Penoptic

Today's thing is a poem by Robert Herrick. To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time Gather ye rosebuds why ye may, Old Time is still a-flying; And this same flower that smiles today Tomorrow will be dying. The glorious lamp of heaven, the Sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting. That age is best which is the first, When youth and blood are warmer; But being spent, the worse, the worst Times still succeed the former. Then be not coy, but use your time; And while ye may, go merry; For having lost but once your prime, You may forever tarry. Robert Herrick was raised in the post-Shakespeare era. Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died in 1616; Herrick was born in 1591 and died in 1674. Their lives were surprisingly opposed; Shakespeare was born in the small village of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, more than one hundred miles from London, and he used his talents to get to London and make a name ...

A quote regarding a statue of the Virgin Mary in a mountain side grotto: "Did you know, no matter how bad the light is, no matter how long you stare at it, no matter how much drink you've taken, ..." "Go on." "That statue will not move a whisker." Taken from Ballykissangel, Season 1 (though in the UK and Ireland they say Series 1) finale, "Missing You Already."

How do you imagine they did that?

A quote on the institution of divorce: "You've got an old-fashioned idea that divorce is something that lasts forever. ''Till death do us part.' Why, divorce doesn't mean anything these days, Hildy. Just a few words mumbled over you by a judge." - Taken from 'His Girl Friday', spoken by the incomparable Cary Grant. Kind of puts things in a bit of perspective, doesn't it?

Tim Burton jaunts gaily along the fine line between genius and insanity in 'Sweeney Todd', and one must admire the way he makes you want to come along for the ride. Adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, Burton and actor Johnny Depp pair for their sixth film together, bringing the vengeance-driven barber of Fleet Street to DVD earlier this month. Just as delightful as Depp and Burton is the supporting cast of Alan Rickman as the villainous Judge Turpin and Helena Bonham-Carter as the frugal Mrs. Lovett, who turns Todd's victims into the best-selling meat pies in London. Depp and company sing the music by Stephen Sondheim, who was a consultant on the project during filming. The score has left many other experienced professionals tripping over words and struggling to keep up, but Depp manages well enough in the role of Todd. He exhibits a mild range but an impressive emotive element blended with superb acting. Where some might focus too much on Sondheim's to...

To make you all laugh: A pancake shaped (vaguely) like a foot. Kind of reminds me of pictures of Chinese women who'd had their feet bound that I saw in my FemStudies class in college. Photograph (and pancake) by Zunera Mirza.

A quote for you to ponder as we edge ever closer to the Pennsylvania primary: "There are 340 billionaires in this country, and 40 million living below the poverty line. Wake up, 7-11. This is the third world." -- taken from Season 2 of Weeds

I appreciate artful film making. The clever shot, the subtle camera work, all these thing contribute to making a good movie. But sometimes even the most artistic director can go overboard. And in my opinion, no modern day film maker is guilty of this than Peter Jackson. I understand that the Lord of the Ring books were extremely detailed, and that to overlook any of them was to risk alienating a portion of the movie-going audience. It's the same problem that any director responsible for adapting any staple of pop culture, be it book, video game, or anything. But like the 'Harry Potter' movies, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet in order to keep your movies watchable. The Lord of the Ring movies were not horrible. They had great shots and a script that bore a remarkable resemblance to the original work. But they weren't perfect, and not especially deserving of the Oscars they were awarded. Each had their own particular problems, but the one they shared was length...