Month: May 2011

Movie of the Week: Monsters.

I just watched Monsters on Netflix, and… it’s not half bad.  It’s an independent film that is ostensibly about, well, monsters rampaging through the Mexican countryside; it’s actually about immigration and/or relationships, depending how you turn your head and squint.  Noteworthy for a couple of things: first, if you want me to watch art films, or whatever the term is, stick some rampaging monsters in it*.  Second: this film had a $500K budget, which tells me that Hollywood is inflating its operating costs by a factor of ten or more. Anyway, it’s a pretty clever flick that worked well within the limitations of its budget and resources.

And so, adieu to O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Moe Lane

*Ninja work, too.

Chomping my way through RPG supplements…

…Shadows over Filmland and Stunning Eldritch Tales; they’re both for the Trail of Cthulhu roleplaying game… which, if I haven’t mentioned before, is a pretty good mystery-geared RPG (genre: pulp horror).  This is rarer – much rarer – than it looks; most RPGs are either combat-oriented or character-oriented.  Which means that most RPGs are better suited for either hitting the orc for 2d6+4 crushing damage, or else analyzing the subtle inner torments that come with being a member of a ‘monstrous’ race, and how they affect your ability to order a pizza*.  Finding out how the orc is involved with the murder of Professor Plotwagon is usually handled in an ad hoc manner; it’s nice to have a game system that’s designed for the mystery genre.

I mention this mostly because I am growing heartily sick of watching this administration muck up a message that is the political equivalent of FREE BEER; worse, I’m getting bored with it, too.  Depression-era cosmic horror pulp is a bit of a relief.

Moe Lane

*Yes.  Dragonlance, as seen through the lens of the World of Darkness, would be hysterical.  If you don’t get that joke, don’t worry: it’s just geeks being geeks.

No, NYT: Tim Pawlenty is *not* much like John Edwards.

I think that the Old Grey Lady may be a touch worried about the way that former governor Tim Pawlenty is handling his awkward past support of job-killing cap-and-trade schemes:

…Mr. Pawlenty looked right at the camera after the radio ad played, apologized to the American people, and said he had made a “mistake.”

“I’ve said I was wrong. It was a mistake, and I’m sorry,” Mr. Pawlenty told the Fox television audience, presumably filled with potential Republican primary voters. “You’re going to have a few clunkers in your record, and we all do, and that’s one of mine. I just admit it. I don’t try to duck it, bob it, weave it, try to explain it away. I’m just telling you, I made a mistake.”

…particularly since Pawlenty also didn’t take the opportunity to deflect the issue by slamming other Republicans, past and present*.  That’s not exactly what you’d call welcome news for some; which no doubt has nothing to do with the fact that the NYT attempted to compare this behavior with… wait for it, wait for it… John Edwards: Continue reading No, NYT: Tim Pawlenty is *not* much like John Edwards.

QotD, Blast From The Past Edition.

James Lileks, in the process of genially sneering at a Guardian writer’s not-genially sneering at an Alabaman Olive Garden (which was apparently a stand-in for America itself):

And if we seem arrogant when it comes to beating fascism, forgive us once more, for we have something you don’t.

Practice.

Not that this is entirely true: the British at the very least kept fascism from their throats long enough for us to get there after the French caved.  But James was justifiably annoyed at the time.

Moe Lane

Via Ed Driscoll, via The Sundries Shack.

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell *had* 32 teeth.

“Lawrence, we can end this interview right now if you don’t want me to finish my point.”

I know this, because I just watched him crawl on the floor trying to retrieve them after he tried to push around former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This one’s going around. Newsbusters, @adambaldwin, the Daily Caller – take your pick. Particularly enjoyable was the part where she called O’Donnell a liar:
Continue reading MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell *had* 32 teeth.