Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol

Seeing as it was the holidays and new movies were in the cinemas, coupled with some free movie tickets, we decided to go out and watch something. After seeing Tintin the previous week we narrowed down the selection to the following:

Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol
Tower Heist
War Horse

After watching the trailers we deemed that MI4 was the best choice. Thought that we'd better get there a little early in case it was busy. With it being the last day of the holidays you couldn't be sure.

Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol

I parked the car where the missus said to even though it wasn't anywhere near where I wanted to. We tried to get in through the food hall area entrance but the doors were locked. Managed to talk our way through one shop that they were doing renovation work on. It was then that I remembered that I'd left my bag in the car and would have to retrieve it. Bought the tickets first and then headed out to go the long way around to return to the car.

As I entered the car park I saw a couple of guys pull up and start to walk inside. They looked a bit loose. After the long walk, reminiscent of when I first shopped at the Galleria and couldn't remember where I had parked my car (it is a big shopping centre with a BIG car park) I was in and driving towards the entrance where the cinema was situated.

Waited a few more minutes before entering before the start of the movie. The room was getting close to packed. And of course someone was sitting in our seats. There was a father and son who hadn't read the numbers properly so they only had to move over a few seats. But two guys, and guess who they should turn out to be, were in our seats. One of the guys, whom I'd seen in the car park, was upset that I wanted the seats that I had been allocated. He began to argue that they were his seats and that he was in row N. Well, my ticket was for row M and he was sitting in it. Then he tried to tell me that the alphabet went L, N then M. What a bloody dill. Even the father sitting nearby couldn't believe his ears. Well, it turns out that the people sitting behind these two were in the wrong seats as well. This guy even tried to argue that there were plenty of seats and it didn't matter. I made it quite clear that it did matter as we were a family of three and wished to sit together in OUR allocated seats. He and his friend finally moved. What a dick.

Talk about Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise had it easy compared with us just trying to obtain our seats.

Brilliant movie which everyone enjoyed. Full of action, stunts, fighting, great special effects, action, some humour, intrigue, and did I mention action? I would thoroughly recommend this movie and it is why you go to the cinema.

The Adventures of Tintin

Following the Boxing Day sales today we went to the cinema to see The Adventures of Tintin. Exquisite. Was worth every cent. Oh, that's right. I used some free movie tickets. Pity that the cinema was pretty well packed and our seats were chosen for us about 20 minutes prior to the commencement of the movie.

The Adventures of Tintin

Babysitting

New term started last week and the first day was a pupil-free day. I took the day off work to be with The Boy. We had lots of shopping to do (my stuff) and then went fishing nearby on the river (The Boy's stuff). It rained the whole time, thankfully only lightly, and we tried a couple of spots. Fishing in the river isn't great fun as there are lots of branches and other submerged items to snag the line on. I swear that I caught enough snags to have a BBQ for all my neighbours. The Boy managed to hook a decent bream and landed it. At least one of us was successful.

After the missus finished work we headed to the movies to see Transformers 3 : Dark of the Moon. Let me tell you something - this is the reason that you watch movies at the cinema. It's loud, full of action, has a hot chick (who can act a bit and better than Megan Fox), includes drama and comedy, has more action, lots of twists and did I mention that it had action? Special effects were fantastic and I'd say this movie craps all over Avatar. We all enjoyed it and have seen all of the Transformers movies at the cinema. I can't imagine watching this at home. The cinema wanted to charge $18/adult but I picked up tickets for $11 each from the RAC (of which I am a member).

We prepared dinner at home and fish was on the menu. And let me tell you - it tasted very nice. Just like a bought one. And I'm not saying that just because I cleaned it and cooked it.

Fantastic day off. Don't mind babysitting occasionally. Only if it's my boy though.

Sherlock Holmes Movie Review

Last weekend we grabbed some videos and one of them was Sherlock Holmes. The missus had wanted to see it for a while. I quite enjoyed the movie as it is very fast paced and witty. After about half an hour or so I started to realise that it looked like a cross between Iron Man and CSI. It was at that time that I worked out the lead actor was the lead from Iron Man. No wonder.

Sorry, Holmes was too clever by far for my liking and the script written too much like an American crime show whereby they solved every case in great detail. I don't like my movies like that. The storyline was great but an incredibly complex case was solved all too simply.

Not sure that I really enjoy Guy Ritchie-directed movies. I'd give the movie 9/10 for content but 6/10 for viewer satisfaction.

Last Day Of School Holidays

Monday was the last day of school holidays. I didn't have a break from work but seeing as the missus works on the first day back, and it is a pupil-free day for teacher training, I got to babysit. And there is no way I'm going to sit around at home and have The Boy drive me nuts. That's what the weekends are for.

Up early so I could go to the chiropractor. Then I took him to an even more exciting place - a hobby shop. Looks like I might just have to get him a racing car set after that visit. Then we tootled off down to the cinema to watch Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He's read the books and the trailer looked alright. Very enjoyable movie. Suited to tweens, 10-12 year olds, and reasonably funny. I'm glad I went. Then it was off to the supermarket for a bit of shopping and home to make homemade subway-style sandwiches. Yum.

To round off the excitement we worked on his school project, a solar boat, before playing computer games and going to taekwondo training. Quite a busy day actually. If only I could organise myself at work that well.

Romantic Time Spent Watching A Movie

Our young bloke was over at a sleepover last night. It offered us a chance to spend a bit of time together so we grabbed a video. I let the wife choose whatever she wanted to watch and she picked Daybreakers. I don't think that she looked past the star of the movie, Ethan Hawke, before making her choice.

The movie is rated MA 15+ Restricted, which must be a new classification, and is full of horror, gore and blood. Not exactly romantic but it did lead to a few holds of the arm. The movie was made in Australia but strangely there was one Australian actor who spoke with an American accent whilst the others did not and some cars were left-hand drive while others were right-hand drive. Quite a good movie but the climax was a little too simplistic.

Pupil-Free Day

It was a pupil-free day today where the pupils stay away from school and the teachers attend school without them. I reckon close to 95% of teachers would like to have it this way all of the time but perhaps we'd better not put this to the vote. I had to stay home to babysit The Boy. Isn't it funny how we fathers refer to it as babysitting but the mothers just "stay at home with the kids"?

I had a few plans for my day off which, by the way, I earnt by working on Saturday. Nice to swap Monday for Saturday, whereby I got much more work done due to less disruptions, but I know that I'll pay for it on Tuesday with a full inbox from the rest of the country that was at work. Plans almost went to the dogs as I'm not feeling too well. Bit of a cold and a deal of associated coughing. I was hoping to take The Boy to the golf course to actually play a game. He's only been on the driving range previously.

I did want to take him to the movies also. Managed to find out that Hoyts has a matinee special if you purchase at least two tickets for movies prior to 5pm. The 3D version was on special for only A$12 as opposed to the normal A$20 for an adult ticket. Bargain! Wasn't impressed with the 27 minutes of ads and trailers prior to the movie starting. I think we had only 26 people in the cinema so it wasn't packed.

We watched Toy Story 3. I'd heard that it was good, as was Shrek 4 The Final Chapter, but The Boy wanted to see it more.

Great movie. Better than Toy Story 2 and about on par with Toy Story the original. Wasn't overly impressed with the 3D version as nothing jumped out from the screen apart from the ads. Could have been so much better. Much like watching a normal movie although I find the 3D glasses to be a bit distracting and annoying. I don't know how people put up with wearing glasses normally. Really enjoyed the movie.

Toy Story 3 Display at Hoyts.

Back home to make a subway-style sandwich for The Boy, which he really enjoyed (bit of a surprise there) and then off for some shopping before a visit to the doctor to obtain a blood test for The Boy. He has a nut allergy and we need more information on it. No taekwondo training for me today due to my cold. Not a bad day off though.

Frugal Bastard Presents - Slow Down or Stop

I like a good joke. I like a good Lego man movie. So I thought that I'd combine the too. You be the judge of how successful I've been. If you like the movie email the link to your friends. Tell the world. It's all about viral marketing people. C'mon, my son's Lego man movies have had more hits than mine.


Frugal Bastard Presents - Slow Down or Stop?

Lego Men Fighting by Korean Tiger Productions

The Boy made a lego man movie by himself tonight. Here it is. He's decided to call himself Korean Tiger Productions.


Lego Men Fighting

Banker Fired For Being Too Hot

News article about a former bank employee of Citibank having been fired because was too good looking and distracting male colleauges. Photos of Deborahlee Lorenzana here.

Isn't that a story that needs to be told. I'm sure it goes on in many workplaces but I'd say this woman is fishing for a large payout. Or a role in an adult movie. No comments about the likely script as I've already got that one worked out. Vivid Entertainment are probably knocking on her door right now.

Surely the bank could have placed this woman in customer relations? Who says the banking industry can't be sexy? Bunch of stuffed shirts down at Citibank. Where's the personal touch?

Cinema Almost To Ourselves

Funny feeling the other night when we went to the movies. Our movie of choice was Clash of the Titans and it was showing in 3D. Being a Monday night, obviously not a popular movie-viewing night, it was a bit quiet in the cinema. So quiet in fact that there was only one other audience member. Surreal. I almost felt like a billionaire with my private cinema with seating for several hundred.

Cinema almost to ourselves

Pick a seat. Any seat.

I enjoyed the movie but thought that a Greek story which included an Australian lead, an Irish co-star and an Englishwoman as a demi-god was a far-fetched. The 3D effects were better than Avatar but nothing to get too excited about.

Trip to Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea - Feb 1st 2010

Didn't do a hell of a lot today. Had a sleep in and after breakfast we went to purchase a netbook for Miky. I wanted her to have a look at one in the shop first to try it out. A new shop, iLoom, wanted W899,000 for the model that she had decided upon. Online it was available for W466,000. A difference of some A$430! Bit of a saving. Went to the nearby PC Bang and purchased it. I did some Internet banking to transfer money into my account. Then we had to go to a KEB (Korea Exchange Bank) so that I could withdraw the cash. Gave the money to my sister-in-law so that she could pay off her credit card at her bank. Bit of a process to purchase something online. And to think that shopping online is supposed to be easier.

All of the buildings in the area we went to the banks feature heavy advertising. And there were a few funny Konglish signs about too. It doesn't take too long to find them.

Got a business to advertise?

Korean apartments.

I-Brain. Koreans are not immune to fads.

Kim-Chi Lice. Sounds derishus.

Is this a building or a billboard?

The kids had a doughnut and hot dog whilst they were waiting for the banking to be done. We had decided to watch Avatar in 3D at the cinema and I only just had time to grab a bulgogi burger set from Lotteria for lunch. Passed the World Cup Stadium on our journey downtown. Could believe that we were parked at the 4th level below ground.

World Cup Stadium in Daejeon.


Cool parking attendant with nice dance moves at the entrance to Lotte's underground parking in Daejeon.

Tickets were W13,000/adult and W10,000/child when a normal movie cost W7,000. Still pretty good value. I must say that it took a bit of getting used to the 3D effect but I think that it will catch on. Enjoyed the movie even though it was my second viewing.

All set for Avatar in 3D.

For dinner The Boy preferred shabu shabu and we located a restaurant that served it. Poor fella has waited all holiday for this meal as he loves it after having tried it at home. Between the five of us we had two mimiwoo shabus, a spicy shabu with horrible tasting leaves (my choice) and sukiyaki shabu (delicious). Ate yoghurt ice creams afterwards and went downstairs in the Lotte department store so that I could purchase a pair of jeans.

Mimiwoo Shabu shabu.

Sukiyaki shabu shabu.

Something spicy from the Shabu shabu range.

I then caught the underground home with The Boy and his cousin. Obviously my niece doesn't use the underground much as she was worried about getting to the correct stop. Bit strange as everything is in her language but we played some cards to keep us amused. Had to have a bit of a guess which direction the apartment was from the station but chose the correct way. Loved all of the different spellings of "information" on signs around the place.

INFROMATION

INFOMATION

INFORNATION

INFORMATION - at least one signwriter spelt it correctly.

Avatar

Avatar. Brilliant. Must see. Hugely entertaining. Craps all over Titanic.

Movies - Just Too Expensive

We thought about going to the movies last weekend to watch Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. When we worked it out that the local cinema was going to charge the three of us A$45 for the privelige I wasn't too pleased about that. I'll wait until it comes out on DVD, thank you very much. Sure, it won't be the same as experiencing it at the movies but I'd rather spend A$3.95 and watch it at my leisure.

Hope it's a good movie. The trailer makes it look ok and one person I know that has seen it certainly recommends it. I like a bit of Clint Eastwood, I does.

Boys' Day Out

Yesterday I did something that hadn't been done before and needed to be done. I took a day off work during the school holidays and spent it with the Boy. First job after breakfast was to go to the bank and dump the change into his bank account which then was upgraded to an account paying an additional 2.5% p.a. Then we went to the movies to see Hancock. The local movie reviewer gave the first half of the movie 2.5 stars and 0 stars for the second half. That rating had me a little concerned. But I needn't have been. The movie turned from an action/comedy to drama/love story, with action, and we both really enjoyed it. People even applauded at the conclusion of the movie.

Couple more items of work then we bought some pizzas. One each. Yum. Normally the three of us eat two pizzas with a few slices left over. Not yesterday. Did I mention that it rained nearly all day? We had just under an inch of rain. Good day for doing things indoors. Master stroke time - off to the arcades. The Boy has only been to the arcade once, when he was five, and so this was a treat. We did play a NASCAR race together and he beat me on the line by 0.32 seconds! He came out of nowhere and there wasn't anything wrong with my driving. Bugger.

Miky met us in the city after work and we bought some Korean food and ice creams. Yum. Again.

It was a good day and he even thanked me without prompting. I had been a little concerned that being an only child he took too much for granted. But his attitude seems to be changing. I think it has something to do with wanting a Nintendo Wii for Christmas. Christmas presents - the ultimate behaviour modification device.

I should do this more often.

Movie - The Brave One

The other night we hired "The Brave One" which stars Jodie Foster. It's a violent, gritty and somewhat compelling movie. Not something that we would let the Boy watch. And it was delivered with a good deal of realism.

Hard-hitting, in more ways than one, and worth watching. Four stars.

What's In A Name - Justifiable Homicide?

We like Will Smith. His movies are pretty watchable and I, Robot is amongst my all-time favourites. We were planning to watch I Am Legend at the cinema but never got around to it. It's only been released on DVD in this country for a week and so we hired it last night.

No wonder it is rated MA 15+. There' some scary business going on. Great movie but not one I would watch over and over. I'd give it three and a half to four of out five.

At the conclusion of the movie the credits started to roll. Now, I've mentioned before that I'm a bit strange in the fact that I like to read the credits and will happily do so in the cinema, often being the last to leave. Having the surname Ham I found it amusing to see someone with the surname Bacon. Ok, we've all heard of Kevin Bacon but one of the three Technical Score Supervisors was called Chris P. Bacon. It didn't dawn on me how weird the name was until I read it out aloud. And someone else had Rainbow as their middle name.

Crispy Bacon - surely that's grounds for justifiable homicide?

Shooter - Excellent Movie

We watched Shooter the other night. It stars Mark Wahlberg in an almost entirely convincing role. He was born for the part. The action was full-on and the blood started to flow in the second half. Excellent movie and one of the best actioners I've ever seen. The second half, as good as it is, isn't suitable for youngsters.

I even watched the extra material on the DVD, only about the second time I've ever done that, and learnt some stuff that you may not want to know about shooting. Except that Mark Wahlberg is an excellent shot.

Golden Compass - Movie Review

It's the movie season and we went to see The Golden Compass yesterday. The clips advertising it made it look quite enchanting and action-packed. Wikipedia has a great article with a plot spoiler. It is based on the novel Northern Lights by Philip Pullman.

Visually spectacular it hasn't done well at the U.S. box office but they may have something to do with Nicole Kidman playing a major character. Her acting is so hollow. I watched it despite her involvement. The movie started slowly but when the action started it was fantastic.

Pity the ending appeared mid-movie with an obvious agenda of doing a sequel. I read that it is the first part of a trilogy. The ending just made it appear like a half-finished work which was quite disappointing. Great story up until then. Another thing to put a dampener on the movie was a retarded person sitting quite nearby moaning and groaning a lot. I was more than a little pleased that the group he was with left the cinema after about 30-40 minutes. Times like that make you think investing in a home theatre is a good idea.

Movie Review - Disturbia

Seeing as it rained pretty much all weekend, which is most unusual for December (blame it on global warming. Hang on, it was only about 21 degrees C.), we decided to get out of the house for a coffee for the missus and an ice cream and milkshake. Trotted down to the video shop and hired a few movies. Pick of the bunch was Disturbia starring Shia LaBeouf of Transformers fame. It's about a teenager on home detention who has nothing better to do than spy on the neighbours and thinks he witnesses a murder. But, of course, no-one believes him.

Tense, thrilling, dramatic, twisting and all too much for the young bloke to handle. Not rated for kids under 12 I'd say. Funny, I, Robot had the same rating, I think, and it is the boy's favourite movie. Classifications of films don't mean too much these days.

I'd give the movie 4 out of 5 stars. It was very enjoyable.