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Maleficent: novelty noted

For sure, I am a sucker for prequels/origin stories to things I already know and love.  I get that you can irrevocably scar a franchise’s future (Phantom-of-the-Opera style, where it needs a perma-mask to hide its hideousness), but the satisfying “…ahhh” that comes with witnessing the fall of the first domino is worth it.  Of course there should be compelling story in its own right, of its own merits, in addition to the breadcrumbs that lead to the original story.  And while I wasn’t necessarily expecting Maleficent to be Wicked, I would have liked a bit more.  From adolescent to well, a grown-ass woman, we watch a powerful but benevolent leader regretfully become a de-facto godmother to this child she curses.  It’s a very odd case of a misunderstood villain.  Outside of being ridiculously predictable, I liked the movie, though I would have liked it better had she owned her villainous ways… would have made a far more interesting story.  At least the theme song is hauntingly beautiful: 

Verdict: only if you have small child… (skip it) 

The Grand Budapest Hotel: surprising

At the risk of an oversimplification, if you’ve seen one Wes Anderson flick, you’ve seen them all.   They are a little darker (thematically), muted (visually), and off-center (societally).  And while all of this is as it should be in The Grand Budapest Hotel, the film itself was not what I was expecting.  Though a straight forward tale of greed, love, and loyalty, as told through the eyes of a bellboy, the lengths to which the characters followed those ends were not.  Defamed “heroes”  and psychopaths running a mock in what looked like the Swiss Alps was a  bit too much for me.  This was definitely more fantastic than insightful, as the characters became obvious caricatures rather than the subtler versions I had grown accustomed to.  That said, I found the film appropriately intriguing and the story fresh (in a throwback kind of way)—though not my favorite Wes Anderson film (in full disclosure, it’s Moonrise Kingdom).

Verdict: A nice night-in option on a rainy day (Netflix it) 

The Lego Movie: everything is awesome

It is often the case that movie's get over-hyped.  I've been fooled many a times, and with all the press this got, I just assumed someone did a good job marketing a ridiculous child's movie.  And then the rotten tomato score came out.  And I must say, I was very appreciative of this movie.  Though I found all the bright colors and flying Lego pieces over-stimulating, the story was highly original.  And kinda meta... very legit.  The story centers on an average Joe who becomes extraordinary in a world of lemmings (and the Justice League apparently) and has a great message that both parents and children can enjoy.  And really does make you want to get out the ol' Lego set and build something.  Dan Lin, this was a very good look... though, it was perfectly fine in 2-D.

Netflix Binge: Documentaries

I'm recovering from illness, so I wanted to attempt to learn something/be productive to offset my day of nothingness.  Here's what I marathoned through:

Title	Opinion	Blurb
Blackfish	Meh (skip it)	12-ton killer whales in captivity killing people out of frustration.  Moral of the story: boycott SeaWorld, as its the worst offender of them all. Got it, could have read an article on it instead.
Detropia	Brutally factual (good if you’re already interested)	As a Detroiter, it made me sad: sad to see how a once great city, full of culture and history, has eroded into the shell of what it once was.  The film highlights the issues that brought it to the brink of extinction and the paralysis the city suffers from stopping it from moving forward.  While not stylistically beautiful or cogent, the raw reality was all there and impossible to miss.
Urbanized	Comprehensively educational (good for a lazy Sunday)	Like a good documentary should be... it describes what it is, touches on its historical progression, and highlights global examples of distinct styles.  As a person who loves cities, but can't really articulate why, this film describes it artistically and beautifully.  It definitely gives you a new perspective and appreciation for urban design, planning, and how everyone (laymen and experts) can be responsible for it.
The Square (Oscar nom)	Eye-openning (must see)	I can't fathom how awful life must have been in order to fight through the 2 years documented in the film.  It's weird to see the revolution so well told and captured, IN the moments... it almost looks scripted.  But knowing it's real, and people's lives, makes the story told so much more powerful.  It is a tale of people fighting to whatever end to see their justice come to fruition. I can't help be selfish and think "what have I fought for lately?"

Back from hiatus

To cut to the chase, I caught a horrific cold, have been resting up for days, and had enough to time to remember why I started this thing in the first place and why it was important for me to maintain.  So, I'm back.  There is a longer version.... but it's not really that interesting to write or read.

So after a year off, it's back on. Just in time for Oscar season.

Cirque du Soliel-- worlds away: comically impressive

Having never seen a Cirque du Soliel show and having not set foot inside a circus in over 15 years, I was amazed.  The talent involved in the shows are athletes worthy of "Ninja Warrior" (which has had Olympians not make the physical cut) with supreme grace.  It was seriously some of the best stunts ever: great feats of strength and illusions to create beautiful 3-D scenes.  However, there was a bit too much artistic liberty with the themes and motifs (I missed a lot of what was happening).  It was this fantastic experience that nearly nullified the need to see any of the actual Vegas shows that it featured.
Verdict: rent it for a family night (discount)