X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Director: Brett Ratner

When a movie have something to hold on to, something that doesn’t have to be too complicated, something that can be as simple as a single noun like friendship or loyalty, then apply this center ideal to build the story and characters, we are more likely to have decent a movie. Not the case of X-men: the Last Stand here, as we try and try waiting for the story to come together and make some sense, it fell from the first moment to the end. Confusingly the movie ends with Mutants fight against each other, forgetting Human is the source of the fight.

It begins with a vaccine that can “cure” mutants, make them “normal.” Typically we have two groups stand in different ground and fight with other for their own beliefs, but the beliefs here is confusing. Magneto (Ian McKellen) doesn’t trust Human will give Mutants the free will to choose, stubbornly believing that the invention of the vaccine means genocide. He gathers the Mutants and preaches they make the first move, but this move gives Human exactly what they need- an excellent excuse to use the weapon. On the other hand, Professor Charles Xavier’s side not exactly has a sufficient reason to the war, either. They don’t talk about the issues of the vaccine much, the minority issue was long gone in this movie, and it is really hard to say what they are fighting for; the peace they pursue just a mirage of nothing happened. All the threads the movie picks up end loosely and unsatisfyingly. The love triangle, the untold love, the father-son issue, the team work, the movie temporize its audience and gives easy answers to those questions.

No beautiful faces or novel superpower tricks can save the movie this time.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Director: Ron Howard
Screenply: Akiva Goldsman

[Gig] Arctic Monkeys

Roseland Ballroom

No matter how charming the Monkeys are, I'm too old to squeeze between bunch of pot-smoking teenage kids. No way I'm doing this again. 18 and older shows only! Or at least sits on mezzanine.

[Baseball] Cleveland Indians

One Nothing Yanks. Period.

[Broadway] Doubt

[Misc] ABT - Giselle

12 June 2006
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center

[Broadway] Shining City

Manhattan Theatre Club at The Biltmore Theatre
Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by Robert Falls
Cast: Oliver Platt, Brian F. O'Byrne, Martha Plimpton, Peter Scanavino

[Broadway] Chicago

Ambassador Theatre
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Fred Ebb & Bob Fosse
Directed by Walter Bobbie
Choreographed by Ann Reinking, in the style of Bob Fosse

[Broadway] The Wedding Singer

Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Book by Tim Herlihy and Chad Beguelin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Directed by John Rando
Choreographed by Rob Ashford

[Baseball] Boston Red Sox

Best. Live. Game. Ever!!!
Although Mussina ended his quaitly start streak and gave up 5 runs in 7 innings, but the baby boomers (how much I love this term)knocked out Red Sox's ace Becket in 2 innings, drove in totally 13 runs.
When the Enter Sandmam music rang in Yankee Stadium this evening, this night officially could be called "perfect."

You'll Get Over It (2003)

Tu Verras, Ca Te Passeras
France
Director: Fabrice Cazeneuve
Cast: Julien Baumgartner, Julia Maraval

The two stereotype of straight women in gay movies are one, gay protagonist’s best friend and two, the idiot who falls in love with our hero. When this movie tells a story about an extremely cute gay college boy with lots of hot gay guys interested in him can’t face his own sexuality, OK, just give me a break right now, what's wrong with you? Your life is miserable? You got to be kidding me. When I think it could not get any worse, here comes the idiot girl who gives her virginity to our hero and doesn’t know her boyfriend is gay. At first she (pathetically) does everything trying to bring back his heart, and then she turns herself into a slut who sleeps with all her best friends. This coming-of-age gay movie does not take us anywhere. It reminds me the feminist course I took years ago: discrimination against women is not just from macho straight men, gay men do it too.

Just a Question of Love (2000)

Juste une question d'amour
France
Director: Christian Fauré
Cast: Cyrille Thouvenin, Stéphan Guérin-Tillié

Much better coming-out story than You'll Get Over It, sufficiently present the struggle everyone experiences. Issues between gay lovers, and gay son and parents all been discussed with certain depth, enjoyable gay-theme film with romance and purpose.

[Misc] Cirque Du Soleil

Randalls Island
Corteo