I was present for a chick flick last night…

I have a noted hesitancy towards “chick flicks” or “date movies”. I don’t know why. That’s a lie, I really do. In general, they are mind-numbingly formulaic and, as a result, spine-grindingly predictable. The humor usually attempts to be cute and clever, but comes across cheesy and decidedly un-clever. Additionally, there is all too often little depth to any of the characters. Also, there are rarely robots, space ships, or giant monsters.

Now, I completely understand that there are exceptions to my reservations, and I completely understand that even though some movies adhere to the above criticisms they can turn out to be entertaining. I get those things. Suffice it to say, I simply have a noted hesitancy towards films of this ilk.

In any case, with relatives from distant lands staying with my wife and family over the weekend, the opportunity arose to watch a film, and as I was the only adult male in the house, I had absolutely nothing to do with the choice. And that was fine, I truly didn’t mind. So it was that we embarked upon the journey which was The Holiday.

I won’t go into any kind of summary at this point; in fact, I have provided a handy link to IMDB for those of you with no clue what movie I’m talking about. The movie is, afterall, already more than 18 months old. Instead, I will merely detail my observations and thoughts of the film. There may be some spoiler action here, so be warned.

These items will be in order of things I think of first to things I think of afterwards. Absent from this list will be things I failed to think of or forgot to mention.

1. I’m not a fan of Cameron Diaz. I haven’t seen her in a ton of films; however, the times I’ve seen her and thought, “Hrmm…,” greatly outnumber the times I’ve said, “she didn’t look malnourished in The Mask.” Having said that, I have not been wronged by Diaz, so this is nothing personal. I have simply yet to be impressed with her in a role that I’ve seen.
2. Jack Black’s character in this movie should have been split in half, and one half should have been thrown away. Simply put, Black should never be the love interest in a movie. It’s just not the correct decision. Remove that part and leave the rest of his character, and you have a well-played, funny strength to the film.
3. Eli Wallach was the best thing about this movie.
4. Kate Winslet is a fine actress, and when she was given material to truly act out in this film, she was quite good. However, the horrible comic relief she was forced to portray in the guise of a never-ending scene of surprise and joy made me want to inhabit a tauntaun.
5. Winslet and Black demonstrated chemistry reminiscent of the chemistry between fire and hamsters. See point #2 for solution.
6. Jude Law did a fine job of acting in this film, and there were things about his character that were genuinely unpredictable and refreshing.
7. The tent scene was the best scene in this movie.
8. The whole crying thing with the character of Amanda was painfully see-through. I found myself thinking, “Is there any possible way they can stop themselves from ending with that?”
9. Rufus Sewell played the part of insanely-obvious, spontaneously-generating chick flick bad guy. Poorly.
10. This is a bit of a side note, but I just read on IMDB trivia that “This film was written specifically with actors Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black in mind.” If this is true, then I am even more infuriated with some of the scenes written for these actors/actresses.
11. The final dancing scene simply must be removed and injested by those responsible.

Having said all that, I was marginally entertained by parts of this film, particularly those that truly surprised me. Much, however, was as expected.

I remain hesitant towards “chick flicks” or “date movies”.

Filed under: entertainment, family, movies

Out of the frying pan into the fire…

For all of you enthralled by my last post, this passed weekend saw the sequel in all it’s glory. The full colonoscopy went well, and I suppose that’s about as far as I should go.

The worst part? A bit of a virus (stuffy nose, fever, aches) hit me while trying to recover from the procedure and anesthesia Friday night. The sickness turned out to be worse than the prior, as it had me in bed for the weekend. Add to that our baby moving from the virus he had given me into an ear infection, and my wife being bashed by a migraine, and you’ve got a Happy Jones-Family Weekend. My mom and dad were great helps, so it all turned out okay.

For now at least, as I’m still not completely over the malady, the baby is about to start some anti-biotics, and Jenny’s migraine, althoughly mostly gone, is still a twinge.

Fun times. Fun times, one and all.

Filed under: family, health

Mean cheetos…

Last night after the youngest was snoozing, Andy and I were sitting on the couch by the front window waiting for Jenny to get home from work. It was dark, and we didn’t have any lights on aside from the porch light. It afforded a good look at the bugs flying around the window. Earlier in the evening, we had been outside for just a moment, but I had told him we needed to go in to avoid getting bit by mosquitos. Tuck that gem away, will you?

In any case, as we were sitting there, being silly and watching out the window, a big moth flew by. It startled Andy, because it looked like it was flying straight for us. Fortunately, the window intervened. I told him that moths (called heebas in our home for some reason) don’t bite, and it couldn’t get in anyway. Andy then asked the question of the night. “Will that heeba help get the mean bugs, so the cheetos won’t get me?”

I was perplexed. Andy continued to reference cheetos in the most unusual ways for quite a while. Then it finally dawned on me that the cheetos were actually mosquitos. Oddly enough, I ate cheetos today.

Filed under: family, fun

The Back

I have hurt my back a time or two, usually doing something as relatively mundane as sneezing or turning over on the couch, and it never ceases to amaze me how completey vulnerable, useless, and incapacitated a back injury makes you. The back is an insidious, although useful contraption, and as anyone who has had a back injury can tell you, it is apparently linked to every other conceivable function and movement of the human body. Still, I never really think about it unless a back injury presents itself. Such is the case now.

My wife has a bit of history with hurting her back stemming back to when she initially hurt it at her job several years ago. From time to time it flares up and causes her pain and a good deal of grief. She has hurt it again over the last weekend and is even now lying in bed attempting to happen upon some semblance of a pain-free position.

Were the back not so important, I think I’d have mine removed.

Filed under: family, health , back, hurt back, pain, wife

Stonehenge

That word probably makes you think of the mystical grounds in England that are home to great stone monoliths arranged in fascinating patterns. Well, that’s good. But that’s not what I’m talking about.

Every year, my father and brother arrange a trip in mid or late August (a joint birthday trip for them, as it were) to a golf course in east Tennessee known as Stonehenge (one would think they would have a nice website – but one would be wrong). It’s a very nice golf course, and every summer the administration there offers a two day play pass and over night stay for only $100. I have missed the last two trips that have been planned, but I am once again going this year. There will be eight of us in all, and it should be a very fun time. Aside, of course, from the horrid play that will no doubt ensue quickly after teeing off on the first hole.

Filed under: family , birthday, brother, dad, golf, stonehenge

saturday’s golf outing

I journeyed with my brother and my dad to a course near Shelbyville called Blackberry Ridge. My brother had acquired two free passes, so the three of us played 18 holes with a cart for the small sum of $29.00. So, the course could have been a poorly kept backyard, and we still may have gotten our money’s worth. On the contrary, however, the course was very well layed out. The only trouble was some onion grass on the fairways here and there, and some new sod that never really managed to get going.

I started off with two straight pars. However, those were soon countered with bogies and double bogies. I did manage to par a couple of holes here and there, but no birdies were to be found. I had some good tee shots, some decent irons, a good chip or two and even a few decent putts. Nothing too tremendous, but definitely not a terribly frustrating round. All in all, we had a fun time. I ended up shooting a 90 (45 out, 45 in). I admit there was a mulligan or two, but it’s not like I’ve been playing regularly or anything.

Filed under: family, fun , blackberry ridge, brother, dad, golf