Everyone's got an effing opinion

Intelligent Design

2005-08-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Just in case you wanted the truth about the debate over Intelligent Design.

30 days

2005-07-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well it looks as if I have finally found a reality show that sucks me in. After years of resisting I have given in to Morgan Spurlock's (of Super Size Me fame) 30 days.

I unfortunately missed his first show, where he and his wife lived on minimum wage for a month I have caught the shows on living as a muslim, living with a gay man in San Francisco and living at the Dancing Rabbit eco village.

My reaction to these three has been, "Why are these people having so many problems coping in these slightly different circumstances?" Though upon later thinking about it, I'm sure that some judicious television editing could make me look very whiny indeed. As if that would take much. Though living in the Castro looked like a blast and I could taste all of the curry they ate in the Islamic Dearborn episode.

Overall I would say it is worth watching. Hopefully there will be a season 2 and the reruns would be worth catching if you've missed it the first time around. I know that I'm going to try to see the minimum wage episode.

Russian Ark ***

2004-09-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Not rated 96 mins

Award-winning film consisting of the longest take in cinematic history. Following The Stranger and the narrator (behind the camera) as they process form room to room in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, while hopping back and forth through three hundred years of Russian history. Art lovers and history buffs will love this. The costumes are sumptuous, although I could carp a little here about authenticity. Most can see the Stranger but some characters can't. Interesting film with a cast of thousands, including three full orchestras. It's emotionally unengaging, but magnificently presented. A little general knowledge of Russian history certainly helps.