Monthly Archives: May 2016
Happy Monday!
Nelly was right: It’s getting hot in here.
Tom Hanks and Ron Howard are back in front and behind the camera with the latest European thrill ride for everyone’s favorite symbology professor. Robert Langdon, as portrayed for the third time by Mr. Hanks in the cinematic adaptation of Dan Brown’s Inferno, finds himself at the center of yet another plot by a brilliantly villainous mind that threatens the world and its global population. Inspired by Dante, the fiery problem (and answer) takes the viewer through an esoteric labyrinth.
Lucky for Mr. Langdon, a sharp blazer and a Harvard faculty ID appear to be assets in this global mission with no less than the fate of the human race at stake.
Looks like one hell of a good movie.
Have an Adventurous Week!
Can’t Stop the Weekend!
Justin Timberlake has used his musical experience and 20/20 vision to create the presumptive summer hit of 2016.
The Renaissance Man from Memphis is taking a slight break from choreographed dancing and is hoping his friends and fans will take over and bust a move. Released some 10 hours ago in an attempt to win the weekend, “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” (with the cast of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls) is infectiously fun.
“So just dance, dance, dance, come on…”
Put on your Nike’s and just do it!
Makin’ it Rain in Da Desert
“Make it rain” is slang for throwing money into the air to demonstrate one’s unrestrained wealth.
On a related note, it appears the UAE (United Arab Emirates) will be “making it rain” by throwing a few of their endless money piles into the air in order to literally make it rain.
“The scientific reasoning behind the scheme is that an artificial mountain forces air to rise, cool, condense and form clouds, resulting in rainfall. The process is known as cloud-seeding, but can sometimes have undesirable outcomes. In March, cloud-seeding caused havoc in the region when over 11 inches of rainfall poured down in under 24 hours.”
–Elisabeth Perlman, Newsweek
The details are not rock solid yet, but the UAE’s proposed use of capital for designing and building a mountain should surprise exactly nobody. Dubai (well, new Dubai) is a builder’s paradise with ultra-modern and jaw-dropping skyscrapers, malls, hotels and islands. No idea is too crazy nor too expensive, at least thus far. Motivated by the movie adage, “build it and they will come,” the UAE has apparently modified its branding to the world beyond attracting tourists and residents by envisioning a potentially groundbreaking artificial simulation of Mother Nature herself.
Having visited the UAE and seeing and experiencing the outrageous projects they were undertaking in person, which included chilling in the sky bar at 5-star Burj Al Arab hotel, standing in snow in the indoor ski slope at Ski Dubai, looking down at the Palm in its early stages from the top of a skyscraper and eating the best buffet ever at the luxurious Emirates Palace, there is no doubting their capabilities.
Constructing a customized mountain with special powers like a kid playing with LEGO’s?
Sounds about right for the UAE.
However, is attempting to manipulate natural weather patterns a good idea?
Money can buy, solve and influence many things, but actively injecting oneself into the ambiguities of the weather and nature can increase the risks of unpredictable and, therefore, uncontrollable problems arising.
Remember Jurassic Park?
You may say that re-engineering dinosaurs will never happen. And it probably won’t. But there’s an indoor ski slope in one of the hottest places on the planet. Who would’ve believed that?
There was a lot of rain in Jurassic Park, if you recall.
Just saying that when it rains, it pours with a bite.
Fourth Be With You May It
What day is today?
Yoda knows.
In 1977, George Lucas (still forgiving him the best we can for Episodes I, II and III) unleashed his imagination to the world with an out-of-this-world space operatic adventure that redefined cinema and the culture in too many ways to identify and describe.
Need a little proof?
May 4th is officially regarded as Star Wars Day. To be more precise, we celebrate today with, “May the 4th Be With You.”
The movie and subsequent franchise that changed everything was born out of something less certain and more fluid than some may realize. George Lucas, as heard in the clip below, describes the inception of Star Wars and a few of its leading characters. For any fan, and even the 17 non-fans out there, listening to how the man behind the amazing creation of this epic saga realized his galaxy far, far, away is compelling.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to turn on my lightsaber and let The Force be with me.
And may it also be with you.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 