2011 Off topic thread(basketball,movies,etc whatever)

[poopoo333]

Ok, I watched No Country for Old Men when it first came out on DVD, and I remember it being so hyped up and all. For some reason I thought it was pretty boring and didn't like it.

[MMA_scientist]

Hype kills. I saw it in the theater on a tuesday afternoon and knew nothing about it. To me, it is a top 10 all time movie. But when I was 20, I probably wouldn't have liked it nearly as much. It is not an action movie, it actually has some shit to say about the human condition.

[SPX]

You have pet rats? How many?

I've had 5 total, all within the past few years.

Rambo - Awesome rat. Cool companion. Had to have him put to sleep because he developed an inner ear infection that couldn't be treated and fucked up his equilibrium so he couldn't stand up or walk anymore. Very sad. I literally cried.

Rockstar - Dickhead. Escaped into the wild world beyond . . . with my help. Never came back. I'm sure he probably didn't make it, which I feel slightly bad about, but I did go out and try to find him but he had other plans apparently.

Razor - Now deceased. Not a great rat, but he was okay. Cause of death a mystery. One day he's alive and the next he's not.

Rampage - My oldest survivor at about 2 years old, but sadly, not for long. He developed a tumor a few months ago, which I had surgically removed. The surgery was successful. I thought we were out of the woods as far as medical problems go until . . . developing another tumor just a month later. This one's inoperable and within the next month or two I will almost certainly have to order his execution just like I did for Rambo. It will be a dark day for me. Rampage is a bad ass.

Blade - Brother (I think) to Razor. He will be my last man standing. Good rat. Rat's are particularly social and need the company of other rats to really be happy, so I feel bad that pretty soon he's going to be all on his own, especially since he's still relatively young and may have plenty of life left in him. I can't get more rats, though. Too many health problems, too short of lifespans, too destructive around the house (especially when they're young) . . . I'm just going to have to wait until I have a bigger place and get a dog.

[SPX]

Watched Brooklyn's Finest last night. I liked it. Good suggestion Luke and PP.

Two observations though:

1. The whole time I watched it I couldn't help but wonder if in every scene Wesley Snipes was trying to figure out how to avoid paying taxes for being in this movie.

2. There is no happy ending.

[MMA_scientist]

He developed a tumor a few months ago, which I had surgically removed.

you actually paid to have a surgery performed on a rat? That is some dedication. How much does it cost to have a rat euthanized? That is real budda stuff there, if I had a pet rodent, I think I would have to save the trip to the vet and just smash it with a shoe or something.

too destructive around the house (especially when they're young) . . .

Wait, you let these guys roam the house?

[SPX]

movie faves off the top my head, not exhaustive:

Cool Hand Luke -- Have not seen it.
A History of Violence -- Saw it. Thought it was pretty good, but honestly a little disappointing.
Rounders -- Saw it. Love it. Great movie. Makes me want to play poker.
Gran Torino -- Great movie. Saw it not too long ago. Clint's still got it even though he's old as balls.
No Country for Old Men -- Excellent. Have seen it twice. Great film.
A Clockwork Orange -- Started to watch it recently. Didn't really get into it. Turned it off.
Boiler Room -- Great movie. Underappreciated. The movie that really made me sit up and take notice of Giovanni Ribissi.
Adaptation -- Saw it when it came out. Need to watch it again. I remember it being good. Nic Cage is my homeboy.
Magnolia -- Saw it when it first came out. Didn't really get into it. I should probably watch it again, though.
Pan's Labyrinth -- Pretty good. I think I was slightly disappointed because the trailers were so bad ass. But good movie overall.

Grizzly Man -- Saw it. Was pretty good. Sucks dude and his girlfriend had to get their asses chewed off by a bear. At least they went together.
Choke -- Have not seen it, but know of it. I intend to check it out.


Thanks for the suggestions. Feel free to offer more.

[MMA_scientist]

Damn, you watch some movies. Cool Hand Luke is probably my all time favorite movie. But judging on the movies you have liked and not liked, you probably would not care for it... the movie itself is good but goofy in the way that 70's movies often are. But I just like the character aspect of the movie because it reminds me of my brother (who also happens to be incarcerated at the moment). Luke is just one of those likable, but extremely strong willed guys, just totally resistant to authority.

A Clockwork Orange is similar for me. I read it in college and wrote a term paper on it. So it is more about the message and underlying themes of the movie than the actual movie itself.

I will have to come up with some other stuff. But I don't really care for movies that just show up, entertain, and then leave and then I can't remember if I saw it or not. I will watch them, but for me one is as good as the next.

[MMA_scientist]

Into the Wild

[SPX]

you actually paid to have a surgery performed on a rat? That is some dedication. How much does it cost to have a rat euthanized? That is real budda stuff there, if I had a pet rodent, I think I would have to save the trip to the vet and just smash it with a shoe or something.

Yeah, they laser surgeried the shit out of that tumor and stapled him up. Then he had to wear one of those little cone things on his head for two weeks until the staples were removed, which he despised. But once he was all fixed up he looked great and obviously felt a lot better. That is, until he got another fucking tumor!

But yeah. Rats are just like any other pet. They actually show a lot of the same characteristics as cats or dogs. They're relatively smart, are social with humans, and exhibit full and complete personalities. I think that when a lot of people think of rats they think they probably just act like big mice, but that's not true at all.

When I had Rambo put to sleep, it was about $170. I'm going to a different vet now though and they tend to be a little cheaper on things, so I'm hoping that's the case here, too.

Wait, you let these guys roam the house?

Yeah. You can't keep rats caged up all the time. Most experts agree that they should be let out to explore a larger area at least an hour a day, so I stick to that. When they get older (like Rampage) and stop chewing the shit out of my baseboards and electrical cords then I'll just leave the cage door open all the time and let them come and go as they please. At that stage of their lives they mostly just sleep, though.

[Ludo]

Not sure if you're making a joke on the literal terminology, but yes.

I was wondering exactly how a pet could be given the overall moniker of "a douche" is all. What exactly do you mean when you say he was a douche? I always thought rats would be cool pets to have since you can actually do shit with them unlike most other rodent type pets(rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, etc etc etc).

[SPX]

Into the Wild

Read the book but have not seen the movie. I keep hearing good things, though. I guess I will have to check it out.

[SPX]

I was wondering exactly how a pet could be given the overall moniker of "a douche" is all. What exactly do you mean when you say he was a douche? I always thought rats would be cool pets to have since you can actually do shit with them unlike most other rodent type pets(rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, etc etc etc).

Ah, okay.

Well then allow me to explain: All of my rats have had very different personalities. Most have at least been pretty friendly. Rambo and Rampage, being the oldest guys I've had, have even aged and slowed down to the point of making good lap pets. Rampage, for instance, will just chill in my lap while I pet him, drink beer, and watch movies. That's always a good time.

Razor, on the other hand, never became very social with humans. He was not mean, but he wasn't particularly friendly either. He mostly just did his own thing, and when approached by people he would be very skittish. When I first got him I assumed that he would relax over time as he got to know me but for whatever the reason he never did.

He was okay, though. I hope he's kicking it in rat heaven right now.

[SPX]

Damn, you watch some movies.

I've always been into film. Lately though, it's become an every night thing. At least one movie a night. Sometimes more if I do so feel compelled to keep going. I hate wasting my time on movies that I don't get into, though. I always feel like that time could've been used on a better life experience.

Cool Hand Luke is probably my all time favorite movie. But judging on the movies you have liked and not liked, you probably would not care for it...

It's iffy. I like Paul Newman . . . but I don't really like many movies in that 60s-70s era.

[MMA_scientist]

Read the book but have not seen the movie. I keep hearing good things, though. I guess I will have to check it out.

I recommend... but I never read the book so it will probably disappoint. I also watched the documentary on Chris McCandless, which I recommend after you watch the movie, because it will ruin the movie, basically challenging the premise of McCandless' death. It is called "Call of the Wild" by Ray Lamothe

[MMA_scientist]

I've always been into film. Lately though, it's become an every night thing. At least one movie a night. Sometimes more if I do so feel compelled to keep going. I hate wasting my time on movies that I don't get into, though. I always feel like that time could've been used on a better life experience.



It's iffy. I like Paul Newman . . . but I don't really like many movies in that 60s-70s era.

I agree... if I am not into, I just turn it off. I don't get sucked in. I was watching "Ghost Writer" and I heard it was a great movie... but it didn't get my interest, I made it about 30 minutes before I said fuck it. Cool Hand Luke does not pay off until the end... it definitely does not suck you in, but it has a lot of memorable quotes and it is a somewhat famous movie, so any movie buff probably should watch it just to be in the conversation.