Some random shots in and around Brunswick, Maryland, right on the border with Virginia. It's a very funky town -- MAGA flags fly freely next door to purple houses with rainbow flags. The tank is party of a very strangely placed World War II memorial.
Alex Garland is responsible for some of my favorite movies ever -- 28 Days Later, Never Let Me Go, Annihilation. Hell, I even liked Men. (That was a comedy, right?)
But Civil War is something I can only describe as actively stupid. It's the filmic equivalent of a college freshman realizing that the media is only interested in violence, man!
There is political violence, drained of all politics. There are bizarre decisions made by the characters -- let's take an aging 300 pound man into a war zone, just for lulz!
And in an age where journalists are routinely targeted by militaries around the world, there are many naïve scenes where the characters grasp their little PRESS cards and are all of a sudden adopted by different military units, or invited to witness atrocities that they would more than likely be trying to cover up.
And why are they, sometimes, still shooting on film?
This movie is awful. It makes no sense. The ending is not nearly as clever as it seems to think it is.
As my job search continues I've had some extra time to explore the area around Frederick. Point of Rocks, Maryland, is an actual town named after a geographical spot where the mountains come down to the Potomac River. Lots of interesting Civil War era skullduggery took place here!
Today Point of Rocks is a very small town, as a newer and more useful station was built a bit to the north in Brunswick. The station building itself remains though, and it's a beautiful Victorian thing that's only used for storage. The building is defunct, but it's still a working light rail station that will take you to Silver Spring, Maryland (D.C., basically) or the other way up into West Virginia.
It's definitely better than the first one. It gets weird, especially on the Harkonnen home-world, in a very good (and disturbing) way. Paul's character develops well and believably, which was an issue for me in the first installment. I still feel like one long-ish film could tell this story instead of three, but overall it was good. Also, while Christopher Walken is a great actor, it's hard not to just see a walking meme at this point.
Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson, BFFs:
"Dickinson and Swift are sixth cousins, three times removed. Dickinson, born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, is regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson lived as a recluse in her family’s home and only published anonymously while she was alive."
This is fine. Charming, really.
One thing I'll always miss about living in Bellingham was the abundance of diners in and around the area. Hell, I reviewed every single one of them! For whatever reason diner culture isn't nearly as strong here in lovely Frederick, Maryland, but I am going to do my best to cover what's available.
Behold! The Mountain View Diner! 1300 W Patrick Street, Frederick!
It was a snowy Saturday, and I got there right after the lunch rush started to die down. The staff were exhausted, and I don't blame them. And rather than my traditional Eggs Benny, I was hankering for something different -- my other diner go-to, the club sandwich. The club sandwich being among other things, the Exhibitionist of All Sandwiches.
And it was delicious! Let's break down this little slice of 50's rock and roll nostalgia!
I'd heard enough about this film to know that the less you knew going in, the better. I was surprised to find out that the big reveal actually happens in the second scene, about five minutes in.
I feel like it paints itself into a corner, so to speak. The first half is gripping, but then struggles to come to a satisfying conclusion beyond the fact that the father and the mother are monsters.
I'm guessing it will win the Oscar for sound design, deservedly so.
It's a film that deserves credit for taking chances, but comes to an unsatisfying conclusion.
Chingu and Mandu are living their best life. Chingu, on the left, the brassier and more wild of the two, has a new game called "tip over the water dish." It's a metal water dish designed for dogs, with a rubber ring around the bottom.
I thought cats hated water.
Anyhow, I'll root for San Francisco this weekend but I think the Chiefs could actually win by two touchdowns or more.
This is why I don't bet on sports, or anything else for that matter.
