die of overheating. Brooks Brothers had a seersucker suit-- didn't think they made those any more, and perfect for hot weather-- one size too large. So off we went to other stores, where we found suits for winter, suits in colors reminiscent of baby poop, suits too large, and suits too small. Lucky me, my jacket size is one that some stores simply skip right over, like I should simply grow or shrink a little on demand. Exhausted and frustrated, I was ready to go way over budget, buy something that didn't fit well, or embrace nudity as the new formalwear.
I observed that Brooks at least carries my actual size. My lovely girlfriend, wise woman that she is, herded me back in their direction. I pulled a grey wool suit with a subtle plaid off the rack, tried it on, and to my great surprise even the pants fit (this is a miracle). Some while later I exited with the suit, a dress shirt, a tie (I now have all of two), and a black belt that is actually black. I had the very helpful salesman all to myself. There were no shrieking kids or fellow shoppers driven to psychotic acts in pursuit of the best bargain. The suit was a good price.
It still tried to cook me to death, but such, I gather, is the price of being well dressed.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Snakes On A Plane
This was actually a much better movie than most people expected. I notice a few people trying to be too cool about it, like it's some sort of clever marketing ploy or manipulation of pop culture, but that's not what happened at all. The studio never truly understood what happened, and they didn't actually do anything smart about it. What really went on is simple: some details got leaked, and the studio desperately tried to cash in on "the internet hype." I don't think they succeeded at all, because they have no idea how grassroots viral phenomena on the internet really work, so it's more accurate to call this a cult film that just happened to achieve cult status before it got released.
What the studio did do though, was go on and do a pretty good job making a film (which is, I suppose, what studios are supposed to know what to do). The pacing is very good, and the story structure is rather well done. The expository sequences are a little long, because they have to do just enough to show each character (so that we know what unique circumstances are at play when the snakes kill each of them), but in general the film is very consistent, and very funny. I'll admit that I went in expecting the film to be "a bad comedy with a lot of hype," but it turns out that it's actually a good comedy with a lot of hype. My wife and I are both disappointed that the film only got an initial opening weekend pop, because it's actually a pretty good comedy on its own merits and deserves praise beyond mere cult fandom.
I also enjoyed the product placement (there was some Red Bull and "praise to the Playstation"). I think I have a different opinion than most regarding movie product placement. I think it's weird when someone is drinking an unidentifiable brand of beverage in a scene. I want to see a brand, because that's what you'd see in real life.
In fact, the only real bad scene was the after-the-fact re-shot of Samuel L. Jackson delivering his "muthafuckin' snakes" line. It was shot in response to fan requests after primary shooting had wrapped up, and it really shows. The visual quality of the film actually changes, and they do an extreme close-up because they had apparently torn down the sets - the background is just a fuzzy orange resembling the color of plane's interior. Also, the audience cheers at that point, so you don't get to hear him deliver the line so well.
So if you avoided this film because you thought it was just a bunch of hype, you should go see it. It's actually a pretty good comedy, as good as say, Wedding Crashers, and definitely deserves more success than it's been getting.
What the studio did do though, was go on and do a pretty good job making a film (which is, I suppose, what studios are supposed to know what to do). The pacing is very good, and the story structure is rather well done. The expository sequences are a little long, because they have to do just enough to show each character (so that we know what unique circumstances are at play when the snakes kill each of them), but in general the film is very consistent, and very funny. I'll admit that I went in expecting the film to be "a bad comedy with a lot of hype," but it turns out that it's actually a good comedy with a lot of hype. My wife and I are both disappointed that the film only got an initial opening weekend pop, because it's actually a pretty good comedy on its own merits and deserves praise beyond mere cult fandom.
I also enjoyed the product placement (there was some Red Bull and "praise to the Playstation"). I think I have a different opinion than most regarding movie product placement. I think it's weird when someone is drinking an unidentifiable brand of beverage in a scene. I want to see a brand, because that's what you'd see in real life.
In fact, the only real bad scene was the after-the-fact re-shot of Samuel L. Jackson delivering his "muthafuckin' snakes" line. It was shot in response to fan requests after primary shooting had wrapped up, and it really shows. The visual quality of the film actually changes, and they do an extreme close-up because they had apparently torn down the sets - the background is just a fuzzy orange resembling the color of plane's interior. Also, the audience cheers at that point, so you don't get to hear him deliver the line so well.
So if you avoided this film because you thought it was just a bunch of hype, you should go see it. It's actually a pretty good comedy, as good as say, Wedding Crashers, and definitely deserves more success than it's been getting.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Lady In The Water
I was just reminded the other day that M. Night Shyamalan's latest film Lady In The Water definitely sucked less than expected.
After Signs and The Village made sure everyone and their brother knew Night's "oh, there's gonna be a crazy twist at the end" formula of movie-making, I dreaded what great "insight" this movie's ending was going to foist upon me.
Well, it doesn't do that. It's not a great movie, and it's supposedly set in Philadelphia despite the fact that it is very clearly set in a Los Angeles apartment complex with characters who look just like Los Angeles residents. Also, Night himself doesn't just have a cameo, he has the second most important male role. He pulls it off okay, but you can clearly see the ego there. Still, the movie has its good moments, including a guy who only works out the right half of his body.
So when this comes out on DVD, I'd say it would be okay to go to a party where someone might have this playing on their television.
After Signs and The Village made sure everyone and their brother knew Night's "oh, there's gonna be a crazy twist at the end" formula of movie-making, I dreaded what great "insight" this movie's ending was going to foist upon me.
Well, it doesn't do that. It's not a great movie, and it's supposedly set in Philadelphia despite the fact that it is very clearly set in a Los Angeles apartment complex with characters who look just like Los Angeles residents. Also, Night himself doesn't just have a cameo, he has the second most important male role. He pulls it off okay, but you can clearly see the ego there. Still, the movie has its good moments, including a guy who only works out the right half of his body.
So when this comes out on DVD, I'd say it would be okay to go to a party where someone might have this playing on their television.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Stealth
Remember this movie? It came out about a year ago, in 2005. It stars Jamie Foxx - he received top billing since he'd just won an Academy Award, but since he had won it after the movie was shot, it turns out he only has a bit part - a supporting role to the poor man's Matthew McConaughy, Josh Lucas.
When the film came out, the user reviews on Yahoo savaged it with reviews ranging from D to F. User reviews are usually pretty charitable (it's usually the critics who go in for the kill), so I was pretty reluctant to see this movie. By some twist of ironic circumstance and cajoling, I was persuaded, and then I was in for a treat.
I basically sat through the movie waiting for it to get to "the really bad part," but it never got there. It wasn't a good movie by any measure, with choice scenes like where the pilots explain the definition of a prime number, but somehow it never hit the level of awfulness the reviews primed me (har) to expect. Instead, it was a solid medium-grade flick about the classic story of a robot who comes to life and just needs to be understood.
I wouldn't recommend that you pay money to see it, but if a computer glitch were to accidentally place it in your Netflix queue, it wouldn't be worth the effort to remove.
When the film came out, the user reviews on Yahoo savaged it with reviews ranging from D to F. User reviews are usually pretty charitable (it's usually the critics who go in for the kill), so I was pretty reluctant to see this movie. By some twist of ironic circumstance and cajoling, I was persuaded, and then I was in for a treat.
I basically sat through the movie waiting for it to get to "the really bad part," but it never got there. It wasn't a good movie by any measure, with choice scenes like where the pilots explain the definition of a prime number, but somehow it never hit the level of awfulness the reviews primed me (har) to expect. Instead, it was a solid medium-grade flick about the classic story of a robot who comes to life and just needs to be understood.
I wouldn't recommend that you pay money to see it, but if a computer glitch were to accidentally place it in your Netflix queue, it wouldn't be worth the effort to remove.
Svedka - good for mixing
I first discovered Svedka at Trader Joe's years ago. It came with a tag that said it received a 93 rating from Wine Enthusiast. I didn't know Wine Enthusiast rated hard liquor, so if they bothered, it couldn't be too bad. And at <$15 per 750 ml bottle, the price was right. A friend came over and tested it with me by making Cape Cods with only a splash of cranberry juice, and boy, was it good! We polished off that bottke of vodka in no time. A couple of weekends ago I purchased another bottle of Svedka and made a martini-eque cocktail with lychee liquor and syrup from canned mandarin wedges. We could still barely taste the alcohol.
Due to the quintuple distillation process which removes character from the vodka, Svedka is neither offensive nor delectable. You might not want to sip it because it doesn't taste like anything, but it sure is good for mixing cocktails. Svedka is currently priced at $12.99 for 750 ml and $19.99 for 1.75 liter at Beverages & More.
Due to the quintuple distillation process which removes character from the vodka, Svedka is neither offensive nor delectable. You might not want to sip it because it doesn't taste like anything, but it sure is good for mixing cocktails. Svedka is currently priced at $12.99 for 750 ml and $19.99 for 1.75 liter at Beverages & More.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Baja Fish Burrito at La Salsa
La Salsa is harmless. Spicephobes have nothing at all to fear from their cooking when it comes out of the kitchen, although as the name implies there is a large selection of salsas that can be added later on. The chicken or steak burritos with rice and beans are bland and solid, appealing every so often as a sort of comfort food. This is not a destination eatery in a city well-equiped with good taquerias.
However, I found myself at La Salsa recently in a rush to grab a snack before going to the airport. I expected to get the usual flavorless food pellet, but to my surprise the Baja Fish Burrito really wasn't bad. The fish was moist with a good flavor and the Baja sauce showed evidence of actual spices, moistening the fish without being glorpy or overwhelming. The mango salsa from the bar is a nice addition, blending nicely with the fish.
However, I found myself at La Salsa recently in a rush to grab a snack before going to the airport. I expected to get the usual flavorless food pellet, but to my surprise the Baja Fish Burrito really wasn't bad. The fish was moist with a good flavor and the Baja sauce showed evidence of actual spices, moistening the fish without being glorpy or overwhelming. The mango salsa from the bar is a nice addition, blending nicely with the fish.
2007 Pontiac G6
When my car was in the body shop recently I had a 2006 Pontiac G6 as a rental for the week. An ex-manager once not unfairly described me as a German car bigot and many of the American vehicles I've ridden in have reminded me of the flimsy plastic remote-control cars I played with as a kid, so I was wary. The rental agent assured me that it was a very hip car.
Mine, in white, didn't look all that hip. It was neither stylishly innovative nor weird. The interior was dark grey and black. The front end didn't look like a vacuum (like the 1990s Grand Prix). It presents an average family sedan with some sporty aspirations. Visiblity is okay.
I had the 200hp V6 model which has two cylinders and 50hp on my own car. The engine (obligatory rental automatic, yuck) is responsive and pretty aggressive-- this is a fun car for going fast in a straight line. The transmission had an annoying habit of waffling between two gears when climbing hills on the freeway. I was less confident in the car's ability to go fast in a curvy line. While the suspension was stiffer than expected, it still did not feel as solid taking curves as I like. That may be partly a product of me being accustomed to driving a smaller car.
I could not find an autoscan button on the radio. The speakers, at least where the radio is concerned, are poor. Yes, I know I'm one of the last people in the US to listen to the radio at work. There is a computer that tracks things like average gas mileage, average speed, and expected range, and a nice touch of two power plugs on the console.
Conclusion: wouldn't trade my car for it, but not bad for a rental.
Mine, in white, didn't look all that hip. It was neither stylishly innovative nor weird. The interior was dark grey and black. The front end didn't look like a vacuum (like the 1990s Grand Prix). It presents an average family sedan with some sporty aspirations. Visiblity is okay.
I had the 200hp V6 model which has two cylinders and 50hp on my own car. The engine (obligatory rental automatic, yuck) is responsive and pretty aggressive-- this is a fun car for going fast in a straight line. The transmission had an annoying habit of waffling between two gears when climbing hills on the freeway. I was less confident in the car's ability to go fast in a curvy line. While the suspension was stiffer than expected, it still did not feel as solid taking curves as I like. That may be partly a product of me being accustomed to driving a smaller car.
I could not find an autoscan button on the radio. The speakers, at least where the radio is concerned, are poor. Yes, I know I'm one of the last people in the US to listen to the radio at work. There is a computer that tracks things like average gas mileage, average speed, and expected range, and a nice touch of two power plugs on the console.
Conclusion: wouldn't trade my car for it, but not bad for a rental.
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