For those who need a flowchart

Inglorious Basterds

DO NOT go see this crap. I wouldn't even pay netflix for it.
While I'll admit I was thrilled at the premise knowing some of the history of the actual men who really did do what it is about, I couldn't have been more disappointed with the film.
We cut training short and took a class trip to go see it as we felt it relevant.
It wasn't. The pacing was all wrong. Many scenes dragged on uncomfortably wrong.
On the other hand, Every Scene Brad Pitt was in, he simply lit up the screen like a searchlight. Unfortuantely that wasn't very often. The acting was really all first rate, expecially the main baddie, Christopher Waltz who was brilliant.
And the cinematography was great.
No, this was the director who reportedly spent 4 yrs writing it and must have only had 5 keys on his old typewriter. Either he needed 4 more years or more acid.
What a waste.
At one point I looked over to see if Chris was sleeping and it was right when he was saying to Mushtaq, "what say we go find old Trantino's house and go kick his ass for this Sh**?"

If you must see it, just watch these trailers and send me your $10. Cause almost all the good stuff is in the trailers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sQhTVz5IjQ
No surprise they disabled embedding, I would too from embarassment.

fall down hilarious

So, if you've been near a movie theater and you're reasonably level headed, your just as equally dreading this release
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnyDdfVgqnQ
(sorry, they disabled embedding). The only interesting thing is the werewolf is played by a kid who used to train at a local Karate school here till his parents moved him to LA to launch his career.

But this "extended trailer" makes it so much better.
Just fall down hilarious. Be sure to watch the first one before.

Chickenfoot

Headed out to the local balpark (yes it's an odd venue) for a hot concert (yes, it was hot at first) last night by supergroup Chickenfoot.

If you're not aware of who Chickenfoot is check out http://www.chickenfoot.us/news

It's Joe Satriani (guitar god), Sammy Hagar (the Red Rocker), Michael Anthony (long time bassist for Van Halen) and Chad Smith (drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

They all met jamming at Hagar's club in Cabo Wabo and enjoyed it enough to throw together a band and put out an album. Let's hope there's more. This one has already been hanging on one of the top 10 bilboard charts for a while.

What a fantastic show, we were right down front as the pics show. The guys just returned from shows in Europe and were well oiled and smooth. Veteran rockers having effortless fun.

I've loved Satriani since 1986 when surfing with the Alien came out and first saw him in '89.

Can't get enough, yes I have every album.

Only time I saw Hagar was back in '86 during the famous "I can't drive 55" tour. I wasn't a fan, came to see the opening band but left a fan.

Again wasn't much of a fan of Smith (or the peppers really) but his years with the Peppers showed. His playing was bombastic and smooth. Just effortless. You could see the drummer from the opening band (no slouch himself) on the side of the stage just mesmerized watching him.

Something that's often been over looked about Michael Anthony is that it was his vocal harmonizing that contibuted alot to VanHalen's sound.

Drummer Chad Smith seems to have a running gig of having a hot chick hold his sticks for the encore. As he throws them she has to strategically position a spare in that conspicuous location.

And she got a lot of action there, I'm guessing stick burn as he must have thrown 200 sticks over the course of the show, 30 on that song.
The boy's haul (yeah we brought Cole)


For the encore Sammy brought out a slide guitar to slide into the motorcycle intro to his very first hit with Montrose "Bad Motor Scooter".


The opening band was "Davey Knowles and Back Door Slam"

http://www.davyknowles.com/

Not a clue who they were but after the first song Joe who was with me said "Damn! I gotta find me that album!"

Young guys from the Ilse of Man that can really play. One of their songs was a cover of Crosby Stills Nash and Young's "I almost cut my hair". A 39 yr old song that sure didn't sound that old when he played it.

Rise of the fallen

Those darn bottle soldiers keep reanimating.
This time they came at us by twos and threes!

For those who think you need a big blade,

2" Kershaw, 21 in 10sec

Anyone seen Troy with Brad Pitt?

You can find anything in a Cebu Mall

Next time through, don't forget to check the basement level but there could be a line.

Stuff only Alan Dean Foster or Steve Perry could dream up

Having just completed a few ADF novels I often marvel at the imagination they employ to create some of the alien creatures that they do. Foster's imagination in Quofum really stands out.

But then you see this seadragon and realize there's actual stuff that you don't need to imagine.





On a recent trip to Chicago we decided to stop by the Shedd Aquarium. Having kept and raised fish for some 25yrs I'm always up for a trip to an aquarium where ever we are. A spur of the moment decision to go to the one in Seattle paid rich dividends some time back. Great place.
Of course one of my past trips to Shedd resulted in the purchase of a 6' 130gal tank so there was some risk.......
It's been a while since I'd personally been to Shedd, in fact it was when the road still went right by the front door which is now a more pedestrian area.

Cole and Megan being cast out by the Penquins

They've added a reef display that depicts a coastal village of Apo in the Phillippines (Apo is actually a volcano). I must say, the display tanks, smells and recordings were really quite well done.