Sunday, June 29, 2008

¡Viva La Seleccion!

Weekend recap...

* With my regular weekend moviegoing friend, I saw the new release "Wanted" at the Arclight. The film is not for the old, grumpy or the non-videogame player. Therefore, she (being younger and optimistic) loved it, and I ... well, I didn't care for it too much. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker opened his review of the film with the following graph, which basically sums it up:

What is it like being Timur Bekmambetov? No artist should be confused too closely with his creations, but anybody who sits through “Wanted,” Bekmambetov’s new movie, will be tempted to wonder if the life style of the characters might not reflect or rub off on that of the director. How, for example, does he make a cup of coffee? My best guess, based on the evidence of the film, is that he tosses a handful of beans toward the ceiling, shoots them individually into a fine powder, leaves it hanging in the air, runs downstairs, breaks open a fire hydrant with his head, carefully directs the jet of water through the window of his apartment, sets fire to the building, then stands patiently with his mug amid the blazing ruins to collect the precious percolated drops. Don’t even think about a cappuccino.

* Went here for a friend's 40th birthday party. MUCH fun was had by all.

* Sadly, missed a different friend's summer party on the Westside. Hopefully, he'll forgive my non-attendance.

* Woke up early Sunday, ran some errands, then hit the freeway to Santa Clarita to hang out at the home of a friend/fellow futbol aficionado (the real deal ... a native of Manchester, England, season ticketholder and lifelong fan of Man United, etc.) to watch the Euro 2008 final and enjoy a traditional English breakfast of bangers, potato cakes and eggs.

* In the above-mentioned Euro 08 championship match, Spain continued its stylish run through the tournament, besting Germany 1-0 on a dashing goal by striker Fernando Torres. (Of course, this just killed my friend, as Torres plays club soccer for the dreaded Liverpool, and the Mancunians just don't seem to like those Scousers very much.)

* Typed this entry.

* About to head to an undisclosed location to watch additional episodes from an advance copy of a highly anticipated (by me) miniseries soon to premiere on premium television. Personal note: I'm adhering to the grooming standard ... but suffering from the root cause of global instability.

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