Travel and Plague

Behind on blogging, and personal projects due to spending a weekend traveling and then bringing back a sick family. Not me though, just everyone else. As a result production was delaying again on the Puppy movies, cast was sick and crew was busy taking care of them.

Trip was great. Got to see a ton of people that I usually only get to see once a year, so it is always a treat to get in an extra visit.

Off topic: I found out today that MMA is not legal in New York. I find that somewhat disappointing, because I think the sport is a money train and that local events, promotion and associate TV could be lucrative.

Movies I've seen since I posted last: Kung Phooey! , I Robot, Rize, Invincible.

Kung Phooey! Was pretty funny, but I was warned that the dubbed version is no good, so stick with the subtitles on this one. If you enjoy classic Hong Kong cinema I think you'll also enjoy this movie, I well put together satire that doesn't stoop to parody. 3 out of 5.

I Robot. Good movie. A little predictable for the most part, but a very unexpected reveal at the end. However, it falls kind of short of the Isaac Asimov stories that it is based on. I'm not complaining about character or plot changes, but a loss of the central theme and message of the material. 2.5 out of 5.

Rize. Documentary about Krumpping. (spelling question: 1 or 2 p's in that word?) Krump is a style of dance, let's say urban or originating in the African American neighborhoods of LA and Oakland. However I would say the style has gone mainstream, as it was one of the styles on FOX's So You Think You Can Dance last season. The documentary was very well put together and featured profiles of people who live in a very dangerous place and choose it put their passion into dance rather than violence. The story was very powerful in a chicken soup for the soul with a edge of depressing realism sort of way. There was one sequence that I was somewhat unhappy with where a visual comparison was drawn between Krump and primitive African dance. With no context for the comparison I felt it was a bit too risky to leave it so open to the audience to interpret what the film was trying to say. But, still 4 out of 5.

Invincible. The standard fell good, based on a true story, sports movie. It was put together well, but other than the a-list cast, it wasn't anything that rose above movie of the week. It was entertaining and while I could get in the effort that was put into making the film stock match the look of movies from the 70's, and the energy of the football scenes, I think that if the ensemble cast was paired down and we were given a little more about the hardships the city of Philadelphia was going through. I'll say 2 out of 5.

Okay. Final chapter of the Puppy Movies should post Monday. But I'll post before then, I think I have a funny story, for later.