It took me about thirteen hours, with about one hour sleep. i couldn’t put it down, per usual. Bought it at Walmart at midnight and read on bus and at airport and on airplane and saw several people doing the same but no one as far into it as me. It wasn’t what i was expecting exactly, and i know that i read it very quickly and was so tired and excited that i had a hard time slowing down enough to properly digest it, so i’m working on rereading it now. Rowling surprised me in several ways, but i have no big complaints except the last chapter was kinda silly and that there aren’t going to be any more.

i’d been wanting to see this movie for a long time, but it’s hard to find, and i finally rented it from Netflix. When i saw the Matrix with my brother-in-law he pointed out that it’s playing on the tv when Neo is talking to “there is no spoon” boy in the Oracle’s living room. He told me that it was filmed in Ajo, Arizona… which is kind of true.

i grew up in Ajo and only recognized that they were actually in Ajo during one scene, when all the cops were driving through the town’s one light next to the Plaza. The characters would talk about the “university” in Ajo and then show UofA, which is in Tucson and is upwards of a three hour drive away. i did recognize that the desert is typical of southern Arizona (in one scene A Mountain appeared to be in the far background). In one scene it looked like the “highway” that a character was turning into was actually Ten Mile Wash (a huge wash that crosses the highway ten miles outside of Ajo city limits). i don’t know of any gold mines in the area, though there are some near Yuma the mine in Ajo is copper. The drive in movie may have actually been Ajo’s, but that was torn down before we moved there. On the wall at the sheriff’s station is a map that does appear to be of Ajo, but it only shows some of the streets and doesn’t even depict the huge open pit mine, Rasmussen, or the five acres area. The airport may have been Ajo’s and i think i recognize the location where the picnicing family was mauled as being a picnic area near the shooting range. But not much of this movie was filmed in Ajo at all, though they mention the town a lot. A lot of the scenes were filmed at the junctions of highways 82 and 83, which is actually southeast of Tucson between Nogales and Sierra Vista near a town called Sonoita.

Of the movie itself: they actually do a good job of making the rabbits look huge (considering when this was filmed): they aren’t particularly scary though, and of course we have to have the obligatory “huge” footprint in the dirt for the 150 pound bunny (all the people i know who weigh 150 don’t leave tracks like that!). The dialogue and plot is predictable and campy (as i would also expect of the period). Worth a look see i guess, especially if you come from Arizona.

The funny thing about rabbits in conjunction with Ajo is that if you drive from Gila Bend to Ajo at night during the summer you are quite likely to see upwards of one hundred rabbits commit suicide in a forty mile stretch. The stupid buggers run for the headlights and are of course ran over and there is nothing you can do to avoid them. So perhaps a better way to deal with a desert overrun with rabbits is not to poison them or give them hormones: it’s to go cruising late at night with your friends. (;

The main problem with this film is that it’s too short and felt like it was a first draft, not a fully fleshed out story. It was good, funny, but not great or hilarious. The special effects and abilities were well done but needed to be emphasized more in battle, less in everyday situations. The whole “how can we have a normal life?” angst has been done so many times, in Superman, Spider-man, etc… Not horrible, but it could have been better.

The main problem with this film is that it’s too short and felt like it was a first draft, not a fully fleshed out story. It was good, funny, but not great or hilarious. The special effects and abilities were well done but needed to be emphasized more in battle, less in everyday situations. The whole “how can we have a normal life?” angst has been done so many times, in Superman, Spider-man, etc… Not horrible, but it could have been better.

The last time around i was more than a little surprised and at first i wasn’t sure if i liked or disliked the movie. i was so mad when Elizabeth kissed Jack, absolutely irate, not because of what happened to Jack, but because of what it did to Will. It gave Jack a chance to show his bold side, even if he hadn’t chosen that course of action. But Dead Man’s Chest gradually grew on me, for all it’s silliness and over the top humor, i couldn’t help but appreciate it the more i saw it.

This film has a surprise ending but without the negative shock value of the last, even though it is sad. i don’t think that i would have chosen this ending, and i’m actually surprised that i didn’t figure out the twist sooner, but i am still content with the film, even with how the Will/Elizabeth relationship is concluded. With more Jack than i was expecting i would have thought that the movie would seem more ridiculous, but somehow it worked for me. Norrington and Governor Swan come to satisfying conclusions for me as well, though also sad.

There is a lot more piracy going on in this film, even Will and Elizabeth start taking part in the back stabbing. The battles and locations are awe inspiring on a new scale, and even the lunacy seems to make sense. But not everything is fun and games this time around, everyone seems more serious. i feel so badly for Davy Jones in the end! For a while i wasn’t sure who i should root for, who i wanted to win, how i wanted things to end up, because the only noble ending was sad for so many beloved characters. Who would have ever thought i would be rooting for pirates anyway? i, for one, do not lack a moral center, but here the edges are blurred, the plotlines intertwined, i am going to need another viewing or two to take it all in and figure it out. But i’ve discovered that seeing any ship be blown apart really takes it out of me, no matter which side is being defeated. The film provides and interesting twist on pirate history and brings it around for a good conclusion while leaving the possibilities open for more sequels…

p.s. When you see it don’t forget to stay around for the “ten years later” at the end of the credits.

The last time around i was more than a little surprised and at first i wasn’t sure if i liked or disliked the movie. i was so mad when Elizabeth kissed Jack, absolutely irate, not because of what happened to Jack, but because of what it did to Will. It gave Jack a chance to show his bold side, even if he hadn’t chosen that course of action. But Dead Man’s Chest gradually grew on me, for all it’s silliness and over the top humor, i couldn’t help but appreciate it the more i saw it.

This film has a surprise ending but without the negative shock value of the last, even though it is sad. i don’t think that i would have chosen this ending, and i’m actually surprised that i didn’t figure out the twist sooner, but i am still content with the film, even with how the Will/Elizabeth relationship is concluded. With more Jack than i was expecting i would have thought that the movie would seem more ridiculous, but somehow it worked for me. Norrington and Governor Swan come to satisfying conclusions for me as well, though also sad.

There is a lot more piracy going on in this film, even Will and Elizabeth start taking part in the back stabbing. The battles and locations are awe inspiring on a new scale, and even the lunacy seems to make sense. But not everything is fun and games this time around, everyone seems more serious. i feel so badly for Davy Jones in the end! For a while i wasn’t sure who i should root for, who i wanted to win, how i wanted things to end up, because the only noble ending was sad for so many beloved characters. Who would have ever thought i would be rooting for pirates anyway? i, for one, do not lack a moral center, but here the edges are blurred, the plotlines intertwined, i am going to need another viewing or two to take it all in and figure it out. But i’ve discovered that seeing any ship be blown apart really takes it out of me, no matter which side is being defeated. The film provides and interesting twist on pirate history and brings it around for a good conclusion while leaving the possibilities open for more sequels…

p.s. When you see it don’t forget to stay around for the “ten years later” at the end of the credits.

So was LUH killed? i knew they would stop chasing him because the budget would run out, but why end the film there? What happened to THX after he escapes? Did he survive, did he die, why didn’t he go back into the city (cuz they weren’t going to arrest him now, their budget had been exhausted)? i was expecting a lot more than annoying friends and confusing scenes like when he first gets to prison. Well made from a cinematographic standpoint, but the storyline was NOT there. i doubt i’ll ever view it again.

i loved the first Shrek, but didn’t particularly care for the second. i would rate this one higher than the second, but only a bit higher. i love these characters, and i want to know what happens to them, but there wasn’t anything here. i didn’t come to see Prince Charming be the same person he already was, there wasn’t any character development there. And for all the bad guys to be against Shrek, who one would think should be a figurehead for their cause, just didn’t make much sense. i think it would have been better if they were campaigning against Artie or something, if they wanted Shrek to be king because he would look out for their best interests. But instead of rising to the power of the first film, this sequel falls flat instead. The films fail to realize that you shouldn’t have to be in the swamp to be happy, you should bring the swamp with you and make the world a better place.

Anyone who thinks that Topher Grace can’t act really needs to see this. i didn’t think he’d be able to pull this off, but he did, giving perhaps the most refreshing performance in this movie. i really felt like Venom looked campy, but Eric Foreman somehow grew up, became a jerk, and got really creapy. i wish they would have used his face more and the cg less.

This movie might not be the most suave or grown up, but if you’re a geek it hits the spot. It brought the Peter-MJ-Harry love triangle to a satisfying conclusion for me, as well as explaining a lot about Uncle Ben’s death. i cried a lot but laughed a lot more, but this film certainly delivered for me. It was obvious that Dunst wasn’t the one actually doing the singing, but the music was excellent. Peter is a still a bit clueless when it comes to girls. A nice mix of faith and action.

When i saw the film i knew that the author’s name sounded familiar and i finally realized that she’s the author of Alien Secrets, one of my favorite books when i was in junior high. i did like the movie, but after reading the book i like it so much better. i didn’t trust Gabe at all, it was such a twist that he ended up being a great guy. Kept me guessing and had a good ending, i definitely recommend.