Head of red leaf lettuce
2 stalks celery, diced
2 heirloom tomatoes
1 16 oz can pitted black olives
1 16 oz can white beans
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
Juice from 2 lemons
Juice from 2 limes
Rinds from 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dill
2 tsp garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground sea salt
Not too much to explain here. Heirloom tomatoes are a little expensive, but they are more meaty than a lot of their counterparts. For the salad dressing, I usually just throw all of the ingredients into a blender. All the measurements are (very) rough approximations. I never really make it the same way twice, so feel free to mess around with it.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
District 9
District 9 is, frustratingly, a tale of two movies. The first half features an embattled society that proves to be remarkably realistic, given that the principal problem is what to do with the millions of stranded aliens who have found their way to Earth. The stage is set deftly, with superior visuals and storytelling elements, but ultimately falls apart in the second half, which shifts into standard and unremarkable sci-fi action fare, leaving little room for the social or political commentary that the first half seems to promise.
In the first twenty minutes, we are apprised of the situation facing the people of Earth, and in particular, of Johannesburg, South Africa. Namely, a derelict spaceship from another planet has come to a stop over the city, inhabited by about a million near-dead members of an alien race. Clashes between humans and prawns (the derogatory name given to the aliens) and the foreshadowing of some noteworthy incident involving Wikus van de Merwe, a Multinational United (MNU, a private corporation) agent are depicted in an engaging mockumentary fashion. This incident begins with a project aiming to relocate the entire population of prawns to a new settlement (resembling an internment camp) that is farther removed from human population, using private military contractors. With all of these political and social pieces in play, one would think that themes of apartheid, private military power, and the dehumanization (I know, they’re aliens, just humor me) of outgroups would dominate much of the movie, but they are mostly forgotten and not revisited after the first hour of the film.
Part of what makes this scenario so easy to believe is the incredibly detailed animation of the aliens themselves. Computer generated graphics have rarely meshed with live action scenes quite this well. There weren’t any times I could recall being acutely aware that I was watching computer generated graphics, which is pretty staggering and deserves much praise. The prawns’ faces are particularly noteworthy, as they evoke easily recognizable emotions despite having insect-like faces with tentacles. The relationship between the prawn most prominently featured, who goes by the name of Christopher Johnson, and his son is especially well done and emotionally relatable.
Sharlto Copley does a great job with his character, van de Merwe, who figures into most of the scenes in the film. Van de Merwe is a bumbling, fish-out-of-water MNU agent who is clearly not accustomed to the ways of military force. His reconciliation of the realities of his work with the ease in which he went about it before the incident is convincing and often genuinely humorous. His lines are not always well written, but he does a fine job of convincing us of van de Merwe’s internal struggles, evoking some sympathy from the audience.
Unfortunately, signs of the film unraveling are present initially, and grow into glaring problems by the end. At times, the plot seems to be poorly thought out, relying on convenient and/or inexplicable devices to move forward. Some vital details relating to the prawns and their technology are never satisfactorily explained, characters assert knowledge they could not possibly have and Wikus sometimes makes head-scratchingly bad decisions once he is on the run from the military. Further, some lines simply do not make any sense, within the context of the movie (why, exactly, would no one think to look for Wikus in District 9 when he is on the run?). Some details are simply inconsistent; one scene gave me the impression that there was a perceptible language barrier between prawns and humans, whereas a scene no more than five minutes later gave me the impression that the two could understand each other perfectly. It made the movie seem pieced together, rather than one that naturally flows from beginning to end in a sensible fashion.
Upon entering its second hour, the film completely shifts gears to an all-out sci-fi action movie, with all the clichés that go with it. Bombs and trucks are conveniently placed to aid in escape routes (why are there alien bomb materials just lying around in a bio lab, exactly?), and characters become increasingly archetypal. Wikus and Christopher Johnson enter into a familiar on-again off-again buddy action movie relationship, battling a familiar guns blazing, no holds barred military type and a familiar leering and cutthroat underground crime lord. The dialogue becomes increasingly uninspired as the movie barrels towards its ending, which is almost nothing but constant explosions and gunfire for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. Once the slow-motion action scenes kicked in, I could not help but roll my eyes at where this movie had ended up. These conventions aren’t necessarily bad on their own, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed by seeing a conclusion I had seen in dozens of other movies follow what had been such an intriguing and refreshing opening.
District 9 suffers from an identity crisis that is pretty shocking, considering how painstakingly well the first half’s diorama of social and political issues was constructed. Unfortunately, these themes are only introduced, and by the end you can’t help but admit that director Neill Blomkamp has left them severely undeveloped. It’s one half clever commentary and one half middle of the road action movie (with, admittedly, terrific visuals), and the two halves do not mesh together well, stylistically or thematically. The second half, while it might have been good enough on its own, only serves to tarnish the brilliance of the first half, making for an overall mediocre film.
In the first twenty minutes, we are apprised of the situation facing the people of Earth, and in particular, of Johannesburg, South Africa. Namely, a derelict spaceship from another planet has come to a stop over the city, inhabited by about a million near-dead members of an alien race. Clashes between humans and prawns (the derogatory name given to the aliens) and the foreshadowing of some noteworthy incident involving Wikus van de Merwe, a Multinational United (MNU, a private corporation) agent are depicted in an engaging mockumentary fashion. This incident begins with a project aiming to relocate the entire population of prawns to a new settlement (resembling an internment camp) that is farther removed from human population, using private military contractors. With all of these political and social pieces in play, one would think that themes of apartheid, private military power, and the dehumanization (I know, they’re aliens, just humor me) of outgroups would dominate much of the movie, but they are mostly forgotten and not revisited after the first hour of the film.
Part of what makes this scenario so easy to believe is the incredibly detailed animation of the aliens themselves. Computer generated graphics have rarely meshed with live action scenes quite this well. There weren’t any times I could recall being acutely aware that I was watching computer generated graphics, which is pretty staggering and deserves much praise. The prawns’ faces are particularly noteworthy, as they evoke easily recognizable emotions despite having insect-like faces with tentacles. The relationship between the prawn most prominently featured, who goes by the name of Christopher Johnson, and his son is especially well done and emotionally relatable.
Sharlto Copley does a great job with his character, van de Merwe, who figures into most of the scenes in the film. Van de Merwe is a bumbling, fish-out-of-water MNU agent who is clearly not accustomed to the ways of military force. His reconciliation of the realities of his work with the ease in which he went about it before the incident is convincing and often genuinely humorous. His lines are not always well written, but he does a fine job of convincing us of van de Merwe’s internal struggles, evoking some sympathy from the audience.
Unfortunately, signs of the film unraveling are present initially, and grow into glaring problems by the end. At times, the plot seems to be poorly thought out, relying on convenient and/or inexplicable devices to move forward. Some vital details relating to the prawns and their technology are never satisfactorily explained, characters assert knowledge they could not possibly have and Wikus sometimes makes head-scratchingly bad decisions once he is on the run from the military. Further, some lines simply do not make any sense, within the context of the movie (why, exactly, would no one think to look for Wikus in District 9 when he is on the run?). Some details are simply inconsistent; one scene gave me the impression that there was a perceptible language barrier between prawns and humans, whereas a scene no more than five minutes later gave me the impression that the two could understand each other perfectly. It made the movie seem pieced together, rather than one that naturally flows from beginning to end in a sensible fashion.
Upon entering its second hour, the film completely shifts gears to an all-out sci-fi action movie, with all the clichés that go with it. Bombs and trucks are conveniently placed to aid in escape routes (why are there alien bomb materials just lying around in a bio lab, exactly?), and characters become increasingly archetypal. Wikus and Christopher Johnson enter into a familiar on-again off-again buddy action movie relationship, battling a familiar guns blazing, no holds barred military type and a familiar leering and cutthroat underground crime lord. The dialogue becomes increasingly uninspired as the movie barrels towards its ending, which is almost nothing but constant explosions and gunfire for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. Once the slow-motion action scenes kicked in, I could not help but roll my eyes at where this movie had ended up. These conventions aren’t necessarily bad on their own, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed by seeing a conclusion I had seen in dozens of other movies follow what had been such an intriguing and refreshing opening.
District 9 suffers from an identity crisis that is pretty shocking, considering how painstakingly well the first half’s diorama of social and political issues was constructed. Unfortunately, these themes are only introduced, and by the end you can’t help but admit that director Neill Blomkamp has left them severely undeveloped. It’s one half clever commentary and one half middle of the road action movie (with, admittedly, terrific visuals), and the two halves do not mesh together well, stylistically or thematically. The second half, while it might have been good enough on its own, only serves to tarnish the brilliance of the first half, making for an overall mediocre film.
Spinach Frittata
Another recipe my grandmother makes frequently.
5 eggs
Small box of chopped, frozen spinach, or a few leaves of chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp minced garlic/parsley, combined
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
Beat eggs together in a mixing bowl. Add in the salt, pepper to taste, and the garlic-parsley mixture. Usually, I take a few cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of fresh parsley and mince them together, crushing the mixture with the flat of the knife afterward. Take as much spinach as you want to add into the frittata (thawing and draining well if you are using frozen spinach), and add into the mixture. Mix well. Add breadcrumbs and cheese, and mix well.
Lightly cover the bottom of a small frying pan with olive oil. On low-medium heat, warm the oil for a few minutes before pouring the mixture into the pan. Smooth mixture, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove pan from gas and let cool for a couple minutes. Flip the frittata and cook for 7-8 minutes, uncovered. For best results, turn the pan occasionally while cooking in order to cook the frittata evenly. Frittata should have a golden brown tint on both sides when done.
5 eggs
Small box of chopped, frozen spinach, or a few leaves of chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp minced garlic/parsley, combined
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
Beat eggs together in a mixing bowl. Add in the salt, pepper to taste, and the garlic-parsley mixture. Usually, I take a few cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of fresh parsley and mince them together, crushing the mixture with the flat of the knife afterward. Take as much spinach as you want to add into the frittata (thawing and draining well if you are using frozen spinach), and add into the mixture. Mix well. Add breadcrumbs and cheese, and mix well.
Lightly cover the bottom of a small frying pan with olive oil. On low-medium heat, warm the oil for a few minutes before pouring the mixture into the pan. Smooth mixture, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove pan from gas and let cool for a couple minutes. Flip the frittata and cook for 7-8 minutes, uncovered. For best results, turn the pan occasionally while cooking in order to cook the frittata evenly. Frittata should have a golden brown tint on both sides when done.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Spirited Away
Spirited Away is one of those all too rare movies in which we can completely lose ourselves, and, if only for a couple hours, completely forget about our own lives and become entranced by another world. Hayao Miyazaki tells the whimsical story of a little girl named Chihiro, and her journey through a foreign land filled with incredible images and characters that do not require an idealized presentation for the audience to become completely enamored with them. The visuals are absolutely beautiful, requiring and rewarding an open mind and heart, while the voice work is fantastic, in both the Japanese and dubbed versions. Everything comes together to form a touching tale that everyone should be able to enjoy.
The bathhouse of the spirits in which Chihiro finds herself is a far cry from the stylized, luxurious palaces that often inhabit Disney’s animated features, but it is no less magical. It’s not just that Miyazaki brings everything from walking balls of soot to soaring dragons to slimy stink spirits to life, it’s that he makes all of them endearing in their own strange way, no matter how revolted we think we should be. At the end of Chihiro’s fantastic adventure, we can’t help but see the beauty that exists in everything the world has to offer, if we just stop to look for long enough. Granted, some details don’t seem to make sense when you think about them in the context of the story, but this movie is so much more fun when you don’t get too hung up on the little things and just go with the flow (which, I might add, is excellently paced…I hardly realized that I had spent over two hours in it).
To round out the atmosphere, Joe Hisashi’s soothing, meandering score is absolutely brilliant. It provides a terrific accompaniment to the images on screen throughout, without ever having the music become dominant or suffocating. The score helps drag out whatever shy, quiet emotions we might be repressing while we try to convince ourselves that we are far too mature for this kind of a movie, and then makes sure they stay out for good.
Chihiro’s journey begins with a car ride with her parents to her new home, removed from her old school and old friends. A wrong turn leads to what Chihiro’s father believes is an abandoned amusement park, but is actually a spirit world teeming with all kinds of fantastical creatures, many of which end up being a bit unfriendly to humans. What follows is a tale of self-expression, the pitfalls of greed and, ultimately, of coping with the hardest parts about growing up. Chihiro’s maturation is so convincingly illustrated by Miyazaki that we cannot help but invoke our own childhood memories to recall the times when we were not so far removed from the young heroine’s shoes (albeit in a perhaps less fanciful setting). My only complaint might be that some parts of the end of Chihiro’s journey lacked the emotional punch I was expecting, but that’s not to say that I wasn’t completely enraptured by Spirited Away throughout. The ending, as a whole, is incredibly sweet and uplifting for all involved. It’s tempting to say that the ending was almost too sugary, but honestly, by this end of this movie you’ll most likely be so far removed from an analytical mind that you won’t be able to stop yourself from celebrating right along with the rest of the characters on screen.
If you haven’t seen it yet, go see Spirited Away, as soon as you can. It really is one of the best movies I have seen in some time, and whatever you do take from it will most likely stay with you for a while. Spirited Away is a spectacular film for all ages; telling yourself you are too old for it would be a terrible mistake.
The bathhouse of the spirits in which Chihiro finds herself is a far cry from the stylized, luxurious palaces that often inhabit Disney’s animated features, but it is no less magical. It’s not just that Miyazaki brings everything from walking balls of soot to soaring dragons to slimy stink spirits to life, it’s that he makes all of them endearing in their own strange way, no matter how revolted we think we should be. At the end of Chihiro’s fantastic adventure, we can’t help but see the beauty that exists in everything the world has to offer, if we just stop to look for long enough. Granted, some details don’t seem to make sense when you think about them in the context of the story, but this movie is so much more fun when you don’t get too hung up on the little things and just go with the flow (which, I might add, is excellently paced…I hardly realized that I had spent over two hours in it).
To round out the atmosphere, Joe Hisashi’s soothing, meandering score is absolutely brilliant. It provides a terrific accompaniment to the images on screen throughout, without ever having the music become dominant or suffocating. The score helps drag out whatever shy, quiet emotions we might be repressing while we try to convince ourselves that we are far too mature for this kind of a movie, and then makes sure they stay out for good.
Chihiro’s journey begins with a car ride with her parents to her new home, removed from her old school and old friends. A wrong turn leads to what Chihiro’s father believes is an abandoned amusement park, but is actually a spirit world teeming with all kinds of fantastical creatures, many of which end up being a bit unfriendly to humans. What follows is a tale of self-expression, the pitfalls of greed and, ultimately, of coping with the hardest parts about growing up. Chihiro’s maturation is so convincingly illustrated by Miyazaki that we cannot help but invoke our own childhood memories to recall the times when we were not so far removed from the young heroine’s shoes (albeit in a perhaps less fanciful setting). My only complaint might be that some parts of the end of Chihiro’s journey lacked the emotional punch I was expecting, but that’s not to say that I wasn’t completely enraptured by Spirited Away throughout. The ending, as a whole, is incredibly sweet and uplifting for all involved. It’s tempting to say that the ending was almost too sugary, but honestly, by this end of this movie you’ll most likely be so far removed from an analytical mind that you won’t be able to stop yourself from celebrating right along with the rest of the characters on screen.
If you haven’t seen it yet, go see Spirited Away, as soon as you can. It really is one of the best movies I have seen in some time, and whatever you do take from it will most likely stay with you for a while. Spirited Away is a spectacular film for all ages; telling yourself you are too old for it would be a terrible mistake.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Baked Halibut
I usually just eyeball the measurements based on what I feel like at the time. These are just approximations.
1 16oz halibut fillet
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp dill weed
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup tequila
1 freshly squeezed lemon
2 freshly squeezed limes
2 cloves minced garlic
Green onion
Wash and pat dry the fish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients (paprika, mustard seed, dill weed, salt and pepper) together, in a bowl. If you have a sifter, use it. Mix the tequila, lemon juice, and lime juice in a separate bowl. Use liberal amounts of the rub to coat the halibut. Rub the seasoning into the top and sides of the fish. Place the fish in a baking pan. Spoon about a third of the wet mixture over the fish. Mince a couple cloves of garlic and garnish the fish. You can chop some green onion and do the same here, or put them on after you bake the fish. Place the fish in the oven. Baste the fish with the remaining wet mixture every 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the fish should be flaky, moist and done.
1 16oz halibut fillet
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp dill weed
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup tequila
1 freshly squeezed lemon
2 freshly squeezed limes
2 cloves minced garlic
Green onion
Wash and pat dry the fish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients (paprika, mustard seed, dill weed, salt and pepper) together, in a bowl. If you have a sifter, use it. Mix the tequila, lemon juice, and lime juice in a separate bowl. Use liberal amounts of the rub to coat the halibut. Rub the seasoning into the top and sides of the fish. Place the fish in a baking pan. Spoon about a third of the wet mixture over the fish. Mince a couple cloves of garlic and garnish the fish. You can chop some green onion and do the same here, or put them on after you bake the fish. Place the fish in the oven. Baste the fish with the remaining wet mixture every 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the fish should be flaky, moist and done.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Sherlock Holmes
The modern update of the classic Sherlock Holmes character is, though ambitious and sure to displease at least a few fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ingenious detective, a highly entertaining action movie, while retaining the title character's core essence as a methodical and brilliant sleuth. The displeasure will likely come from the new, pugilistic side of Holmes, though I would argue that this, for the most part, is well integrated into the movie without coming off as forced or heavy-handed. The film does suffer a bit from some uneven supporting performances, but you probably won’t notice too much thanks to the always outstanding Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, who work superbly with each other throughout the movie.
The fights and explosions, when they do appear on screen, are exaggerated and stylized, but actually don’t happen as frequently as preconceived notions based on previews might lead you to believe. There’s a proper balance struck between the adrenaline rushes and the careful detective work, though both suffer a little in their respective executions. The violence sometimes become too self-aggrandizing and over-stylish, so much that it starts to detract from the movie as a whole when particular scenes prove to be largely unnecessary (as is the case with a hysterically over-the-top explosion). The detective work is present, but not fleshed out until the film’s final act, when Holmes puts everything together for us. I understand the aim, but having the entire plot dumped on you in a matter of minutes is a little much.
Robert Downey Jr. sells Sherlock Holmes as an oddball detective-fighter with ease. He exudes confidence and swagger throughout, while still remaining completely likable. It's a nigh perfect popcorn movie performance, buoyed by Holmes' methodical, scientific approach to fighting itself, which proves to be a clever touch that helps to make such a radically different interpretation of the character believable. Downey Jr. and Jude Law, playing Dr. Watson, have great chemistry throughout. Law plays the begrudging but unflinchingly loyal friend willing to put up with Holmes’ eccentricities, and does a fantastic job of it. The villainous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is brooding, but lacks the supernatural terror that his character intends to impose on his victims (and the audience). Rachel McAdams plays Irene Adler, Holmes’ intellectual foil, love interest and occasional damsel in distress. She never quite clicks with the rest of the movie, and seems unconvincing and out of place much of the time.
Guy Ritchie’s bold new take on Sherlock Holmes is far from perfect, but with Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character, it’s pretty difficult to not enjoy the movie in some respect. If you go into the theater expecting nothing more than to be entertained, I highly doubt that you will leave disappointed.
The fights and explosions, when they do appear on screen, are exaggerated and stylized, but actually don’t happen as frequently as preconceived notions based on previews might lead you to believe. There’s a proper balance struck between the adrenaline rushes and the careful detective work, though both suffer a little in their respective executions. The violence sometimes become too self-aggrandizing and over-stylish, so much that it starts to detract from the movie as a whole when particular scenes prove to be largely unnecessary (as is the case with a hysterically over-the-top explosion). The detective work is present, but not fleshed out until the film’s final act, when Holmes puts everything together for us. I understand the aim, but having the entire plot dumped on you in a matter of minutes is a little much.
Robert Downey Jr. sells Sherlock Holmes as an oddball detective-fighter with ease. He exudes confidence and swagger throughout, while still remaining completely likable. It's a nigh perfect popcorn movie performance, buoyed by Holmes' methodical, scientific approach to fighting itself, which proves to be a clever touch that helps to make such a radically different interpretation of the character believable. Downey Jr. and Jude Law, playing Dr. Watson, have great chemistry throughout. Law plays the begrudging but unflinchingly loyal friend willing to put up with Holmes’ eccentricities, and does a fantastic job of it. The villainous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is brooding, but lacks the supernatural terror that his character intends to impose on his victims (and the audience). Rachel McAdams plays Irene Adler, Holmes’ intellectual foil, love interest and occasional damsel in distress. She never quite clicks with the rest of the movie, and seems unconvincing and out of place much of the time.
Guy Ritchie’s bold new take on Sherlock Holmes is far from perfect, but with Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character, it’s pretty difficult to not enjoy the movie in some respect. If you go into the theater expecting nothing more than to be entertained, I highly doubt that you will leave disappointed.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Chicken Scallopini
Chicken scallopini is basically flattened chicken breasts in a citrus/wine sauce.
Chicken
½ cup flour
½ tsp paprika
3 tsp garlic salt
½ cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
Sauce
Roux (roughly equal parts flour and butter)
Parsley
1 cup white wine
2 cup chicken broth
2 ½ tbsp butter
1 sliced lemon
1 juiced lemon
4 ½ tbsp water
1 ½ tsp chicken bouillon
Wash and pound the chicken evenly until it is about a 1/2 inch thick. Mix dry ingredients (garlic salt, flour, paprika) in a bowl. Mix together the eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Coat each piece of chicken in the egg/milk mixture. Pat in the dry mixture, coating the chicken. Pan-fry the chicken on high heat in olive oil for 1 minute per side, then 3 mins on low-medium heat. Add oil as needed for the rest of the chicken. After each piece of chicken is done, place them on a baking sheet and keep them in a warm oven. Empty some of the oil from the pan. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the same pan. Slice one lemon (around 1/4-1/8 inch thick slices) and brown the slices in the butter. Remove the lemon slices. Add in another 1/2 tbsp of butter. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer and reduce by one half of the liquid. Add the chicken broth, water and chicken bouillon. Reduce a little, about five to ten minutes, and put the lemon slices back into the sauce. Prepare and add some roux (3 tbsp butter, 3 1/2 tbsp flour). Reduce and lower the heat. Put each piece of chicken into the sauce and let sit for a 4-5 minutes per piece. Remove chicken and serve with sauce. You can garnish the chicken with fresh parsley, if you would like.
Chicken
½ cup flour
½ tsp paprika
3 tsp garlic salt
½ cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
Sauce
Roux (roughly equal parts flour and butter)
Parsley
1 cup white wine
2 cup chicken broth
2 ½ tbsp butter
1 sliced lemon
1 juiced lemon
4 ½ tbsp water
1 ½ tsp chicken bouillon
Wash and pound the chicken evenly until it is about a 1/2 inch thick. Mix dry ingredients (garlic salt, flour, paprika) in a bowl. Mix together the eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Coat each piece of chicken in the egg/milk mixture. Pat in the dry mixture, coating the chicken. Pan-fry the chicken on high heat in olive oil for 1 minute per side, then 3 mins on low-medium heat. Add oil as needed for the rest of the chicken. After each piece of chicken is done, place them on a baking sheet and keep them in a warm oven. Empty some of the oil from the pan. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the same pan. Slice one lemon (around 1/4-1/8 inch thick slices) and brown the slices in the butter. Remove the lemon slices. Add in another 1/2 tbsp of butter. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer and reduce by one half of the liquid. Add the chicken broth, water and chicken bouillon. Reduce a little, about five to ten minutes, and put the lemon slices back into the sauce. Prepare and add some roux (3 tbsp butter, 3 1/2 tbsp flour). Reduce and lower the heat. Put each piece of chicken into the sauce and let sit for a 4-5 minutes per piece. Remove chicken and serve with sauce. You can garnish the chicken with fresh parsley, if you would like.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Avatar
James Cameron’s Avatar is a visual delight, and a satisfying, if familiar, tale of love, heartbreak, oppression and triumph, as long as you are willing to suspend a little bit more than your disbelief. Suspending disbelief should not be difficult, as the world of Pandora is completely sold from the first interstellar view we get. Floating mountains and trees acting as receptacles for biological memory storage seem perfectly reasonable, even if the phenomena in question are never fully explained (which they are often not). How much you really do enjoy this movie depends more on how tolerant you are of archetypal characters, a by-the-numbers story and dialogue that often has all the subtlety of one of Pandora’s hammer-headed rhinos.
Personally, as a skeptic of CGI – live action hybrid movies such as Avatar, I was very doubtful about how well the technology could be integrated into this movie, while still keeping the audience’s complete immersion an attainable and primary goal. My doubts were assuaged, and any doubts you may have about this aspect of the movie will likely disappear upon the sights of Pandora’s lush wildlife, with gorgeous fluorescent purples and rich greens dominating many of the scenes, with incredible realism. Additionally, the 3D IMAX effects are never thrown in for cheap thrills, but quietly used throughout the movie to bolster the environment’s vivacious beauty, which was a welcome surprise. There are the occasional times when the CGI makes itself a little too apparent, especially with many of Pandora’s ground-based creatures (the airborne, polychromatic mountain banshees, alternately, look astounding). The Na’vi themselves look terrific and, when the moment calls for it, display the emotions of anguish, happiness and fury every bit as well as any human actor in the film (and in some cases, more effectively). By the end of the nearly three hour ride, the Na’vi have become so familiar and natural to us that we can hardly remember that they are the products of one man’s fertile, seemingly limitless imagination. James Cameron has achieved the admirable success of creating his own world, and making it accommodating to moviegoers.
The inhabitants of Pandora (human and Na’vi alike) are essentially stock characters. We have the trigger happy military aggressor, the single-minded businessman attuned to the bottom line, the naïve hero who learns about love and respect, the brave defector who no longer wishes to stomach the brutality of her side, and I could go on and on. To give credit where credit is due, the parts, derivative though they may be, are played with conviction and skill. Our hero, a marine turned researcher (of a sort), Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), starts off slow and a little boring. Once he gets into his Avatar, though, Worthington is fantastic, successfully channeling all the confusion, happiness, and rage that comes with getting lost in a foreign land (and having the use of legs for the first time in six years). Much like the CGI, some performances stand out as a little forced, but none are so glaring that they interrupt the sense of immersion that the movie as a whole creates.
The story, too, is nothing that hasn’t been seen before. The comparisons to Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas and Fern Gully are completely understandable (though these films only wish they could serve up the wonder of Avatar’s world). Without going into much detail, the story is your standard struggle of a native people fighting for their land against technologically superior aggressors (although it is humorously satisfying to note that, for once, the humans are the aggressors, rather than the aliens), coupled with a love story between a Na’vi and a human who learns to love her and the elegant way in which her and her people live. The parallels between this story and the current war in Iraq (and the displacement of Native Americans centuries ago, and the entire period of colonialism on the part of the Western world, and the environmental destruction begun during the Industrial Revolution) are unmistakable. In fact, if there is any threat to the audience’s ability to stay connected to Pandora, it is found in these. The links to Earth-bound issues, while appreciable, are bludgeons occasionally jarring enough to make one forget just how incredible this movie is (or could have been). I can appreciate Cameron’s wishes for us to think about the effects of the Western world’s actions, but direct references to “terror,” “shock and awe,” “savages,” and “the destruction of our mother (the environment of planet Earth, presumed to at this point be completely ravaged)” are at best eye-roll inducing, and at worst a little insulting to the intelligence of moviegoers. The lack of subtlety abounds in many other ways. Most notably, the lucrative material sought by the corporate man (Parker Selfridge, played by Giovanni Ribisi) goes by the handle of unobtanium, at the mention of which I felt dutifully obligated to groan and place my forehead directly in the palm of my hand.
Despite the abundance of clichés and telegraphed messages, Avatar represents a fantastic cinematic achievement. If this is a sign of the future for CGI movies, this former skeptic is now an eager optimist. The story and characters, though they have been told and seen before, still carry enough emotional (as well as physical) firepower to make us feel invested in their fates. Ultimately, we are introduced to a brand new world carved out of thin air, and are made to believe in its viability and pine for its survival. We are made to care, and that alone is worth the price of admission.
Personally, as a skeptic of CGI – live action hybrid movies such as Avatar, I was very doubtful about how well the technology could be integrated into this movie, while still keeping the audience’s complete immersion an attainable and primary goal. My doubts were assuaged, and any doubts you may have about this aspect of the movie will likely disappear upon the sights of Pandora’s lush wildlife, with gorgeous fluorescent purples and rich greens dominating many of the scenes, with incredible realism. Additionally, the 3D IMAX effects are never thrown in for cheap thrills, but quietly used throughout the movie to bolster the environment’s vivacious beauty, which was a welcome surprise. There are the occasional times when the CGI makes itself a little too apparent, especially with many of Pandora’s ground-based creatures (the airborne, polychromatic mountain banshees, alternately, look astounding). The Na’vi themselves look terrific and, when the moment calls for it, display the emotions of anguish, happiness and fury every bit as well as any human actor in the film (and in some cases, more effectively). By the end of the nearly three hour ride, the Na’vi have become so familiar and natural to us that we can hardly remember that they are the products of one man’s fertile, seemingly limitless imagination. James Cameron has achieved the admirable success of creating his own world, and making it accommodating to moviegoers.
The inhabitants of Pandora (human and Na’vi alike) are essentially stock characters. We have the trigger happy military aggressor, the single-minded businessman attuned to the bottom line, the naïve hero who learns about love and respect, the brave defector who no longer wishes to stomach the brutality of her side, and I could go on and on. To give credit where credit is due, the parts, derivative though they may be, are played with conviction and skill. Our hero, a marine turned researcher (of a sort), Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), starts off slow and a little boring. Once he gets into his Avatar, though, Worthington is fantastic, successfully channeling all the confusion, happiness, and rage that comes with getting lost in a foreign land (and having the use of legs for the first time in six years). Much like the CGI, some performances stand out as a little forced, but none are so glaring that they interrupt the sense of immersion that the movie as a whole creates.
The story, too, is nothing that hasn’t been seen before. The comparisons to Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas and Fern Gully are completely understandable (though these films only wish they could serve up the wonder of Avatar’s world). Without going into much detail, the story is your standard struggle of a native people fighting for their land against technologically superior aggressors (although it is humorously satisfying to note that, for once, the humans are the aggressors, rather than the aliens), coupled with a love story between a Na’vi and a human who learns to love her and the elegant way in which her and her people live. The parallels between this story and the current war in Iraq (and the displacement of Native Americans centuries ago, and the entire period of colonialism on the part of the Western world, and the environmental destruction begun during the Industrial Revolution) are unmistakable. In fact, if there is any threat to the audience’s ability to stay connected to Pandora, it is found in these. The links to Earth-bound issues, while appreciable, are bludgeons occasionally jarring enough to make one forget just how incredible this movie is (or could have been). I can appreciate Cameron’s wishes for us to think about the effects of the Western world’s actions, but direct references to “terror,” “shock and awe,” “savages,” and “the destruction of our mother (the environment of planet Earth, presumed to at this point be completely ravaged)” are at best eye-roll inducing, and at worst a little insulting to the intelligence of moviegoers. The lack of subtlety abounds in many other ways. Most notably, the lucrative material sought by the corporate man (Parker Selfridge, played by Giovanni Ribisi) goes by the handle of unobtanium, at the mention of which I felt dutifully obligated to groan and place my forehead directly in the palm of my hand.
Despite the abundance of clichés and telegraphed messages, Avatar represents a fantastic cinematic achievement. If this is a sign of the future for CGI movies, this former skeptic is now an eager optimist. The story and characters, though they have been told and seen before, still carry enough emotional (as well as physical) firepower to make us feel invested in their fates. Ultimately, we are introduced to a brand new world carved out of thin air, and are made to believe in its viability and pine for its survival. We are made to care, and that alone is worth the price of admission.
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