Random Web Theft

From my lazy Saturday surfing the web, I bring you some highlights:

**For those of you who saw both The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Forrest Gump, you will love this video parody of their uncanny similarities. Spot on!

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump - watch more funny videos

**And now for something completely different. I found this video from a link on Andrew Sullivan's blog. It does a great job of explaining the current financial crisis.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

**Also from Sullivan's blog, but originally from here.

I love this! (In case you didn't realize - that's Darwin).

**This article on happiness comes from Slate.com. It's not exactly neoteric and looks rather banal but I thought it was helpful - especially since work hasn't made me the happiest person in the world of late. The bullet pointed version is below:

9 Ways to Be Happier

1. Boost your energy.

2. Reach out to friends.

3. Rid yourself of a nagging task.

4. Create a calmer environment.

5. Lay the groundwork for some future fun.

6. Do a good deed.

7. Act happy.

8. Count your blessings.

9. Perform an action that reflects your values.

**Lastly, for those of you who, like me, enjoy Sudoku. Enjoy the newest puzzle craze out of Japan: Kenken. I like it even better.

The Curious Case of The Curious Case

Yumi and I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button this past weekend and it was enjoyable but hardly worth all of the Oscar buzz as far as I could tell. 13 nominations? The second-highest total of all time? Really? I thought it was well done but you'd think it was the second coming of Citizen Kane with 13 nominations.

For the uninitiated, the film is about the life of a man who ages backwards and his romance with Cate Blanchet's character. It was a nice diversion although after 2 1/2 hours I was itching for it to be over already. I did like the creativity of the story and the execution (the makeup, the period costumes and sets, etc.).

Other odds and ends from our movie experience. It cost ¥1800 per person (around $20) which is hard to stomach but it is what it is and I either accept it or forgo movies altogether. I was already choosy before, now I'm even more so. Despite the steep price, our Sunday matinee was almost completely full. Amazing. It was in English with Japanese subtitles. There were other showing which were dubbed into Japanese with English subtitles. Dubbing is evil.

Reviews

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon. He gave a talk* in the "last lecture" series (of which I attended many while a student there). The series is for professors to impart their most important life lessons. For Pausch, it really was his last lecture as he had been diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer. He went on to talk about living life to its fullest and achieving your childhood dreams. The lecture became a hit on the internet and soon he was a guest on Oprah and Primetime Live. The book then followed. I just watched the original "Last Lecture" again and couldn't help but be moved by it, and yet when I think about the talk and the book at a distance it appears much more banal, cliche, and trite.

The Price of Loyalty by Ron Suskind
I loved Suskind's first book, A Hope in the Unseen, about a young man defying the odds and going from the ghetto to Brown University. And while I can't stand just about anything about former President Bush (how nice it is to use "former"), this book was too over the top. It is mainly a political memoir of former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill's two years in the administration. I do believe many of the conclusions and observations but the biased writing lauding everything about O'Neill and condemning everything about Bush and looking for little to balance O'Neill's opinions made me question how much to rely on Suskind.

Slumdog Millionaire (95% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes)
I really enjoyed this film: the music, the story, the pacing, the style (flashbacks and real time interposed), etc. It's a real feel-good Bollywood movie sans the typical, silly, over-the-top musical numbers and over sentimentality. It deserves all of the praise it has received. The story is about a boy from the slums who gets on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire but is suspected of cheating.






Milk (92% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes)
I also enjoyed this film. Of course, I'm a sucker (with my Mom and sister) for "based-on-a-true-story" movies. Add to that the political perspective (left) and inspiring life of Harvey Milk and I was hooked. I loved the story of Milk overcoming homophobia (much worse in the 1970s - even in San Francisco), changing his life from a guy wandering aimlessly to a political organizer to an elected official. Even though the ending is sad (his assassination is in the opening minutes of the film and then again at the end), I found it more inspiring than sad.


Rachel Getting Married (88% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes)
I had good luck with movies during my vacation as I liked all three. This one was very different. I found it so well done and so compelling but also difficult to watch. It reminded me a lot of The Squid and the Whale. I believe that it was Larry Rakow who was with our movie group that night who described The Squid and the Whale as watching a train wreck in slow motion. Rachel Getting Married deserves a similar description. Watching Kim's psychosis and drug problems and underlying family tragedy play themselves out during Rachel's wedding weekend evoked many cringe moments. But it was so well done.

*The version in this link is the full version of the talk which includes the introductions and awards he receives afterwards. The first introduction is by my former professor (now Provost), close friend, mentor, sage, and all around role-model, Indira Nair.

Life Post-Ph.D. Part III

Friday August 1
Dinner Party
Since we got back from Hawaii Yumi and I have been playing Ticket to Ride (aka the Train Game) courtesy of my sister and brother-in-law. While I am currently winning 10-8 in games won, I've discovered that my wife is neither a good winner nor a good loser. When she wins, she taunts me endlessly with chants of "loser" and when I win she sulks. I have to have a talk with her Mom. In any event, we had three of Yumi's work friends (Yumi, Yuiko, and Miki) over for dinner and games. I was volunteered to make my homemade stuffed pizza which went over well.

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Saturday, August 2
Akiko, Mariko, and Shoko
We went up to Tokyo again to meet Yumi's college friends for a very nice Italian lunch; 3 courses and dessert. They generously treated us and got us wedding gifts.

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Indiana Jones
Since we were already in Tokyo, we took advantage and walked around, window shopped and caught Indiana Jones (Indei Jyonzu in Japanese). I was terribly disappointed in the movie and am scratching my head at how critics gave the movie 76% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. I know that some movies need a bit of a willing suspension of disbelief but this movie was a bridge too far from reality. Surviving a nuclear bomb, 3 massive waterfalls, etc. plus the massively inconsistent magnetic fields which featured prominently in various scenes, the "luck" to find the right path to whatever they were looking for and on and on. Blech.

Oscars Lament

The fact that I am no longer getting to the movies twice a week like I often used to in Belfast (QFT) and Cleveland (Cedar-Lee/Shaker Square/Cinemark) became more poignant yesterday as I wasn't able to watch the Oscars (with Jon Stewart hosting who I love!) although I didn't even really miss it that much because I had hardly seen any of the nominated pictures. Of the 24 films nominated for major awards (Best Picture, Director, Male & Female Actor & Supporting Actor, Original & Adapted Screenplay, Foreign Film, and Documentary) I only saw 3 (Sweeney Todd, Away From Her, and Sicko).

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To illustrate the withdrawal I'm going through as a cinephile in Japan, juxtapose that with some stats from the past few Oscars.

Among the films nominated for major awards I watched:

All 15 films nominated for Best Picture in 2004, 2005, and 2006.

19 of 27 nominated in 2006.

23 of 29 nominated in 2005.

21 of 27 nominated in 2004.

I could go on but I'm sure I've bored you enough already.

Sweeney Todd

Last night Yumi and I went to see Sweeney Todd (87% positive reviews, compiled on RottenTomatoes.com - my favorite film website) and there is a lot to say. First of all, it was a treat to go out to the movies. This was only the 3rd movie I've seen in 6 months (the others are Waitress, 89% and I Am Legend, 68% - the latter while in Thailand). Back in Cleveland, there were weeks I went to 3 movies in 1 week! It was also really nice to see the film in a central area of Yokohama (Minato Mirai). Not that we did anything else while we were there (aside from eat my first Wendy's hamburger in 6 months), it was just nice to be "in the city." It is also worth noting that while my movies in the U.S. ranged from $1 to $8 (with the majority being $5 Monday Movie Nights at Cedar-Lee and Shaker Square) our movie last night was at the discounted rate of ¥1200 ($11) instead of the normal ¥1800 ($16.50) because we saw the movie after 9pm (although that time was actually preferable to the earlier times). The main reason we don't see more films is not that they are expensive (which they are) or that we are busy (which is also true) but that we just don't get very many worthwhile options. In the U.S. at any one time, I had to choose which I *most* wanted to see among the many choices, here we have to settle for what we can find. Right now aside from Sweeney Todd and I Am Legend, we have the choice between: Silk (8%), National Treasure (32%), Bridge to Terabithia (84%), Bee Movie (53%), Mr. Bean’s Holiday (50%), The Assassination of Jesse James (74%), Aliens vs. Predator (16%), 28 Weeks Later (71%) and a couple of Japanese movies (without English subtitles). The only one which interests me is Jesse James. I'm patiently waiting for No Country for Old Men (95%), 4 Month 3 Weeks & 2 Days (95%), Juno (93%), Diving Bell and the Butterfly (93%), There Will Be Blood (91%), Michael Clayton (90%), Charlie Wilson's War (82%), I'm Not There (80%), American Gangster (79%), and the Great Debaters (79%).

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Also worth mentioning is that while I quite enjoyed the film, I fear that if I ever take Yumi to another movie like that again, she will become my ex-fiancée. I should have predicted her reaction after she found Pulp Fiction revolting.

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As for Sweeney Todd, it was incredibly gory and bloody and violent and repulsive. And yet, enjoyable. Gore is not my thing (the blood stuff, not the Nobel Peace Prize-winning, former Vice President - he's thumbs up in my book) but I didn't find that it detracted from the film. Very similar in that respect to Pulp Fiction. I found the story often funny (so over the top at times) and the visuals stunning (a combination of sets, costumes, makeup, and lighting). I also enjoyed the music and the arc of the story, as violent as it was. It was also fun to see Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) in his small role.

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The look of the picture was very reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands (93% on RT) (dark, heavy white makeup, crazy hair, sets, costumes, etc.) which isn't surprising since both starred Johnny Depp and were directed by Tim Burton.

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Burton and Depp's other collaborations have also been enjoyable, quality films including: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (84%), Corpse Bride (83%), and Ed Wood (90%). Tim Burton was also the force behind: the thoroughly enjoyable Big Fish (77%), James and the Giant Peach (94%), Nightmare Before Christmas (97%), Batman Returns (81%), Singles (77%), Batman (72%), and Beetlejuice (79%) while Johnny Depp has chosen some great roles and hit them out of the park: Finding Neverland (84%), Pirates of the Caribbean (79%), Chocolat (62%), Benny & Joon (80%), and What's Eating Gilbert Grape? (89%).

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I propose that Johnny Depp is the best actor of his generation and while you could quibble with any subjective list, I can't imagine anyone not including him in the top 5 or 10.

Heath Ledger

There is something especially sad and poignant about an untimely death, especially of someone so talented and with such a bright future ahead of him. Heath Ledger, only 28 years old, had already brilliantly acted in several incredible films including Monster's Ball and Brokeback Mountain. He now joins the pantheon with James Dean, River Phoenix, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, John Belushi, and so on. The role of drugs adds another layer of complication to the story. What a shame. I don't really have anything profound to add, but I think the lyrics to Natalie Merchant's song "River" about River Phoenix seem appropriate for the occasion.

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Young & strong

Hollywood son

In the early morning light

This star fell down

On Sunset Boulevard

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Young & strong beautiful one

One that we embraced so close

Is gone

Was torn away

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Let the youth of America mourn

Include him in their prayers

Let his image linger on

Repeat it everywhere

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With candles with flowers

He was one of ours

One of ours

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Why don't you let him be?

He's gone

We know

Give his mother & his father peace

Your vulture's candor

Your casual slander

You murder his memory

He's gone

We know

And it's nothing but a tragedy

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Lay to rest your soul and body

Lay beside your name

Lay to rest your rage

Your hunger and amazing grace

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With candles, with flowers

You were one of ours

One of ours

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I saw cameras expose your life

I heard rumors explode with lies

I saw children with tears

Cry and crowd around the sight

Of where you had collapsed that day

Where your last breath & word

Had been sighed

Where your heart had burst

Where you had died

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I saw how they were lost in grieving

All half-believing you were gone

The loss and pain of it

Crime and the shame of it

You were gone

It was such a nightmare raving,

"How could we save him

From himself?"

Thailand day 1: Bangkok

Sunday, December 16th

The trip actually started yesterday with the flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. I arrived around 9pm and within 18 hours had encountered the worst that Thailand had to offer. Thankfully, after that things looked up. After arriving and all that entails (customs, immigration, etc.), I walked outside the airport to get a taxi to the city. I was inundated with taxi drivers yelling at me to try to get my business. My trusty Lonely Planet (LP) guidebook said the trip should cost 300 Baht (about $10). Every taxi driver started at 900 Baht then almost immediately dropped to 500. After a very frustrating 10 minutes or so of this, I went back into the airport, reread the LP and saw that I should look for the official metered taxi desk and sure enough, no yelling and a fixed 400 Baht fee. I got to my hostel and had a restless night.

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Nevertheless, I got up early in the morning to begin the vacation. I walked to Wat Traimit who holds the largest solid gold Buddha in the world. Wow. Then I walked to the Grand Palace. When I got there I fell for a scheme I had specifically read in my LP (later I felt less stupid when I met someone else who had read of the scheme and fallen victim to it also).

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As I approached the palace, I was approached by an official looking man asking if I was going to the palace. After an affirmative answer, he said it was closed right now but there were other attractions nearby worth seeing which I should see and then return a few hours later when it would be open. He ushered me into a tuk-tuk (a common 3-wheeled motorized taxi) who was no doubt in on the scheme and off I went. I should also note that part of that harassment I received at the airport was continued by every tuk-tuk driver who drove past me over the next 9 days.

He took me to 2 or 3 temples which were quite nice, I have to say. Then he wanted to take me to a Thai silk suit factory (the part of the scheme where they try give a hard sell on a new suit and everyone gets a cut). I said I didn't want to go and he got very strange, dropped me off, and said that the ride was over. He originally was going to charge me 20 Baht (less than $1) but then said I owed him 2000 Baht ($65 or so) and we settled on 200. I was happy to just be done with him and only out $6.50, but I had to figure out where the heck I was.

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Thankfully, it was at another temple which I wanted to see, Wat Suthat. There I met Sam who started up a conversation. Considering my tuk-tuk ride, I was very leery. It was clear that Sam wanted to serve as a guide and I just came out and asked him how much he wanted. Since it was a modest amount, I said ok, and we went around together for the rest of the afternoon, starting with the amazing Grand Palace.

From there, we walked to Wat Pho with a huge reclining Buddha. At that point, Sam walked me to the river where I rode up and down for a little while, resting up for the climb to Wat Saket which afforded nice views of Bangkok. It was still early, so I walked to a mall and indulged one of my favorite activities which has been lacking: I saw a film -- I am Legend (equalling the number of films I've seen in Japan). Even though I'm not a huge science-fiction/dystopic picture fan, I enjoyed it and didn't mind the rest for my sore feet and the respite from the heat and humidity. After a great green curry dinner, I showered at the train station and got an overnight train at 10:30pm to the city of Buriram, east of Bangkok.