Bad me, I put my reading list on the back burner for a while. I got caught up in work and catching up with my movie list, but I am happy to say that I have finally finished my sixth book! I really enjoyed Starship Troopers, so I decided on another one of Heinlein's works: Have Spacesuit - Will Travel. Technically it's a young adult and a sci-fi novel and it definitely had a lot more action than Starship Troopers, but the novel was still well-developed and thought-provoking. The two main characters are Kip, an 18-year old who won a genuine spacesuit and Peewee, a spirited 12-year old who was kidnapped by an alien race termed the "Wormfaces." Having such young heroes definitely adds appeal to a younger demographic, but readers of all ages can appreciate these two terrific characters. Throughout the entire novel Heinlein provides moments that show that, although the novel's heroes, Kip and Peewee are more than one-dimensional stock characters, such as when Kip catches a typically positive Peewee crying into her doll, Madam Pompadour. Similarly, there's a point in the novel in which Kip is stuck in a cell with two human traitors, "Fats" (aka "Jock") and "Skinny" (aka Timothy). Although the two are generally foul characters, Kip's hatred for Fats wanes a bit as they start talking with one another. Near the end of their time together, Kip began to see a shred of humanity in Fats, even if the rest of him was deplorable. Of course, we cannot forget the Mother Thing, whose mysterious identity is revealed piece-by-piece. It's funny to think of her as a type of intergalactic juvenile officer, but that was one of the many unexpected twists in the novel. I appreciate that Heinlein was capable of making such easily likable characters so complex as well.
Additionally, the philosophical themes presented in Have Spacesuit - Will Travel aren't just randomly thrown into different scenes throughout the novel, but are best seen in the words and actions of Kip and Peewee. From the very beginning, Kip was an embodiment of personal growth, self-assertiveness, and self-responsibility. I admired his devotion to repairing Oscar, especially since it took his entire summer to do so. He and Peewee were incredibly resourceful and always thinking of ways to get their freedom back, all the while never forgetting to watch out for each other and the Mother Thing. Of course, Heinlein's ideas most obviously appeared during the trial of humanity, but even that was done well. Kip didn't attempt to make gigantic speeches or sugarcoat the truth about humanity. Mankind was exposed in all of its forms: violent, self-serving, and cruel, but also smart, young, and with the possibility of change. Most importantly, this novel highlights the hope we all have that one day humanity will have evolved past our worst attributes, and this is best shown in the positive qualities of Kip and Peewee. Anybody else who reads this novel would definitely agree that there should be more Kips and Peewees in the real world!
Rating for Have Spacesuit - Will Travel: 8/10
Books Read: 6/75
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
"You can't touch me, Sheriff. I brought my attack dog with a built-in force field!" "Well, I brought my dinosaur who eats force field dogs!"
Wow, it's been a while since I've updated! I wanted to update last week but I caught this nasty cold and basically just slept when I wasn't at work. The good news is that I am fully recovered now and ready to continue forward!
I've been working out for a few weeks now and it's been going pretty well. Our friend, Jordan, was nice enough to give us his elliptical and so I've been using that every other day. I started using it for 25 minutes each time and am slowly increasing that amount. I've also been adding sit-ups to my routine after I'm done using the elliptical. It's perfect because I can slip my feet right underneath our gigantic couch and it keeps me from shifting around at all. I'm thinking of starting to walk/run on the days when I don't use the elliptical so that I'll be working out every day.
For my lists, the only thing I've added to is the movie list (it's still pretty easy to watch movies when you're sick). I have three films to review! The first one is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), directed by David Fincher and written by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord with F. Scott Fitzgerald as the writer of the original short story. This was a phenomenal movie, largely thanks to the terrific acting by Brad Pitt. He did an exceptional job at playing a man who physically ages backwards and he's growing up. Every stage of his life was fascinating - whether he was a lovable old man with the spirit of a child or a man in his 40s terrified about the potential consequences of being a father. I also must give credit to his makeup artists; they made all of his years look so real. This film's supporting actors cannot be forgotten either. Matthew was the one who realized that Captain Mike was played by Jared Harris, who is also David Robert Jones in Fringe. His character's crass and humorous demeanor was a welcome presence in such a dark and serious environment as the war-filled Atlantic. Tilda Swinton played a mysterious and interesting love interest for Benjamin Button. Their affair kept me on my toes as to whether or not her husband would ever find out. Her final appearance in the movie was surprising but very cute. Although long, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a great movie and it's worth watching every second of this film!
Rating: 4/5
Next up is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), directed by Edgar Wright and written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright with Bryan Lee O'Malley as the original writer of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel. I originally decided not to watch this movie because the previews looked dumb to me, but I was so very, very wrong. This was an insanely creative, funny, and flashy explosion of a movie, and I loved it! Every single scene has a new strange or hilarious situation, and the sheer outrageousness of the entire film makes it a blast to watch! This is a film that actually uses CGI correctly; most films throw in way too much CGI for its own good (ie, the newest Star Wars films), especially when the movie still attempts to convince the audience that everything in the film is real to the characters. But this movie has none of that - this movie knows that there's no way to make a plot about seven evil exes seem realistic, so we get hilarious video-game and pop culture interjections. I was in stitches when they were mocking Seinfeld and loved how Scott shared not just an apartment, but a bed with his gay roommate Wallace (played by Kieran Culkin). Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera, starts off as a rather unlikable unemployed loser but during the film he gains a handful of positive attributes and eventually becomes as lovable as the other characters. Everyone did a great job with their characters; they were all quirky and unique without taking away from the flow of the film. This has been the most pleasantly surprising film I've seen in a long time and I have half a mind to go out and buy it in the near future. You all should!
Rating: 4/5
Finally there is Toy Story 3 (2010), directed by Lee Unkrich and written by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, and Michael Ardnt. Now I realize that I might give this movie a higher rating and more praise than others, but I don't care. I am part of the generation that grew up with the Toy Story movies; the first came out when I was eight and the second when I was twelve, so I have been a fan of this series for quite some time. Toy Story 3 was everything I had hoped it would be and more. All of the characters held true to the same personalities that they had in the first two films, and Woody's devotion to Andy was so completely heartwarming. They were a little bit repetitive with their main villain. Just like with Toy Story 2 he was a seemingly wise, helpful old toy who tried to make the gang feel welcome at first. However, I never trusted him for a second! The scenes with Buzz in demo mode were too funny, as was the scene with the toddlers in the caterpillar room. I must admit that I was actually on the edge of my seat when the toys were in the dump, but an adorably hilarious moment came to the rescue! I didn't know how the movie was going to end, and I was surprised with what Andy decided to do. It does fit with the whole theme of growing up and moving on, but that still doesn't mean it didn't make me sad. Toy Story 3 was an amazing conclusion to such an endearing series, and I think it's a great tribute to all those toys that helped shape our childhoods.
Rating: 4.5/5
Movies: 22/100 viewed
I've been working out for a few weeks now and it's been going pretty well. Our friend, Jordan, was nice enough to give us his elliptical and so I've been using that every other day. I started using it for 25 minutes each time and am slowly increasing that amount. I've also been adding sit-ups to my routine after I'm done using the elliptical. It's perfect because I can slip my feet right underneath our gigantic couch and it keeps me from shifting around at all. I'm thinking of starting to walk/run on the days when I don't use the elliptical so that I'll be working out every day.
For my lists, the only thing I've added to is the movie list (it's still pretty easy to watch movies when you're sick). I have three films to review! The first one is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), directed by David Fincher and written by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord with F. Scott Fitzgerald as the writer of the original short story. This was a phenomenal movie, largely thanks to the terrific acting by Brad Pitt. He did an exceptional job at playing a man who physically ages backwards and he's growing up. Every stage of his life was fascinating - whether he was a lovable old man with the spirit of a child or a man in his 40s terrified about the potential consequences of being a father. I also must give credit to his makeup artists; they made all of his years look so real. This film's supporting actors cannot be forgotten either. Matthew was the one who realized that Captain Mike was played by Jared Harris, who is also David Robert Jones in Fringe. His character's crass and humorous demeanor was a welcome presence in such a dark and serious environment as the war-filled Atlantic. Tilda Swinton played a mysterious and interesting love interest for Benjamin Button. Their affair kept me on my toes as to whether or not her husband would ever find out. Her final appearance in the movie was surprising but very cute. Although long, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a great movie and it's worth watching every second of this film!
Rating: 4/5
Next up is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), directed by Edgar Wright and written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright with Bryan Lee O'Malley as the original writer of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel. I originally decided not to watch this movie because the previews looked dumb to me, but I was so very, very wrong. This was an insanely creative, funny, and flashy explosion of a movie, and I loved it! Every single scene has a new strange or hilarious situation, and the sheer outrageousness of the entire film makes it a blast to watch! This is a film that actually uses CGI correctly; most films throw in way too much CGI for its own good (ie, the newest Star Wars films), especially when the movie still attempts to convince the audience that everything in the film is real to the characters. But this movie has none of that - this movie knows that there's no way to make a plot about seven evil exes seem realistic, so we get hilarious video-game and pop culture interjections. I was in stitches when they were mocking Seinfeld and loved how Scott shared not just an apartment, but a bed with his gay roommate Wallace (played by Kieran Culkin). Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera, starts off as a rather unlikable unemployed loser but during the film he gains a handful of positive attributes and eventually becomes as lovable as the other characters. Everyone did a great job with their characters; they were all quirky and unique without taking away from the flow of the film. This has been the most pleasantly surprising film I've seen in a long time and I have half a mind to go out and buy it in the near future. You all should!
Rating: 4/5
Finally there is Toy Story 3 (2010), directed by Lee Unkrich and written by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, and Michael Ardnt. Now I realize that I might give this movie a higher rating and more praise than others, but I don't care. I am part of the generation that grew up with the Toy Story movies; the first came out when I was eight and the second when I was twelve, so I have been a fan of this series for quite some time. Toy Story 3 was everything I had hoped it would be and more. All of the characters held true to the same personalities that they had in the first two films, and Woody's devotion to Andy was so completely heartwarming. They were a little bit repetitive with their main villain. Just like with Toy Story 2 he was a seemingly wise, helpful old toy who tried to make the gang feel welcome at first. However, I never trusted him for a second! The scenes with Buzz in demo mode were too funny, as was the scene with the toddlers in the caterpillar room. I must admit that I was actually on the edge of my seat when the toys were in the dump, but an adorably hilarious moment came to the rescue! I didn't know how the movie was going to end, and I was surprised with what Andy decided to do. It does fit with the whole theme of growing up and moving on, but that still doesn't mean it didn't make me sad. Toy Story 3 was an amazing conclusion to such an endearing series, and I think it's a great tribute to all those toys that helped shape our childhoods.
Rating: 4.5/5
Movies: 22/100 viewed
Friday, April 8, 2011
"Are you anti-Catholic, Mr. Langdon?" "No. I'm anti-vandalism."
Sunday was a big cooking day! My friend, Brian, came over before his big trip to Paris next month and the three of us cooked dinner together and watched a movie. I made deviled eggs as an appetizer and was surprised to learn that neither Matthew or Brian had tried them before, but they both ended up liking them! Deviled eggs are insanely easy to make, too; I have no idea why people don't make them for every holiday or get-together. All it takes are some hard-boiled eggs, mustard, vinegar, mayonnaise, and paprika. Couldn't ask for a simpler recipe. My only issue is with peeling the shells off the eggs and scooping the yolks out without tearing the whites. I guess that perfect presentation requires a little bit of practice. I also baked a ton of these chocolate revel bars, which are comprised of a layer of oat-filled cookie, then a layer of melted chocolate and pecans followed by a thinner layer of the same oat cookie mixture. The recipe made a ton of the bars, and they're really thick! I set aside a huge portion of it to give to another friend for her birthday, and so far everyone has said that they liked them! Normally, baked goods don't last long in mine and Matthew's apartment, but the bars so thick and rich that the leftovers stuck around for a couple days.
Of course, we cannot forget about the actual dinner, which was spinach manicotti. This was an excellent meal! It used three different kinds of cheese - ricotta, swiss, and parmesan, and the spinach-cheese mixture was nearly bursting out of the manicotti shells by the time it was done baking! The recipe also called for this thick and flavorful white sauce that we poured over the noodles before baking, and with the melted swiss cheese, garlic powder and green onions I couldn't have imagined a better sauce for the noodles. For a meatless pasta, it was incredibly filling for just two noodles with the sauce, but I'll definitely be making more of this in the future! We didn't have any leftovers and it was a ton of fun working together to finish making the meal.
Cooking: 25/75 completed
For our dinner entertainment we picked out Angels and Demons (2009), directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman. I've already seen The DaVinci Code, and when comparing the two I realized that I liked the conspiracy story from DaVinci Code more than the one in Angels and Demons, but as a movie Angels and Demons was far superior. This "sequel" (though its book was written before The DaVinci Code) has a lot more action, a stronger plot, and more intriguing characters. I started to have my suspicions about how the plot was going to progress, and was right about the intentions of the assassin, but it took me a little while to realize how the film was going to end. Even so, I was a bit saddened by the ending due to my fondness of Ewan McGregor (who doesn't love him after watching Moulin Rouge?). It was nice seeing him in a darker role, though, so I give him props for that. I also enjoyed Tom Hanks' performance. His hair still looked ridiculous, but I doubt that he had much of a say in his costume and makeup. The last thing I want to mention is that the film does a good job at being neutral concerning the science vs religion theme. The film provides positives and negatives to fully embracing either side and if anything, I think that it advocates trying to find a way of weaving them together.
Rating: 3.5/5
Movies: 19/100 viewed
Of course, we cannot forget about the actual dinner, which was spinach manicotti. This was an excellent meal! It used three different kinds of cheese - ricotta, swiss, and parmesan, and the spinach-cheese mixture was nearly bursting out of the manicotti shells by the time it was done baking! The recipe also called for this thick and flavorful white sauce that we poured over the noodles before baking, and with the melted swiss cheese, garlic powder and green onions I couldn't have imagined a better sauce for the noodles. For a meatless pasta, it was incredibly filling for just two noodles with the sauce, but I'll definitely be making more of this in the future! We didn't have any leftovers and it was a ton of fun working together to finish making the meal.
Cooking: 25/75 completed
For our dinner entertainment we picked out Angels and Demons (2009), directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman. I've already seen The DaVinci Code, and when comparing the two I realized that I liked the conspiracy story from DaVinci Code more than the one in Angels and Demons, but as a movie Angels and Demons was far superior. This "sequel" (though its book was written before The DaVinci Code) has a lot more action, a stronger plot, and more intriguing characters. I started to have my suspicions about how the plot was going to progress, and was right about the intentions of the assassin, but it took me a little while to realize how the film was going to end. Even so, I was a bit saddened by the ending due to my fondness of Ewan McGregor (who doesn't love him after watching Moulin Rouge?). It was nice seeing him in a darker role, though, so I give him props for that. I also enjoyed Tom Hanks' performance. His hair still looked ridiculous, but I doubt that he had much of a say in his costume and makeup. The last thing I want to mention is that the film does a good job at being neutral concerning the science vs religion theme. The film provides positives and negatives to fully embracing either side and if anything, I think that it advocates trying to find a way of weaving them together.
Rating: 3.5/5
Movies: 19/100 viewed
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