a keen awareness of the passing of time

[greygirlbeast]

A 9.0 quake in Indonesia. That's the most powerful earthquake to have occurred on Earth in my lifetime. It is a horrendous thing, yes, and the loss of life is staggering, but I cannot but be amazed at the force of such a phenomenon. There was enough energy released during this quake to move the island of Sumatra 100 feet SW. Tsunamis crossed the breadth of the Indian Ocean and reached as far west as Somalia.

Yesterday, the weather here was slightly warmer and the clouds had blown away south. I discovered that The Aviator was playing at the Plaza, an old theatre entirely lacking in the loathsomeness of multiplexes. So, we went to a 2:30 showing. The film is gorgeous and wonderful. Some critics are calling it Scorsese's best since Good Fellas, though I, personally, thought Gangs of New York was at least as accomplished as Good Fellas. Cate Blanchett deserves an Oscar-nomination for her role as Katharine Hepburn. After ten minutes or so, the fact that she didn't look that much like Hepburn became utterly irrelevant, she nailed the part so perfectly. And I think DiCaprio can at last be forgiven his part in such messes as Romeo + Juliet and Titanic. The cinematography is truly brilliant, and the aerial sequences are breathtaking. And the audience during the screening we attended was perfect. Not a single inappropriate giggle or comment was overheard. I can only imagine the nightmare this film could quickly become with a typical mall or suburban googleplex audience. Anyway, I urge you to see The Aviator. It might be the best of the year.

Today I must, must, must get back to work on Chapter One. Enough foolishness.

Comments

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

I believe I read that the force of the earthquake significantly disrupted the earth's rotation. That's a bit scary.

Of course, CBS Radio News in New York this morning led off with a holiday returns story, saving the coverage of one of the most deadly events in human history for the second break. But hey, we don't know those 20 thousand people, do we? Ugh.

You might want to track down last month's Vanity Fair- there was an excellent article about Leo, along with some wonderful fashion photography (there was actually a ton of great articles in the magazine- I usually don't read it, but was considering a subscription afterwards).

And I still love Titanic. A glorious mess of a movie, but still glorious.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

And I still love Titanic. A glorious mess of a movie, but still glorious.

I am of the opinion that Titanic was almost a very fine film. But the framing sequence with Bill Paxton was so insipidly sentimental and the film's attitudes towards the Victorians so simplistic that those two things together wrecked (pun, sorry) it for me.

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

I can see that. I enjoyed the high points and ignored the lousy parts. It's why I was able to enjoy, for example, Daredevil, which had some really great moments among the wreckage. I think it's my mutant power.

Unfortunately, nothing helped with Highlander 2...

[happyspector.livejournal.com]

This is why I'm still an "Attack of the Clones" supporter.

I rather enjoyed "Daredevil," but my problem with it was basically that the story never, well, went anywhere. They set up all these great characters, then just sorta had them converge and climactically beat the shit out of each other. No "master plan" to distinguish the badguys, nothin'. I hear the new director's cut adds/re-structures so much as to make it feel like a truly different, more unique, far better film.

Yes, Highlander 2 was a steaming pile of shit, and the director's cut only served to make it a somewhat more amusing steaming pile of shit.

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

My stepmotherinlaw (whew!) gave me the director's cut of Daredevil for Christmas. I'm holding on to my original cut, too; I understand there's a different commentary for that edition. I think you hit the nail on the head with your analysis.

I laughed so hard while watching Highlander 2. Too bad it wasn't a comedy...

[happyspector.livejournal.com]

So how's the director's cut?

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

Haven't had time to watch it. My day consultant job sucks up the 6 am-7 pm hours, and I've promised a document to the night consultant job for Monday that I've done lots of daydreaming about but not enough typing on. But the box is pretty. (And I also got three Prince movies- Purple Rain Commerative Edition, Under The Cherry Moon (my fave), and Grafitti Bridge (obviously, my wife never saw this dog, but hey, it's fun to laugh at).)

Of course, I can use my lovely iPod during the day job, and I use the net pretty frequently for "research", so I'm not complaining. Hell, the day job is a dream compared to some of the clients I've had. Lots of detailed work, but lots of nice people, so I'm ahead on that. There are worse rackets to be in than the consulting business.

[velocityb0y.livejournal.com]

Of course, CBS Radio News in New York this morning led off with a holiday returns story, saving the coverage of one of the most deadly events in human history for the second break. But hey, we don't know those 20 thousand people, do we? Ugh.

I noticed this last night, and it disgusted me. I mean, if this really is the season of giving, shouldn't we be hearing about how to help, rather than how to spend ten less minutes in a gift return line?? I don't know if it's a symptom of shallowness or of its-not-in-America-so-who-gives-a-rats-ass-ism, but either way...

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

It's a product of lazy journalism. These stories are done every year at the same time. They program the robots on how to think (the message was "Be patient/Have you receipt/You can get store credit/Buy more"). Meanwhile, people are drowning on land that was dry 2 days ago.

This story probably hits me hard because I now live 5 blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. I have NO idea what I would do if a tsunami hit me and my wife. Actually, I do have an idea- I'd die.

[las.livejournal.com]

We also saw The Aviator last night, mainly because it was too darned cold to do much but go to the movies and it was one of the only movies my elderly dad had any interest in.

We, too, loved it. Gary was put off by the broadness of the first 30 minutes, but I thought the over-the-topness was intentional, to portray how Hughes must have seen Hollywood after he first got there as a young man. The plane crash sequence was amazing.

Kate Beckinsale surprised me; I'd only seen her in Underworld until now.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

to portray how Hughes must have seen Hollywood after he first got there as a young man.

And, I think, to show how he might have looked to Hollywood, as well.

Dry Salvages post! My god, I'm on topic!

[wishlish.livejournal.com]

My birthday present from my wife, the Dry Salvages book, did arrive today. She ordered it last week from Walmart.com as I had previously noted, so if anyone's still hunting this down and can't find it from the usual sources, go there. (Not in any way knocking other fine sources of books; I just think it's mighty funny that my wife ordered this from Smileyface Central).

Interesting note- the book jacket used indicated it's the signed, limited edition. Of course, it's not signed or limited (nor was it purchased that wife- my wife bought the regular edition). Your publisher may be interested in that fact, Caitlin. Or he may not be. Just a note. In the interim, I figure I have a unique edition- a signed/non-signed limited/non-limited edition. It is a singularity, a SpeciesBook of One, and there's something mighty cool about that. (At least until we all find out that Walmart sold all their stock that way.)

[happyspector.livejournal.com]

"And I think DiCaprio can at last be forgiven his part in such messes as Romeo + Juliet and Titanic."

Scorsese is flat-out rescuing DeCaprio's career, artistically and now that I think about it, in pretty much all other respects. "Gangs of New York" is one of my favorite films ... right up there with "Taxi Driver."