B E B E R E

For some reason, it's been a chore to log on and actually come up with something to write here. I think it's due to the work battle (job's getting to be just like Sisyphus's career track. Wonder if he was 'on the state?') and the struggles I'm having with myself at home.

Am so looking forward to getting the heck out of the city for a couple weeks. The big Off the Grid Adventure kicks off in a couple weeks, in fact. I think I'm just treading water till then.

What else can I say? Ala's back at the kwikie mart. He'd been back to Egypt for the past month and a half. He's one of the highlights in my morning commute - cheerfulness with my coffee and fruit. The other guys working there were nice, but a heck of a lot more reserved.

Visited the MIT museum over the weekend - that was fun. If I feel like it later on, maybe I'll talk about it. It was small - but the exhibits on AI, robotics were fun, frightening food for thought. The history section was okay.

Movies? Well, this past weekend, saw "Dodgeball." The NYT critic summed it up nicely: "A very dumb movie with very funny parts." This one wasn't as good as "Something About Mary," but it *was* pretty darn funny. Oh, and offensive. That's what I see Ben Stiller's movies for. Pee your pants funny, horribly offensive, over the top stuff. Stuff you'd get lynched for up here in Liberal Ethnic Hippie Land. Heck, this might well have been pornography for all I know - isn't dodgeball (the actual sport) banned from the schools here? I know it is out in Western MA.

GBH 44 showed the original "Manchurian Candidate," probably after hearing me kvetch about the remake. Why? Why? Why? We cry out - why remake something that was about as close to perfect as one can get? Someone in Newsweek said that this is complementary. That it's a 'gourmet popcorn' film. Yeah, right. Take out the cold war sensibility (it takes place in the first Gulf War), take away the notion of 'brainwashing,' (they get implanted with microchips), and what do you have? Another potential chance for Bush Bashing? Most likely. Now, don't get me wrong - I like Denzel Washington well enough. I like Meryl Streep, too, but...why? Angela Lansbury is apparently ripping mad about the film being made. I think she said something to the effect of respecting Streep (who does the reprise of Lansbury's role) as an actress but not comprehending her decision to be in this production.

Anyway, saw the original again. Beautiful, heart-rending. So well made. I pick up something new every time I see it. My heart swells to bursting at Lawrence Harvey's character. There's just such the urge to help, to protect this horrible victim of the circumstance of being born to a monster as he was.

Since Hal's company was bought out, no more work for the Phoenix, I guess. That means possibly the end of the preview passes. They sent over something like four different films in a last hurrah, I think. Tonight, "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle." Thursday, a new Beat Takeshi film that looks very very interesting. Next Tuesday, "The Village." The last film, I forget the name, but it stars Colin Firth and Robin Wright Penn and looks pretty bad. I think we'll be opting out of that one.