Here I am.

For anyone out there who tried to visit here and couldn't, I apologize. However, it really had nothing to do with me. Blogger was having some kind of trouble that was only affecting certain blogs and mine was among them. But, here I am again.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

I know that there is currently an abundance of coverage and hoopla over Star Wars lately but I feel like relating my own experience concerning Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. For those of you out there who haven't seen it yet and are planning to, please don't read any more of this as there are surely spoilers contained herein.

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I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this movie! George Lucas has managed to create a movie that completely involved my senses. Of the "new" trilogy, this one is by far the best, and on many levels.

I found a review on Yahoo! movies that stated that Episodes I and II are basically one story combined and could have been shrunk into one film, and that Episode III suffered because of this. The reviewer thought that Anakin Skywalker's fall towards the dark side of the Force was too significant to be relegated to one film alone. I personally disagree. Episodes I and II are important to the Star Wars mythos because they paint a larger picture with which to frame the main storyline of the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin. Sure, some may say that characters such as Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar Jar Binks, and Watto aren't a necessary part of the narrative in the long run, but how would the story have been without them? I particular, Qui-Gon mentors Obi Wan Kenobi, giving him the knowledge and experience that make him one of the many iconic characters of the Star Wars universe. Let's now go back to Episode III.

First off, and most obvious to anyone, the visual asthetic is stunning. Immediately after the opening credits the viewer is plunged into a fast-paced and exciting space battle as Obi Wan and Anakin try to rescue the abducted Chancellor Palpatine. Almost immediately I could tell a marked difference in visual quality and style compared to Episodes I and II. Clearly this movie has the best visual effects of the entire six-movie series. There are so many things going on in any given scene that it can become a little overwhelming to take in. Repeated viewings should reveal many visual cues and devices missed by the eyes the first time.

There are so many fight sequences in this movie that Lucas should have called it Episode III: The Lightsaber Chapter. I do understand that this movie takes place during the Clone Wars and there is abundant turmoil for all involved, but sometimes while watching this movie I felt I was witnessing a long chain of fight scenes and nothing more. However, in the context of the storyline every fight sequence is justified and unique in comparison to each other sequence. The duel between Anakin and Obi Wan is surely the most dramatic of the film and also signals the beginning of the end of the "new" trilogy.

The actual stroyline and dramatic arc of the film is of the best possible quality coming from the likes of George Lucas. We all know by now that Episodes I and II were criticized to death about the lack of emotional integrity portrayed by each character. I felt that Hayden Christiansen stepped up to the role and finally took command. His portrayal of Anakin is more mature and well-rounded and his final moments before donning the infamous black suit really couldn't have been acted any better. I felt genuine attatchment to these characters for the first time in the whole trilogy because I knew the fates of most of them. The final scene between Obi Wan and Anakin is really powerful and almost disturbing, yet it couldn't have been done any other way. It is widely known and explained in Episode IV that almost all of the Jedi are wiped out and that Padme Amidala dies in cildbirth. Knowing these facts beforehand made me feel sad for the characters. Every loose plot thread is nicely tied up and connected to the original trilogy.

Well, there you have it. I will most definitely be going to see this movie a couple more times before it leaves the theaters and if I think of anything else to contribute to this evaluation, you all will soon see it. Feel free to write your own opinions of the movie here. May the force be with you!

Addendum to "Rockin' the Taurus".

Damn, the Suns lost to Dallas 119 to 109. Here's hoping for best of seven!

Rockin' the Taurus!

Alrighty then, what has been going on with the DooDoo lately? I guess the most major news is that my poor Mustang has been in the shop since Thursday. As some of you already know, I have been experiencing car troubles and finally there has been time for me to take her in. Basically, the Stang is fucked. The mechanic is looking around for a rebuilt transmission AND rebuilt engine to replace my broken ones. I guess the problems were more serious than I originally thought!! Hopefully giving my car a transplant will keep her happy for another couple of years. Damn, it is going to be expensive.

Right now I am driving a rental car: a Taurus. That's right. I'm rocking the Taurus! What a crappy-ass car it is! Nobody needs to buy a Taurus. Before I rented the car, though, I had to rough it on my bike. Normally I enjoy riding my bike, you know, for recreation or exercise. But having to ride your bike several miles to work really sucks, especially in Tallahassee in MAY. There are so many hills in this town and it always feels like you are riding uphill. Plus, you are soaked with sweat before you have even ridden a mile, even at eight in the morning. On top of that I realized, after riding to and from my job, that my rear brakes were out of alignment and were rubbing against my tire, resulting in unnecessary resistance. I was working harder than I needed to be but didn't realize it! But I fixed the brakes and the bike is in shape again. It just hasn't been a good few days.

Visionworks still goes on as boring as ever, but I will be working more hours now because one of the other lab technicians is transferring to another store and I get some of the unused hours until a replacement is found. I am very thankful that this guy is leaving because he is an asshole. You all have surely experienced one of these types before. He talks excessively about nothing of significance. He is devoid of good interpersonal skills and cops an attitude over the most trivial of things. I won't miss him. I am also getting a raise. How much of one I have yet to see, but any extra money is a good thing, right?

Right now I am watching Game 4 of the Phoenix Suns/Dallas Mavericks playoff series. Phoenix is losing but I hope they can turn it around. I never expected the Suns to get good again. Last time I cared about my home team was the year they met the Bulls for the NBA Finals back in the 90s. It's good to see AZ has at least one good sports team again.

Be sure to check out this Flash animation thingy before you go. I believe it to be amusing.

The many musings of Coach Z.

In this latest edition of "DooDooDoo70s at the Movies"...

...I will be giving you all the scoop on the movies I have viewed recently. Now that school is out I have had more free time and all of those free movie passes from AMC theatres have been burning a hole in my pocket. In the last three days I have seen FOUR movies! Four good movies, at that.



Because I was already familiar with this book and have watched the BBC movie version of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I had a strong interest to see this version. I was not disappointed. Obviously, the visual effects are top notch. However, this take on the story is very entertaining and funny. The movie utilizes a 21st century spin on the delivery of the dialogue and the actors are all popular to today's modern interests, but the classic humor is present and accounted for, for sure.



Kung Fu Hustle simply kicked ass! Very original concept and design by a young actor/director. The movie is intertwined with pieces of drama, action, and romance. Parts of the film are drop-dead funny, while other scenes are poetic in their visual exactitude and grace of execution. Cult-classic status is a certainty.



Ok, I've gotta say it even though it is obvious: Nicole Kidman is HOT! Besides that, this film is also of very high quality. The story is complex, but not overly so. Sean Penn delivers a fantastic performance and the interrplay between him and Kidman keeps you rivited to the screen. It's a dramatic mystery "what's going on?" kind of film that doesn't follow the formula used by these types of films.



Sahara is more than your everyday action-adventure movie. There are a surprising number of plot points thrown together but they all seem to flow coherently. The film takes you through many twists and turns and the action scenes for the most part are plausible. The repore between McConaughey, Cruz, and Zahn is wildly entertaining and quite clever at times.

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Well, there you have it. Four great movies for their own different reasons. Give them all a try, says the DooDoo. As for what else I have been up to, there's not much to tell. I have been catching up on long-overdue hours at the ol' job as well as keeping up with the sax. I suppose that's it for now - cheers.

Bleh.

Happy 5 de 5 everybody! Isn't it great we celebrate a holiday that has nothing to do with this country? Fuckers.

A defining moment.

A door has finally been closed to me and I can now move on with my life. It is time to begin a new chapter to this man's story - a chapter long since overdue. Wish me luck.