What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving? I’m going to have a small (very small) group over, and hopefully not nearly induce a nervous breakdown like last year (although it turned out well). What are your plans?
Month: November 2002 (Page 2 of 5)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
It’s almost irrelevant to review a movie like this – it’s like reviewing “Episode II.” Everyone who’s going to see it is going no matter what, and people who couldn’t care less will not be swayed by a good review. But I soldier on anyway.
It was entertaining, primarily because of Kenneth Brannagh, who ripped into the role of self-important pseudo-wizard Gilderoy Lockhart like a pit bull and didn’t let go. But it’s two hours and forty minutes long, and unlike the first one, which felt rushed at about the same length, this one feels draggy. The kids are still good, but everyone just seems to be going through the motions. And the action scenes are, I think, way too intense for younger kids. (Thousands of giant spiders at one point even freaked me out a little bit.) Maybe I would have enjoyed myself more if the group of teenage girls behind us would have shut the hell up and stopped kicking our chairs.
Ahem. Old man moment, sorry.
I have hopes for the third installment, to be directed by Alfonso Cuaron, whose “A Little Princess” is thought to be one of the best children’s movies ever. His sensibility is certainly more offbeat and less commercial than Chris Columbus’.
This isn’t a bad movie. But it could have been so much more.
When you’re on hold with non-toll-free technical support in California, you’re really in an existential bind. If you keep holding, you could be holding forever, and never get to speak to one of those low-paid drones who probably can’t answer your question anyway. And the longer you hold, if you end up hanging up because you waited too long, the worse off you are, because you racked up all these charges for no reason.
On the other hand, they may possibly be able to answer your question. (As Judy Tenuta would say, “It could happen!”) And if you hang up, you might be hanging up just seconds before they would have answered your call and your question. You have no way of knowing this, but like Charlie Brown and the football, you hope for the best.
Until you end up hanging up anyway.
The news underlined a statement by U.S. President George Bush Wednesday, warning President Saddam Hussein to be truthful. ?Should he again deny that this arsenal exists, he will have entered his final stage with a lie,? Bush said in a speech to NATO leaders in Prague.
–MSNBC
Well, apparently we don’t need weapons inspectors after all. GWB is on the case. Gotta love the “his final stage” language too. Way to be tough, George. When will Osama get to that “final stage” again? My mom always told me to finish one job before starting on the next one.
My horoscope today
Although you generally know your limits, you might have one too many of everything today. You are bowled over by circumstances that require you to think on your feet. The best thing to do is remain clam.
Typos make me smile.
Quote of the day
“Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not sure about the universe.”
– Albert Einstein
Bulletin
I hate everyone. It’s just been one of those days.
Thank you.
Word of the day: ineluctable
Funny or sad – you decide
-Excite news this morning
Memo to Anne Geddes:
In the name of all that is holy, put down the camera, and back away from it slowly.
