Entertainment

A week ago I went to see Shellac play at the Crofoot in Pontiac, MI.  I actually had a couple of tickets (that my mother-in-law picked up for me) but couldn't find anyone to go with me (Prentice was on his honeymoon and no one from Nashville could make the trip).  Phreddy Wischusen, general manager of the Crofoot, told her that by getting the tickets for me she proved wrong all the late night talk show hosts with their jokes about mothers-in-law.  The Crofoot is a fairly new and nice venue.  I was standing right in front of the stage.  Last time I did that was with Matt at Slint in Chicago.  Chris Brokaw opened the show.  The dudes talking loudly behind me during Brokaw's set were annoying.  The Shellac set was loose and enjoyable.  Here are some photos.  More here.

The weekend before last we watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001,PG) (ScreenIt! Review) for movie night after we finished listening to the book on tape.  From ScreenIt!:

An 11-year-old boy has various adventures as he spends a year at a boarding school for sorcerers after learning that he's a wizard.

It was enjoyable enough but nothing spectacular in my opinion.  The kids loved it, though parts were a bit intense for Finn.  He was more skittish going to bed than usual that night.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Yesterday the boys and I went with Grandpa B and Coby to see the new Clone Wars animated film (2008,PG).  It was enjoyable enough as another piece of the Star Wars franchise but it would have been pretty weak standing on its own.  You're not setting up yourself too well when the foundation of the whole story is something as silly as Jabba calling on the Jedi to recover his kidnapped child.  The film continues the pre-occupation of the Clone Wars TV cartoon with warfare between the clones and separatist droids it city settings.  The seemingly endless rain of laser battles was getting a bit old for me.  I thought the interplay between Anakin and his young padawan Ahsoka was tolerable at least.  Jabba's uncle Ziro was not.

I give it 3 out of 5.

I recently watched the documentary film Born Into Brothels (2004,R).  From Wikipedia:

Briski, a documentary photographer, went to Kolkata (Calcutta) to photograph prostitutes. While there, she befriended their children and offered to teach the children photography to reciprocate being allowed to photograph their mothers. The children were given cameras so they could learn photography and possibly improve their lives. Much of their work was used in the film, and the filmmakers recorded the classes as well as daily life in the red light district. The children's work was exhibited, and one boy was even sent to a photography conference in Amsterdam. Briski also recorded her efforts to place the children in boarding schools.

It was great seeing the joy that the cameras and learning brought to the kids lives and, of course, heartbreaking to witness the conditions in which they live.

I give it 4 out of 5.

A few weeks back I watched King Kong (2005,PG-13) (ScreenIt! Review).  From ScreenIt!:

A 1930s film crew sets out to discover an uncharted island for their film, but must contend with the 25-foot tall ape that kidnaps their starlet and retreats into its prehistoric world.

I remember when this came out but didn't give it much thought at the time.  I didn't realize it was Peter Jackson's handiwork.  I really enjoyed it...it's epic nature, the special effects, Naomi Watts, etc.

I give it 4 out of 5.