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I just said to my co-worker the other day, “I blog, yeah. I blog all the time!” So of course I ended up not blogging for over a week. Doh! Why?

- Work has been kicking my ass. I’m on a tight schedule trying to finish running about 500 test cases and my project manager keeps asking me if I think I’ll be done early. EARLY!

- I haven’t been feeling so good with the weird weather patterns here. My sinuses are just killing me. Also, nosebleed every morning = total drag.

- The few things I have felt passionate enough about to actually maybe turn into a blog post are just too controversial. I have kind of learned the hard way that it’s best for me NOT to blog about politics and stuff like that. I just shouldn’t go there. Ever. (Of course, I probably will again, at some point. Just not now.)

Anyway, Friday I actually stayed home sick. OMG I felt like hell! While I was at home, completely out of it, I watched a few things on TV.

Role Models (2008): surprisingly funny. I like Paul Rudd in snarky mode. Also has Jane Lynch, so what’s not to like? It was juvenile and preposterous, sure, but still pretty good. The whole plot about the kid who’s into the LARP game was especially funny to me, because last year I watched that documentary Darkon, so I know that these people really exist and really are that hilariously intense!

Paranoid Park (2007): haunting. Gus Van Sant really knows how to fuck with your head, you know? Reminded me a little bit of Brick because of the setting, but it’s much more realistic and, ultimately, depressing.

Zombiemania (2008): a documentary about the zombie sub-genre of horror films, featuring interviews with George Romero, Tom Savini, Max Brooks, Boyd Banks, and others. Not bad, really. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t address the European zombie films (Fulci, etc.) at all. Maybe they couldn’t get clearances. But in any case, it was somewhat entertaining (especially the Max Brooks stuff) and it’s always nice to hear everyone involved in zombie films give so much credit to Romero (especially since he hasn’t made nearly the money he should have off the genre he basically invented).

I think I watched more stuff, but I was really out of it and I don’t remember now.

Before I sign off and head up to do even more laundry on a lovely Sunday afternoon, let me just say a few things about Project Runway. There’s a lot of talk about this season being somehow “boring” or less exciting than the previous seasons. I don’t necessarily buy that. I think people WANT to believe that just because the show is on Lifetime now, and not Bravo. Whatever. I do think it’s a problem that the judging has been so inconsistent, and has led to some really ridiculous things happening, like Epperson and Ra’mon getting sent home while useless hacks like Logan, Christopher, and Nicolas hang in there for so long (bye bye, Nicolas!). The show worked better for everyone when it was Heidi-Michael-Nina plus a guest judge every week.

As far as a favorite, right now I don’t have one. But I’ll tell you this: if Irina gets to go to the final four or whatever, I will be PISSED. Because she is SUCH A CLASSLESS TOAD. Have you ever heard anyone shit talk so much about so many people, with (apparently) no consequences? She never, ever has anything nice to say about anyone else, and it just shows a lack of tact, class, and maturity. It’s one thing to be confident in your own work, nothing wrong with that. But it’s really lame to do nothing but criticize everyone else’s. I wonder, can she really be that clueless? Or are they only showing us her interview clips that criticize – maybe the producers have set her up to be the wicket witch of the season? Whatever – if that’s the case, she’s certainly given them plenty of material to work with!

And, to finish, let me just say: whatever. Because I noticed I’ve used that word a lot today and I think a few more would help. WHATEVER.

What’s with that title? What I mean is, these are reviews of  movies, that I see on cable; because I am a parent who doesn’t know any babysitters and therefore almost never goes to the movie theater anymore. I look back fondly on the days when I was single, and went every week, alone – sometimes twice a week! Or even after I got married, and we went a few times a month. No more. At least not until the kiddo gets older, I guess. So that means most of the movies I see nowadays are long after their theatrical release, and therefore “way too late.” Although I suppose you could use my opinion (if it matters) to help build your Netflix queue.

(By the way, these might be considered slightly spoiler-y. Nothing major.)

Lars and the Real Girl (2007): Not what I expected. Remember when that company first started selling “Real Dolls,” realistic sex dolls that weigh something like 100 pounds and cost thousands of dollars? (I vividly remember when one was delivered to Howard Stern’s studio, they showed it on the E! show.) The titular character orders a similar doll, and treats it like it’s a real person. Sounds pervy, no? But actually, Lars seems to be operating under the delusion that “Bianca” is real. To support him, his family goes along with it, along with his doctor, his co-workers, and eventually the whole community. Actually a very touching film – there’s nothing overtly sexual about Lars’s relationship with the doll, and the lengths his friends and family go to in order to protect his feelings are surprisingly sweet. Strong performances by Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, and Paul Schneider. “Thumbs up.”

Iron Man (2008): Yep, I just saw this On Demand. How pathetic am I, that I didn’t even manage to get to the theater to see one of last summer’s biggest blockbusters? Oh well. I’d heard it was good, and I really like Robert Downey Jr., so I had high expectations for this and I wasn’t disappointed. A very good movie for the genre. Yes, there are ridiculous leaps of faith and logic and you have to be willing to suspend disbelief. But if you couldn’t handle that, you wouldn’t be watching a superhero movie, right? Anyway, Downey is great, and Gwyneth Paltrow was pretty good too, though she really wasn’t in it as much as I thought she’d be. Jeff Bridges is a caricature of evil as the villain, and overacts accordingly. I thought the weak link in many ways was Terrence Howard as Tony Stark’s friend, Rhodey, who just happens to be a military mucky-muck with the ability to call off national defense at will, but whatever. Overall a pretty good way to entertain yourself for two hours, and that suit is just too freaking cool. “Thumbs up.”

Howards End (1992): This is a cheat, because I’ve seen this movie at least a dozen times. I LOVE IT. It was recently running on some of our cable channels again and I saw it a few more times. Terrific movie, outstanding cast, beautifully shot, etc. I’ve recently been reading the book and find that the film is a very nice adaptation – perfectly tightened up but faithful to the source material. If you have never seen this YOU MUST. “Thumbs WAY up.”

WALL-E (2008): I resisted watching this for a while but finally gave in. For some reason I thought the biting but subtle commentary on consumerism would make me depressed, but the film is ultimately uplifting and the imagery is gorgeous. Best part: we can watch this on the big TV and my daughter doesn’t complain, because she loves it too (especially EVE). One day she started talking about “Wally,” all kinds of Wally this and Wally that, and I was thinking “Who the heck is Wally? There’s not a kid at school named Wally.” Then it finally dawned on me that she was talking about WALL-E. Der. “Thumbs up.”

I tried hard to think of something I’ve watched recently that I didn’t like, and I couldn’t come up with anything. The thing is, I don’t watch a lot of TV or movies. The last time I really spent a lot of time watching movies and DVDs was earlier this year, when I hurt my back and I couldn’t sit up or walk, so I was laying down a lot with plenty of time on my hands. Otherwise, I watch a movie here and there when I can’t sleep or I’m tired of staring at my computer. I’m also finding that anymore, if I don’t like something, I just turn it off. Problem solved!

“What’ll it be, hmmmmmmm?”

- Went for my facial today, but ended up not having a facial or peel. Instead, I had a long consultation (free!) and got recommendations for both skincare and some dietary supplements. The short version: peeling and flaking is most likely due to the retin-a, so I’m going to discontinue it for a while. Simplifying my routine in general, trying a new night cream, and going to start taking some probiotics and enzymes. Then I’ll probably go back in a few months and have a salicylic acid peel.

- I think I’m coming down with something, which is a real drag, but maybe I’m just tired. Fell asleep on the couch tonight while Bean was watching “Dora” and didn’t wake up until the end of “Backyardigans.” Not a bad coping strategy for pre-school TV, actually!

- This weekend I’m definitely going to blog about the artwork I finally put up in the master bedroom, as well as the wall decals I used in Bean’s room.

- New True Blood on Sunday night! Yay! The only things I’m actively watching on TV right now are True Blood and Hung on HBO, and Nurse Jackie on Showtime. True Blood is purely trashy fun; I’ve blogged about my love for Nurse Jackie before; but Hung is a new revelation. Like NJ, it’s only a half hour, but there’s a lot of entertainment packed into those 30 minutes (insert your own big penis joke here). Thomas Jane is great. Check it out!

- And finally, new Harry Potter movie! Wanna see it! But don’t know when I can! Bummer.

Some short reactions to movies I’ve watched recently. Keeping in mind that I never get to go to the theater anymore (and that’s harsh for someone who used to go at least once a week), these are all movies I’ve watched on cable.

The Dark Knight (2008): Wow, talk about overrated. The way people reacted to this film last year, you’d have thought it was the greatest thing since Star Wars, sliced bread, and online shopping. I was really underwhelmed. The plot was all over the place and just didn’t make any sense, chronologically or otherwise. The editing was painful, an assault on the eyes and brain that left me with a headache and a vague sense of nausea. Christian Bale apparently decided to play Batman as a caricature, which is the only way to explain the gravelly grunting and growling that passes as his dialog throughout. The only bright spot is, sadly, Heath Ledger as Joker. The character is refreshingly ambiguous, and we never really understand his backstory or motives, making him a true agent of chaos. Ledger’s performance is fascinating and the only reason to watch this movie at all.

Juliet of the Spirits (Giuletta degli spiriti) (1965): I try to catch Fellini films whenever they’re on cable since I’ve seen so few of them. I watched this not knowing what to expect, and went away from it frankly scratching my head. It’s a surrealist work, but I feel like watching a film in a foreign language sets you up with an element of surrealism to begin with, at least subconsciously, which made seeing and understanding “Juliet” a bit difficult for me. Short summary: beautifully shot, intriguing, and confusing. Made me wish I was stoned.

America’s Sweethearts (2001): I think I actually saw this movie when it came out, in a theater, but it had been several years since the last time I saw it. This is one of those films that seems to get panned by everyone, but I thought it wasn’t that bad. Certainly there are some hokey elements, many of them having to do with Billy Crystal’s character, but John Cusack is adorable, as usual, and it was fun to see Julia Roberts in a fat suit and Catherine Zeta-Jones playing such a bitch.

The Governess (1998): Another one I originally saw on the big (well, not so big, since it was an art house) screen. Featuring Minnie Driver and a amazingly young Tom Wilkinson, it’s a classic fish out of water tale. Minnie is a Jewess who pretends to be someone and something else in order to take a job as a governess in Scotland, where she gets involved in surprising and destructive ways with her employer. In the end she gives up the charade she’s involved in, but the nice thing about this story is, she grows into something much more than she had been in the end. She gets a happy ending, though not the one she initially imagines for herself. I really liked this film.

Why Did I Get Married? (2007): A Tyler Perry film, which might ordinarily send reasonable people screaming if they’re only aware of Perry’s strange “Madea” series. The slapstick is absent here and the broad humor considerably toned down. There are lots of cliches in this examination of four marriages, all of them troubled in one way or another, but I’ve seen worse. Fun for comparing the singers who can act (Jill Scott) with the ones who can’t (Janet Jackson).

Penelope (2006): I really wanted to like this – the cast is great! But alas, it’s so hackneyed and ridiculous, and I couldn’t get past the cheese factor. It’s not terrible, really, but trust me – don’t go out of your way to see it.

More impressions as I get them…