Sashaism #156

"[A]s a former Non-American, I welcome you to the land of Obama. If you really want to celebrate your new-found heritage, get yourself a gun and go shoot a bold eagle. I get red and blue all over just thinking about it."

-Sasha, who really doesn't like pushy eagles.

Quick Reviews

Alexa's out of town, so I've watched movies! Which I will now review oh so quickly!

Godfather 1/2 - 10.0/9.5 - I've flipflopped and decided the first one is better. So there.

Man Push Cart/Chop Shop - 8.5/8 - Ramin Bahrani's movies about the lives of immigrants in America are quietly brilliant films. Beautifully shot, they're sad, poignant, funny and in the end, I think, hopeful. They deserve a longer, more thoughtful review than this, which Ebert has kindly provided here. Highly recommended.

The Visitor - 7 - To continue my movies about immigrants spree, I watched this one. Richard Jenkins (the dead 6 Feet Under dad) deserved the Oscar nomination, but a win would've been a major stretch. I liked the movie, but it pales a bit in comparison to the aforementioned Bahrani movies (not to mention the Godfather). Also, I thought the last half hour was just a tad off.

King of Kong - 5.5 - King of Kong is about 2 dudes who play waaaaaay too much Donkey Kong. And a bunch of other dudes who care way too much about 2 dudes who play way too much Donkey Kong. It's officially filmed in America, but the video game culture portrayed certainly seems like a foriegn country (even to a huge dork like me), so I am comforatable lumping it in with my immigration review clearing house. It's an interesting story, told in standard (read: boring) documentary fashion. At 79 minutes, it still felt like it was at least 20 minutes too long.

My Game

I always leave 'em happy.

The rest of the pics from our recent Chile visitors will be up soon. Tonight maybe?

Vina and Valparaiso with the Family

I went to the beach for 2 nights with Nat, Lisa and My mom and dad, and Rudy, Justin and Alexa joined us there for a day as well. I'll be posting some people-free shots of Valparaiso graffiti next.
(Full Photo Set - Flickr - Facebook)

Taken - 6.5

I'd never heard of Taken before Alexa brought it home from Blockbuster, but it came out last year and got decent reviews, and guess what, it was, in fact, pretty decent. Taken is a Bourne-like action movie where Liam Neason is trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter from being sold in to prostitution.

I watched it with Alexa, and I must say, it didn't take me long to realize that she *really* doesn't care much for child prostitution rings. I can definitively say that I have never before seen her so pleased while watching graphic violence. She was cheering for decapitations, shootings, people set on fire --- the worse the damage the happier she was. I think she actually jumped off the couch in excitement when Liam rather mercilessly electrocuted the head of the gang. Of course, the downside of her enthusiasm is that I had to evade questions like, "Would you do that for our daughter?" with answers like, "Yeeeeeah ... right after I finish up my 30 years of CIA training."

So, Liam is pretty cold blooded and the movie is a decent little action flick that even your girlfriend will like. All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening.

San Cristobal With Nat and Lisa

Our visitors have all headed home, but I've still got lots of photos to post. Round two is a quickie from Nat and Lisa's first Day in Santiago.
(Full Photo Set - Flickr - Facebook)

Dream the dream

Wow.

A bit dusty in the room, eh?

Curious? Hyper? This one's for you ...

So, Wildfiring has been a bit slow lately*, and most of my friends' web sites die within days**, but I've got a feeling this one might be different. Matt Compton has a pretty great new "idea blog" called HyperCurio.us. If I were the type of person to make long boring lists, I'd have to give it the "Blog you are most likely to see on one of those random lists of good blogs" blog superlative. Seriously though***, I'm a regular reader and he's off to a pretty great start. It's well worth checking out.****

* - Understatement.
** - I must say, Joanna who I linked to a month ago or so, remains prolific. Brother, if you're reading this. Turn on your rss feed. You are official now.
*** - The blog-tastic superlative thing was secretly serious too.
**** - I love footnotes, they are like adult choose your own adventure books, but these footnotes***** would make a medical journal copy editor convulse uncontrollably.
***** - Footnote! I should really write for a law journal. Those are some footnote loving fools. Speaking of which, another friendly Matt C.****** was published recently. I am pretty sure this is the same language they used on the Rosetta stone
****** - (C)alabria. That is all.

Rudy and Justin in Santiago

Rudes and Justin came to visit us in Chile! Here are some pictures from in and around Santiago.
(Full photo set - Flickr - Facebook)

Next up: The beach!

Not dead yet ...

I'm still here. We've got visitors now, so I'll post lots more pictures soon, but for now,

Up.

And down.