tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105850252024-03-05T08:37:02.449-05:00Mad Minerva 2.0Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind.Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.comBlogger7707125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-81879254340190217972017-08-04T20:00:00.000-04:002017-08-04T20:03:13.936-04:00Friday Fun with Hanson: The Next Generation<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a long time since I posted something for Friday Fun, so this better be good, right? It is, and - heck! - <a href="http://www.npr.org/event/music/530037024/hansons-got-a-new-song-and-guess-what-its-fantastic" target="_blank">even NPR thinks so!</a> Enjoy the MMMBop kids all grown up and sharing their music video with their adorable little ones:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fun but terrifying factoid: That earworm <a href="https://youtu.be/NHozn0YXAeE" target="_blank">"MMMBop"</a> came out in 1997 ... 20 years ago.</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(By the way, you may remember how a few summers ago I was not above <a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2013/09/nerd-journal-musical-mayhem-aka.html" target="_blank">deploying "MMMBop" in psychological warfare</a>.)</span></center>
Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-80364353779048043872017-07-13T12:42:00.000-04:002017-07-13T12:42:06.423-04:00Chinese Dissident Liu Xiaobo (1955-2017) Dies at 61<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here is <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/07/13/535965814/chinese-nobel-peace-laureate-and-human-rights-advocate-liu-xiaobo-dies" target="_blank">a writeup</a> and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2017/07/liu-xiaobo-dies/533529/" target="_blank">an overview</a>. China needs more like him. I'll leave you with the indelible image of his empty chair at the 2010 Nobel ceremony that China's leadership did not permit him to attend, for it had imprisoned him the year before. Oh, and do take a look at <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2010/xiaobo-lecture.html" target="_blank">his lecture</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESZsQq7V1jlM79XUh_tny6dKj8ltVGowpl22o1Mp93c71SGUHeULx8WyOLEV7Sj8q63M1ItdcHrB3DDCe3KCP4GvrqIkCjdTz4Xqd4iRK5zVFGBOP2ScNVQiQb5ABmzUVk-rY/s1600/liu+xiaobo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESZsQq7V1jlM79XUh_tny6dKj8ltVGowpl22o1Mp93c71SGUHeULx8WyOLEV7Sj8q63M1ItdcHrB3DDCe3KCP4GvrqIkCjdTz4Xqd4iRK5zVFGBOP2ScNVQiQb5ABmzUVk-rY/s320/liu+xiaobo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-22565843137187928092017-07-04T20:28:00.000-04:002017-07-04T20:28:21.142-04:00Happy Fourth from Colonial Williamsburg<center>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-63945127114116971572017-07-04T14:07:00.000-04:002017-07-04T14:07:05.916-04:00Movie Madness: Fun Films for the Fourth of July<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Cine-Sibling and I offer these options for your viewing pleasure if you're whiling away the hours before fireworks tonight!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the interest of full disclosure: I vetoed with extreme prejudice his suggestion of the first <i>Transformers </i>movie. As for <i>Saving Private Ryan</i> ... Well, my list only has room for one movie rescuing Matt Damon, and I wanted something fun and less bloody for a summer holiday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here are our picks in alphabetical order:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>1776</i> (1972)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Air Force One</i> (1997)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Apollo 13</i> (1995)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Argo</i> (2012)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Armageddon</i> (1998)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Captain America: The First Avenger</i> (2011)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Die Hard</i> (1988)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Glory</i> (1989)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>The Hunt for Red October </i>(1990)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Independence Day</i> (1996)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>The Martian</i> (2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Miracle</i> (2004)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>The Patriot </i>(2000)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Yankee Doodle Dandy</i> (1942)</span></li>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-55698754947818286632017-07-04T12:26:00.000-04:002017-07-04T12:26:03.855-04:00Meet Mary Katherine Goddard<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/this-womans-name-appears-on-the-declaration-of-independence-so-why-dont-we-know-her-story/2017/07/03/ce86bf2e-5ff1-11e7-84a1-a26b75ad39fe_story.html" target="_blank">She printed the Declaration and was the first female postmaster in the colonies in 1775 in Baltimore.</a></span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-54104971649272148462017-07-04T11:34:00.000-04:002017-07-04T11:34:13.095-04:00Thomas Jefferson's Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Remember, when we see the (glorious) finished product, we see only the final result of a long, arduous process of writing and editing and rewriting and re-editing and compromise and debate. Here is <a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib000156/?loclr=fbloc" target="_blank">a rough draft </a>of the Declaration of Independence!</span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-24482354367161629172017-06-30T10:20:00.000-04:002017-06-30T10:20:29.511-04:00Friday Fun: The Big Apple in the Movies<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's a fun compilation of clips from movies set in New York. How many do you recognize?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Don't fret: <a href="http://gothamist.com/2017/06/27/nyc_movies_supercut.php" target="_blank">Here is the list of all the movies</a>.)</span></center>
Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-10244966439313957442017-06-27T10:37:00.000-04:002017-06-27T13:13:46.157-04:00Movie Review: "Wonder Woman" (2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">New Girl.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maybe I should have subtitled this review "I believe in miracles since you came along" since - contrary to all past experience and every expectation - DC finally managed to make a superhero movie that isn't awful! In fact, the "miracles" part comes from the stunning realization that this movie not only doesn't make you hate yourself for watching it (à la <a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2016/05/movie-review-3-superhero-flicks-2016.html" target="_blank">predecessor 1</a> and <a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2017/01/movie-review-suicide-squad-2016.html" target="_blank">2</a> whose titles I shall not type again to defile my keyboard), but it is by any practical Hollywood mea$urement an unqualified $ucce$$ (currently sitting pretty on <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wonderwoman.htm" target="_blank">a global box office figure</a> of $650 million and climbing still). Even more shocking given DC's track record, <i>Wonder Woman</i> works as an engaging story in itself: it is a masterful blend of action, character development, charm, and actual human connection directed by Patty Jenkins and anchored by Gal Gadot (Gisele from the <i>Fast and Furious</i> franchise) as Diana of Themyscira and by Chris Pine (Captain Kirk of the new<i> Star Trek</i>) in his supporting role as WWI pilot Steve Trevor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had walked into the theatre expecting more of DC's glum anti-heroic moral murkiness and muddy, ashen color palette that has plagued its other films, only this time I also expected it all to be even more joyless and the entire Amazon plotline to be a monument to movie misandry when it wasn't being a humorless, lumbering mess of pixel-maniacal CGI fighting that was all sound and fury signifying nothing. I really expected this flick to be a disappointment on the scale of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327554/" target="_blank"><i>Catwoman</i></a> (2004) and </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0357277/" target="_blank">Elektra</a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (2005)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, utterly deplorable films that took decent characters and well-loved (and otherwise talented!) actresses and completely destroyed them all in embarrassing fashion. I am so happy to be so wrong.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Premise and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plot:</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let's start with the basics: the idea of a superheroic origin story set in a period war piece will inevitably evoke comparisons with Marvel's (excellent, by the way) </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2011/07/movie-review-captain-america-first.html" target="_blank">Captain America: The First Avenger</a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (2011), set during WWII. <i>Wonder Woman </i>is framed as an extended flashback as Diana Prince, currently a curator at the Louvre, receives a photo from her past:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The movie then unrolls as an extended memory of that photo and how it came to be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other critics have complained about the amount of time the movie takes with Diana's personal history, but I rather enjoyed it myself, and I thought it was necessary in characterizing her and understanding her motivations and eventual arc. When pilot Steve Trevor crashes in the sea off the Amazon island of Themyscira, one has to understand why Diana saves him and then decides to go to the outside world with him to try to end the war. That effort, soon acquiring a knot of companions, becomes the core of the narrative.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Cast:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, what a lovely roster! Gal Gadot is absolutely riveting with charisma to burn (not to mention utterly charming and in possession of comedic chops I never realized that she had), and Chris Pine cuts a figure both heroic and funny; the two together work with a chemistry perfect for screwball comedy as much as epic action. The Cine-Sib and I, already fans of Gadot from the <i>Fast and Furious</i> flicks, are delighted to see her explode into an international superstar. The supporting cast is likewise very good, and I would like to give a shout-out especially to Lucy Davis as Etta Candy, Trevor's secretary who is more than just comic relief. The casting of female professional athletes as Amazons is a very nice touch, and I was also pleased to see 50-something actresses Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright command the screen as Queen Hippolyta and General Antiope. Hollywood's full of dewy starlets, but these two offer another perspective. Elena Anaya as Dr. Maru, willingly in league with the wicked German General Ludendorff, offers another angle still, a reminder that women as well as men make choices for good and evil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Tsk Tsk:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The movie does have a few flaws. I have to chalk up some demerits especially for the third act, mainly the climactic action scene. Part of it disintegrated into the predictable CGI slugfest, though I suppose I must also give credit that this one had no beam of light shooting into the sky among floating rubbish heaps and a faceless, undifferentiated, spawning army of boring CGI clones. There is that. Still, it's a little disappointing when the entire movie up to this point has been so good with smaller scale action and the human element, but here we go again spending far too much time smashing stuff up in ways that don't matter because the smasher and the smashee are both pretty much impervious to the smashing. Who let Michael Bay in here?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Related Thoughts:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've gotten into a few - I don't want to say arguments, so let's say, ah - discussions of differing opinions about this movie not in itself but in ancillary things. One was about how the film was banned or suspended in Algeria, Lebanon, and Tunisia (and almost but ultimately not banned in Jordan) because Gal Gadot is Israeli, had served in the IDF, and expressed support for Israel's military actions. Somebody pretty much accused me of being an propagandist for Israel because I liked the actress and movie, something something, and I thought film bans were censorship acts that were bad for art, something something. <i>*Insert eye roll here.*</i> Whatever. Another ... ah, discussion ... was about how some people were reacting to this movie. This flick has made a zillion dollars, presented a glorious protagonist, and changed the entire conversation about female leads in superhero franchises (a pop culture issue with international ramifications), but apparently that's still not good enough for some self-proclaimed feminists who have - I kid you not - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/wonder-woman-faces-wrath-fans-digitally-blurred-hairless-armpits/" target="_blank">complained about the Amazon princess's underarms</a>. Who's being petty now and fixated on personal appearance? Anyway, all I could think of was how Ayaan Hirsi Ali slammed modern Western feminism for <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/hirsi-ali-slams-feminisms-trivial-bs/article/2556419" target="_blank">being obsessed with (and I quote) "trivial bullsh*t."</a> Then Alessandra rolled her eyes and said that some people won't be happy unless they have something to complain about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One more thing: in some reviews and conversations, some people are behaving as if Diana Prince is the first smart, complex, butt-kicking female character to come along in the sci fi/fantasy/comic book genre. Where have these people been? Do they not know the genre on even a rudimentary level? Butt-kicking women have been a feature of the genre for decades. Remember Ellen Ripley of <i>Alien</i> back in 1979? Sarah Connor of the <i>Terminator </i>franchise? Look what happened to the fool who dared to mess with Mrs. Weasley at the Battle of Hogwarts. More recently in the Star Wars universe we saw General Organa, Rey, and Jyn Erso. That's just for starters and on the big screen. That's not even talking about the small screen and people like Xena, Buffy Summers, the ladies of all the <i>Star Trek</i>s, Zoe Washburne, female demon hunters of <i>Supernatural</i>, and Supergirl. (If we want to branch out the conversation, we can include formidable figures like <i>Alias</i>' Sydney Bristow, <i>Burn Notice</i>'s Fiona Glenanne, and Ilsa Faust in the latest <i>Mission: Impossible</i> movie.) This isn't to diminish Gal Gadot's Diana Prince at all, but I want to set her in the much bigger context.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Verdict:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, <i>Wonder Woman</i> delivers a great time at the movies. Full of heart, humor, and humanity in 2 hours of action and adventure, it is a marvel of DC resurrection. Mad Minerva gives <i>Wonder Woman</i> a grade of A+. Kudos for pulling this off, DC, and more kudos still for presenting a woman as the action protagonist for all without resorting to cheap you-go-girl jingoism or even cheaper male-bashing or reductive, simplistic, tedious preaching (<a href="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/000253529hr_ext.jpg?w=2700&h=2700" target="_blank">its light touch is one of the most engaging things about it</a>). Above all, it is a movie about compassion, unironic heroism, moral clarity (!), and the complexity of human beings who in their flaws and foibles still try to do the right thing in a complicated and dangerous world ... a complexity that extends to Amazon princesses too on the temptation to power and the idea of mercy and compassion as an active choice. It's inspirational, heartening, encouraging, and empowering for <i>everybody</i> in the audience. I gave the A+ also in part because this movie reinvigorated the entire DCEU project and even made me do something I've never done: actually look forward to the next DC movie. (Don't screw it up, <i>Justice League</i>!) It also did something that made me laugh: a normally staid, bookish guy friend of mine (who usually doesn't like superhero flicks) saw it and rushed up to me afterwards, a huge grin on his face, and shouted with delight, "She kicks @$$!" Now that's worth an A+ right there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wonder_woman_2017/" target="_blank">RottenTomatoes</a> gives <i>Wonder Woman</i> the bona fide Fresh rating of 92%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Wonder Woman</i> runs 141 minutes and is rated PG-13 for violence and a bit of suggestive content.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is the trailer:</span><br />
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-36706570856496556262017-06-27T08:19:00.000-04:002017-06-27T08:19:07.458-04:00London's "Little Pyongyang"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/north-korea/north-korea-defectors-find-unlikely-haven-london-s-new-malden-n766936" target="_blank">North Korean defectors make a home in a London suburb.</a> Do take a look at some of their stories, such as that of the former North Korean army officer who now runs the Free NK newspaper.</span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-31057380198498692772017-06-26T15:40:00.000-04:002017-06-26T15:40:44.243-04:00Indonesia vs. Illegal Fishing Boats<a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/indonesia-fisheries-protection/3901739.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boom, baby.</span></a>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-67698849226802684842017-06-23T13:04:00.000-04:002017-06-23T13:04:36.460-04:00Friday Fun: Scooby Doo Theme + Ska Band<center>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-90746156971380086342017-06-21T09:29:00.000-04:002017-06-21T09:29:22.335-04:00Hello Wonder!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm working on my movie review for <i>Wonder Woman</i>, so here is some related entertainment in the meanwhile: the official Japanese ad campaign for the film includes Hello Kitty. Well, of course it does. Take a look at <a href="http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/wonderwoman/" target="_blank">the official Japanese website</a> after you click away from the trailer that pops up. Here's a closer look:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1GlG2Idjjph3qnh-zIFW9U3ZyH_0o_iP3lHEWsI1qhhVOpI72mEim69rNlbGl89LrH3xxXiTXzcgqnEJk0_OkaxrrgudAjuq1Il3E-Qa-hA5fvv2w0OGgFjtOvuun1qVX7cO/s1600/Hello+Kitty+Wonder+Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="675" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1GlG2Idjjph3qnh-zIFW9U3ZyH_0o_iP3lHEWsI1qhhVOpI72mEim69rNlbGl89LrH3xxXiTXzcgqnEJk0_OkaxrrgudAjuq1Il3E-Qa-hA5fvv2w0OGgFjtOvuun1qVX7cO/s320/Hello+Kitty+Wonder+Woman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-79747807290581109952017-06-06T19:07:00.000-04:002017-06-06T19:07:27.336-04:00D-Day: June 6, 1944<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">73 years ago on this day the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy and changed the course of history for the better. It's a good day to spare a moment to be thoughtful and thankful.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG0Wh4xlCKMdnTJp4NfHGMXYexdn1-p5o7PNCME3raYbarcnXdVvFjniTcZGFXl8WsFzyi6sTuWQrf5g5w2EQkjwbq7ZsFp3xFSQV8JEzyoARS9Gj2nYc9tcMXo1aTQcdkZP8/s1600/d-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="966" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG0Wh4xlCKMdnTJp4NfHGMXYexdn1-p5o7PNCME3raYbarcnXdVvFjniTcZGFXl8WsFzyi6sTuWQrf5g5w2EQkjwbq7ZsFp3xFSQV8JEzyoARS9Gj2nYc9tcMXo1aTQcdkZP8/s320/d-day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-24516257430453128932017-06-06T18:57:00.000-04:002017-06-06T18:57:23.350-04:00Movie Madness: Title Drops<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ah, yes, that hit-you-over-the-head meta game from moviemakers who think they're more clever than they actually are! Title-dropping happens far too often, and it always jolts me right out of the movie-watching experience.</span><br />
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-49320563336434965662017-05-30T21:58:00.000-04:002017-05-30T21:58:06.296-04:00Movie Review: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Family Matters.</i></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2014's <i>Guardians of the Galaxy </i>was <a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2014/08/movie-review-guardians-of-galaxy.html" target="_blank">a delightful surprise</a>, and even though its inevitable sequel can't quite recapture that initial thrill of discovery, it still delivers plenty of the same kind of zany personality, irreverent zingers, nostalgic pop culture awareness, colorful CGI eye candy scenery, and retro soundtrack shenanigans that made the first <i>Guardians </i>so much fun. To be perfectly honest, I went to see this for 2 main reasons: Rocket and Baby Groot (still adorably tiny and twiggy but now out of his flowerpot and capable of locomotion), and on that front the movie delivers in spades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The gang's all here again, along with some new characters, including an alien who looks like an Oscar statuette come to life, Chibs from <i>Sons of Anarchy</i> trading in his leather jacket for Ravager gear, a girl with antennae, and a figure named Ego who really, really, really lives up (or down) to his name.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The plot has its up and downs, and there is one detail arriving late in the film that is as unnecessary as it is horrifying and jarring. Still, the whole movie looks so darn pretty with bright, eye-popping fantasy CGI that its flaws are forgotten in a second. Besides, all it took was the next shot of Baby Groot to make me forget my complaints. Seriously, though, keep an eye on the film's overarching meditation on the meaning of family and loyalty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, sit through all the credits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mad Minerva gives <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2</i> a grade of B+.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_2/" target="_blank">RottenTomatoes</a> gives the movie the bona fide Fresh rating of 81%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2</i> runs 136 minutes and is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action/violence and some language.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's the trailer: </span><br />
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-15902180457263352902017-05-27T08:38:00.000-04:002017-05-27T08:38:10.870-04:00LOL: Life Imitates "Arrested Development"<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">First <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/truck-plows-analtech-odor-leads-hazmat-situation-article-1.3189762" target="_blank">read this</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Then <a href="https://youtu.be/pz8aYiH_nRg" target="_blank">watch this</a>.</span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-91757505914536815412017-05-26T21:00:00.000-04:002017-05-26T21:00:42.768-04:00Friday Fun: "Star Wars" Theme on Accordion<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Since the space opera celebrated its 40th birthday this week on May 25, here's something relevant: </span><br />
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-36329215218282701212017-05-26T20:33:00.000-04:002017-05-26T20:33:32.540-04:00Food Fight: Who Gets to Cook Ethnic Dishes?<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://reason.com/blog/2017/05/23/someone-created-a-list-of-ethnic-restaur" target="_blank">This is ridiculous. Give me a freaking break.</a></span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-34599402222389264782017-05-26T20:18:00.000-04:002017-05-26T20:18:31.210-04:00Syria: Its Breakup is a "Fait Accompli"<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/19/syria-has-ceased-to-exist-rebels-airstrikes-isis-russia-iran/" target="_blank">So says <i>Foreign Policy</i>.</a></span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-21275173966544407482017-05-26T10:48:00.000-04:002017-05-26T10:48:44.571-04:00Movie Madness: Ranking Tom Cruise Movies<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I thought <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2017/05/25/heres-every-single-tom-cruise-movie-correctly-ranked/" target="_blank">this</a> was hilarious not only because ranking movies is always an exercise in amusing subjectivity but because the writer flat out announces with endearingly brutal honesty: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Anyway, with news of a coming Top Gun sequel, it hit me that, although I’m not a particularly big fan of Cruise, from that day until this one, I’ve seen virtually every movie he’s appeared in. I’m sure I’m not alone. And because I will do virtually anything to avoid writing about Donald Trump or Russia or Congressional Budget Office scores, I correctly ranked them for you."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Since I too have been refusing to engage in political blogging because the quality of ostensibly professional journalistic coverage has been utterly absymal, I would much rather talk about movies! Here's the (very entertaining) ranking of <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2017/05/25/heres-every-single-tom-cruise-movie-correctly-ranked/" target="_blank">every Tom Cruise movie.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Let's point out a few recent personal favorites, shall we? Here are my grades with links to reviews.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2014/06/movie-review-edge-of-tomorrow.html" target="_blank"><i>Edge of Tomorrow</i> (2014): A </a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Almost all the <i>Mission: Impossible</i> movies. I gave 2011's <a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2011/12/movie-review-mission-impossible-ghost.html" target="_blank"><i>Ghost Protocol</i></a> an A-. I didn't get around to writing a full review of 2015's <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mission_impossible_rogue_nation/" target="_blank"><i>Rogue Nation</i></a>, but that's an A (with a huge shoutout to Rebecca Ferguson and a nod to Simon Pegg and the great Ving Rhames).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://madminerva.blogspot.com/2008/08/movie-review-tropic-thunder.html" target="_blank"><i>Tropic Thunder </i>(2008)</a>. The flick itself gets a B overall, but Cruise's turn is amazing.</span></li>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-46135516583136907852017-05-17T22:32:00.000-04:002017-05-17T22:32:30.615-04:00New Star Trek!<center>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-37257454425921599702017-04-16T11:48:00.000-04:002017-04-16T11:48:10.775-04:00Happy Easter!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I usually post a favorite work of Easter art, but this year I've decided to do something a little different and post music instead. Enjoy! </span><br />
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-77570106903578960012017-01-28T17:57:00.000-05:002017-01-28T17:57:21.099-05:00The Science of Igloos<center>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-46116575866903998562017-01-28T07:03:00.002-05:002017-01-28T07:03:59.688-05:00Happy Year of the Rooster!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/91368/8-festive-chinese-new-year-traditions" target="_blank">It's Chinese New Year/Spring Festival! </a>Eat until you explode!</span>Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10585025.post-41919914274878048962017-01-23T08:55:00.000-05:002017-01-23T08:55:05.701-05:00Nerd Fun: xkcd on Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ever wonder what would happen if Isaac Asimov had arranged the laws differently? <a href="https://xkcd.com/1613/" target="_blank">Wonder no more, darlings!</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJ2eV2YQKfU51BKXXFxbRvjDjGcDskXpmhQmFV6VdvpcEdiD4-63moHGnEAwbHFZNOwHsMpzOPb10qEdyQTlzvIZDLXdibtA14J7iYbrRmN_Bhu_xeOUWGrEQuZPZgo4sfdKN/s1600/the_three_laws_of_robotics.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJ2eV2YQKfU51BKXXFxbRvjDjGcDskXpmhQmFV6VdvpcEdiD4-63moHGnEAwbHFZNOwHsMpzOPb10qEdyQTlzvIZDLXdibtA14J7iYbrRmN_Bhu_xeOUWGrEQuZPZgo4sfdKN/s320/the_three_laws_of_robotics.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The fact that fully half of the configurations ends in a killbot hellscape does rather give one pause, doesn't it?</span><br />...</div>
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<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/527336/do-we-need-asimovs-laws/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Sooooo, do we need those laws?)</span></a></div>
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Mad Minervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01649780647476573087noreply@blogger.com0