I spent my Christmas Day morning watching An Inconvenient Truth via YouTube. Due to video length limitations, it was divided into 10 segments (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) but it provides a glimpse of the future of TV. But on to the movie. It’s basically a wake-up call on global warming: a fact that a lot of people don’t want to face. It presents exhibit after exhibit of evidence on global warming, what it is, what it is doing, and what part we can play to prevent it. Go watch it. If it doesn’t show in local cinemas (highly probable), then buy a VCD/DVD, use YouTube, or something. Then start using E10, biodiesel, hybrids, and fuel cells as they become available (and affordable) because the biggest contribution we as individuals make to global warming is through the cars we drive.
Happy Feet
Happy Feet started off with high expectations cut down to shreds. My friend Val and I went to the IMAX theater of the SM Mall of Asia expecting to watch a 3D version of the film. Alas, it was not to be :( They were showing only the 2D version (to make more money on the 3D version later, no doubt). But since we’re already there, we decided to go watch anyway. Fortunately, the movie turned out to be quite entertaining, especially when the lead penguin was still a chick (cute and fluffy) and, of course, the adelie(?) penguins. Those little guys sure were a riot :)) There was a point in the movie where it could have already ended as a poignant reminder of the misery brought about by man onto this world. But no, as the title would clue you in, this is after all a happy movie. So the movie had to drag on a bit more for that happy ending. Reminds me of AI.
Rating: 3/5
Casino Royale
I’m not much of a James Bond fan. He’s just too clean, smooth-talking, and glamorous. I prefer my protagonists to be the dark, silent, and brooding kind. But Casino Royale updates James Bond to the typical modern day hero. He is still generally clean, smooth-talking, and glamorous but now he got his dark, silent, and brooding moments. For that alone this movie gets stars. But of course that’s not all of it. The movie is plenty entertaining too. It traced how Bond got started in the 007 role and his first major mission of spoiling the money making schemes of an infamous money launderer for terrorist organizations. It gets a bit tedious as the story dragged on a bit more after the villain already got dispatched. But I guess that’s how the book went and so does the movie.
Rating: 4/5
The Prestige
I thought The Prestige was a romance movie. But since I was bored and there was no other movie to see (the only remotely interesting alternative was The Marine), I decided to watch it. It turned out that what I had in mind was The Illusionist. The movie turned out to be quite nice. It’s about two magicians, Borden and Angier, who started out as friends but had a major falling out when Angier’s wife died in a magic trick that went horribly wrong. Angier sought revenge on Borden who he blamed for his wife’s death. As their rivalry on the stage heated up so it did too behind the stage. Their conflict finally culminated in death. But all is not what it seems. The movie, after all, is about magic. Have I spoiled it for you? Not yet. After all, you haven’t seen the prestige ;)
PS One thing I totally disliked is the idiot-proofing at the end. Hollywood movies seem to do be doing it more and more.
Rating: 4/5
Gerber River Shorty
When it comes to a cutting tool for diving, simple is the operative word. Face it, you won’t be fighting off a hungry great white. Heck, you’re lucky if you see one. More often than not, you will be using it for cutting lines and ropes. So a simple one will do the job. In fact, experienced divers sometimes use a simple kitchen knife. But kitchen knives can’t usually be used for prying.
This is where the Gerber River Shorty comes in. It can do everything a kitchen knife can. Plus the blade is also thick enough to be usable for prying. There is actually a version with a flat tip designed for prying. The blade is sharp and is 50% serrated/50% straight. The spine has ribbing for control with your thumb. The handle is molded plastic with ribbing and cut-outs for grip. It also has a no nonsense solid plastic sheath with a clip for attaching to your flotation vest or belt.
It’s light and small. Unobtrusive but there when you need it. I’ve dived quite a few times with it and it has held up well for a knife originally designed for river rafting. Saltwater can cause some rusting but nothing a good washing and oiling can prevent.
Rating: 4/5