I have a ton of interests. Almost too many, when it comes down to it, but hey, my life is never dull! I love fun activities, creative/arty stuff and spending time with friends, just chilling or out on the town.
Recent adventures:
Singing karaoke at Karaoke Retro! I think Lolo and I are singing "Over at the Frankenstein Place" here...
Smokin' Susie and sunburned Dan as Transylvanians at the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the River Oaks Theatre. We got the look!
I like to meet quality, fun people. My close friends are generally confident, fun, relaxed, and creative. They're people I can learn something from, and are open-minded enough to perhaps learn something from me as well. This goes for guys and girls.
Almost everything, really.
I like a wide variety of movies, from classics to foreign to some of the latest stuff.
Last movie watched:
Dan sez: You can feel the simmering heat of a New York summer and a bravura performance by Al Pacino, fresh off the first two Godfather films. Based on a true story, and directed in an almost documentary format by Sidney Lumet, Dog Day Afternoon features Pacino in what was a risky role for him at the time: a homosexual would-be bank robber (the robbery goes horribly wrong, and he is trapped in the bank with his accomplice, the excellent John Cazale, and a bunch of hostages). Pacino makes Sonny a charismatic, complex character, however--he's simply brilliant in this role. Watch it with the commentary by Lumet to hear a great story about Pacino and Cazale's "Wyoming" scene!
.. Dan recommends: ..
Dan sez: I thought of this since The Mist came out on DVD. That was a really faithful adaptation of a Stephen King novella, and so is The Langoliers. This is a suprisingly well-adapted story, and features uniformly good performances thoughout. I am a sucker for time-travel stories and Stephen King, and this has both, so it was a natural for me. Some people criticized the eponymous CGI critters, but I really liked them--they looked otherworldly, which is what they were supposed to look like. This was originally made as a made-for-TV miniseries, but it plays like a movie on DVD. Watch for a truly Shatner-esque performance from Bronson Pinchot (remember him from Bosom Buddies ?)--this guy chews more scenery than the Langoliers themselves. But it's fun stuff. Well worth checking out.
.. Guilty pleasure: ..
Dan sez: How can you go wrong with Godzilla, ferchrissakes! Well, okay, maybe I'm mentally blocking out all those Mystery Science Theater 3000 -worthy movies where Godzilla was a good guy. Well, this movie ain't that--big G is back and he's irritable and he will level a hospital as quick as you can run and point and say "Godzilla!!!!" This outing is particularly fun because of the amusing collection of pop culture/movie references in the screenplay. When one character worries that underwater mines laid as a trap for Godzilla may also injure the local populace, another character says, "I'm not saying we're not going to get our hair mussed.." (a hilarious line from Dr. Strangelove ). There are also nods to numerous other movies, too. The coolest thing in this, to me, was the GPN, or Godzilla Prediction Network, an organization that chases Godzilla around and documents his doings just like American tornado chasers document the twisters of the plains. And why not--the parallel is clear: Godzilla, especially in this movie, is an unstoppable force of nature!
Science and history shows rule, but I like a lot of other stuff as well.
.. Current faves: ..
.. Dan recommends: ..
My busy schedule doesn't allow as much time to read as I would like, but I do like to read. Currently I am grooving on Richard Matheson's vampire classic as well as Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories.
.. Currently reading: ..
Not really into hero worship. I'd rather be one than see one.
Got Dan? I'm available for freelance writing (business, web content), glamour and portrait photography, editing (story and book manuscripts), web design and sculpting!
Cool Stuff I am fascinated by psychology, interpersonal dynamics and the way the mind works.