a wolf angel is not a good angel

As it turns out, chocolate chip cookies made with expensive chocolate chips are indeed very good. This is not actually a surprise.

I was going to try to post more about the new Cirque show — Kooza — one which is about acrobatics and clowns (and too much juggling, which is boring). It’s fun, which is something that many of their recent shows haven’t been. Not that they were unenjoyable, or anything bad — but fun in the “ooh, ahh, smile” way, no. This one is — people coming out were happy. This despite the devils and skeletons with scythes. But they’re happy skeletons. (That was my favourite act.)

Oddly, most of the talk was in English. Or half, anyhow. I don’t think that’s ever happened at a show of their before, at least not in Montreal; I wonder if it was because it was Memorial Day weekend.

This is the first show in a long while that I’ve thought I should go back and buy another ticket for, immediately.

It’s got a weird touring schedule. Montreal now, then Quebec City, then Toronto, like usual, but after that Minneapolis, then California. If you happen to be in one of these areas, or nearby, buy yourself a ticket. (It’s fine for children, as long as they can sit through a show — 2 hour-long acts with a half hour intermission.)

I am lying on my bed and I notice that the annoying black and white cat (to be distinguished from the many other b&w cats in the neighbourhood) is in my window. What are you doing in my house, cat? And then I look and see that my back door is shut, which means that the cat has been here for, at the very least, 8 hours. May still be here, because I have no idea where the irritating thing got to, because I figured he wandered in through an open door. Which, granted, he did, but not recently.

I am distinctly more annoyed by this than any of the other cats.

I want to make one of my dark chocolate cakes. So I decided to buy the nice chocolate. So I went and bought 500g of dark chocolate. And got home, checked the recipe, and found I actually only need 200g. Plus side: extra dark chocolate chips at home. (They didn’t have this kind in blocks.) Minus side: somewhat harder to figure out how much of the chocolate I need for the cake.

Mmm, cake. I can’t bake today, because I am going to see the new Cirque show, which has had very good reviews, but that’s ok, because I can have cake tomorrow. And extra chips for another cake, or perhaps cookies, or snacking on, whatever.

First of all: fun. Really. Of course you can’t follow the plot. Why is Will double-crossing Jack who is double-crossing Barbossa who is double-crossing Elizabeth? I don’t remember. But it doesn’t really matter, you’re not supposed to be able to follow who you can or cannot trust at any time. If you assume everyone has a few hidden agendas you’d be pretty much on. If you decide just to ignore plotting, that would not really change the movie for you.

So let’s dispense with the idea of plot. You don’t see these movies for plot. You see them for amusing dialogue, maybe (yes, other than the irritating repetition of some lines). You see them for fun fight scenes (yes). You see them for stupid jokes that don’t depend on farts (yes — I particularly liked the pieces-of-eight one). You see them so you can listen to Geoffrey Rush say Arrr a lot (yes).

As usual, there’s a scene after the credits that you should, maybe, watch. For maybe, see after the jump.

Here be spoilers.

(more…)

To not getting my paper again. I have no idea what the hell the problem is, but I am really pissed.

Tonight I saw Pirates of the Caribbean 3. A proper response tomorrow, but a few thoughts:

• it’s LONG. Nearly 3 hours long. Be prepared.
• the irritating political commentary in the beginning of the movie is over quickly and, as you might suspect, is never mentioned again because it’s irrelevant.
• they keep reusing the same damn lines. The more subtle things are cleverer, funnier, and not so fucking annoying.
• I do not actually feel sorry for people wearing short sleeves and light cotton when they’re covered in ice. Get a jacket.
• they dumped out everything that was dull, so expect scenes where you wonder who is conning and who being conned, followed by fight or cgi scenes, repeated. This works well.
• Johnny Depp is hotter than John Malkovitch. A lot.

Overall, worth seeing, whether or not you saw #2.

As it turns out, we were sitting beside some band who I suppose I should have heard of, but no. I could tell they were important when they talked about the Ritz and the limos and stuff, and then my friend heard their account number, 00025falloutboy. Apparently that’s why they looked familiar to him. When I got back to the seat and he told me that, I looked blank. But they’re polite, don’t talk in movies, and oddly grateful that we didn’t give their seats away before the show started.

These cats are ready for adoption, so if there are any Montrealers who are looking for cats, this is your chance.

(more…)

1. Ship / Suspect / Myth / Mind Game / Hungarian - The Usual Suspects (eb)
2. Anti Smoking / Shot In The Butt / Football Stadium / Sister Sister Relationship / Shot With Arrow - 10 Things I Hate About You
3. Deus Ex Machina / Court / Falsely Accused / Murder / On The Road - My Cousin Vinny (orthoclase)
4. Overhead Camera Shot / Gang Warfare / Lover / Based On Musical / Knife Fight - West Side Story (Q. Pheevr)
5. Self Sacrifice / Whimsical / Witch / Romance / Magical - The Little Mermaid
6. Culture Clash / Son / Paranoid / Family Relationships / Search - Blast from the Past
7. Steampunk / No Opening Credits / Throat Slitting / British Empire / Pirates - Pirates of the Caribbean (orthoclase)
8. Group Mind / B Movie / Lesbian Slur / Swimming Pool / Family Dinner - Slither
9. Coastal Village / Funeral / French / Cannabis / Drug Dealing - Saving Grace (Jane Dark)
10. Frog / Ruby / Boat / Toad / Slug - Flushed Away (orthoclase)

Bonus: Absurdism / Mugging / Black Comedy / Magician / Luggage - Songs from the Second Floor

I recommend 9 and the Bonus, especially.

Several of these show different keywords now than they did when I first looked them up. I am curious how many musicals I could ID based just on the keywords.

10 movies that I have enjoyed, as defined by the imdb plot keywords. I got rid of the really super obvious ones, but there are a few gimmes here.

1. Ship / Suspect / Myth / Mind Game / Hungarian
2. Anti Smoking / Shot In The Butt / Football Stadium / Sister Sister Relationship / Shot With Arrow
3. Deus Ex Machina / Court / Falsely Accused / Murder / On The Road
4. Overhead Camera Shot / Gang Warfare / Lover / Based On Musical / Knife Fight
5. Self Sacrifice / Whimsical / Witch / Romance / Magical
6. Culture Clash / Son / Paranoid / Family Relationships / Search
7. Steampunk / No Opening Credits / Throat Slitting / British Empire / Pirates
8. Group Mind / B Movie / Lesbian Slur / Swimming Pool / Family Dinner
9. Coastal Village / Funeral / French / Cannabis / Drug Dealing
10. Frog / Ruby / Boat / Toad / Slug

Bonus: Absurdism / Mugging / Black Comedy / Magician / Luggage

(I loved the bonus movie.)

I considered doing it with tv shows, but Heroes gets “Save the cheerleader”, ER gets “medical drama” and “Chicago Illinois”, and I thought I’d quit wasting my time. (Oddly, BtVS does not get anything like “vampire” or “horror” but stuff like “true love” and “student principal relationship”.)