The New Napoleon Dynamite

One of the ways we might pass our time at an extraordinarily casual dinner at home, is for Jarrod to show us all skateboarding or bike videos (on the laptop, at the table...GASP!). These 3-5 min. movies showcase serious stunts by average dudes.

Tonight, I got a special showing of Jarrod's latest find. In a word, sweet. I'm crushing on this Erik Elstran, who is a nouveau Napoleon Dynamite with sweet skills and rad music. Not your typical testosterone trickster, Elstran really rocks his bike in style and uses a bit of humor to keep you wanting more.

Check it out:

Erik Elstran - April 2009 from North of Ten on Vimeo.

The Super Friends are Awesome


We are way into the Super Friends right now, after Max used gift $$$ to buy the All New Super Friends (1977) double disc set. Each of us have been assigned a Super Alter Ego: Beck is Superman, Max is Batman, Papa is Aquaman and I am Wonder Woman. I'm digging the old school graphics and costumes (yes, even though it's animated you can definitely timeline the shorty shorts and knee high tube socks). Each mini-episode is interspersed with magic tricks, safety hints (don't hitch hike (!), don't play with matches), and recycle tips. Finally--the ultimate gem--Ted Knight is the narrator. Seriously?

I Heart the Oscars

I heart the Oscars...mostly because movies are a wonderful part of our culture and provide a visual and emotional escape like nothing else. Well, that, and the red carpet (OBVIOUSLY!) Following are some of my 2009 Oscar thoughts. Unfortunately, I see way fewer movies now than I did pre-kids. Aargh.



Slumdog Millionaire
I really loved this movie. And to think, at first I wasn't going to see it because I heard it was (at times) "really hard to watch." Then I learned that my Grandma had seen it, and was up for it again. Okay, right. If my 80-something year old Grandma can hack it, I sure as hell can. Not to mention that the soundtrack kicks some big booty as well...


Kate Winslet (The Reader, Revolutionary Road)
Total. Girl. Crush. While I didn't see either one of these movies, if I could pick someone to play me in my life story, it would be Kate. Hands down.
Wall•E
Wall•E stole my heart. I loved his complete devotion to Eve and his menagerie of artifacts...

The Dark Knight
Unbelievable performance by the late Heath Ledger. Christian Bale is an outstanding Batman, and I'm quite smitten with Maggie Gyllenhaal

Random Honorable Mention Goes to:
Quantum of Solace and Daniel Craig's White Pants

P.S. Wish I'd seen Milk
P.S.S. Why didn't Bruce Springsteen's The Wrestler get nominated?