Day 17 - Artificial butter.

click on the comic to see it bigger

The best comics I write for this blog come from my daily conversations.  I LIKE artificial butter--I think it's the best part of movie popcorn.  Also, a large popcorn at the Silver Cinema costs more than a movie for two.

If I'm lucky, most of you have been just as busy as I have been this weekend, and you're missing the fact that I'm posting the blog for today (October 4th) at night on Sunday (October 5th).  Don't worry, I will be posting a blog and comic specifically for Sunday in a few hours--I just don't want to lose the rhythm of every day updates.  I'll assume you are all reading about my weekend at work on Monday and it doesn't make a difference anyway.

Today was a LOT of fun.  Lindsey came out on a late train last night so that she could get her haircut early.  However, neither of us woke up until after noon, so "early" isn't really the right word to describe how the day has actually gone.  In fact, in the end, Lindsey was not even able to get a haircut today--and had to schedule with the hairdresser for tomorrow after church.

We didn't let this change in plans ruin anything, and after a nice lunch at Mother Earth (a whole foods store near the mall--you'd be surprised at some of the delicious things you can get there) we decided to go see a dollar movie.  The pick was "Step Brothers" and let me tell you, this movie was AWFUL.  I'm sure at some point, most of you have seen the preview for this movie--Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play 40 year old step brothers who still live with their parents.  Hijinks ensue involving such things as karate chopping pumpkins and home made rap videos.

I'll be honest, the movie was funny for the first two acts.  Going to a Will Ferrell movie, you can't expect a bulletproof script and Oscar winning performances (unless we're talking about Stranger than Fiction, which is the ultimate foil to any Ferrell movie)--the dick and fart jokes are part of the reason you go in the first place.  However, the third act of the movie tanked in a way I would have never imagined.  Not only did the ending leave enormous plot holes, even for a dumb comedy, but the characters went through the most contrite and ridiculous changes at the last possible moment.  Yes, at one point the brothers do grow up and become real adults--but it's only so that they can be encouraged to return to their idiotic childishness by the end of the film.  The ending is the deux ex machina to end all duex ex machinas.   Let me give you a hint, it involves opera singing and lumberjacks.  I knew the ending would be stupid, but I was hoping for something more Billy Madison-esque.

Miss this one.  You'll never get your two hours back.

Afterward, Lindsey and I went back to my house and continued our movie watching with "What Dreams May Come"--which, although not the best script ever, is a visually stunning and totally heart touching film.  The movie was made in 1998, around the same time as "The Matrix", and so like most movies that year, got dwarfed by the perpetual hype.  However, "What Dreams May Come" got the last laugh when it, deservingly, won the academy award for best visual effects that year.  This is a 10 year old movie that looks better than most movies made today.  The depiction of hell in the third act is incredible, very Dante's Inferno.  The film is kind of a Jurassic Park--it won't ever stop looking good.  In my opinion movies have become TOO digital these days, which is why Jurassic Park holds so strong--most of the dinosaurs were animatronic.  Nothing looks more real than something REAL!

And that's the way it was!

Oh but before I go, I need to ask if any of you guys watch "The Office"?  Lindsey and I watched the season premier this weekend, and MAN, I'm so glad the show is back on.  I care about the characters, and that's the sign of a good TV show.  More on my bible studies and cool band-related news in tomorrow's post!