Avatar - thoughts

Well, I finally got around to seeing Avatar, 3-D version. My first time seeing any 3-D movie.

Special effects and CGI: The best I’ve ever seen.

Alternate universe and lore: Impressive.

Sound: Hats off to Dolby for a soundtrack that was crystal-clear with no muddying even in the most saturated moments.

Script and story: Dances With Aliens.

Battles and chases: Perfect if you are a “battle/chase” devotee, too long if you are into plot and story.

Creatures: Australia times fifty.

Villain: Outstanding! Stephen Lang was awesome.

3-D: I was very disappointed. The effect was not that impressive and sometimes made me think I was back in second grade looking into my ViewMaster. But the worst aspect was that the glasses really darken the raw image. I kept wanting more light -- it was sort of like wearing your shades in a bar. I know it was not the raw image because when I took the glasses off the light balance was just perfect. The glasses were the official Dolby 3-D glasses so obviously the theater wasn’t handing out a fly-by-night product. I guess it’s an acquired taste but I gonna stick with good old two dimensions in the future. (I never could wear my shades in a bar).

Still, big kudos to Cameron for taking a monumental risk and pulling it off.

~ Tom

Uncanny parallels

Today, reading the news of obscene Wall St. profits and bonuses paid, I was reminded of the famous “economic royalists” speech that FDR gave before the Democratic convention in 1936. I listened to the whole thing again just now and it brought shivers down my spine, and in parts, tears to my eyes.

Just listen to it yourself, and remember that the country had just emerged from the Great Depression. Consider this excerpt occurring early-on in the speech and wonder at how different things were in those days, and yet how similar.

For the sympathy, help and confidence with which Americans have sustained me in my task I am grateful. For their loyalty I salute the members of our great party, in and out of political life in every part of the Union. I salute those of other parties, especially those in the Congress of the United States who on so many occasions have put partisanship aside. I thank the Governors of the several States, their Legislatures, their State and local officials who participated unselfishly and regardless of party in our efforts to achieve recovery and destroy abuses. Above all I thank the millions of Americans who have borne disaster bravely and have dared to smile through the storm.

But here is my absolutely favorite part of this speech. It’s wonderful in the reading, but you really should listen to FDR actually (and bravely) laying it down!

These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power. In vain they seek to hide behind the Flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget what the Flag and the Constitution stand for. Now, as always, they stand for democracy, not tyranny; for freedom, not subjection; and against a dictatorship by mob rule and the over-privileged alike.

Turn your friends and others on to this speech, which I consider to be one of the greatest of all time.

~ tom

One I’d never seen

I’m always conflicted when I see photos such as this one.  On the one hand, I’m just jazzed at how cool John was, but I’m simultaneously downed by the senseless waste of his death.

I keep sayin’ it, but wouldn’t it just be more than cool if he was still alive?

~ Tom

Palin – A Cogent Take

For those of you who are worried that somehow Sarah Palin might actually get nominated for, and then elected as, President, read this. It will make you feel much better.

Princess Noire Indeed

My friend Michael Lally has done many, many wonderful things for me over the years, and one of the best was introducing me to Nina Simone. It was very early in our long friendship, around 1964, in Spokane, Washington. He had a basement apartment and record player of some sort, and a lot of LP’s. I remember when he first played Nina for me – I was dumbstruck. He had her first recording for Bethlehem Records, "Jazz As Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club a.k.a. Little Girl Blue." It is still my favorite with songs like “Mood Indigo,” (which has her killer piano solo), “Don’t Smoke in Bed,” “Plain Gold Ring,” “I Loves You Porgy” (undoubtedly the definitive version), and of course “Little Girl Blue.” I recorded the album from the Lal (reel to reel in those days, baby), somewhere along the line lost the tape, and eventually ended up buying a foreign CD version of it (you can’t get the Bethlehem album anymore in the US), which is what I have today. I saw her perform live three times, all of which were great.

Anyway, what brought all this on was this review in today’s SF Chronicle. Geez, I just finished the Patti Smith book and now it looks like I’m gonna have to shell out for the “Princess Noire” bio.

Oh, if you have not heard the Bethlehem songs, or you haven’t ever heard Nina here is a foreign release that you can get from Amazon that has virtually all of the old Bethlehem cuts and some later stuff also included. Give your ears a treat and your soul some nourishment.

~ Tom

A great discovery

I have a lot of friends who absolutely love Marian McPartland’’s piano jazz.  Some are hardcore jazz fans, others are piano players (note always jazz), some are music history buffs, and some just get hooked after listening to a couple of shows.  Anyway, here is a wonderful selection of 30 “special” shows out of the 700+ shows Marian has done.  I can’t believe there is a Bill Evans episode.  I’m saving that one for a special occasion.

If you have not hear the show, pick out one of the artists you know and like, and if you don’t know any of them use the “random button” and take the first one (upper left corner).  Dig it.

~  Tom

Republican strategy backfires big time

We were up at our Tahoe place from Thursday evening until Sunday evening so I missed the President’s appearance before the Republican retreat in Baltimore.  However, I heard all about it today from various sources.  Most of the sources, except of course Fox Noise, observed that the President completely dismantled them, to the point that Fox Noise cut off the last 20 minutes.  In vernacular more to the point, he kicked ass, and about two questions in, they knew it. 

Anyway, I was fascinated to see what happened so I dialed it up on the Internet and watched the whole thing.  Here is the HuffPo article, which has the video of the whole thing after the perfunctory introductions.  I realize it is a lot to ask all of you to take the hour to watch this, but if you want to see why the Right fears and hates Obama you should watch it.  No teleprompters, no notes, brilliant repartee, an amazing command of the facts, a splash of righteous indignation, true humor, and a killer smile.  It was very reminiscent of “Prime Minister’s Question Time” in Great Britain, though I think Obama out-performed the Prime Ministers I have seen over the years. 

There are Republicans now speaking off the record who are admitting that letting cameras roll was an unmitigated disaster.  They apparently thought that without a teleprompter and in a 140 to 1 setting, Obama was sweet meat for them to devour, but instead, he gnaws their collective leg with amazing effect – he’s too cool to devour them, even though he probably could have.  I LOVE THIS GUY.

As I said, take the time to watch this, and ask yourself whether you can think of any American politician alive today could have turned in such a performance.  A couple of dead guys (FDR and JFK) might have been able to pull it off, but FDR probably would not have been unable to restrain himself and thus  have gone too far, and JFK did not have near the smarts that Obama has.

Peace out

~ Tom