Wednesday, June 10, 2009

thought experiment

If, as they say, a million monkeys pounding on a million typewriters for millions of years would eventually produce the works of Shakespeare ...

Then how long would it take my cat to produce Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea by walking back and forth across our laptops as we attempt to work (which apparently one of her favorite sources of entertainment, judging by the frequency she chooses to do it)?

Thoughts like these prevent me from actually being productive and getting my finals done early.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Movie review: Up

Well, on Monday the wife and I were feeling a bit stressed after a schoolwork-filled and altogether unrestful weekend so we decided to catch an afternoon movie, a rare treat for us. Curious about what all the fuss was about, we opted for Pixar's Up.

I accept the proposition that last year Wall-E redefined what an animated film can be. Up does that, only much more so. While appropriate for the younger set, it's definitely not a kids' movie. It's a 96 minute meditation on grief and loss and regret featuring an elderly widower (Ed Asner) as its protagonist. It's heart-felt and emotionally raw, but the emotion feels genuine and never contrived. It's also hilarious. But it'll still make you cry. Seriously, it will. I can't remember the last time I cried because of a movie. I didn't even cry when I was 6 and Bambi's mother was shot, but I had a tear roll down my cheek during Up.

The verdict: I submit that this is the best film of the year so far. It's really not even close, especially if you only consider wide releases. Go see it. If you regret it come see me so I can tell you that you're an inhuman monster to your face.