I remember loving that when it came out, but if I've seen it since, it's been a lonnnnnng time. I should put in the NetFlix queue.

Saw Inglourious Basterds (or however they spelled it) last night, and really loved it. Kill Bill struck me as self-indulgent in the extreme, and I had less fun with Death Proof than I did with Planet Terror (or the trailers, to be honest), so I wasn't in a rush to see it. But I thought it was great, even if it does sort of boil down to revenge fantasy porn.

Also saw Up In the Air today, which was just ... sad in the end, but really well done. The opening, strangely enough, struck me as very Fight Club- esque, with the narration and the lists. Really good performances, but I'm still not exactly sure what you were supposed to take away from it, aside from a sense of melancholy for him.

I saw An Education this afternoon. I quite enjoyed it. Carey Mulligan was great. My friend and I both agreed that her looks and manner reminded us of Katie Holmes, but with better acting skills.

I remember loving that when it came out, but if I've seen it since, it's been a lonnnnnng time. I should put in the NetFlix queue.

Which is what I did the last time it came up. It was a nice break from my Oscar blitz.

Carey Mulligan was great. My friend and I both agreed that her looks and manner reminded us of Katie Holmes, but with better acting skills.

It hadn't occurred to me, but I totally agree.

DEAD AGAIN has one of those great Robin Williams nasty supporting roles. When he's not trying to make everyone love him, he's actually quite a good actor. He was definitely the best thing in THE SECRET AGENT and utterly frightening.

And he was uncredited in the film, as well. I remember being surprised when he showed up on screen, because I hadn't heard he was in it beforehand.

I loved the I, Claudius reference, which is practically obligatory in a Derek Jacobi performance.

Wrote another blog post for work. [link]

My next one will be in March "Why chicks dig vampires."

I loved the I, Claudius reference, which is practically obligatory in a Derek Jacobi performance.

I totally geeked out over that the first time I saw it!

Hey Godfather fans, want a juicy historical tidbit?

I was looking up some info on the Irish-American Winter Hill gang (in Boston) and the gang wars of the early sixties. Check out this bit on Alex Rocco (Moe Greene):

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In early September 1961, two Winter Hill associates of (James) McLean, and their friend, 22-year-old Charlestown mobster George McLaughlin rented a cottage on Salisbury Beach for a Labor Day party. Drinking with his friends throughout the day and into the late evening, McLaughlin attempted to grope one of the gangster girlfriends. Confronted by the two men, McLaughlin received a savage beating until losing consciousness. Unsure whether or not he was still alive, they dumped him at a nearby hospital and went to tell McLean what had happened.

McLean told them he would take care of it and had a talk with his friend, and George McLaughlin's brother, Bernard McLaughlin aka "Bernie".

When Buddy learned that Bernie McLaughlin wanted to take revenge and sought Buddy's help in doing it, Buddy told him his brother had been out of line and had the beating coming.[citation needed] Bernie McLaughlin stormed out in a rage. Later that night, McLean awoke to the sound of his dogs barking, and saw two men under his car. He went outside firing a .38 revolver, and found plastique wired to the ignition of his car. Suspecting the McLaughlins, he began stalking Bernie McLaughlin throughout Charlestown until he found him. He killed Bernie McLaughlin walking out of the "Morning Glory" bar in Charlestown in broad daylight and in front of almost one hundred witnesses on October 31, 1961. He was originally arrested along with Alex Petricone but the witness who picked them out later recanted and they were released. Alex Petricone who was not a killer was sent out to California by Buddy McLean to stay out of the gang war. Alex started taking acting lessons, changed his name to Alex Rocco and became an actor. One of his first roles was playing Moe Greene in the Godfather movie.

I just have to point out that the Winter Hill gang had a huge weapons cache across the street from my aunts' house in the 80s.

Jesse the Cowgirl Gangsta Girl!