flicks

My dad & I were watching portions of The Godfather last night (he flips through channels rather frequently). The film was being broadcast by AMC, which advertised itself with clips of presumed viewers. One of these claimed to have watched a particular movie more than a hundred times.

"I couldn't imagine watching a movie a hundred times," I said. "And I've watched several movies many, many times."

"I can't, either," my dad said. Then, during the next commercial break when the same commercial aired, he amended his statement: "I think I might have seen The Godfather a hundred times. Since 1972? It's certainly possible."

"A hundred times? That's a lot of time, a lot of your lifetime."

"Yeah, it might have been a hundred times."

I mentioned that I'd seen Forrest Gump over twenty times; South Park: The Movie might also be in that category for me. My dad brought up Rocky Horror; I conceded I'd seen that quite a few times, too. But it didn't rise to the centenary mark.

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This weekend, I watched two flicks for the first time. The first was one that had been recommended by a couple of friends: David Lynch's Eraserhead. (For some reason, I feel compelled to preface the title with the director's name. Maybe that's because the movie is an art film.) Now, I've seen weird movies, but this ranks right up there. I mean, wow. It's so odd, I can't even think to whom I could recommend a viewing. I guess if you're really into Lynch as a director & want to complete his oeuvre, sure, go ahead. I've seen less than a handful of his films, but of the ones I have, I think Blue Velvet is his best.

The other movie I had the chance to see was Gone With the Wind. Obviously, living in this culture, I could not escape hearing the signature line by Rhett Butler, but I had succeeded in keeping myself from being spoiled with regards to the film. I'm glad to have seen it, but damn that's a long movie. My goodness, yes. I really hadn't noticed the film length when I turned to TCM, so I was a bit surprised when I looked at the clock four hours later. Aside from that, I enjoyed Clark Gable's acting, & I suppose Vivian Leigh captured the capriciousness of Scarlett's character, but other than that I can't see me putting the film on my top 100. The romanticism of the slave-era South bothered me quite a bit, but even beside that the portrayals in the film itself were too unrealistic.

The endings to both of these made me sit up & exclaim "What??" Just strange finales.

(no subject)

Wal-Mart employee fired for medical pot loses case -- I disagree with the logic of the decision. Honestly, it does not follow from the facts known about how marijuana metabolizes in the body.

Seriously. Do employers fire those hurt on the job who may, for example, take Vicodin for chronic pain? The metabolite stays in one's system for around three days. That does not mean that the person who was injured took the medication (or opium, its precursor) immediately prior to sustaining said injury.

Also, the law in question, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, states:

Sec. 4. (a) A qualifying patient who has been issued and possesses a registry identification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensing board or bureau, for the medical use of marihuana in accordance with this act[.]

I am not a lawyer, but forgive me for thinking, totally commonsensically, that dismissing an employee counts as "disciplinary action".

At least the plaintiff will appeal.