THE RAVEN, R ( 1 hr & 43 min )

.

where:  EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 & I-MAX in Fairfield, CA
when:  Saturday, April 28th, 2012
show:  11:20 a.m.
costs:  $8.00 Ticket + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Barq's Root Beer + $5.57 # 6 Jumbo Jack Combo Meal @ Jack-In-The-Box after the movie = $18.32
auditorium:  5
seat:  3rd row, 11th column


synopsis/overview:  A killer is on the loose whose Modi Operandi are the dark tales of Edgar Allan Poe ( John Cusack ). As the killer brags about his crimes and taunts the author of his sources of inspiration, the deadly "cat-and-mouse" game takes a turn for the worse as the killer kidnaps Poe's fiancee, Emily ( Alice Eve ).


noteworthy scenes:  1.) It's empty; 2.) Bar tab; 3.) "This crime is familiar to me"; 4.) Emily and her dad; 5.) Longfellow; 6.) The Pendulum Ax; 7.) Human heart; 8.) Library; 9.) "There's someone here to see you"; 10.) "You're talking about my story, a work of fiction"; 11.) "They hated each other"; 12.) The taunt; 13.) "He was the host of the ball and the first to die"; 14.) "I would have devoted my time to eroticism"; 15.) The ball; 16.) The intruder; 17.) "Madness ... horror"; 18.) Coffin; 19.) Anatomy class; 20.) "I'm the master of my heart"; 21.) "Reset page one immediately"; 22.) Macbeth; 23.) "I'd gladly give my life for hers"; 24.) Search warrant; 25.) "Someone's missing"; 26.) Tongue; 27.) Peephole; 28.) "Some headway"; 29.) Tunnels; 30.) Corpse; 31.) "I went to West Point"; 32.) Longitude; 33.) Holy cross; 34.) Grave site; 35.) Magnet; 36.) Story; 37.) "One last act"; 38.) The note; 39.) The ink; 40.) "Getting warmer"; 41.) Surprise; 42.) "I'm your crowning achievement"; 43.) The basement; 44.) "In this life and in the next"; 45.) Park bench; 46.) "A dream within a dream"; and 47.) The unexpected encounter.

audience reaction:  The audience liked it. But it didn't get a "Hands Clapper" ending.

recommendation:  I liked how they made a Mystery Thriller out of Edgar Allan Poe's last few days in life. Go see this if you're into Action/Mystery/Thriller movies.

spoiler alert!  If that Double-Hung Window was nailed shut, how was the killer able to trigger the locking mechanism as he made his escape, since it could only be locked and unlocked from the inside, and it was spring-activated only to unlock? Didn't either of the tenant open the window--or try to, anyway--in any one of the days leading-up to the double murder? And if the window looked like it was nailed shut, simply pushing-up on it would be enough for the cops to know whether all of the nails went through both window frames or if only just one ( i.e. the locking pin, in this case ) did.

A Double-Hung Window ( from the Internet ) pencil-drawn to show its various parts.

That Pendulum Ax begs the question, on the meager salary that the killer was earning at his place of employment, how was he able to afford leasing or renting that place and having the time to secretly construct the elaborate and expensive killing device without anyone's help? Feeding a human heart to an animal is morally reprehensible in my book! How was he able to pick-out his tattooed sailor victim when, based on how everyone was dressed, the weather was cold enough for the men in that city to keep their shirts on and, therefore, keep their bodies's distinguishing marks--including tattoos, if any--well-concealed from the killer? When Emily poked a hole through the coffin lid, she was then able to see the side wall! What, were Emily's eyes periscopic? The cop who had his throat slashed laid on the ground with a big gaping wound on his neck--I don't think so! The cop's throat was slit open with a very sharp knife that would only leave a clean cut, not a gaping wound. Besides, the natural reflex of anyone after a knife wound like that would be to tuck-in the chin.

fyi:  Edgar Allan Poe's medical records and death certificate went missing. So, how he died is truly anybody's guess because about a half-dozen conflicting theories are offered-up. But the one thing that most medical doctors who have examined the evidence agreed on was that the most-likely cause of Poe's death was Rabies ( from his pet, Raccoon, perhaps ).

A TV show about criminals and their victims ran an episode once about the true story of a little girl who was the victim of an attempted murder by her own father who slashed her throat. Her body was dumped in a shallow grave. But she survived simply because of the position of her head in relation to her body: Her chin was somewhat tucked to her chest as she laid in the hole.

word of advice:  Don't be a copy-cat.

tidbits:  After the movie, I went back to the Box Office to buy a ticket to the midnight show of, THE AVENGERS, in I-Max 3-D.

On the drive back to Vallejo, I saw something that I have never noticed before: A windmill close to where the Budweiser Beer Distribution Center is located, between Fairfield and Vallejo. It must have been put-up recently because, like I said, I have never noticed it there before.

The windmill that I saw is exactly like these ones here that I found on the Internet.

A few miles down the freeway, I stopped by the Jack In The Box Restaurant for lunch.

That's not a pool of water in the foreground. That is the roof of my Hyundai Accent.

I made my own fountain drink by making a half-and-half of Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Coke. I had plenty of time to review my movie notes before needing to show up at work by 4:00 p.m. But ... silly me, I left my notepad in my car! And I didn't want to interrupt my meal just to go and fetch it. It would have to wait since my hunger took precedence.

After my meal, I made another fountain drink by making a half-and-half of Orange Fanta and Strawberry Fanta, which I planned on taking to work with me to drink on my break period.

Then, I went to my car to get my notepad. And I walked to the restaurant's outdoor dining area to go over my notes in the cool shade.

My pen, my notepad, and my receipt are all visible on the counter top. Through the window, you can see some sitting areas. The far end was where I sat to eat my combo meal.

Later on at work, I went into the breakroom for my break period. I opened the refrigerator to get my drink. But it wasn't there anymore. Somebody threw it away. Damn! I'm gonna have to go back to Jack In The Box to make another Fanta soda mix.

*

SAFE, R ( 1 hr & 35 min )

I chose this poster because of the release date shown.

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Friday, April 27th, 2012
show:  10:00 p.m.
costs:  $10.50 Ticket + $4.75 Pretzel Bites + $4.50 20.0 oz Focus VitaminWater = $19.75
auditorium:  12
seat:  4th row, 6th column

2nd time

where:  EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 & I-MAX in Fairfield, CA
when:  Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
show:  9:00 p.m.
costs:  $0.00 Ticket ( free on Regal Movie Watcher Rewards Card ) + $1.00 upgrade on free small Popcorn + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Diet Sprite = $5.75
auditorium:  15
seat:  4th row, 5th seat

synopsis/overview:  A guilt-stricken down-and-out MMA fighter, Luke Wright ( Jason Statham ),  out on-the-lam from gangsters, sees a girl, Mei ( Catherine Chan ), being chased by the same bad guys who killed his own wife after a botched rigged fight. He saves the girl and finds out that she holds in her memory a high-stakes numerical code that the Chinese Triad, the Russian Mob, and some corrupt NYC cops want to get their hands on at all costs.

noteworthy scenes:  1.) Classroom; 2.) Kidnap; 3.) One punch; 4.) Computer-like memory; 5.) "You just killed your wife"; 6.) "If you're still here tomorrow, I will kill the landlady"; 7.) Bad cop; 8.) "It's losing money"; 9.) New floor boss; 10.) "If you're asking me that, you still don't understand business"; 11.) Shoes; 12.) Sad news; 13.) Dead bum; 14.) "I've memorized it"; 15.) "Look what the cat dragged in"; 16.) Sets of numbers; 17.) Ambush; 18.) "Why would you come back"; 19.) "My father is a patient man, I am not"; 20.) The double-cross; 21.) Escape; 22.) The subway train platform; 23.) The train; 24.) "They all look the same to me"; 25.) The car-struck bad guy; 26.) Clothing store; 27.) Hotel; 28.) "I didn't save you, you saved me"; 29.) Numerical code combination; 30.) Hotel banquet hall; 31.) "Don't move"; 32.) Stampede; 33.) 'Phone call; 34.) "Very deadly ghost"; 35.) "That girl doesn't leave the city"; 36.) "You don't bring no hookers in my cab"; 37.) "I never know what to say in these moments"; 38.) SUV; 39.) Pet; 40.) I didn't know a Trachea could break; 41.) Sandwich; 42.) Thirty million dollars; 43.) Nightclub; 44.) Gambling den; 45.) The safe; 46.) "I didn't say I was putting you at the Ritz"; 47.) Disc; 48.) "You might want to close your eyes"; 49.) "'Amazing I can even walk"; 50.) Stand-off; 51.) "I saw him fight before. Bad business for you"; 52.) All accounts in China; 53.) "Our security"; and 54.) Friends.

favorite scenes:  I liked the scene in which a bad guy got hit by a car twice.

And I liked the scene in which Luke and a bad cop squared-off to fight near the end of the movie.

audience reaction:  The audience enjoyed this movie. It has some wickedly funny scenes. But it didn't get a "Hands Clapper" ending, though.

recommendation:  I enjoyed this movie, too. And I'm thinking of maybe seeing it again because I missed some of the subtitled funny one-liners because I was busy scribbling notes on my notepad. Go see this movie if you like Crime/Action/Comedy movies.

spoiler alert!  How'd he get in the subway without any money? In the train fight, all the bad guys had the chance to pull out their guns. When he fell out of the window at the shoot-out in a hotel's banquet hall, his forehead should have hit the pavement. "I never know what to say in these moments." Here's a suggestion: "Bang, bang, you're dead!" After that gun battle in the nightclub, both cops and reporters should have been at the scene. In real life, that bad cop would have to make a statement at the scene and he would have been given First Aid treatment on the spot; and, also, he would be required to file a detailed report at the police department in a timely manner. Since the bad cop didn't do either one ( make a statement and file a report in a timely manner since he went missing ), that should have been enough to raise someone's suspicion, especially since the gun battle was with the Chinese but a suspect in his custody was a Russian, instead. In the end, if I were him, I'd keep the money that I took--and I'd probably take even more--and wouldn't have to worry about paying it back since I'd have the upper hand.

fyi:  My Chinese friend, David, is very fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin. I've known him for 10 years, and he still speaks with a Chinese accent. Unlike the 11-year old girl in this movie who supposedly has only been in the United States for a little over a year yet speaks American English with barely a Chinese accent.

Cops wearing bullet-proof vests are scared of bad guys using .22 calibre guns and rifles because .22 calibre bullets can go through a bullet-proof vest and ricochet inside a human body if it hits a bone, according to an article on the Internet.

word of advice:  It's rude to speak in another language with someone when others around you don't speak such a language. ( So the next time you come across two Deaf-Mutes conversing with each other in Sign Language, use your hands to slap them for me! In the words of Jar-Jar Binks, "How rude!" Ha, ha, ha. )

tidbits:  I went to the men's room before the movie started. One of my co-workers, Manny, was in there. He asked me what I saw. I said that I was gonna see SAFE. And I asked him which movie he saw. He said that he just saw THE RAVEN. I told him that I was gonna see that tomorrow.

And I added that our boss better not call me at home and ask if I'd like to come in early because I wouldn't be at home to answer his call. I'd be in Fairfield to see the movie, THE RAVEN. We both laughed.

2nd tidbits:  I watched this for a second time while I waited for the midnight show of THE AVENGERS.

*

THINK LIKE A MAN, PG-13 ( 2 hr & 0 min )

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Monday, April 23rd, 2012
show:  12:00 p.m. ( Extra Dollar Off First Show Matinee )
costs:  $6.50 Ticket + $1.00 bag of Wasabi Peas ( bought at the dollar store & smuggled-in ) + $4.00 small 16.0 oz Diet/Zero ( w/ Barq's Root Beer & Cherry flavors ) Coke + $9.73 lunch @ Golden City Chinese Buffet after the movie ( + $1.27 Tip ) = $22.50
auditorium:  13
seat:  5th row, 7th column


synopsis/overview:  A group of friends is clueless about women until they start comparing notes with each other and realize that they are all being "played". When they stumble upon the "game book", they rethink their strategies to even the score.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) The guys; 2.) Rumor; 3.) "They show those marches a lot in February"; 4.) TV show; 5.) Pick-up line; 6.) Bookstore; 7.) Coffee; 8.) Teenage crush; 9.) "I'm one of the boys except I have a vagina"; 10.) "Change the game"; 11.) "Silly ass shit"; 12.) "Engagement ring, wedding ring, suffer ring"; 13.) "Think how much she'll save if I cook for her"; 14.) "You're not even white ... you're clear"; 15.) "Baby momma"; 16.) "Sexist crap"; 17.) "We got robbed"; 18.) Couch; 19.) "We control the cookie"; 20.) "Ninety-day rule"; 21.) "Okay, where's the window"; 22.) Dogs; 23.) "Lucky chair"; 24.) "Sport fish"; 25.) Limousine; 26.) Dates; 27.) Long-term goals; 28.) Track seven; 29.) "I'm a christian, too"; 30.) The son; 31.) "This bitch is crazy"; 32.) Breakfast in bed; 33.) "You don't open that god-d-mn door"; 34.) "Hey, can you put a shirt on while you're cooking"; 35.) "Honesty is over-rated"; 36.) "I was raised by a single mother"; 37.) Bed, Bath and Beyond; 38.) Game plan; 39.) "I know the baby momma"; 40.) "We can double-date"; 41.) "I thought there was just two of them"; 42.) "I got her"; 43.) "Oh, shit"; 44.) Drunk mother; 45.) Night cap; 46.) Plato's Allegory of the Cave; 47.) Toilet; 48.) The jerk player; 49.) Pipe dream; 50.) "I will if you will"; 51.) Health code violation; 52.) "We need to talk"; 53.) The familiar question; 54.) "I've got a pocket full of ones and no drawers"; 55.) The turning point; 56.) "How old is your mom"; 57.) Payback time; 58.) G-string; 59.) Special occasion; 60.) Candle-light dinner; 61.) "You kept count"; 62.) "My album went flat-none"; 63.) Backfire; 64.) Divorced man; 65.) Family reunion; 66.) "Finally opened the cookie jar"; 67.) "This can't be good"; 68.) "Was that all to get the cookie"; 69.) "Only dumb-asses get caught"; 70.) "Your work just called"; 71.) Break-up; 72.) Old bachelor stuff; 73.) "Women will hate you fast"; 74.) "Avatar" photo; 75.) Hired; 76.) Men's room; 77.) "The truth"; 78.) "Ninety-one"; 79.) "I wanted it for us"; 80.) "Back-up, bitch. You ain't buying my house"; 81.) The marriage proposal; 82.) "I want 90 more days"; 83.) "Plato's got caves, too"; 84.) Domino effect; 85.) Speech; 86.) "W. B. That's my man"; 87.) "The chef's special"; 88.) "You'll get your pork sausage, porky"; 89.) The hen-pecked husband; and 90.) Extended Bonus Scene during the Ending Credits.

audience reaction:  The audience liked this movie. And some people gave it a "Hands Clapper" ending which was barely audible because the audience's laughter drowned it out a bit.

recommendation:  I liked this movie, too. If you're into Comedy/Romance movies, go see this movie. There is a good reason why it is currently # 1 at the Box Office.

spoiler alert!  The valet parking attendant should have been fired after driving off with the man's Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing ( an approximately $195,000 sports car ), if not hauled-off to prison. Tapping a stranger on the head is very rude, offensive and insulting! This movie shows women how to deal with men who fall into one of four distinct categories: Players, Non-committers, Momma's Boys, or Dreamers. But what if the man cannot be easily delineated, someone who's a combination of two or more of the personalities listed above? If they come out with a sequel to this movie along the lines of, ACT LIKE A MAN, THINK LIKE A LADY, don't expect me to go see it! Ha, ha, ha.

fyi:  This movie has the most number of noteworthy scenes of all the movies I've blogged about. And it is because this movie has so many funny scenes and dialogues! See for yourself ....

I don't like big butts, contrary to what the song says. I don't like Jennifer Lopez's butt; I don't like Kim Kardashian's butt, either! Such a butt is a big turn-off for me! A big butt like that should be slapped with a bumper sticker which reads: Warning, Explosive Gas In Rear! Ha, ha, ha.

word of advice:  Know your enemy.

Be a good listener.

Don't brag about yourself so much and end-up just boring your listener.

tidbits:  Before going to see this movie, I went to the Dollar Tree Store in the Target Shopping Center here in Vallejo, CA, to buy a 32.0 oz Fruit Punch Gatorade for the electrolytes, a 2-pack of magnets for myself, a bag of Wasabi Peas and a pair of plastic frosting mugs.

Imagine this in dark green and in blue and you have a pretty good idea of the mugs that I bought.

As I was about to step out of the dollar store, I noticed a bunch of pigeon poop littering the sidewalk. I looked up and saw a pair of pigeon butts pointed at me! I gingerly side-stepped to my left to avoid getting "pigeon-bombed"! Damn those pigeons. Management should install a netting directly above the entrance to keep those pigeons away from unsuspecting customers. Otherwise, I will find culinary uses for the nuisance birds.

I was just a few doors away from the theatre when some white bitch stepped-off the sidewalk in front of the Goodwill's Store without even looking because the stupid bitch was texting on her f-cking cellphone! I stopped my car and just stared in disbelief at the stupid bitch who was distractedly oblivious to cross traffic in the shopping center. There are times and places for talking/texting on one's cellphone--and traffic is not one of them!

On second thought, maybe I should just have ran her down. I would be doing the world a favor if I did so because dumb-ass bitches like that kill people while texting and driving!

THIS IS YET ANOTHER THING THAT TURNS ME OFF ABOUT WOMEN: TALKING OR TEXTING RUDELY/INCONSIDERATELY/IRRESPONSIBLY/DISRESPECTFULLY/OBLIVIOUSLY ON THEIR CELLPHONE AROUND OTHERS!!! If I will ever have the misfortune of dating such a woman, it will be the first and only date that she will ever have with me!!!

Let's have Hollywood come up with this kind of movie: ACT LIKE A KIND, CONSIDERATE, RESPONSIBLE AND RESPECTFUL LADY. I would love to see such a movie, if it's not asking too much of Hollywood ....


*

THE LUCKY ONE, PG-13 ( 1 hr & 41 min )

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Saturday, April 21st, 2012
show:  2:30 p.m.
costs:  $9.75 Ticket + $4.00 20.0 oz Zero Squeezed Lemonade VitaminWater = $13.75
auditorium:  14
seat:  4th row, 3rd column


synopsis/overview:  On his 3rd tour of duty in Iraq, US Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault ( Zac Efron ) has a few brushes with death yet remains unscathed because he found and kept a lucky charm: A laminated photo of a beautiful girl. After his tour of duty, he goes in search of the girl to personally thank her. A journey that takes him from Colorado and all the way to Louisiana on foot. It is there that he learns of her name, Beth ( Taylor Schilling ), and of her family-owned business, a dog kennel. He goes to the kennel to thank her but end-up getting hired, instead. Though Beth has some unresolved personal issues, Logan hopes to make her more than just his lucky charm.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) Night raid; 2.) Photo; 3.) "You got yourself a guardian angel"; 4.) IED; 5.) "You know the corps can help you out"; 6.) "Maybe, all I need is time"; 7.) Pool hall; 8.) Kennel; 9.) Help wanted; 10.) "I like to walk"; 11.) "Are you crazy"; 12.) "I gave him the job"; 13.) House; 14.) "Does he have an Off switch"; 15.) Rude sheriff ( Jay R. Ferguson ); 16.) "Makes me wish I didn't sign those papers"; 17.) "That man is so irritating"; 18.) Dr. Seuss; 19.) "My grandson never finished his 2nd"; 20.) Piano; 21.) Dinner; 22.) "Detergent is under the sink"; 23.) "My brother taught him a few tricks"; 24.) "I cannot find my words"; 25.) Cemetery; 26.) Rage; 27.) "We were inseparable"; 28.) Dog tag; 29.) "Let go of her arm"; 30.) "Just wanted to make sure you're okay"; 31.) "Casual beers between co-workers"; 32.) Family business; 33.) Car accident; 34.) Surveillance-duty cop; 35.) Boat repair; 36.) "That's as clean as it'll ever be"; 37.) Chess book; 38.) "You just wanted to stop by"; 39.) Birthday party; 40.) Threat; 41.) "I do know you deserve better than this"; 42.) "I'm done talking to you"; 43.) A forgiving audience; 44.) Shower; 45.) Stalker; 46.) Church; 47.) "That's the guy"; 48.) Missing photo; 49.) "Strictly police business"; 50.) "Try telling me now"; 51. ) "You need it more than I do"; 52.) Boat; 53.) Drunk; 54.) "I meant, he was meant to find that photo"; 55.) Aces; 56.) "It's not gonna happen for us"; 57.) River; 58.) "I know what happened to him"; and 59.) "You belong here with us."

audience reaction: The audience, mostly female ( I say, Mostly, because I was the only guy there ) liked this Chick Flick/Date Movie. During noteworthy scene # 41, a girl behind me was sniffling---Hah! women ....

recommendation: It was okay. If you like romantic melodramas, this movie is for you.

spoiler alert!  A good number of people in Louisiana speak French, yet the local Sheriff didn't know how to pronounce the French name, Thibault. I seriously think that a book like that can't last a long time when exposed to the weather and seasons for many years. Why was that boat not kept locked-up? The pull chain of the table lamp sitting on the nightstand was moving as though it was just used recently by the sleeping boy, himself. For a family in mourning, they sure acted happily. ( Ding, dong. The wretch is dead. The wretch is dead. The wretch is dead. Ding, dong .... )

fyi:  Back in the war called, "Desert Storm ( January to February, 1991 )," when the US ground forces advanced on the Iraqi enemies, a US soldier found a photo of a bikini-clad beauty left behind in the sand by an Iraqi soldier. I think that the Iraqi left it behind just to slow down the Americans--and it probably worked, too! LOL. The photo was of a famous Hollywood actress of the late '70s and '80s: Loni Anderson. I found similar photos on the Internet and posted them below just to give you an idea of what that Iraqi soldier was lusting/drooling all over!

Enjoy!

And enjoy this one, too!

And enjoy this even more!

word of advice:  If Fate deals you a favorable hand, take it.

tidbits:  I got off work at 11:00 a.m. The manager asked me if I wanted to work a few more hours. But I already made plans to pig-out on some Lechon ( Roasted Pig ); and no one was about to get in my way of enjoying some freshly-roasted lechon! I also ate Pansit Palabok, Chicken Adobo and Chicken Soup with a plateful of rice. For dessert, I had a Macaroni Salad, a cucumber slice ( yes, that's right: one slice ), sliced peaches in syrup, orange slices and some pineapple chunks.

At 12:17 p.m., the owner's wife rolled-out more freshly-roasted lechon. But I was already full.

After eating lunch at Selecta Pilipino Buffet, I went next door to The 99 Cent Only Store for bread, apricot spread, and a 2-litre bottle of Pepsi Next.

The mid-day weather was too hot for me to do anything else. So, I went home to check my blog and my FaceBook page. Then, it felt too hot for me to hang around at my place. I needed to go someplace where there was an air conditioner.

I went to Century 14 Vallejo to see this  movie. And I bought a cold bottle of VitaminWater Squeezed Lemonade as a refreshment because it had the electrolytes that I needed for my leg cramps problem.

After the movie, I went to the nearby CVS Drugstore to buy an aerosol can of hair spray and a Triple Chocolate Nestle Drumstick.

But the cashier said that the Nestle Drumstick was for $3.49. The freezer shelf tag had it marked for 99 cents, I told the clerk. But she wouldn't believe me. I think that the store's management realized what the nearby theatre was charging for their ice cream and decided to cut-in on the competition. Of course, I refused to buy it because I could get it for 99 cents at a dollar store.

Which is exactly what I did:

I went to the Dollar Tree Store at the Target Shopping Center nearby to buy a 32 oz bottle of Grape Gatorade--again, for the electrolytes; a 2-pack of magnets for Brett--he thinks that it gives him a better "magnetic" personality ( ha, ha, ha ); and, of course, a Triple Chocolate Nestle Drumstick to help me cool-off in the hot weather.

I don't know about you, but 86 degrees Fahrenheit is too damn hot for me! I'm a cold-weather person. Sure, sure, I was born in the Philippines. But where I was born was at the foot of a mountain, Mt. Apo, where it gets cold and foggy in the early morning hours and where there are hailstones on rare occasions. And whenever the weather would get too warm for me, I'd simply lie down on the cold cement floor--this was in the "primitive" days of my childhood long before we got air conditioning.


*

CHIMPANZEE, G ( 1 hr & 18 min )

Quickie Review: In the tropical rain forest of Africa, "Oscar", a very young and inexperienced chimp, becomes orphaned when a rival band of chimpanzees invades his band's territory. Left to fend for himself, his prospect for survival becomes slim until he gets adopted by the most unlikely of all chimpanzees in his band.

The audience liked it and gave it a "Hands Clapper" ending.

I liked it, too. It's a good Nature Movie to watch with your little brats.

That "Freddie" chimp sure is a smart one, knowing exactly which rival chimp to fight against!

The bad chimp in this movie has a facial scar.  Yup! a typical bad guy character in a Disney movie. Ha, ha, ha.

Warning:  Although this movie is toned-down to make it more appealing to the little brats, a kid behind me said to his dad that he didn't like the movie because of the Thunder and Lightning scene. The same brat said that he didn't like the Leopard scene. And he didn't like the Monkey scene, as well.

Of all the brats in the auditorium, this "scaredy-cat" one had to sit behind me! Dang ....

And just like the adult chimps in this movie, I cannot get a moment of peace in an auditorium with little brats whimpering or monkeying around!

*********************************
I went to catch the 7:00 p.m. show today, Friday, April 20th, here in Vallejo after doing some errands first and after talking to my sister in Michigan on my cellphone.

At first, I wanted to write this in my world-famous standard format. But I don't know how to spoiler alert! a purposely toned-down Nature Documentary. In other words, I took notes in the dark for nothing!

Hey, wait a minute .... What I said about the typical bad guy character in a Disney movie could qualify as a spoiler alert! Oh, well. 'Too late!

*

HOUSEFUL-2, rated ? ( 2 hr & 25 min )

where:  UA EMERY BAY STADIUM 10 in Emeryville, CA
when:  Thursday, April 19th, 2012
show:  8:00 p.m.
costs:  $0.00 Ticket ( Free on Regal Movie Watcher Rewards Card ) + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Diet Coke + $5.00 Carquinez Bridge Toll = $9.75
auditorium: 9
seat:  5th row, 5th column


synopsis/overview:  A young man's plan to get even with the man who gave his father a heart attack starts out wrong in a case of mistaken identity then becomes very complicated.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) "Illegitimates are born out of love, sons are born out of duty"; 2.) The matchmaker; 3.) "He doesn't look like his son"; 4.) "Seventh time"; 5.) "I've given my word"; 6.) Thief; 7.) Animal lover; 8.) Drunks; 9.) Bigger rascal; 10.) Grapes; 11.) Retro Ball Class of 2002; 12.) False accusation; 13.) Parachute; 14.) Crocodile; 15.) 'Phone call; 16.) Python; 17.) "What's he doing here"; Fence; 18.) Fence; 19.) "How did my voice echo"; 20.) Cruise; 21.) Lifeboat; 22.) Island; 23.) Fight; 24.) Reconciliation; 25.) Food; 26.) Thorn; 27.) Apple; 28.) Gulab Jamun; 29.) "Either you love my wealth or me" 30.) "You're not invited"; 31.) Friendship/relation; 32.) Jagga Dacoit; 33.) "Stupendous surprise"; 34.) Blessing; 35.) "She's taken the bait"; 36.) Coffee; 37.) Tennis court; 38.) Left hand; 39.) Midget maid; 40.) Wheelchair; 41.) Billiard table; 42.) The condition; 43.) True story, new story, love story; 44.) "Do you want me"; 45.) Childhood shenanigans; 46.) "Distant relatives"; 47.) Fixed; 48.) "Leaving my Salim's alley"; 49.) "I love fools"; 50.) The lies; 51.) Lost respect; 52.) Fourth blessing; 53.) Fifteenth of August; 54.) Therapist; 55.) "I never taught you to break anyone's trust"; 56.) "We never want to see your faces again"; 57.) Hospital room; 58.) Brides and grooms; 59.) Diversion; 60.) Forgiveness; 61.) Chandelier; 62.) Back to his friendly self once more; and 63.) Outtakes.

favorite scenes:  I liked all the scenes with close-ups of the four ( five, actually ) beautiful actresses. They're hotter than Bhut Jolokia!

audience reaction:  The audience liked this.

recommendation:  This movie is played for laughs--it doesn't take itself seriously. I was slightly amused by it. But it was interesting to wait and see the movie's resolution, how it all played out. See this only if you're into cheap comedy and hot Indian babes!

spoiler alert!  Somebody spelled the title wrong. Why was a fan of dollar bills shown behind each greedy father?  Shouldn't the notes have been British Pound notes, instead, considering where the movie was filmed and the devaluation of the US Dollar? JD's palatial estate is gated, but anybody could just drive-up to his front doorsteps unchecked and unannounced! None of them noticed the straight black line drawn under the water at the beach of a supposedly isolated island. You don't shoot at foreign dignitaries. And foreign dignitaries are usually assigned a security detail. He didn't hear one of the wedding guests step on that plate left on the floor. He shot at the floor in front of one of the fathers with a shotgun yet no shot pellets hit the man. How could he miss hitting with his shotgun the man who was charging at him? I wonder what kind of dowry the very rich son's family got from his bride. This movie has too many pointless Pop Culture references.

fyi:  Years ago, a newspaper article claimed that couples in arranged marriages were happier than couples who were free to choose their own marriage partners. But I can't remember if such happiness was because of marital bliss or because of material bliss.

The bad thing about arranged marriages is that it is usually motivated by greed, i.e. The Dowry, especially among the less well-to-do.

As for me, though, I would never want to be in an arranged marriage if mutual love, respect, acceptance and consent are missing.

If marriage is in my future, so be it. If it isn't, so what? I would never marry out of greed, or for charity, or in desperation.

Based on what this movie is all about, I guess there's a growing trend in India to try and do away with arranged marriages.

For those of you who don't know it yet,  Jagga Daku was a rebel and outlaw in the Punjab region of British India.

The 12-gauge shotgun is probably the most fun of all shotguns. It's amazing what kinds of stuff you can shoot out of it!

word of advice:  "Oh! what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive!"  Walter Scott ( 1771 - 1832 )

True Love = Marital Bliss

tidbits:  Today, I took my 2001 Hyundai Accent to Wheel-Works, at 8:00 a.m., for its 90,000-Mile Scheduled Maintenance. It had 90,849 miles on its odometer. I told the service adviser, Gil, that I already replaced the air filter, spark plug wires and the spark plugs myself. I also told him that my car needed a Timing Belt replacement and a new Water Pump since I didn't have them replaced at the 60,000-Mile Scheduled Maintenance. He also recommended the Fuel Injector Treatment--I also did a fuel injector cleaning myself last year, but "better safe than sorry." The whole thing was gonna be an all-day service.

I usually sit and wait inside the Vietnamese bakery next door. But, since this was an all-day service, I decided to just walk back home, a hilly 1.5 mile trip on the Sonoma Boulevard-Redwood Street-Couch Street-Sereno Drive-North Camino Alto route. I did my Zhunti Mantra along the way.

When I got home, I had my breakfast and took a little nap because I didn't get enough sleep last night. When I woke up, just to pass the time away, I proof-read my LOCKOUT blog and checked my FaceBook account which I opened two days ago. Then, I cleaned my bathtub and replaced the shower curtain, the curtain liner and the bathtub mat. That was when I got a message on my answering machine from Gil to let me know that my car was ready for pick-up. I took a shower before heading on out.

On the way back to Wheel Works, I took a less hilly route: The 1.9 mile North Camino Alto-Tuolumne Street-Redwood Street-Sonoma Boulevard route. Because I had to swing by the Chase Bank branch inside the Lucky's Supermarket on the corner of Tuolumne and Redwood to cash a check so that I'd have enough money to pay for my car's service work. I needed $554.10 for the payment.

I asked the teller if there was a drinking fountain in the store because I was hot, sweaty and parched from doing a brisk walk in the warm late afternoon weather. She said, "No." But there was a soda vending machine by the exit door. Unfortunately for me,  it was all sold-out.  And I didn't want to have to wait in line just to buy something to drink because I was really pressed for time since I still had to pick-up my paycheck at work and make a deposit at BofA and at another Chase Bank.

Then, it was more brisk walking and Zhunti Mantra reciting for me. The ball of my right foot was beginning to feel uncomfortable because my sock bunched-up in that spot. And my lower legs were starting to feel sore--my shins, especially.

I went to the Vietnamese bakery to buy a 16.0 oz bottle of Snapple Pink Lemondae before picking-up my car next door.

Gil told me that I will be needing new tires soon--I was expecting him to say that because my car really needs a new set. And he told me that they put a specially-formulated high-mileage motor oil in the engine because of my car's age and mileage. And he added that the mechanic couldn't find anything wrong with my car because it is well-maintained.

I noticed a slight difference in my car's performance as I drove it off. It ran smoother and had better acceleration. I had to keep readjusting my speed on the freeway because of my car's more responsive acceleration. I would be driving along at 65 mph to 70 mph but, before I'd even have a chance to notice it, I'd be hitting close to 85 mph! Lucky for me, no cops were around.

I picked-up my check and made a deposit at BofA. After that, it was a race to beat the clock going to the Benicia Chase Bank before it closes at 6:00 p.m. I made it there with just two minutes left to spare, all thanks to my well-tuned car.

I went to Selecta Pilipino Buffet, afterward, for dinner and to buy some lottery tickets. I spent a total of $16.74 there.

Then, I went next door to the 99 Cent Only Store to buy a notepad for my movie note-taking, a cat treat for a poor black stray cat ( with an injured left leg ) hanging-out at my building's exterior, a pack of paper plates, a pack of paper napkins, a 3-litre Orange Soda, a 24.0 oz Bottled Water--because I was still thirsty, and a bunch of bananas.

After all of that, it was off to Emeryville, CA, for me to see this movie.

Just as the movie started, I developed a really painful leg cramp in my right calf! I couldn't stretch it out because of my shin splint. And I didn't want to walk it off because I didn't want to miss an important scene. I just had to wait until the intermission.

An hour later, the pain in my right calf subsided--only to be replaced with a leg cramp in my left calf. Oh, boy!

During the intermission, I limped-out of the auditorium to try and walk the pain off. I felt a little better by the time that I got to the men's room to empty my bladder.

In the men's room, a white teenage guy stood in front of the vending machine wondering why it didn't have any condoms for sale. Gosh, if he was that desperate for a "quickie", he could just try and use the "Quick, pull it out!" method. Of course, the "Quick, pull it out!" method doesn't always work in the Missionary Position if the girl has got you in a Leg-Wrap! Ha, ha, ha.

After the movie, I flat-footed it back to my car since my shin splints and my leg cramps had me in a quandary because normal flexion and extension caused pain to either side of each leg. When I got to my car, I headed straight for the trunk where I kept the bananas. I ate a banana to help ease my cramps and shin splints.

I got $10.00 worth of gas at the nearby Union 76 gas station because my car's tank was really low on gas--the warning light came on earlier when I was on the freeway on my way to see this movie.

When I got back to Vallejo, I swung by the 24-hour Walgreen's Drugstore on the corner of Redwood and Broadway to buy a 23.0 oz can of Peace Tea Lemonade and a 1.75 quart container of Banana Split Ice Cream. Total cost: $6.03.

All in all, I spent approximately $606.00 on this particular day!

As soon as I got home, I ate some of the ice cream and another banana.

I hope that Brett doesn't read this because he suffers from "Banana Envy." Maybe his condition is metaphorical ....


*

LOCKOUT, PG-13 ( 1 hr & 35 min )

I picked this movie poster because the date listed on this one is a week after its initial showing. The original movie poster actually has April 13th ( which was a Friday ) printed on it. But I guess they were too superstitious to release this movie on that date. But they changed their minds at the last minute!

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Sunday, April 15th, 2012
show:  11:50 a.m ( Extra Dollar Off First Show Matinee )
costs:  $6.50 Ticket + $4.75 junior Popcorn + $4.00 small 16.0 oz Diet/Zero ( w/ Barq's Root Beer & Cherry flavors ) Coke + $5.95 A&W single Bacon/Cheeseburger combo meal @ the KFC/A&W Restaurant in the Lucky's Supermarket Shopping Center here in Vallejo after the movie = $21.20
auditorium:  3
seat:  4th row, 2nd seat


synopsis/overview:  An ex-CIA agent, Snow ( Guy Pearce ), is convicted of espionage against the United States and of murder. But he is offered his freedom if he can rescue the President's daughter, Emilie Warnock ( Maggie Grace ), from a deep-space maximum security prison that is taken-over by its violent inmates.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) "What happened in that room"; 2.) Double-cross; 3.) "I'm being beat-up by a guy named, Rupert ( ? )"; 4.) Chase; 5.) Set-up; 6.) Subway; 7.) Humanitarian mission; 8.) MS-One; 9.) "It's called, Stasis"; 10.) "Guinea pigs for Deep-Space Exploration"; 11.) Escaped prisoner; 12.) "Don't mess with your poker chips"; 13.) "You're not running the show"; 14.) Take-over; 15.) One man; 16.) "I'd rather castrate myself with blunt rocks"; 17.) Coffee cup; 18.) Telemetry Medical Transmitter; 19.) "That would be why they call it secret"; 20.) Airlock; 21.) Flirt; 22.) Wounded woman; 23.) "You said I could trust you"; 24.) Brother; 25.) Name badge; 26.) "The answer to our problem lies behind this door"; 27.) Nitrogen build-up; 28.) "I need this door opened"; 29.) Torsion gravity; 30.) "Sprung a leak"; 31.) More oxygen; 32.) Lambada; 33.) Voice sensor; 34.) "No transmission"; 35.) "You don't have to do that"; 36.) "That's just to stop the bleeding and, hopefully, the talking"; 37.) "An apple and a gun. Don't talk to strangers"; 38.) Meal ticket; 39.) North; 40.) "You look tough now, see"; 41.) Five hundred; 42.) "Careful, you're starting to sound like your old man"; 43.) "Hey, dude"; 44.) Password; 45.) Dementia; 46.) Collision; 47.) "It's easy to be a saint with nothing on the line"; 48.) Falling out of orbit; 49.) "That's not a rescue mission"; 50.) Escape pod; 51.) "Mace ( Tim Plester ) told me where the case is"; 52.) "Stop killing people"; 53.) "I just needed you to help me"; 54.) Lab experiments; 55.) "Do you know what you've done"; 56.) "You've got to get out"; 57.) "Blow us out of the sky"; 58.) Approval; 59.) "Mommy said you speak too much"; 60.) Spacesuits; 61.) 'I see you, I foresee you"; 62.) Mirror; 63.) "There's something that we need to do"; 64.) Combination; 65.) Cigarette lighter; 66.) Maid Marion; and 67.) "Equitable basis."


favorite scene:  I liked the scene wherein the woman got punched in the face because it was funny.


audience reaction:  The audience liked the funny dialogues in this movie. Yes, that's right! This movie is more about funny lines than it is about action scenes.

recommendation:  It was enjoyable enough to watch.  Go see this if you're into Comedy Movies disguised as Action Movies.

spoiler alert!  The left side of his face got repeatedly punched. But his left cheek didn't get swollen and/or bruised. A simple, yet thorough, Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Analysis of the Calibers and Ballistics of the bullets found in the dead bodies, and detailed Autopies would easily clear him of guilt! Sixty-seven years from now and they're still pretty much using the same kinds of guns and rifles! The guys chasing after Snow were shooting at him indiscriminately, shooting into the crowd--and hitting no one else ( Amazing! ). The president that we have in office right now ran-up a Budget Deficit to the tune of  > 15 TRILLION Dollars, and counting .... There is no way that the US tax payers can, nor would want to, be made to cover this Deficit down to the very last penny! Add to this equation the fact that inflation will always be counted on to raise the price of everything, including the cost of Fuel ( Rocket Fuel, especially ). Now, do you really still think that the US tax payers of the future will be willing to foot the ( VERY EXPENSIVE ) bill to send criminals into Outer Space? Wouldn't it be more cost-effective to have an island or a floating facility built and maintained in International Waters, instead? Emilie boarded the elevator without her entourage, but they were already waiting for her when she stepped-out of the elevator. If you get ejected without a Spacesuit into the Deep Vacuum of Outer Space, you'll die in one of two ways before you even get a chance to get frozen like a popsicle: If you get ejected in the Daytime-side of Earth, the Sun's heat will burn you up to a crisp almost instantly; if you get ejected in the Nighttime-side of Earth, the absence of Atmospheric Pressure will vaporize your Bodily Fluids so your body will get very swollen and your tissues will tear and your capillaries will burst just before the Space Vacuum can suck-out your fluids and certain of your organs--not a pretty sight--then the air bubbles in your bloodstream will make you die! Knowing his volatility and unpredictability, why didn't they restrain that inmate somehow? The bad guy had enough time to shoot at him a second time with the shotgun. The eye is a very delicate organ. You cannot just stick a needle into someone's eye without proper Sterilization and without the use of an Anesthetic beforehand! When they fell down to the floor, she was far enough away that her face should not have ended-up in his crotch--and since they fell down as they were crawling along, shouldn't her face have ended-up wedged between his buttocks, instead? When the automatic doors closed, why did the bad guys used the circular saw to cut in-between the doors? Didn't those rocket ships have heat-seeking missiles to destroy the machine gun defenses with? It's kinda sad to know that in the year 2079 a.d. they still haven't found a way to effectively erase graffiti! If she was all about "equitable basis", why didn't she give him a kiss since she owed him one? I really thought that the president would pardon Snow after he risked life and limb to save the president's daughter--'just goes to show that you cannot trust a politician to keep his word!

fyi:  Five hundred male sex partners in one day? Sure ... it's doable. Since it has been done already on a number of occasions by porn actresses with their "well-seasoned" vaginas---Ha, ha, ha, that's funny: "Well-Seasoned" vaginas! Where do I come up with these things ....

Back in 1995, an Asian porn actress who went by the Nom De Plume ( or, as it's called in the Porn Industry, Nom De Porn ), Annabel Chong, started a porno trend by starring in a 10-hour long Gang-Bang sex video with ( supposedly ) 500 male sex partners! Her record has since been shattered by a number of other porn actresses!!!

Annabel Chong = 500 ( ? ) male sex partners in one day; Houston = 620 male sex partners in one day; Mayara = 633 male sex partners in one day; Klaudia Figura = 646 male sex partners in one day, etc.

Here are two interesting bits of trivia: Annabel Chong never got the money or royalty that she was promised for her "performance"--all she got was a bunch of "tips" ( 'get it? ); and after she was finished with her 620th male sex partner, some man gave the "semen-soaked" Houston a bouquet of flowers--and a kiss! Yuck ....

Some of you were probably too young to learn of these World Record-shattering personal "achievements" as they occurred--and a few of you were probably not even born yet when they happened. So, aren't you glad that you have an Uncle Cine-Man to Enlighten you in matters not just Spiritual?

But, boy, I'd hate to be the last man in! You'd have to be stupid, crazy and/or desperate to be the last one in line. A gang-bang like that is not the place to procrastinate or to act timid! It's strictly "First come, first served"; or is it "First served, first cum"---Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha--snort!

If you have lots of time in your hands like, say, 10 hours' worth, this is one thing that you might want to seriously consider doing--'just kidding! Or, am I ....

word of advice:  Never allow your Leadership to become compromised.

In Deep Space, nobody can hear you explode. ( To paraphrase a famous movie tagline from ALIEN [ 1979 ] )
  
tidbits: Before leaving my condo to go see this movie, I called my brother to ask him if he went downstairs to the main lobby of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord, CA, where he and his family stayed overnight, to make sure that I logged-out on a computer that I used the night before, Saturday, April 14th. He said that I did. That was good because I'd hate to find out that somebody accessed my blogsite and maliciously deleted my three years' worth of hard work!

*************************************

My brother, a bunch of relatives and I were at the Crowne Plaza in Concord, yesterday, for my sister's daughter's Pilipino Cotillion. I got there late at a little after 8:00 p.m. because I was busy catching-up on my CABIN IN THE WOODS blog. As I sat there watching the kids have a fun time dancing for the crowd, I remembered  that there were computers in the main lobby. And, more importantly, they were free for guests to use! So, I excused myself at around 10:00 p.m. so that I could go back to blogging about CABIN IN THE WOODS.

Sometime later, as I sat there blogging, my brother-in-law went up to the front desk and angrily demanded to know who called the Sheriff about some disturbance at a party. There was a party also going on across the hallway where some Asian guys got into a fight--and they sent the Sheriff to my niece's cotillion, instead! Look, we Asians probably look all the same to you white people, but there is a big, really big, difference between Asian guys fighting and Asian teens dancing on a dance floor illuminated by disco lights. So, get it right next time!

*************************************

When I stepped out of the theatre, the unmistakable scent of marijuana was in the air--again. Somebody was smoking a joint out in the parking lot. But I didn't see anybody smoking, so it must have been another skunk doing it!

Fast-food at the KFC/A&W Restaurant here in Vallejo at the Lucky's Supermarket Shopping Center was really "slow-food". I waited for almost 20 minutes just to get my bacon/cheeseburger combo meal!

After eating at the restaurant, I went home, took a shower, put on my work clothes, and went to work.


*

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, R ( 1 hr & 45 min )

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Friday, April 13th, 2012
show:  10:25 p.m.
costs:  $10.50 Ticket + $0.00 Popcorn + $0.00 20.0 oz Orange Fanta = $10.50
auditorium:  14
seat:  4th row, 7th column


synopsis/overview: The Gods Must Be Hungry

or

The Hand That Rocks The Earth's Mantle

or

It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel ( high ) fine....

Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods for the weekend. But they are all caught totally unprepared for what lay in store for them.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) "Anyway, you have no pants"; 2.) Volvo station wagon; 3.) Bong; 4.) "Acquiring target"; 5.) Old gas station; 6.) Invisible force field; 7.) Two-way mirror; 8.) Monitors; 9.) Speaker phone; 10.) Bets; 11.) "I dare you all to go upstairs"; 12.) Diary; 13.) Zombies; 14.) Hormone mist; 15.) "We're not the only ones watching"; 16.) Attack; 17.) Prayer; 18.) Blood; 19.) Voice; 20.) "I'm going for a walk"; 21.) Barricade; 22.) "Lock 'em in"; 23.) Hidden camera; 24.) "This is the Black Room"; 25.) Japanese school girls; 26.) The motorcycle jump; 27.) Lake; 28.) Party; 29.) "What do you mean, upstairs"; 30.) Grave; 31.) "What have you been up to"; 32.) Elevator; 33.) Assorted creatures that are the stuff of nightmares; 34.) "They make us choose how we die"; 35.) Immunized; 36.) Arm; 37.) "What happens to you is part of something bigger"; 38.) "Let's get this party started"; 39.) "This is part of a ritual"; 40.) "We work with what we have"; 41.) "You can die with them or you can die for them"; 42.) "I don't think that Curt ( Chris Hemsworth ) even has a cousin"; and 43.) The Hand.

audience reaction:  The audience liked it.

recommendation:  It was okay--and weird! I didn't like it that much. Don't go see this movie expecting it to be the "same ol', same ol'" type of horror movie.

spoiler alert!  Making-out in the wide-open at night in a remote, forested area is a No-No. For someone who got stabbed in the upper back, he sure could move his arm okay. They had all of those bladed instruments from which to choose from as weapons; so, why didn't they? What's so scary about an entity which does nothing but just hover in place? Why was that Japanese school girl just sitting at her desk? On their way to the cabin, they entered the tunnel from the left; as they attempted to escape from the cabin, they were still on the left side of the tunnel! That should have been a hint to them that--Yes!--they managed to escape. LOL. When the motorcycle hit the perpendicular invisible force field, the front wheel hit it first then the rear wheel--and I don't know about you, but motorcycle shock absorbers are spring-loaded--therefore ... the motorcycle should have rebounded and its rider should not have repeatedly hit the perpendicular force field on his way down the deep chasm! How were the blood of the Athlete and the blood of the Scholar collected, considering how they were killed-off? That cabin had been the site of disappearances and ritual killings/sacrifices for many years and yet the cops never noticed the common denominator?

fyi:  I think that this movie was released this year just to exploit the "2012 Doomsday Prophecy." A revelation near the end of the movie reminded me of a passage in The Bible's New Testament's Book of Revelation about demons kept in prison in the Abyss.

word of advice:  What you don't know can kill you.

Be careful what you wish for.

tidbits:  I was shopping at The Dollar Tree Store in the Target Shopping Center here in Vallejo after I left work when I got a call from Brett at 8:45 p.m. He wanted to know if I was planning to see THE CABIN IN THE WOODS because he would like to see it with me if I was. I told him that I was planning on seeing it as soon as tonight, but I didn't know the movie's listing at the local theatre. I told him that I'd call him later.

I bought a 3-litre bottle of rootbeer, an Aquafresh toothpaste, a generic mouthwash, a mixed berry spread and a mini notebook for my movie note-taking.

After shopping at the dollar store, I swung by the theatre to check on the movie's listing. The last show was for 10:25 p.m. which gave me enough time to go home, take a quick shower and work on my Stooges blog before going to the theatre.

So, I called Brett and told him that we could catch the last show tonight. He agreed to meet me at the theatre at around 10:15 p.m.

On my way home, on the corner of Turner Parkway and Admiral Callaghan Lane, a couple of idiotic white teenage boys started walking across on a red light--I had the "green" and I was not about to yield to them! I just gave them the "are-you-a-couple-of-f-cking-idiots?" look as I made a left turn at the intersection.

As I walked to my car from my condo, to go to the theatre, the unmistakably thick scent of "skunk perfume" permeated the air! I said to myself, Sheesh, if the skunk was smoking marijuana, nobody would be able to tell that it was because marijuana practically smells like skunk scent.

When I was about to get on the Marine World Parkway on-ramp from Fairgrounds Drive, an idiotic black pedestrian almost darted in front of my car. I had to slam on the brakes and swerve my car. And, again, I had the "green" in this one, too!

That was a total of Three Idiots in one night! What, were they all related to The Three Stooges ...?

Brett was in the lobby waiting for me. His wife wasn't with him because she didn't like horror movies. And his daughter didn't want to come along because she and her boyfriend were doing something else.

Anyway, Brett treated me to some popcorn and soda in exchange for the priviledge of hanging-out at the movies with The World-Famous Cine-Man! And it's a priviledge that I simply don't grant to just anyone. Someday, he'll be proudly telling his grandkids and his great-grandkids about the special time that he spent at the movies in the company of a world-famous celebrity--Moi! Ha, ha, ha.

As we sat waiting for the movie to begin, we watched a preview for the movie, THE EXPENDABLES 2. And Brett remarked that he wouldn't go see an action movie with a bunch of geriatric actors in it. The couple behind us heard his comment and laughed!

I told Brett that he had too many bananas left-over in his Produce Department's backroom at the Benicia Safeway--23 cases worth, to be exact! All of the Monkeys and Apes at a zoo would rather go on strike and complain about animal cruelty than be force-fed all of that excess supply of bananas!

The start of this movie made Brett and me say, "Huh?" And the end of this movie got a "WTF?" reaction from us both. That should give all of you a hint of what to expect when you go see this movie for yourselves.

I gave Brett a ride home to Benicia, CA, because I was not about to force an "ol' whitey"--who stuck-out like a "sore thumb" in the red sweater that he wore--to get stranded in the middle of the night in the company of some "unruly-colored-people Vallejo Crowd." As Brett stepped into my car, he asked, "Have you been smoking? Because it smells like 'herb' in here."

Damn that "marijuana-smoking" skunk!


*

THE THREE STOOGES, PG ( 1 hr & 32 min )

where:  EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 & I-MAX in Fairfield, CA
when:  Friday, April 13th, 2012
show:  12:01 a.m.
costs:  $11.00 Ticket + $1.00 3.1 oz Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

( bought at The Dollar Tree Store and smuggled-in ) + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Zero Sprite = $16.75
auditorium:  15
seat:  4th row, 4th seat

2nd time

where:  UA EMERY BAY STADIUM 10 in Emeryville, CA
when:  Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
show:  12:40 p.m. ( Five-Dollar All-Day Tuesday Special and Two-Dollar Small Popcorn Tuesday with a Regal Movie Watcher Rewards Card )
costs: $10.00 Ticket ( for two ) + $4.00 large Popcorn ( $2.00 Upgrade ) + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Sprite + $4.75 small 30.0 oz Diet Coke + $5.00 Carquinez Bridge Toll = $28.50
auditorium:  7
seat:  5th row, 6th seat


synopsis/overview:  The Three Stooges, Curly ( Will Sasso ), Moe ( Chris Diamantopoulos ) and Larry ( Sean Hayes ), end-up on a TV reality show after learning of a murder plot while trying to save their childhood orphanage.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) "Angels from Heaven"; 2.) Playing doctor; 3.) Adoptive parents; 4.) Bad idea; 5.) Cheese; 6.) Bad news; 7.) Ladder; 8.) "Doughnut remover"; 9.) "I told you there's too much iron in the water"; 10.) "Hey, look! Some wise guy's roughing-up the Sisters"; 11.) "Senior Ratlips"; 12.) "That's Australian for beer"; 13.) "Pure of heart and dim of wit"; 14.) "I'm gonna let it shine"; 15.) Bicycle tow; 16.) "Will Wirk For 830,000 Bucks"; 17.) Coma Toes; 18.) "That was not the plan"; 19.) Hospital; 20.) Hospital nursery room; 21.) "I'm smothering him in onions"; 22.) A miracle; 23.) Hospital laundry room; 24.) Fire hose; 25.) Teddy ( Kirby Heyborne ); 26.) Seed money; 27.) "They look like a lot of fun"; 28.) Salmon farm; 29.) Battering ram; 30.) "How dare you accuse me of having pride"; 31.) "You messed it up for all of us"; 32.) "Ice Kreem, Kreem, Sour Kreem"; 33.) Polar bear exhibit; 34.) Lion enclosure; 35.) Dolphin pool; 36.) TV episode; 37.) "Now I got a hole in my head"; 38.) "No medical insurance"; 39.) Ring tone; 40.) TV show; 41.) "He wouldn't go without us"; 42.) Picture; 43.) "Are you kidding me, there's three of them"; 44.) Poodles; 45.) "Where's your manners"; 46.) "Jumbotron"; 47.) Lobster; 48.) "The Kardashian girls"; 49.) "Balloon popper"; 50.) Teddy's room; 51.) Heir; 52.) Fart; 53.) New home; 54.) Three kids; 55.) Advisory at the start of the Ending Credits; and 56.) Bonus Song and Dance Scene near the end of the Ending Credits.

favorite scenes:  I liked the Doughnut Remover scene because it was so stupid!

And I liked the "Snooki-getting-poked-in-the-eyes" scene because I cannot stand the sight of her! Honestly ....

audience reaction:  The audience liked it.  But it didn't get a "Hands Clapper" ending.

recommendation:  I liked it simply because I was a big fan of the original Three Stooges TV show. These three actors did a fine job of filling-in such "big shoes". If you're a Three Stooges fan, you have to see this.

spoiler alert! Nobody would leave a Bow and Arrow set displayed outside of a store, and unwatched. That arrow sure took a long time coming down. Why didn't she see them in her car's rear-view mirror? Why didn't the laundry ladies turn-off their irons? Where did they get the money to buy all of those fish? The guy whose head got stapled didn't react appropriately. Don't tell me that the TV executive didn't see the other two stooges during the "audition". If that fart was strong enough to create such an explosion, they'd all be dead because the blast would suck-up all the air in that enclosed space, including the air in their lungs, for ignition to occur.

The Sister-Bernice-( Kate Upton )-Coming-Out-Of-The-Swimming-Pool scene is not in the movie! Bummer ....

Enjoy this blurry image of Sister Bernice which I downloaded from the Internet for your "personal"--Ahem!--enjoyment.

fyi:  I remember back when my family and I lived at an apartment complex in Matina, Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines. My neighborhood friends and I would play outside in the yard in the afternoon but only until one of us would call the others in so we could all watch The Three Stooges on TV. We just loved watching their slapstick comedy and silly stunts.

My favorite Three Stooges show is the one in which they worked for an Ice Delivery Service. They had a customer whose house was at the top of a very steep hill. They had to climb up so many steps in the really hot weather so that by the time they got to the top of the hill and at the customer's door, the ice block would have melted down to the size of an ice cube. And no matter how many times they would try to deliver a whole block of ice to the customer, it would always get melted down to the size of an ice cube by the time they got it up to the top of the hill. Finally getting fed-up with it, Curly just plopped the ice cube in the--understandably--impatient lady's tall glass of lemonade! The whole thing was just so funny to me back then.

Of the three brothers, Moe, Shemp and Curly, Curly was considered the handsomest. He had to have his hair shaved-off to downplay his good looks.

Supposedly, at the height of the original Three Stooges' fame, a number of kids were blinded because their eyes got poked-out in imitation of Moe's stunt. So, I was a little bit concerned when I found out that Hollywood came up with this movie. I just hope that the Farrelly Brothers' advisory at the end of the movie will serve to prevent such a serious injury from happening this time around.

About 10 years ago, a boy died here in Benicia, CA, because somebody dared him to dive under a street sweeper truck in motion.

A street sweeper truck, 1995 Ford C8000. This image is from the Internet.

word of advice:  Let "the-kid-in-you" come out and play once in a while.

tidbits:  While I was waiting in line at the concessions counter to buy my soda, the stocky, shaved-head man in front of me ( who was holding an empty popcorn tub and an empty large soda cup ) and I got to talking about THE THREE STOOGES, a movie that he, too, was about to see. He sounded Hispanic, based on his slight accent. He was in line for free refills. And he was there with his kids who were on school vacation, but they were in another auditorium ( he showed me his movie tickets ). And his whole family had already seen an earlier show and were now seeing midnight shows--I think that they all snuck back in for "freebies". I think that way because the man said somebody had told him that THE THREE STOOGES movie was gonna be shown in auditorium 6, also--which was kind of doubtful. I told him that I was seeing the movie in auditorium 15.

Anyway, as I made my way to auditorium 15, the man was there at the door and waiting for me. He offered to share his popcorn with me. I politely declined, telling him that I had a bag of snack with me. Besides, the image of the Popcorn Tub from the last movie that I saw, AMERICAN REUNION, was still fresh in my mind! Ha, ha, ha.

2nd tidbits:  I took Hector, my friend, to see this movie because I promised him months ago that I was gonna take him to see his two long-lost brothers, Moe and Larry. Ha, ha, ha.

At first, I hoped to take his wife and, at least, one of his sons with us. But his wife was sick. And both of his sons were busy doing something else and didn't want to find the time to see their two "uncles"!


*

AMERICAN REUNION, R ( 1 hr & 53 min )

where:  EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 & I-MAX in Fairfield, CA
when:  Sunday, April 8ht, 2012
show:  9:45 p.m.
costs:  $11.00 Ticket + $0.00 small Popcorn ( Free on Regal Movie Watcher Rewards Card ) + $4.75 small 30 oz Zero Sprite = $15.75
auditorium:  6
seat:  4th row, 5th seat

2nd Time:


where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
show:  1:20 p.m.
costs:  $7.50 Ticket + $0.94 bulk Chocolate Candy + $4.00 20 oz Orange Fanta = $12.44
auditorium:  7
seat:  5th row, 9th column


synopsis/overview:  The whole gang has come back home for its 13th year class reunion. As they get reacquainted with each other over the weekend, they find that they've changed in some ways and yet are still the same in other ways. But no matter what Life hands them, their friendship sees them through.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) Laptop; 2.) Hand-held shower; 3.) "Favorite housewife"; 4.) Interior decorator; 5.) "I want you to come so bad"; 6.) Jim's ( Jason Biggs ) bedroom; 7.) Jilly's Bar; 8.) Kitchen; 9.) "Could you be any more obvious"; 10.) "Let Stifler ( Seann William Scott ) do his thing"; 11.) Toilet paper; 12.) Birthday party; 13.) "Never have I ever been ..."; 14.) "Be her 'daddy'"; 15.) Heart attack; 16.) Crush; 17.) Nap time; 18.) Cellphone; 19.) Hide and seek; 20.) Oz's ( Chris Klein ) biggest fan; 21.) "Mr. Moo"; 22.) "So out of sync"; 23.) Morning after; 24.) Coffee shop; 25.) "On-line service"; 26.) "In France, it's only considered cheating if your wife catches you in the act"; 27.) "Half a vagina"; 28.) Celebrity Dance-Off DVD; 29.) Basement; 30.) Stifler's mom ( Jennifer Coolidge ) and Jim's dad ( Eugene Levy ); 31.) Making-out in the hallway; 32.) "Chow time"; 33.) Pubic hair; 34.) Fight; 35.) Arrest; 36.) Bedroom window; 37.) "Well-placed thumb"; 38.) The class reunion; 39.) "Fun dick. And ... you're our dick"; 40.) No clue; 41.) Dance; 42.) First love; 43.) "Hasta la vista, Stifler"; 44.) Finch's hot mom, Rachel ( Rebecca DeMornay ); 45.) Nadia ( Shannon Elizabeth ); 46.) "He looks nothing like me"; 47.) Ball field; 48.) "I've seen the YouTube clip"; 49.) "'Til next time"; 50.) Popcorn tub; and 51.) Through-the-years Snapshots during the Ending Credits.

audience reaction:  The audience liked it. It didn't get a "Hands Clapper" ending, though.

recommendation:  I really didn't like it that much.  I guess that the franchise's appeal waned on me a bit. But fans of the AMERICAN PIE franchise should like it.

spoiler alert!  In the opening scene, Michelle's ( Alyson Hannigan ) bra was on the bedroom floor. But, when she took-off her shirt, she was wearing the same bra. The Levensteins' house is not the original one in Long Beach, CA. Actually, the whole of East Great Falls, Michigan, was filmed at some places in Georgia this time around, instead of in Southern California. ( For economic reasons, i.e. Tax Incentives. ) This is yet another Hollywood movie in which "the black man" is made effeminate. ( This seems to be one of two common trends running through Hollywood movies, the other one being that "the black man" is always the first to die in a horror/violent movie. ) What Stifler did to his female co-workers could easily get him fired in the real world. It's against the law to operate a boat or a jet-ski where people are swimming!  As a concerned and responsible adult, why didn't Jim turn the Mini Cooper around so that he could retrieve Kara's ( Ali Cobrin ) dress? At her 18th birthday party, all the other girls had bikinis on but Kara didn't--doesn't make sense to me at all! When she got dropped on the ground, she didn't utter a sound at all--not in keeping with plain and simple logic. I don't see how Kara's dad failed to notice that the doll moved just before he grabbed it. Kevin ( Thomas Ian Nicholas ) said that he and Vicky ( Tara Reid ) were both completely naked, but they weren't. Spilled hot coffee doesn't create that kind of a scar/blister.

fyi:  One day a few years ago, at Hector's place in Oakland, CA, I had to go out to my car to get something. That was when I noticed that in a car parked directly across the street from my car, a black man seating in the driver's seat was getting a blowjob from a black prostitute whose head was bobbing up and down, in and out of view, in broad daylight. The man was staring directly ahead and didn't notice me there.

What should I do, I asked myself. Oh, heck, I need to get something from my car and it can't wait!

I walked to my car, opened my car's driver's side door and got what I needed without looking at the spectacle happening behind me. Then, I slammed my car door hard! I don't think that the "john" got his money's worth. Talk about Coitus Interruptus--or should that have been: Fellatio Interrupt-You. Ha, ha, ha--snort!

word of advice:  Times change. Move on.

tidbits:  On my way to work today, Sunday, at around 10:45 a.m., I got a phone call from my brother on my cellphone.  I was waiting for the green light at the stoplight on the intersection of Sereno Drive and Tuolumne Street when he called. I answered his call. He wanted to know if I would like to spend Easter at his place where he was having a barbecue. I told him that I was in my car and on my way to work. That was when the light turned green. He told me that I could still show-up after work since it was just a 15-minute drive away on the freeway.

By then, my car and all the other cars were moving up the incline. And I was doing a 20-mph speed on a 35-mph street because I was still on first gear and my brother wouldn't hang-up his 'phone. A big pick-up truck was tail-gating my small Hyundai Accent and looked ready to rear-end my car's butt! With a sense of urgency, I told my brother that I had to shift gear and I dropped my cellphone so I could negotiate the slight curve on the incline as I shifted. Whew, that was a close call!

I clocked-out at 7:45 p.m. ( 15 minutes early--I let my supervisor know the reason why ) so that I could be at my brother's barbecue.

When I got there, I soon found out that there was not that much rice left to go around because my nephew had been pigging-out for about an hour and pretty much had all the rice to himself. The dinner wasn't that enjoyable since the rest of us had to make-do with what little rice was left to pass around!

I was just at my brother's place for a little over an hour because it was a Sunday and everybody had to go to work in the morning of the next day. So, it worked out fine for me because it meant that I could go see this movie before heading on home.

And that was exactly what I did!

2nd tidbits:  I went to see this a second time before going to work because one of my co-workers said that the Vallejo audience that he was with last Friday really enjoyed this movie. And I wanted to see how right he was. But, as it turned out, the audience reaction this time was pretty much the same as that of the Fairfield audience's reaction. I think that the reason for the difference in reaction between my co-worker's audience and those of mine was that his audience was mostly young adults and mine were mostly older ones.

*

TITANIC 3-D, PG-13 ( 3 hr & 15 min )

where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Thursday, April 5th, 2012
show:  11:30 a.m. ( Extra Dollar Off First Show Matinee )
costs:  $10.00 Ticket + $4.50 7.5 oz King Size Triple Chocolate Nestle Drumstick + $4.00 20.0 oz VitaminWater Power-C = $18.50
auditorium:  8
seat:  6th row, 8th column


synopsis/overview:  A "rich girl/ poor boy" love story is set against the White Star Line's launch of its second ship, the new Titanic, the "ship of dreams". One of three luxury sister ships built and designed for shuttle service between Southampton, England, and New York, USA, it set sail on its maiden voyage on April 10th, 1912, an ill-fated journey.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) The Titanic's undersea wreckage; 2.) "The same thing happened to Geraldo [ Rivera ] and his career never recovered"; 3.) Artwork; 4.) "I told you, you wanted to take this call"; 5.) "That makes you my new best friend"; 6.) "Fine forensic analysis"; 7.) Card game; 8.) "Where's Sven"; 9.) "Something Picasso"; 10.) "New money"; 11.) "Male preoccupation with size"; 12.) "Always the same narrow-minded people"; 13.) "I don't have a choice"; 14.) "... tumbleweed blowing like the wind"; 15.) "One legged prostitute"; 16.) Spittle; 17.) Fancy new duds; 18.) "You can almost pass for a gentleman"; 19.) "They love money"; 20.) "Start from the outside and work your way in"; 21.) "Life is a gift"; 22.) A fun pa"rty; 23.) Fiancee; 24.) "You know the money is gone"; 25.) The portrait; 26.) Chase; 27.) Cargo hold; 28.) Note; 29.) Crow's nest; 30.) Iceberg; 31.) Rats; 32.) Planted evidence; 33.) Ship's diagram; 34.) Distress call; 35.) "You remember what I told you about the boats"; 36.) "Small token of our appreciation"; 37.) "Not enough boats"; 38.) "I'd rather be his whore than your wife"; 39.) "I'll just wait here"; 40.) "To Hell with you"; 41.) Practice swings; 42.) "You'll have to pay for that"; 43.) Mob; 44.) "I make my own luck"; 45.) "Yes, get on the boat, Rose ( Kate Winslet )"; 46.) Gun; 47.) The coat; 48.) "I have a child"; 49.) The musicians; 50.) Bedroom; 51.) "Can you walk faster through the valley there"; 52.) "Jack ( Leonardo DiCaprio ), this is where we first met"; 53.) "Never let go"; 54.) "Come back"; 55.) Whistle; 56.) Wait; 57.) "It's all steerage"; 58.) Crash of '29; 59.) Rose Dawson; 60.) "He exists now only in my memory"; 61.) Assorted adventures; and 62.) The Reunion.

favorite scene:  I liked the Reunion scene.


audience reaction:  There were just about a dozen or so in the audience with me. And I didn't hear much from them, reaction-wise.

recommendation:  I just went to see this again because I wanted to watch it in 3-D. I didn't know that this is also playing in I-Max 3-D, else I would have gone to see it on such a screen. Anyway, this is a true Romantic Chick Flick for those of you who are into such movies.

spoiler alert!  He took out whatever he needed to take with him; still, he locked the safe. Exposed to such an icy-cold water, I'd find myself shivering and my teeth chattering! Deep sea water is blue; freshwater and some coastal water are green. In the scene wherein a lifeboat was being rowed through flotsam and dead people, a flashlight revealed the color of the water to be green, not blue. ( Chlorinated and fluoridated  swimming pool water is not freshwater. ) A shot was omitted near the end of the movie, the scene wherein the old lady walked toward the stern originally had a shot of her body from behind clearly silhouetted inside of her night gown. I know because the first time that I saw this movie years ago, I remarked to myself about this particular shot, Wow, she's got quite a figure for a little old lady! I guess that this particular shot was too much to process in 3-D.

fyi:  The following is an article from the Spring 2009 Edition of the Scoopified catalog that I've chosen to copy verbatim for your reading pleasure:

The Princess of Amen-Ra lived approximately 1,500 years B.C. When she died she was laid to rest in an ornate wooden coffin and buried deep in a vault in Luxor on the banks of the Nile.


In the late 1890s four rich young Englishmen visiting the excavations at Luxor were invited to buy an exquisitely fashioned mummy case containing the remains of the Princess of Amen-Ra. They drew lots. The man who won paid several thousand Pounds and had the coffin taken to his hotel.


A few hours later he was seen walking towards the desert. He never returned. The next day one of the other four men was shot by an Egyptian servant, accidentally. His arm was so severely wounded it had to be amputated. Another of the foursome found on his return home that the bank holding his entire fortune had failed. The fourth guy suffered a severe illness that cost him all of his possessions, reducing him to poverty.


Nevertheless, the mummy reached England, causing other misfortunes along the way, where it was bought by a London businessman. After three of his family members had been injured in a road accident and his house was damaged by fire, he donated the mummy to the British Museum. As the coffin was being unloaded the truck suddenly went into reverse and injured a helper. Then, as the casket was being lifted up the stairs by two workmen, one fell and broke his leg. The other, apparently in good health, died two days later. After the Princess was installed in the Egyptian Room, trouble really started. The museum's night watchmen frequently heard frantic hammerings and sobbing in the coffin. Other exhibits in the room were often hurled around at night. One guard died on duty for no apparent reason, causing another guard to quit. Cleaners refused to go near the Princess. When a visitor derisively flicked a dust cloth at the face painted on the coffin, his child died of measles soon afterward. Finally, the museum management had the mummy carried down to the basement, figuring it could not do any harm down there. Within a week one of the helpers was seriously ill, and the supervisor of the move was found dead at his desk.


By now the media had heard of it. A journalist photographer took a picture of the mummy's face. When he developed it the picture was transformed into a horrifying face, resembling his own. The photographer was said to have gone home, then locked his bedroom door and shot himself. 


Soon afterward, the museum sold the mummy to a private collector. After much misfortune the owner called a noted authority of the occult for help. When entering the house the psychic was seized with a shivering fit of incredible intensity. "Can you exorcise the evil spirit?" the owner asked. The psychic replied: "There is no such thing as exorcism for a curse of this magnitude. Evil remains evil forever. I implore you to get rid of this evil as soon as possible!" But no British museum would take the mummy. 


Finally, an American archaeologist who dismissed the happenings as quirks of circumstance paid a handsome price for the mummy, and arranged for its transfer to New York. In April of 1912, the new owner escorted his treasure aboard a sparkling new White Star Liner about to make its maiden voyage to New York. On the night of April 14th, amid scenes of unprecedented horror, the Princess of Amen-Ra accompanied 1,500 passengers to their deaths at the bottom of the ocean. The name of the ship was ~~~ Titanic.


Some say that the above is true while others say it's just an urban legend concocted a century ago by a pair of Englishmen, William Stead and Douglas Murray. But, according to eye-witness accounts, the fact was that William Stead ( a well-known writer and editor ) was also on board the Titanic and entertained the other passengers with his "curse of the mummy" tales at dinnertime on the 12th and 13th of April, 1912.  And, perhaps, jinxed the maiden voyage as a direct result!

Can you just imagine what William Stead and the other dinner guests were thinking of just before they drowned to death or died of Hypothermia in the icy water?

( Note: It's Priestess, not Princess, of Amen-Ra. Slight variations of this "mummy's curse" can be found on the Internet. )

Found on the Internet.

The Titanic had two sister ships: The Britannic and the Olympic. The Britannic sank in almost the same way, but in the shallow water of the Kea Channel of the Aegean Sea on November 21st, 1916; the Olympic was in service from October of 1910 to April of 1935, sinking a German U-boat during WWI and running into a couple of other ships before and after the war. All in all, the sister ships had bad luck.

word of advice:  You can't buy Love.

tidbits:  When this movie first came out in 1997, I waited 9 months before I finally went to see this movie. I saw it at the bargain cinema inside of the Hilltop Mall in Richmond, CA, on the top floor. It's not there anymore.

I was gonna get another one of the THREE STOOGES Icee Collectible Cups. But they were all sold-out. They still have the HUNGER GAMES Collectible Cups, though. Phffft! Who needs it? I don't.

After I paid for my purchase at the theatre's concession counter, I realized that I shouldn't have bought the ice cream drumstick because I had a periodontal cleaning at 7:00 a.m. this morning, and my teeth were extra-sensitive--but I hadn't had an ice cream drumstick at the cinema, yet. So, I just kept it and endured the pain in sweet silence.

I had less than four hours of sleep the night before because I did an Internet research on the Titanic. As expected, I dozed-off here and there as I watched this movie.

After the movie, I went to the Benicia Safeway to have a talk with Brett about something. I was walking the length of the checkstands, behind a black lady, towards the produce department. As we were passing by the Starbucks booth, she just let-out a loud fart! And she acted all-innocent about it. Dang! some women, I swear ....

I thought that today was a Passover but I'm a week early. This is what happens when I try to observe a Jewish holiday using a Christian calendar! LOL.  I observe the Thursday Passover because I have Jewish-Christian blood on my mother's side of the family. And Jesus Christ told his Apostles at The Last Supper to observe the Thursday Passover in remembrance of Him: New Testament of The Bible's Book of Luke 22:19. So, I shall be sure to observe it next week. I'm the only one among my relatives on my mother's side of the family who has embraced our Jewish-Christian heritage and who has accepted our Jewish-Christian legacy. It's literally I against the World--which is also one of the teachings of Jesus Christ, Himself--New Testament of The Bible's Book of John 15:19 ( I'm on the right track, indeed ).


*******************************************

Two old men, a white man and an oriental man,  were seated close to each other in the dining hall at a local retirement home for old folks. The old white man, a WWII veteran, looked at the old oriental man, a new resident, contemptuously.

"I hate all of you, you f-cking Japs!" said the old white man. "You bombed Pearl Harbor."

"No," said the old oriental man. "I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

"Doesn't matter. Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, you're all the same to me," said the old white man as he spat on the floor.

Noticing that the old white man was wearing a yarmulke, the angry old Chinese man responded in desperation, "Well, I hate Jews!"

"Why?" asked the old Jewish man.

"Jews sunk the Titanic!" said the old Chinese man.

"Hah! that's so typical of you Gentiles, always blaming bad things on us Jews," said the old Jewish man.  "Well, for your information, an iceberg sank the Titanic."

The old Chinese man retorted angrily, "Goldberg, Rosenberg, Iceberg, no matter--all the same!"


*