New Trailer for "Game of Thrones"

With a nice peek at the Iron Throne...

"Tangled" -- My Belated Review

Oh to be a paid reviewer...One who had access to showings designated especially for reviewers. That's the dream.



But, as is the case for most of us, I'm lucky if I make to the theater at all and all I can do is add my voice to the chorus that has already chimed in their opinion on a certain movie. Most of the time I take a why bother attitude when I'm two months late to the party, but I will make an exception when a movie is just too good not to mention.



Like many Disney films Tangled is the story about a princess. But the princess in this case, Rapunzel, spends most of her life not knowing she was born to royalty. Gravely ill while pregnant with Rapunzel, the queen is given a broth made from a flower with the magical ability to heal. As a result the baby Rapunzel is born with golden hair that is infused with the magic of the flower.



The only person who knows the secret of Rapunzel's magic hair is an old witch named Gothel who had been using the magic of the flower to stay young. Realizing that Rapunzel is the key to her continued youth, Gothel steals the baby, stashes her in an isolated tower and raises her as her own daughter. Distraught at the loss of the baby the king and queen release thousands of floating lanterns every year on Rapunzel's birthday in hopes that she will see them and use them as a beacon home. Little do they know that the princess has spent eighteen years in her tower amusing herself by painting the walls with pictures of the lanterns she longs to see in person.



Rapunzel, whose hair cannot be cut or her magic will be lost, hauls Gothel up and down the tower with her impossibly long hair. But she never leaves because she has been raised to believe that the outside world is cruel and covets her magic. But as her eighteenth birthday approaches Rapunzel becomes increasingly determined to see the lanterns and when a thief known as Flynn Rider suddenly finds her tower, Rapunzel takes the opportunity to venture out into the world for the first time.



If there's one thing Disney does really well it's that they know how to tug on your heartstrings in the best way. "Tangled" follows in the vein of most of the "princess" movies in that our heroine finds her independence along with the love of her life in the course of her adventures. But Rapunzel is also a modern princess. She isn't singing "someday my prince will come"-- she's actually more likely to smack the male lead upside the head with a frying pan. The real theme of Rapunzel is the emotion prison that had held her captive for all of her young life. Like any child Rapunzel loves and trusts her "mother" but Gothel doesn't understand love; her selfishness knows no bounds and the manipulation she uses to keep Rapunzel isolated and compliant is both masterful and cruel. The effect this has had on Rapunzel is hilariously and adeptly illustrated in a sequence that shows her alternatively ecstatic and remorseful over leaving her tower.



There are also characters that fit the normal template of a Disney film, including animals of unusual intelligence-- though they do not talk in this particular case. And while Rapunzel's main companion, a chameleon named Pascal, is adorable-- it's a horse named Maximus who steals the show.



Rapunzel and Flynn, voiced by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, are immensely likable and Levi in particular has a voice with a wonderful range of emotions that comes through very well. The musical numbers don't have the same quality of instant classics like "Under the Sea" ("Little Mermaid") or "Beauty and the Beast" but Gothel has a memorable number titled "Mother Knows Best" that is excellently performed by Donna Murphy.



"Tangled" is one of those movies that hits all the right notes. It makes you laugh-- a lot-- but it also has a huge sentimental streak that might make your eyes well up, but it never dwells too long on the sad parts. The movie takes its tone from its leading lady. It has a wide-eyed innocence and utter sweetness that is bound to win anyone over. It's just a joy to watch.

Football and Foot Fetishes...

I am not a football fan. Not even a little bit. This story, however, caught my attention and I now find myself sitting in front of the TV as I type this. I'm watching the Jets vs Patriots game. Who knew?

So I guess Jets coach Rex Ryan has been bad mouthing the Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, pretty badly over the last few weeks in the press. I'm not sure what the history between the two teams is because as I mentioned... I don't care. Well this Rex guy has been in the tabloids recently for some foot fetish funny business. Someone found these tapes of his wife Michelle (username iHavePrettyFeet) online, showing off her feet and talking about her pretty toes. The mans voice in the video is allegedly coach Rex himself. The videos seem really mild as far as fetish videos go, but you can imagine the controversy I'm sure. Here's a video screenshot from one of the videos next to a photo of Rex and his wife. She either has a secret twin or that's her.

(link to TMZ and one of the fetish videos)

Here's where the story gets good! To get back at Rex for his shit talking, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker stepped up to the podium during an interview and took jabs at him about his foot fetish scandal. Every question he's asked (11 in total) he finds a way to use the word "foot" or "toe" in every answer. It's mostly been reported as "subtle" but I think it's pretty obvious that he's referencing Rex Ryan. It's totally hilarious! See for yourself....




So good!! hahahaha. 


Anyway, sorry for the sports talk I just thought you'd enjoy this story as much as I do. ;)

12 January 11

This is at the place where I get waxed. Afterwards I met Iain and friends for karaoke at the Legion on Main. We got there early enough that no one bothered us at the door, but everyone else was really hassled about not having a membership. I think we may have to start invading the Old Admiral's karaoke night instead... the beer may be more expensive, but at least no one will ask us to pay $35 in order to drink there.

11 January 11

It snowed a little. Only in the night time, though. By the morning it was mostly slush.

10 January 11

We are preparing for inventory at work. I spent a good chunk of the afternoon sorting and condensing the shampoo aisles in the fourth floor stockroom. Honestly, I even amaze myself with my organizational skills sometimes.

Audiobook Review: Helion Rain by George Mann

On the planet Idos, humanity is under siege from the alien tyranids, and only the superhuman cybernetic soldiers of the Space Marines known as the Raven Guard have any chance of beating them back. Most of the forces of the Raven Guard, under Captain Corrin, are engaged in a front-line holding action – completely against their nature of working covertly behind the lines to take down an enemy.

But one small team led by Sergeant Grayvus, separated from the rest of the battle, are given a mission with very little idea of how it may help improve the situation for their brothers, one that requires them to destroy a power plant. This is a task which would be difficult under normal circumstances, but is made even more impossible by the fact that they have no explosives on them. They have little more than their personal arms to fight with, and creatures who want nothing more than to drain their very DNA from their bodies and absorb them into their own biomass.

Meanwhile, everyone must deal with the constant rock rain falling from the sky, the remnants of the moon Helion, which humanity mistakenly destroyed while trying to defend Idos from the invasion.

The setting is half the fun of this particular story, there are a number of times when the battles are broken up because of the need of both sides to protect themselves from the Helion rain. It’s one of those great ideas that makes for a memorable background to set the rest of the story against, helping it rise above what might otherwise just be another “only one team can save the day behind enemy lines”.

This story was also my first introduction to the tyranids, which also helped set it apart from the other audiobooks I’ve listened to so far from The Black Library. They’re like the organic version of the Borg, they’ll absorb your memories along with your very DNA and make it a part of their collective – and they’re disgusting creatures with large spiked protrusions and tentacles vying for some way to make contact with their prey.

I liked how Grayvus team wasn’t given the information by Captin Corrin on what the purpose of their mission was, just that they were to get it done. Very military-like and ultimately it helps build the suspense for the listener; until they succeed we know what the result will be. At the same time, if I have one issue with this story it’s that none of the characters particularly stood out to me. But, along with the usual high quality of the audio work that The Black Library does on these things, the combination of the other elements of the story help this one rise above its one flaw.