December, 31, 2005 archives

it seems like every christmas, i either get too many calendars or none at all. this was a none at all year, so i decided to make my own 2006 calendar. because i made it using lulu, it was easy to make it so anyone else can buy it for $15.

the pictures i chose are a mix of shots from minnesota and los angeles. i’m already coming up with ideas for more focused calendars for 2007.

i get about three bucks per calendar — and leverage to claim camera equipment as a business expense.

i decided to see the chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe because the books are the first substantial series i remember reading (or actually, having read to me, in part, if i remember correctly). the movie was pretty good — the effects were just a notch below the lord of the rings trilogy, the acting was good to great (particularly the girl who played lucy), and even if the world is a bizarre mash-up of mythology and animals, it comes together well.

i suppose you can’t avoid talking about the christian subtext of the plot, but frankly it sailed right over my head. if anything, i think the “magic loophole” that brings aslan back to life comes off as trite.

it’s not the one-a-day pace that some people go for, but i ended up averaging over one film per week. (and more than that, really — i didn’t usually write up anything for movies i watched on the cable networks.)

i’m not sure i would call it my favorite film i watched this year, but pirates of the caribbean: the curse of the black pearl was the film that most impressed me. i’d say eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and der krieger und die kaiserin are the closest to claiming the title of favorite. the station agent, heist, and the 40 year-old virgin were also all great.

1. the life aquatic with steve zissou (review)
2. house of flying daggers (review)
3. sideways (review)
4. bendito infierno (review)
5. in good company (review)
6. be cool (review)
7. robots (review)
8. melinda and melinda (review)
9. sin city (review)
10. kung fu hustle (review)
11. the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy (review)
12. star wars: episode iii - revenge of the sith (review)
13. assault on precinct 13 (review)
14. assault on precinct 13 (review)
15. crash (review)
16. mean girls (review)
17. batman begins (review)
18. bubba ho-tep (review)
19. war of the worlds (review)
20. butterfly and sword (review)
21. the day after (review)
22. the day after tomorrow (review)
23. charlie and the chocolate factory (review)
24. wedding crashers (review)
25. carrie (review)
26. quatermass and the pit (review)
27. equilibrium (review)
28. pirates of the caribbean: the curse of the black pearl (review)
29. the 40 year-old virgin (review)
30. the bourne identity (review)
31. the transporter 2 (review)
32. eternal sunshine of the spotless mind (review)
33. say it isn’t so (review)
34. crimen ferpecto (review)
35. kill bill: vol. 1 (review)
36. kill bill: vol. 2 (review)
37. serenity (review)
38. corpse bride (review)
39. the aristocrats (review)
40. madadayo (review)
41. o (review)
42. heartbreakers (review)
43. serenity (review)
44. stark raving mad (review)
45. spartan (review)
46. der krieger und die kaiserin (review)
47. artificial intelligence: ai (review)
48. saved! (review)
49. heist (review)
50. elf (review)
51. the girl next door (review)
52. dodgeball: a true underdog story (review)
53. the big sleep (review)
54. the station agent (review)
55. king kong (review)
56. harold & kumar go to white castle (review)
57. the producers (review)
58. donnie darko (review)
59. bad santa (review)
60. the chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe (review)