Gojira!

I have been to dozens of movies at the Egyptian Theater, but I have never seen a crowd as large or enthusiastic as they were last night for King Kong vs. Godzilla! It was incredible. The line to get in to the theater was HUGE -- actually two lines of people stretching from the entrance all the way to the sidewalk of Hollywood Blvd. And all types of people: kids, parents, grandparents, comic book geeks of all ages, cinephiles, goths, young Hollywood hotties, glamorous older couples...you name it.

I really was suprised at the turnout for some cheesy monster movie. Had no idea there was such a fan base. I'm not really a Godzilla fan. I was just expecting to go and have a nostalgic laugh with a few strangers, but this was more like the atmosphere for a Star Wars movie (back when they were good) or an Indiana Jones flick, something like that. People laughed, cheered, and applauded through the whole film.

They also had a couple of the original Toho company special effects guys from Japan who built all the models and sets for the original Godzilla films. There was a short Q & A before the film with a moderator and the gentlemen spoke through a translator, describing some of their experiences and stories of making the films.

It's too bad the American dubbed versions are the ones being screened for most of the Godzilla festival, a 50th birthday celebration which runs until Tuesday. All of the Japanese sections were pretty good. The American sections were hysterically bad. Horrible filmmaking, but funny to laugh at.

I wish I could see them all!

Cost of Living vs. Population Growth (A Rant)

I hope the housing prices come down someday in California but I doubt there will be a significant decrease in prices without a major event (earthquake, terrorism) which motivates people to leave the market.

There was an extensive article about the housing market in the LA Times a few months ago. Unlike the 1980s when the CA bubble market did reach a breaking point and burst, builders and developers today have been very careful not to overbuild and saturate the market with too many houses, thereby decreasing value.

That is not to say development hasn't continued. In fact, it's progressing at a higher rate than ever. However, the demand is so strong that builders usually don't have to start building until they have a buyer lined up. There are lines of buyers waiting to buy houses that haven't even been built yet!

The population of California is currently around 36 million people. That number is expected to almost double in the next 30 years. It increased by 4.2 million during the 1990s alone. That's a 12% increase! Surprisingly (or not) almost 100% of the population increase is due to immigration, particularly Latinos. Not only do they come to California, legally and otherwise, but they tend to have more children than other racial groups (an average of 3 children for every Latino mother). One in four Californians was born outside the United States.

In the United States, 50% of all children age 5 or under are Latino. And they just keep coming!! At more than 292 million people, the United States is the third-most populous country in the world, behind China and India. We will soon surpass 300 million and reach 400 million by the middle of this century. The United States is the only developed country (along with 7 other third-world countries) that will account for half of the planet's population growth between now and 2050, mostly due to the US's lax immigration policies.

I never thought I'd say this, but maybe Tom Tancredo is right! Maybe we should shut down the borders?!

In the meantime, start practicing your Spanish.

Hollywood Funerals

If you're ever in Los Angeles and want to see some free entertainment from famous stars, look no further than a celebrity funeral.

A few months ago, I attended the funeral of Carl Anderson, who was not exactly a superstar (pun intended), but who attracted a number of famous celebrities and musicians including Stevie Wonder and Nancy Wilson among many others.

Today I happened to turn on the TV and the local NBC affiliate was broadcasting live coverage of Ray Charles' funeral here in Los Angeles. Mr. Charles passed away last week to little fanfare amongst the remembrances of President Reagan.

I missed the beginning of the Ray Charles funeral, but the hour I saw included appearances and performances by luminaries such as Willie Nelson (who sang a mournful version of "Georgia On My Mind"), Clint Eastwood, Glen Campbell (he sang a gospel song - I can't remember the name), Cicely Tyson, LA mayor James Hahn, LA Chief of Police William Bratton (ex-Chief of NY and Boston), the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Stevie Wonder (he's making a new career out of funeral gigs it seems), B.B. King (A boyhood friend of Ray Charles, B.B. was very emotional and weeped all through his speech and song tribute.), Wynton Marsalis (tears streaming down his face as he strolled through the audience playing "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" and "When The Saints Go Marching In" on his trumpet), Little Richard, and Johnny Mathis (who just completed a duet recording with Ray Charles of "Over The Rainbow", which was played to end the service).

After all the music, the remembrances, the laughter, and the tears, the casket was opened for viewing as the limousines lined up for the cortege to the cemetary. Although the camera was far back, there was little Ray nestled snuggly in his coffin with his glasses on. I think he was smiling too.

Two funny stories recounted in the service:

Willie Nelson recalled that he and Ray loved to play chess together whenever they were touring on the same bill. Ray was apparently a master at chess (go figure!) and Willie said he could never win against Ray. Finally Ray told Willie he would give him a break and play with the lights on for a change.

B.B. King said Ray also was an avid poker player and they used to play cards all the time. Again, Ray was such an excellent player the B.B. could never beat him. Eventually B.B. realized Ray had fixed the cards with some Braille code which helped him win!

So if you're hoping for some star-sightings or some heartfelt performances from world-class celebrities, just check out the obituary page of the LA Times. It's the best ticket in town!!

Memories of Reagan

These are my most vivid memories of President Ronald Reagan:

"Are you better off now than four years ago?"

Split-screen TV image of Iran hostages being released as Reagan took the oath of office.

Reaganomics.

"Honey, I forgot to duck!"

The cowboy riding horses on the ranch.

Recession. Deficits. National Debt.

"Well...." Johnny Carson's hilarious impersonation on countless episodes of The Tonight Show.

Jelly beans.

"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."

Calling Nancy "Mommy"

Removal of several polyps.

"We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to touch the face of God."

Nancy Reagan's astrologer.

Just Say No.

"I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

"I have no recollection..." (of approving arms shipments to Iran.)

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

"My fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease...I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."

The Great Communicator.

Comb

I bought a new comb today. Yes, my life is very exciting. The reason I mention it is because the comb cost me $2.25. That's right, two dollars and twenty-five cents for what can only be described as a 10-cent piece of plastic. You would think for that kind of money the comb would tell me the time and temperature or something, but no, it's just your basic Ace brand pocket comb from the local drugstore.

I decided to make my two bucks worth the effort, so instead of choosing the basic black model, I went for the classic mock tortoise color. Gives a retro feeling to the combing experience, and I gotta tell you, having just used the comb for the first time, this is some quality craftsmanship in my hand. I wish I could take a picture for you; if only I hadn't dropped and broken the digital camera Randy gave me.

Aha! After reviewing the plastic pouch in which the comb was contained, I now know why this comb costs $2.25 instead the 10 cents it's worth. The label on the back of the packaging not only describes the product contained inside, it also identifies its purpose: "Pocket Comb. Removes foreign material from hair."

If only I'd bought this comb before I married my ex-wife!

TROY

I don’t usually go for big Hollywood epics, and for the first half hour of this film all I could see were the typical war film formulas and clichés: sweeping vistas of sandy beaches and large boats on the water, melodramatic commanders rallying their troops to combat, and thousands of computer-generated soldiers marching and fighting on the battlefield. But after a while, I really got into this film, and the reason is Troy is more than a typical Hollywood blockbuster. There’s some real meaning to this film. Partly (perhaps mostly) it’s due to Homer’s The Iliad, on which 30-year-old David Benioff (25th Hour) based his screenplay; it’s a great story full of memorable dialogue. Another reason the film hooked me was that there is some deep philosophy here, not the typical glorification of violence, honor and vengeance so common in war movies and historical epics. Scenes illustrating the madness and futility of war are more prevalent than those supporting it.

Even the lead character, Achilles (played by heartthrob Brad Pitt), the greatest warrior the Hellenic world ever knew, has his doubts about the value of combat, particularly the immorality of fighting for the wrong reasons. Achilles despises his greedy king Agamemnon and grudgingly joins the king’s campaign against the Trojans merely for his own personal glory. “My name will be remembered,” Achilles prophetically boasts, “and my story will be told for thousands of years.”

Brad Pitt is a brilliant movie star, if not a great actor, and he does a decent job in the role of the reluctant soldier, Achilles. Pitt has some of the pithiest lines in the film and it is in these moments that his acting truly shines. The more stereotypical action-film-plot-progression speeches reveal Pitt’s limitations, or perhaps his own lack of inspiration. Pitt is no match in his one scene with legendary screen heavyweight Peter O’Toole who, despite his usual mawkish sputtering, delivers a fine (Oscar-worthy?) performance as Priam, Troy’s noble king. O’Toole’s best scene is the one with Pitt and it’s easy to see the difference in ability between the two. O’Toole, once a young blonde god himself, has enough chops to make even the most insipid banter sound inspirational and his emotional plea for mercy in this scene blows Pitt out of the water: “I have endured what no one on earth has endured. I have kissed the hands of the man who killed my son…you're still my enemy tonight, but even enemies can show respect.”

What Pitt lacks in the acting category, he makes up for with his action scenes and his physical prowess. Pitt trained hard for this role to beef up physically and he delivers excellent fight sequences. Pitt’s Achilles also slays just as many hearts as he does enemies. Bedroom scenes abound, and we get to see just about every part of Pitt’s alluring body, enough to make Jennifer Aniston blush! Though the 40-year-old Pitt has not lost any of his beauty, he has lost some of his youth. His bronzed skin is beginning to reveal a few lines and wrinkles, and as we all know, every golden tan eventually resembles a leather suitcase.

A fine performance in the film is that of Australian Eric Bana, who did nothing for me last year as the Hulk, but who delivers a strong, emotional and thoughtful Hector, the heir to the Trojan throne. Hector is a worthy soldier willing to defend his homeland to the death if necessary, though he hates war and tries to persuade his father Priam against it: “I've killed men and I've heard them dying and I've watched them dying and there's nothing glorious about it.” Hector adores his worried wife and infant son and he ensures their safe escape from the city should tragedy fall.

Unimpressive was Lord Of The Rings veteran Orlando Bloom as Hector’s younger brother Paris, who leads his family and country into ruinous conflict by arrogantly seducing the Spartan queen Helen and secreting her back to Troy to be his bride. The cowardly prince finds honor by the end of the film, but Bloom spends most of the movie expressing his own good looks rather than any believable emotions. German newcomer Diane Kruger is lovely, but forgettable at the remorseful Helen.

Wolfgang Peterson’s (The Perfect Storm, Das Boot) direction is top-notch, and though the film runs two-and-a-half hours, it didn’t seem like it. There’s possibly one too many overhead shots sweeping across the field of battle, but I never got bored or tired of the drama. It’s a great story told well. There are many morals to be learned, not the least of which is the folly of relying on gods to fight wars. The older generation of characters reveres the gods and depends on them for guidance, but the younger characters (those doing the actual fighting) complain that every decision made to appease a god seems to end in disaster. Hector cautions that “sometimes the gods bless you in the morning and curse you in the afternoon” while Achilles asserts to his lover Briseis that “the Gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed.”

Many (foolish) reasons for fighting wars are examined in the script: love, land, greed, and oh yes, ego, the desire of a few wealthy men for power, a lust so tempting that the king would gladly sacrifice his entire army just to soothe his bruised family pride. Sound familiar? The bloodthirsty king Agamemnon may proclaim, “Peace is for women and the weak,” but Thetis, the mother of Achilles (played in a cameo by Julie Christie), warns her son, “Your glory walks hand-in-hand with your doom.”

Perhaps it is the excellent British actor Sean Bean (another Lord of The Rings alum) as Odysseus, the character who continues the history in Homer’s sequel The Odyssey, who sums up the ridiculousness of war best when he explains to Achilles, “War is young men dying and old men talking.”

In typical Hollywood fashion, Troy has something for everyone: action for the men, romance for the women, and plenty of eye candy for everyone. It also has a rich level of commentary for the thinkers in the crowd and that makes this Troy worth the effort.