My son and daughter had combined parties this weekend. Hers was a Dora the Explorer birthday party and his was a back to school Pizza and Star Wars party. I rented Star Wars 4, 5 & 6 (i.e. the ones that came out when I was his age) and fun was had by all.

I enjoyed watching the remastered versions of these science fiction classics. I have seen SW 1, 2 & 3 and they just aren't as good to me - guess because I keep comparing them to this first set.The old movies aren't as slick as the newer versions. Computer technology has definitely made things more impressive looking. However, Empire Strikes Back (my personal favorite of them all) has is all. First it is science fiction, and it incorporates drama, action, romance and quite a bit of comedy within 2 hours. Short of Jaws, no villian has ever had such a great theme song.

There are a couple of things out of place like Leia throwing a big lip lock on Luke just to spite Han. That is kinda gross now that we all know they are siblings. After seeing Yoda kick ass with Count Dooku, it is weird to see him as the doddering kook in the swamp. And Obi Wan lamenting that Luke is the last hope and Yoda saying "there is another". Obi Wan knows that since he helped deliver the kids practically. Oh well... as we say in the crafting world, it is the irregularities which give it its distinctiveness.

What was most surprising is that James Earl Jones is uncredited for Vader's voice. Maybe it is because we all know his voice instantly. The copy write on this movie is 1980 - still a great one to watch.

Had to include this pretty creepy pic, too.

Constantine - recently released on DVD

Predictable and disappointing are the two words that popped into my mind after this film started rolling the credits. It was better than End of Days, but not by much.

The premise is pretty much the same as any of the other movies that include angels and demons. I like Keanu Reeves, but he really needs to find different roles other than the deadpan, no expression hero.These are a few of the things that irritated me while watching (other than the storyline)

1. Everyone whispers...I was constantly turning the volume up to hear the dialogue then quickly turning it back down when music or special effect blared in. Missed a couple parts and had to repeat - I hate that.

2. Rachel Weisz (the herione in The Mummy) is a beautiful woman, and this is a well financed movie. Nobody thought that it would be a good idea to touch up her roots? Her hair did not look trendy - it looked like she need to visit the health and beauty aisle of Wal-Mart. She also would slip into a British accent now and again.

3. Why is all the cool demon-casting-out stuff left to the Catholics? How come some of us Prostestants can't get in on the action? I think Keanu's helper was Shia Leboueff (sp?) and he was spouting the Catholic dogma pretty good; and there I thought he was a good Jewish boy all this time.

4. A cross shaped gatling gun that shoots bullets made of holy-water-filled-gold-bullets?
Puh-lease

Consider yourself warned.

Burned through all the good stuff on the DVR and was surfing the channels in this late summer wasteland of crapola and caught the last 20 minutes of Supersized She on TLC.

It was like a trainwreck - I was appalled, but couldn't look away. Female bodybuilding is a strange and scary sport, phenomenon, cult? I'm not really sure what it is. I missed the first part so I don't know if steroids or hormones were brought up, but there is no way a female can put on that kind of bulk naturally. The photo is of Lenda Murray who has won the Ms. Olympia 7 times.

The particular focus of this program was a female from England who invested in a pair of fake boobs, but didn't feel the need to fix her teeth, to compete in the Ms. Olympia contest. I can remember seeing female bodybuilding contests on ESPN years ago before cosmetic surgery was so commonplace and the women had no tits at all. I believe they wore the bikini tops simply not to be confused with the men, but now they got big ta-tas. It is even more disturbing. My guess is that these women are lesbians (hey, whatever floats your boat) and the people interested in this sport are the same? I could be wrong, tho. Tell me guys, are men turned on by that?

Anyway, the subject of the show came in seventh place. The judges said her legs weren't big enough and she was discussing with Mum and Dad her plan to work on that. Her parents were Jo and Joanna Schmo from London. Easy to tell they "just don't understand" their little girl.

I see TLC has another freak show planned this week called "Archie, the 84 lb baby" Think I will just pass on that one - have trouble sleeping as it is.